Description
Object description
British NCO served with Anti-Aircraft Bty, Royal Artillery in GB, 1943; served as officer with Anti-Aircraft Bty, Royal Artillery in GB, 1944-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in Sheffield and Rawmarsh, 1920-1942: social circumstances; education; work as typist and secretary in steelworks, 1936-1942; awareness of approach of war; outbreak of war, issue of gas masks and story of air raid alarm, 3/9/1939; fear of air raids in steel towns; German air raids on Sheffield; story of bombs jettisoned on Rawmarsh; blackout; gas lectures; gas cleansing stations; first aid training with St Johns Ambulance and Red Cross; wartime introduction of women in steelworks; training as firewoman for steelworks fire service; first aid duty and local doctor's mobile theatre.
REEL 2 Continues: training role as commandant of 512 Detachment, Red Cross, Rotherham, 1940-1942; assisting in Red Cross inquiry office; change to war production at steelworks; question of reserved occupation status and background to decision to volunteer, 11/1942. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine with ATS Training Centre, St Ethelberger's School, Harrogate, 11/1942-1/1943: kitting out and uniform; cubicles; Christmas beer ration, 25/12/1942; food rations; drill; lectures; relationship with recruits and instructors; morning routine; background to volunteering for anti-aircraft training; marriage to Dennis Swift, 6/1941. Recollections of period at Anti-Aircraft School, Blackdown Camp, 1/1943-4/1943: nature of training.
REEL 3 Continues: training on predictor; promotion to lance corporal; exercises on predictor, role determining correct fuse types and method of firing guns. Recollections of period with 4.5" gun Anti-Aircraft Bty, Royal Artillery at gun sites at Cobham, Wokingham, 5/1943-10/1943: battery layout; hut accommodation and story illustrating effects of guns firing; duties on predictor; fatigues; daily rota; operation of predictor in action and difficulty in determining results of fire; night alarms; steel helmets; relationship with ORs, officers and male personnel; canteen; recreations and relationship with local civilians; fatigue; collecting rags to clean guns; story of visit to London; firing camp to test new predictors at Whitby, ca 10/193.
REEL 4 Continues: problems during firing test with predictor at Whitby, 10/1943; move to Wokingham; separation of gun positions from huts; training course as NCO at Nevilles Cross, Durham; story of passing War Office Selection Board. Attending Pre-Officers Cadet Training Unit course at Pontefract Barracks, 1943: nature of course; drill squad competition. Period ATS Officers Cadet Training Unit, Imperial Services College, Windsor, 1944: fear of failing course; nature of training; relationship with cadets; guard duty; passing out and commission. Recollections of posting to Anti-Aircraft Bty, Royal Artillery in Hull, 1944-1945: reception in officers' mess; officers' servant; duties as plotting officer in plotting room and use of radar; V1s; story of German air raid on Windsor, 1944; story of close escape from V1; question of problems in mixed sex units; pregnancy and compassionate leave, 2/1945-8/1945; VE Day and VJ Day celebrations, 1945.
REEL 5 Continues: demobilisation, 8/1945. Post service life: financial position and purchase of house in Rotherham; brief period training female territorial recruits. Stories from military service, 1942-1945: story of attending rest course as officer, ca 1944; attending kitchens course; story of attending radar course at Weybourne; story of dispute with officer at Cobham, 1943.
