Description
Object description
British gunner served with 99th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Bty, Royal Artillery in GB, 1938-1941; served with 88th HAA Bty, Royal Artillery in GB, North Africa, Palestine and Italy, 1941-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Wandsworth, London, 1906-1939: social circumstances; education; effects of war, 1914-1918; work as bank clerk, 1924-1939; sporting activities. Recruitment and training and initial service as gunner with 99th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Bty, 1938-1941: training on predictor, 3.7" gun and height finder; aircraft recognition; importance of social life; call up and initial gun positions at Shirley Park, Croyden, 1/9/1939; German air raid on outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; training; radar secrecy; initial absence of German air raids; move to Hayes Common, 9/1940; equipment with 3" anti-aircraft guns; lack of organisation.
REEL 2 Continues: move on to 4.5" guns at Woolwich; duties; move to Newport,1940; firing during German air raids; firing practice with 3.7" AA guns, 12/1940; equipment with mobile 3.7" AA guns; move to Doncaster, 4/1941; marriage and reprimand for reporting late back from honeymoon; concert party activities. Various aspects of service with 88th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Bty in GB, Egypt, Palestine, North Africa and Italy, 1941-1945: background to assimilation of 99th HAA into unit in London; voyage via Durban, South Africa to Egypt, 5/1941-6/1941; attack of sandfly fever and convalescence; rejoining unit at EL Adem airfield; Stuka attacks; story of discovering snake in bivouac; daily routine.
REEL 3 Continues: daily routine; taking post; role as spotter; desert sandstorms; preliminary barrage prior to EL Alamein offensive, 10/1942; advance; rugby activities; leave in Cairo; reactions to dissolution of unit and subsequent service with Royal Signals and Special Boat Service; return to GB on LIAP leave, ca 1945; importance of comradeship; relationship with Arab civilians; lectures; concert party activities satirising officers; debates and lectures; relationship with Italian civilians in Rome; taking banking examinations. Service with Royal Signals in GB, 1945. Demobilisation, 12/1945. Post-war career.