Interview with Ingram Bernard Hay Murray

British officer served with 3rd Field Sqdn, 22nd Engineer Regt, Royal Engineers in Libya, Cyprus and at Suez, Egypt, 1956-1958; served with 131st Independent Parachute Engineer Regt (TA), 44th Independent Parachute Bde Group, Territorial Army in GB, 1958-1967; commanded 131st Independent Parachute Engineer Sqdn, Royal Engineers, (TA), 44th Independent Parachute Bde Group in GB, 1967-1972; served as staff officer with Headquarters, 44th Independent Parachute Bde Group in GB, 1972-1976; served as watchkeeper with Intelligence Cell, I Corps in GB, 1976-1980

REEL 1 Background in GB and Egypt, 1937-1955: family; education; membership of Officer Training Corps at school; expectation of future armed conflict; weapons training with Officer Training Corps; question of how school was preparation for military life; six month period in Egypt, 1952; impressions of Egyptians; father's diplomatic role in Egypt; incidents of being followed by Egyptian Secret Police; unpopularity of Americans in Egypt; impressions of Egyptian Army; tensions in Egyptian Officer Corps; Egyptian attitudes towards French; reasons he decided to do National Service prior to going to university. Recollections of period as officer cadet with Royal Engineers in GB, 1955: reporting to Malvern Camp for National Service; training and assessments; living conditions as Malvern Camp; character of fellow recruits; emphasis on personal hygiene; grooming of potential officers; attending War Office Selection Board and move to Southwood Camp, Farnborough. REEL 2 Continues: nature of officer cadet training course at Southwood Camp, Farnborough; difference between potential officers and NCOs; range of options available to officer cadet on commissioning; attending Mons Officer Cadet School, Aldershot Garrison; tactics practised during training exercises; training to become officer; attending Royal Engineer Cadet School at Gillingham; developments in overhead protection; layout and construction of platoon positions; discussing bridge demolition procedures; commissioning, 26/1/1956. Aspects of period as officer with 3rd Field Sqdn, 22nd Engineer Field Regt, 10th Armoured Div in Libya, 1956: posting to squadron in Libya; attachment to regimental headquarters; use of First Aid Motor Transport Outfits; organisation of regimental headquarters; accommodation in officers' mess in barracks; visiting other units in 10th Armoured Div. REEL 3 Continues: impressions of Libya. Recollections of operations as officer with 3rd Field Sqdn, 22nd Engineer Field Regt, Royal Engineers in Cyprus, 1956-1957: move to Cyprus; organisation and equipment of squadron; duties at headquarters; use of static and mobile stations; communications; role dealing with intelligence about National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters (EOKA); sources of intelligence; encouragement to be observant in security matters; incidents of suppliers who proved security threats; security measures at camp and on vehicle journeys; overall level of threat from National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters (EOKA) including pipe bombings; attitude towards threat; incidents when grenades were thrown; street patrols in Nicosia; riots by school children during school breaks; experiments in riot control; use of snatch squads to arrest rioters; equipment carried during riots; night patrols to enforce curfew; area of patrols; reasons for using standby company; duration of patrol; rules of engagement. REEL 4 Continues: character of Greek and Turkish Cypriots; degree of contact with Cyprus Police Force; question of distrust of Greek Cypriot policemen serving with Cyprus Police Force; British police officers operating with Cyprus Police Force in Cyprus; counter-gang organisation run by Special Air Service Regiment officer; second hand story of counter gang snatch operation; nature of National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters (EOKA) and Colonel Georgios Grivas; sappers role during cordon and search operations; character of National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters (EOKA) hides in Troodos Mountains; cordon and search operations in Troodos Mountains including investing one village for twelve weeks; problems dealing with monasteries; construction of National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters (EOKA) hides in countryside and houses; response of villagers to cordon and search operations; attitude towards media; dealing with media; searches for arms caches and dynamite; avoiding movement by night; examination of natural cavern. REEL 5 Continues: role testing psychic medium's allegation that there was a tunnel being dug from internment camp; refurbishment of gallows; Nikos Sampson's method of executing victims; operation to remove Colonel Georgios Grivas' second in command from hide; use of beehive charge; results of operation; size of his team for operations; use of helicopters including methods of leaving helicopter; deployment as picket in Troodos Mountains; acting as infantry; contact with infantry regiments and Special Branch; behaviour of 1st Bn Highland Light Infantry; sense of pride in Royal Engineers; rivalry between commandos and paratroopers; start of Suez Crisis, 7/1956; raising of unit to higher establishment; arrival of reservists; effect of arrival of extra troops on National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters (EOKA) activity. REEL 6 Continues: character of preparations for Operation Musketeer; acquisition of half-tracks and machine guns; intelligence and briefings; skills needed to operate half tracks; loading of equipment; practising bridge building; problems of embarking at Famagusta; opinion of advice received from experienced officer; loading unit's equipment. Recollections of operations as officer with 3rd Field Sqdn, 22nd Engineer Field Regt, Royal Engineers during Operation Musketeer at Suez, Egypt, 11/1956-12/1956: character of landing craft; brevity of orders; landing on shingle beach at Port Said; winching vehicles and guns; sight of commandos attacking flats; length of time taken to unload landing craft; deploying with rest of squadron in park; attitude of American consul to troops taking cover in American Library; use of Italian Library and school as base for operations; tasks assigned to unit; building bridge over subsidiary canal. REEL 7 Continues: location of bridge and canal; length of time taken to construct bridge; bomb disposal work with unexploded ordnance; duties including building bridges across Sweetwater Canal; nature of Egyptian minefields; method of clearing minefields; discovery of plastic Czech mines used by Egyptian Army; technique for prodding for mines; deployment of Parachute Regiment and Royal Tank Regiment; character of Egyptian positions; anticipation of ceasefire; attitude towards political debate in GB; liaison with French Army engineer officer; French forces' attitude towards Egyptians; Egyptian attacks on United Nations forces; measures against inhabitants in shanty towns; liaison with Egyptian Police after ceasefire; question of weapons distribution by Soviet consul; restoration of water supply. REEL 8 Continues: burial of corpses; liaison with Egyptian engineers during restoration of water and sewage supplies; lack of contact with Israeli forces; return to Cyprus, 12/1956; accommodation in Port Said; riot on arrival of United Nations; comparison between Egyptian and Cypriot rioters; problems with distribution of food to civilians; character of rations; effect of compo rations on digestion; effect on unit relations after active service operations. Aspects of operations as officer with 3rd Field Sqdn, 22nd Engineer Field Regt, Royal Engineers in Cyprus, 1956-1957: increase in National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters (EOKA) activity during Suez Crisis; character of operations; duration of operations; change in situation in Cyprus after Suez Crisis. Recollections of period as officer with 131st Independent Parachute Engineer Regt (TA) and commanding officer of 131st Independent Parachute Engineer Sqdn, Royal Engineers (TA) 44th Independent Parachute Bde Group in GB, 1958-1972: question of not taking up career in British Army; reasons for joining Territorial Army; character of Territorial Army at University of Oxford; field security and screening. REEL 9 Continues: photographic intelligence work; role in formation of Plant Troop in Luton; dropping of engineering plant by parachute; proposed role in construction of roads and airfields; reduction of unit from regiment to squadron; training of recruits; financial and other restrictions after 1967; taking command of squadron; distribution of squadron; mobilisation role of squadron. Recollections of period as intelligence officer with Headquarters, 44th Independent Parachute Bde Group in GB, 1972-1976: focus of Soviet special forces threat to rear areas; threat of infiltration from East Germany; question of Soviet special forces proposed targets and airborne operations; contact with defence forces in West Germany; question of being able to perform quick reaction operations. REEL 10 Continues: proposed deployment of brigade to West Germany; character exercise to deploy brigade in West Germany; problems of Territorial Army recruitment during 1970s. Aspects of period as officer with 131st Independent Parachute Engineer Regt (TA) in camps in Aden, Federation of South Arabia and Republic of Cyprus, 1960s: nature of camps in Aden; performance of unit in Aden; acclimatisation in Aden; problems with heat exhaustion; role building Dhala Road, Aden; method used by convoys to travel on Dhala Road, Aden; incident of being under fire in fortified camp; method of protecting beds in camp; wire defences and question of position of latrines. REEL 11 Continues: lack of daytime attacks; incident when two NCOs were killed by gunfire and burial of casualties; effect of incident on unit morale; security situation in Republic of Cyprus; skills of Territorial Army troops with mining background; sappers' opinion of equipment during blasting operations; co-operation with Royal Air Force for parachuting training. Recollections of period as watchkeeper with Intelligence Cell, I Corps during exercises in West Germany,1980: role during exercises; problems with introduction of information technology; question of security; use of televised briefings; problems of handling volume of information; liaison with American intelligence personnel including women; organisation of office and communications; watchkeeper staff; production of briefings; use of pool of watchkeepers to provide continuity. REEL 12 Continues: effects of introduction of data processing; question of reporting levels; extent of forward vision by brigade, division and corps; sources of intelligence; importance of air reconnaissance; deductions from study of road system and river crossings; effects in changes of corps commander; problems of operating in protective clothing; character of Soviet air defence systems; scripting of command post exercises; assessment of exercises; importance of sleep; advantages of military experience.