Interview with Roland John Dane

British private trained with General Service Corps at No 22 Primary Training Centre, Markeaton Park, Derby and Black Watch (Royal Highland Regient) Regimental Depot, Queen's Barracks, Perth, GB, 1943; served with 10th Bn Black Watch in GB, 1943-1944; served with 7th Bn Black Watch, 154th Infantry Bde, 51st (Highland) Div in GB and North West Europe, 5/1944-5/1945; NCO served with 2nd Bn Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) in Germany, GB and Gibraltar, 1945-1947

REEL 1 Background in Ramsgate and Falkirk, GB, 1925-1943: family; father's military service in First World War; education, including reason for family move to Scotland; civilian employment working with American manufactured military vehicles. Aspects of enlistment and training as private with General Service Corps at No 22 Primary Training Centre, Markeaton Park, Derby, GB, 1943: reasons for enlistment and reaction of mother; character of No 22 Primary Training Centre; background of fellow recruits; living conditions; NCO instructors; morning routine; opinion of drill; method of breaking in boots; weapons training; fitness training; opinion of training; discipline; period restricted to camp; recreational activities; joining Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment). Aspects of period as private with Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) Regimental Depot, Queen's Barracks, Perth, GB, 1943: nature of Universal Carrier training, including characteristics of Universal Carrier and driving test; opinion of posting with Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment); fitness; recreational activities in Perth. REEL 2 Continues: pattern of continuation training; Aspects of period as private with 10th Bn Black Watch (Royal Highland Regt) in GB, 1943-1944: train journey from Perth to Wick; character of battalion; pattern of training, including posting in anti-tank platoon; accommodation; recreational activities; move to Chichester; accommodation; firing on ranges in Northumberland; story of night in Newcastle upon Tyne; loss of troops to reinforce 51st (Highland) Infantry Div, 1944; erection of camp for troops participating in Operation Overlord. Aspects of period as private with 7th Bn Black Watch (Royal Highland Regt), 154th Infantry Bde, 51st (Highland) Infantry Div in GB, 5/1944-6/: posting to Reserve Coy at Southwold; night exercises; reaction to embarkation at Tilbury Docks; waterproofing of vehicles; degree of armour on Universal Carrier; loading of Universal Carrier onto ship; accommodation on board; nature voyage from Tilbury, GB to Normandy, France, 5/6/1944-6/6/1944. Recollections of operations as private with 7th Bn Black Watch (Royal Highland Regt), 154th Infantry Bde, 51st (Highland) Infantry Div in Normandy, France, 6/1944-8/1944: boarding landing craft, landings and move inland, D-Day, 6/6/1944; crossing of Bénouville Bridge, D-Day, 6/6/1944; under fire faced and taking cover; role of Carrier Platoon and as Universal Carrier driver; turnover of troops in company; further details of duties; rations; reaction to German artillery shelling; problems with insects; weather. REEL 3 Continues: nature of armoured push from Cagny; role during advance; accidental Allied bombing of Polish troops; reaction to sight of casualties; battalion officers; Allied bombing of Caen; character of tank crews; opinion of troops going Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL); physical state; maintenance of Universal Carrier, including adjustment of tracks; personal weapons carried. Recollections of operations as private with 7th Bn Black Watch (Royal Highland Regt), 154th Infantry Bde, 51st (Highland) Infantry Div in North West Europe, 9/1944-5/1944: problems following tanks into Le Havre, France, 9/1944; methods of protection against mines; advance into Netherlands; activities of battalion in Netherlands; reception from Dutch civilians; cigarette ration; bread; relations with Dutch civilians. REEL 4 Continues: description of Schutzstaffel (SS) barracks; move to 's-Hertogenbosch; period in flooded conditions on The Island, Netherlands; story of passing through United States Army lines during Battle of the Bulge, 12/1944; German V1 Flying Bomb attacks at Liège, Beligum; degree of knowledge of situation in Ardennes, Belgium; effects of winter weather conditions; supply of rations; opinion of United States Army troops; signs of battle in Ardennes, Belgium; use of Weasel in Ardennes, Belgium; contacting influenza; nature of advance through Reichswald Forest, Germany, 2/1945; conditions under tracks during attack with Guards Armoured Div, including problems with anti-tank ditch; reaction to rockets. REEL 5 Continues: visit from Prime Minister Winston Churchill at Goch, Germany; opinion of Prime Minister Winston Churchill; opinion of flame-throwers; training for river crossing; nature of crossing River Rhine, 3/1945; contact with German civilians; nature of advance beyond River Rhine, 3/1945-4/1945; nature hospitalisation in Liège, Belgium; leave in GB; journey to battalion; reaction to end of Second World War in Europe at Liège, Belgium, 8/5/1945. Aspects of period as private with 7th Bn Black Watch (Royal Highland Regt), 154th Infantry Bde, 51st (Highland) Infantry Div in Germany, 1945: reception on arrival in Hanover; souvenir from camp; contact with Soviet forced labourers in camp; relations with German civilians; recreational activities; capture of Heinrich Himmler. Recollections of period as NCO with 2nd Bn Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) in Germany, GB and Gibraltar, 1945-1947: posting to battalion and changes to uniform; recreational activities at Goslar; story of patrol through Soviet Zone of Occupation, Germany; contact with Soviet Army troops; accommodation; visits to Soviet Zone of Occupation, Germany; promotion to corporal; story of journey along autobahn; period as demonstration battalion at School of Infantry, Warminster, GB. REEL 6 Continues: story of Universal Carrier demonstration; wait for demobilisation; question of continued service with British Army; reaction to posting to Gibraltar; voyage from GB to Gibraltar; guard duties; fights in Gibraltar; accommodation; washing facilities; opinion of posting to Gibraltar; duties; voyage from Gibraltar to GB, 1947; process of demobilisation in Liverpool, GB; leave; civilian employment. Reflections on military service: wartime visit to Dunkirk, France; comradeship in British Army; physical effects of service; opinion of chaplains; religion in field; mail; period on Z Army Reserve; opinion of treatment of war widows; reflections on military service.