Description
Object description
British NCO and officer served with First Aid Nursing Yeomanry in Section F Special Operations Executive Headquarters in GB, 1944; officer served with French Forces of the Interior in GB, 1944-1945; officer served with First Aid Nursing Yeomanry in GB, 1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Europe and Wimbledon, GB, 1921-1944: family including Armenian background; early childhood in GB and Turkey; events in Turkey, 1922, and move to Romania; education; family holidays; move to Paris; death of father; move to GB; education; outbreak of war; service of brother; moves of family; work with Belgian Government; joining of First Aid Nursing Yeomanry. Aspects of period as volunteer with First Aid Nursing Yeomanry in GB: posting to Banbury; uniform; duties; pattern of training; memories of commandant; leave. Aspects of period as NCO and officer with First Aid Nursing Yeomanry in F Section Special Operations Executive Headquarters, GB, 1944: posting with F Section in Baker Street; welcome to headquarters; start of working day; location of office; colleagues; ranks in First Aid Nursing Yeomanry; knowledge of French and France; typing work; knowledge of circuits and agents; visits from Americans; receiving of messages; translation work including stories of translations typed for Major Vaughn Patterson and Major Morell; air activity; preparations for D-Day including involvement with writing of messages for agents; secrecy within Special Operations Executive; details of meals during shifts; journeys to and from work; story of first meeting with an agent.
REEL 2 Continues: story of first meeting with an agent including being asked why she was not abroad; request to go abroad and reason for being declined; involvement with forgers; messages sent to Military Intelligence; cover stories for work including relationship with neighbours; working around moon cycle; incendiary bomb raids; memories of neighbours; V1 and V2 raids; cancellation of leave and increase to work in 1944; reason for not being able to become an officer; memories of a Lieutenant at Baker Street; start of 24 hour shift system; sleeping arrangements; evacuation plans; splitting of France into regions; posting to east and south-east region with Harry Ray; promotion to Ensign; details of posting; move via Montague House to Bryanston Square; placement under French Forces of the Interior and letter of thanks from General Koenig.
REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period as officer with French Forces of the Interior in GB, 1944-1945: changes to work; story of message possibly from Gestapo around D-Day; methods of detecting Gestapo infiltration and confusion over status of some agents; opinion of Special Operations Executive; story of agent concerned about sister; return of agents from France; memories of George Miller; news of Special Operations Executive's disbandment; leave including hospitalisation. Aspects of period as officer with First Aid Nursing Yeomanry in GB, 1945: interview with First Aid Nursing Yeomanry and posting as conducting officer; duties; journey to New Forest and details of proposed parachute drop into Germany; posting and accommodation in Beaulieu; lectures on German Army and Belgium; learning to pick locks; story of attempt to break into a house; learning to follow people in Southampton and Bournemouth; picking up and leaving messages including attitude to training; pigeon handling; learning to cook in wild; further details of training; encoding and decoding messages; cessation of training and reactions; promotion to Lieutenant; posting with Special Allied Airborne Reconnaissance Force at Virginia Water; accommodation; rations; people with her on course; details of proposed parachute drop in Germany; weapons training; lectures; details of an exercise.
REEL 4 Continues: details of parachute course at Ringway; leisure activities; end of training at Virginia Water; offer of posting to Far East; demobilisation. Aspects of period as civilian in GB, 1939-1944: details of maiden name Ekserdjian; war service of brother Bill Ekserdjian.
REEL 5 Continues: stories of air raids witnessed in London and fire watching duties at work; memories of V1 and V2 raids; further memories of air raids witnessed.
