Interview with Thomas Nuttall

1819758014
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All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

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930291913
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All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

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Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
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Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
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If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
1002370783
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All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
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Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
902963789
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
1682197906
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Description

Object description

British marine trained at Stonehouse Barracks in Plymouth, GB, 1943-1944; served aboard HMS Duke of York, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters and Arctic, 5/1944-3/1945; served aboard HMS Duke of York, British Pacific Fleet in Pacific, 4/1945-6/1946; trained as commando with Royal Marines in GB, 1948-1949; NCO served as instructor with Royal Marines at Bickleigh Barracks in GB, 1949-1950; served with 40 Commando, Royal Marines in Federation of Malaya, 1950-1952

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Plymouth and Bristol, GB, 1925-1939: family; education; membership of Royal Marine Cadets; father's leaving Royal Marines, 1936; move to Bristol; employment. Aspects of period as telegraph boy in Plymouth, GB, 1939-1943: father's return to Royal Marines on reserve; return to Plymouth; employment as telegraph boy and carrying telegraphs relating to sinking of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, 12/1941; start of bombing of Devonport and Plymouth; memories of major German Air Force raids on Plymouth. Recollections of enlistment and training with Royal Marines at Stonehouse Barracks in GB, 1943-1944: decision to join Royal Marines; accommodation; issue of Canadian Ross Rifle; description of daily training routine including instructor, drill, physical training and arms training. REEL 2 Continues: training with Sticky Bombs and Boys Anti-Tank Rifle; opinion of Bren Gun; mortar and grenade training; infantry training tactics; gunnery drill; seamanship training; encouragement to play sport; evening activities; relations within squad and with NCOs. Recollections of operations as marine aboard HMS Duke of York, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters and Arctic, 5/1944-4/1945: drafting to battleship at Scapa Flow, 5/1944; joining ship; description of mess deck; role of Royal Marines aboard ship. REEL 3 Continues: action station in 14 Inch Naval Gun shell room of Y Turret; work in shell room; description of daily ship's routine; nature of service at Scapa Flow; reasons why ship was a happy one; relations between seamen and Royal Marines; rivalry with other ships; escort duties to coast of Norway; cold conditions during Arctic convoys; refitting for tropical conditions in Liverpool, 9/1944-3/1945; question of battleships becoming obsolete. Aspects of operations as marine aboard HMS Duke of York, British Pacific Fleet in Pacific, 4/1945-6/1946 move to Sydney, Australia; joining United States Navy Seventh Fleet; sight of kamikaze attacking fleet; hearing of dropping of atomic bombs; in Tokyo Bay, Japan for Japanese surrender; visits to Hiroshima, Japan and attitude towards dropping of atomic bombs; acting as naval policeman in Hong Kong, late 1945. REEL 4 Continues: dealing with fight between American and British seamen on Christmas Day, 25/12/1945; discovery of mass grave in Hong Kong; economic conditions in Hong Kong prior to arrival of Americans; Royal Navy's dumping ammunition and Lend-Lease equipment on route to Australia; return to GB, 1946. Aspects of training as commando with Royal Marines in GB, 1948-1949: posting to Bickleigh Barracks; opinion of training; route marches and night attack training; use of 'death slide'; reasons for some men failing course; attending NCO course; training as coxswain on landing craft. Aspects of period as NCO instructor at Bickleigh Barracks, GB, 1949-1950: posting as instructor; unarmed combat; attitude to period as instructor. Recollections of operations as NCO with 40 Commando, Royal Marines in Federation of Malaya, 1950-1952: background to posting to commando; composition of commando; conditions on troopship; joining commando in Federation of Malaya. REEL 5 Continues: issue of jungle boots; conditions in jungle and problems navigating; move to Lengong; issue of Owen Gun; character of his section; use of Iban trackers; rations, clothing, equipment and ammunition taken on patrol; reasons why officers carried rifles; intelligence and character of Malayan National Liberation Army insurgents; setting ambushes; discovery of Malayan National Liberation Army camp; encounter with Malayan National Liberation Army insurgents during patrol; fatigue during patrols; reasons for decision to put on his NCO's chevrons; exhaustion amongst troops during patrol; story of being ambushed on patrol. REEL 6 Continues: location of patrol members; death of Bren Gun operator in ambush; removal of squatters; laying ambush; lack of success during ambushes; incident of officers not listening to advice; effects of malaria and dengue fever; unit members who had problems operating in the jungle; accidental discharge from Sten Gun; Malayan National Liberation Army attacks on rubber plantations; psychological cases and use of alcohol; visit to village and degree of contact with Malays; attitude to service in Federation of Malaya. REEL 7 Continues: intelligence work; attitude to leaving Federation of Malaya; story of leaving commando and hospitalisation for infected kidney; background to invaliding out of Royal Marines and return to civilian occupation.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), 1945-1989 (content), 1945-1989 (association)
Creator: IWM (Production Company)
Hart, Peter M (Interviewee/Speaker)
Nuttall, Thomas (Recorder)
Production date: 1998
Dimensions: whole: Duration 201, Number Of Items 7
Catalogue number: 17961

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