Description
Object description
British officer served 622 (Cheshire) Field Sqdn, Royal Engineers in Middle East, North Africa and Italy, 1943-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in Mill Hill, London, Ardingly and Amersham, 1923-1941: social circumstances; education at Ardingly School, 1934-, including daily routine, Boy Scouts activities, visit by General Hubert Gough, opinion of Headmaster Ernest Crosse and his service as chaplain, 1914-1918, training with OTC, sporting activities and academic progress; question of approach of war; move to Amersham, 1939; holiday in France, 8/1939; effects of war on Ardingly School including early return to school, 8/1939, outbreak of war, 3/9/1939, black out. air raid shelters, view of evacuation of children, food rationing, recruitment of teachers and boys.
REEL 2 Continues: effects of war on Ardingly School including restrictions on movements, replacement of rifles with carbines in OTC, fire watch duty, question of German air raids, attitude to prospect of war service, makeshift teaching staff and question of evacuation of school; background to attestation as prospective officer at Brighton, 2/12/1941; return to Ardingly School; call up to join Royal Engineers, 4/1942. Reception at School of Military Engineering, Rippon Camp, 4/1942. Period studying engineering at Trinity Hall, Cambridge University, 4/1942-9/1942: condensed nature of course; rowing activities; Senior Training Corps activities. Pre-Officers Cadet Training Unit infantry training course with 148 Training Bde at Wrotham, 9/1942-10/1942: assault course; story of drinking rough cider. Pre-OCTU course at Royal Engineers Wing, 148 Training Brigade at Dartford, 10/1942-11/1942: explosives training; bridging and use of Inglis bridge. Period at RE OCTU at Newark, 11/1942-5/1943: method of erecting Bailey bridge.
REEL 3 Continues: methods of erecting Bailey, small box girder and pontoon bridges; explosives and mines training; laying roads; studying RE manual; stories illustrating character of instructing officer; question of uniform; passing out parade. Period with 146 Field Park Sqdn at Pickering and Chelwood Gate, 5/1943-6/1943: reputation of 9th Armoured Div; reception; role in charge of train during move. Period at Transit Depot, Liss, 6/1943-7/1943: role as draft conducting officer; illiteracy of stevedores. Voyage aboard Mooltan to Algiers, Algeria, 7/1943: convoy route; food; conditions for Ors amongst draft; arrival at Algiers. Journey to Moascar, Ismailia, 7/1943-8/1943: periods in holding camps; train journey and story of meeting old school teacher; raid on US food stores; food poisoning; voyage aboard Talma via Malta to Alexandria. Period at RE Depot at Moascar, 8/1943: stories of Colonel Percy Cloutman; role as duty officer. Journey to Slenfe, Syria, 9/1943. Recollections of period with 2nd Troop, 622 (Cheshire) Field Sqdn, RE, 9/1943: reporting to CRE Colonel Walker of 10th Armoured Div; reception from Troop Sergeant Pearce and story of Lieutenant Philip Holborn's success in boxing match; composition and equipment of unit; opinion of various officers including Holborn; officers' mess including food rations and drinking habits; situation; story of paying Syrian labourers and attending Syrian wedding.
REEL 5 Continues: role during divisional reconnaissance for move to Egypt, 9/1943. Recollections of period in Egypt, 10/1943-11/1943: tents and bivouacs at Arr Fayid; story of paining Major Derek Russell's car; specialist trade tests; local leave; role preparing for Chief of Staffs Conference at Mena House Hotel including work on villa of US ambassador; story of abortive design for ramp to balcony of Churchill's bedroom intended for use of Roosevelt's wheelchair; unit's security role including desert patrol and establishment of observation post on Pyramid; visit to Pyramids; contacts with high command; inspection by General Henry Wilson of 10th Armoured Div, 22/12/1943; Christmas celebrations, 25/12/1943. REEL 6 Continues: participation in Exercise Tussle, 12/1943-1/1944, including political background to involvement of South African troops, plan, role as liaison officer with Egyptian unit and results of exercise; question of posting to Italy or Burma. Recollections of operations in Italy, 3/1944-6/1945: journey via Sicily; train journey to Naples; eruption of Vesuvius; transit camps; lorry journey to Forli del Sanio, 4/1944; liaison with Grenadier Guards; officers' mess in barn; opinion of Major Dick Copplestone; camouflage course, 5/1944; move to Roccosecca and view of Monte Cassino battlefields; schu mines; repairs to Route 6 road; practical problems in use of Bailey bridges.
REEL 7 Continues: problems in use of Bailey bridges; Importance of speed; news of D Day while on visit to Rome, 6/6/1944; rafting course; move north under command of 6th South African Div, 6/1944-7/1944; move back to Rome area; situation; temporary attachment to Po Force at Lake Bracciano; move east under command of 1st Armoured Div at Ancona, 8/1944; attack on Gothic Line on Corriano Ridge, 9/1944; situation; wet weather and necessity of bridging swollen rivers; stories illustrating mine clearance role on approach to Marechio and Rubicon Rivers; story of close escape from shell fire during reconnaissance patrol; opinion of Ghurkha troops; opinion of conduct of campaign; duties; water supply points.
REEL 8 Continues: water supply points; casualties and funeral; relationship and bartering with US troops; story of discovering farmhouse used to store Italian art treasures; relationship with Italian civilians; volunteer staffed canteen trucks; casualties including Czechoslovakian officer; training on Sherman and Churchill tanks at Riebi, 11/1944; Christmas and birthday celebrations at Piediluco, 25/12/1944-26/12/1944; attending aerial photographic interpretation course at San Severo, 1/1945; reorganisation into unit into armoured troops; sue of ark bridge and fascine carrying Churchill tanks; role in planning for attack on Senio River line as intelligence officer with Headquarters Troop. REEL 9 Continues: move to train as F Assault Sqdn, B Assault Bde, Royal Armoured Corps/Royal Engineers; move to assembly area near Ravenna, 3/1945; situation and plans for assault on Senio River line; role supporting attack of 8th Indian Div across River Senio, 9/4/1945; Allied accidental bombing of unit; role as intelligence officer; role of unit; advance to River Po; celebrations at Lendinara on end of war in Italy, 2/5/1945. Period in Italy, 5/1945-9/1945: movements; lack of unit role and preparations for disbandment; memories of Sergeant Dunn; local leave; serving on board of court martial. Period as staff officer to Headquarters British Troops in Austria at Klagenfelt, 10/1945-1/1946: duties collecting topographical and engineering intelligence.
REEL 10 Continues: duties collecting topographical and engineering intelligence; question of Soviet plans for advance to Adriatic coast; GB leave and train journey back. Period as staff officer at General Headquarters, Central Mediterranean Forces, Caserta Palace, 1/1946-7/1946. Period as adjutant to CRE Colonel R T Brain at Headquarters, 56th Div at Trieste, 7/1946-1/1947. Period as adjutant to 3rd Airfield Construction Group at Udine, 1/1947-2/1947. Return to GB and demobilisation, 4/1947. Post-war career: initial impressions of GB; review of career in marketing and as secretary to trade association; physical and mental effects of war service; contacts with old comrades.
