Description
Object description
British signaller and NCO served with Royal Corps of Signals attached to Headquarters, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div in GB and North West Europe, 9/1939-5/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Romsey, GB, 1919-1939: family; education; leisure activities; employment in Romsey and Southampton; joining of Territorial Army, 8/1939. Aspects of period as signaller and NCO with Royal Corps of Signals attached to Headquarters, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div in GB, 8/1939-6/1944: mobilisation including use of own motorcycle; degree of knowledge of British Army; nature of journey to Salisbury including learning of declaration of Second World War and visit to The Three Crowns Inn at Whaddon, 3/9/1939; father's reaction to his joining British Army; family; character of unit and reception on arrival; accommodation and sleeping arrangements in cinema; build-up of division; despatch rider work; move to Mere; accommodation and washing facilities; accommodation in Bourton; map reading training; preparations for abortive move to Norway including role during journey to Dumfries and attitude of troops to prospect of service in Norway; problems experienced during return journey to Southern England; maintenance of motorcycle; trade tests; weapons training including gun carried on motorcycle.
REEL 2 Continues: weapons instructor; characteristics of Boys Anti-Tank Rifle; grenade training; exercises and knowledge of divisional units; opinion of officers; firing on ranges; invasion scare during period at Ware; posting in Rye; changes to division; pattern of postings in Kent; despatch rider duties; speed limits; comparison of situation with that of infantry; composition of 43rd Divisional Signals; relations with signals colleagues and officers; changes once in active service; memories of Lieutenant-Colonel Michael Trethowan; details of Exercise Battleaxe in Scotland; story of troops posted to Norway; punishments for ill discipline.
REEL 3 Continues: fire piquet; further details of punishments; visits to Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI) and Women's Voluntary Service; meeting future wife; pay; church parades including excused troops; opinion of chaplains; religious beliefs; opinion of and contact with Royal Army Medical Corps; pattern of postings in Kent; section social occasions in Harrietsham; leave; petrol ration; description of journeys home for leave; clothing worn on home leave; changes to uniform in 1945; method of maintaining crease in trousers; selection of stickman from guard; role of stickman; frequency of guard duties; storage of motorcycles.
REEL 4 Continues: guarding of store; degree of prior knowledge of D-Day; troop movement exercises; receiving news of landings in Normandy, France, 6/6/1944; despatch work undertaken by train; nature of signals subterfuge role in Kent, 6/1944; preparations for posting abroad; night in Upton Park en route including German V1 Flying Bomb attack; reception from civilians in East End of London; boarding of ship; sleeping arrangements; latrines; voyage around coast; attitude to situation; cigarettes issue in GB and Normandy, France; details of voyage; boarding of landing craft; loss of 43rd Reconnaissance Regiment. Recollections of operations as NCO with Royal Corps of Signals attached to Headquarters, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div in Normandy, France, 6/1944-8/1944: crossing English Channel, boarding landing craft; loss of 43rd Reconnaissance Regt; nature of beach landing; story of motorcycle sunk during landing; aerial activity; organisation of movement inland and of available space.
REEL 5 Continues: morale; problems from dust; despatch rider duties; contact with German prisoners of war; officers serving with Headquarters, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div; delivering of messages and sleeping arrangements; knowledge of 214th Infantry Bde's attack on Hill 112 including printing of newsletter after event; nature of wireless net; problems searching for units; replacement of motorcycle with Willys Jeeps and change in personal weapon; despatch partner; casualties; noise of guns; effect of casualties on morale; method of preventing dust clouds; first experience of being under fire; character of German snipers; character of roads in Normandy.
REEL 6 Continues: reaction to sights witnessed in Falaise Gap; composition of Headquarters, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div; nature of accommodation; location of headquarters at Vernon; intelligence obtain from French civilians; crossing of River Seine; awards. Recollections of operations as NCO with Royal Corps of Signals attached to Headquarters, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div, 8/1944-5/1945: advance north from River Seine, France and German withdrawal; supply situation; advance from River Seine, France into Netherlands; knowledge of Operation Market Garden, 9/1944; problems using tanks during Operation Market Garden, Netherlands, 9/1944; despatch rider duties; journey to Nijmegen, Netherlands; situation on arrival; movement around Nijmegen, Netherlands; crossing of River Waal, Netherlands.
REEL 7 Continues: reaction at Headquarters, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div to Operation Market Garden successes and failures of Operation Market Garden, 9/1944; preparations for Christmas; nature terrain in Reichswald Forest, Germany, 2/1945; involvement in Battle of the Bulge, Ardennes, Belgium; advance along River Rhine, Germany; crossing of River Rhine, Germany; movement of advance beyond River Rhine, Germany, 4/1945; reaction to being in Germany; opinion of German civilians; reflections on North West Europe Campaign; relations with German civilians; blockage of roads; visits to Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp; problems from Soviet Displaced Persons. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Corps of Signals attached to Headquarters, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div in Germany, 1945-1946: role of unit; problems from Soviet Displaced Persons; description of armoured cars issued; relations with German civilians; memories of interpreter; opinion of German forces; opinion of who he was fighting; memories VE Day celebrations, 8/5/1945; reaction to end of Second World War, 8/5/1945.
REEL 8 Continues: move to Celle; accommodation; duties; relations with German civilians; leave in Brunswick; preparations for service in Far East; reaction to dropping of atomic bombs on Japan, 8/1945; collection of rations and mail; obtaining meals; mail sent and received. Post-war life and employment: question of employment after military service and background to joining Fire Service; employment as fireman; opinion of military training; lessons learned in military service; comradeship; settling into civilian life; psychological effects of service and help from contact with old comrades; story of German Butterfly Bombs; troops suffering from psychological stress and help given to them.