Hudson, John (Oral history)

British NCO served with Royal Engineers in GB and France, 1939-1940; officer served with 59 Section, Bomb Disposal, Royal Engineers in Halifax, GB, 1940; served as staff officer with Bomb Disposal Headquarters in London, GB, 1940-1945

REEL 1 Recollections of period as sapper and corporal with Royal Engineers in GB, France and Belgium 1938-1940: background to joining Territorial Army; annual camp at Dover; weapons training; character of recruits; reaction to outbreak of Second World War, 9/1939; training at Worthing; arrival of equipment; move to Pissy, France, c3/1940; problems of fatigue for drivers in convoys; promotion to corporal; move into Belgium, 5/1940; disposal of vehicles and retreat to Dunkirk; character of retreat to Dunkirk; situation on Dunkirk beaches; use of canvas folding boats; organisation of pier made from vehicles. REEL 2 Continues: orders to use mole at Dunkirk; embarking aboard Ben Macrea; reception on arrival in GB; assembling in divisions at Aldershot; method of being sent to Yeovil to see family; re-joining unit at Swindon; promotion to sergeant; move to Woodlands, Doncaster; embarrassment taking first parade. Recollections of period as officer with Bomb Disposal, Royal Engineers in GB, 1940-1945: direct commissioning into Bomb Disposal, 9/1940; effect of introduction of time fuses by Germans; opinion of use of four day evacuation rule with unexploded bombs. REEL 3 Continues: obtaining uniform and promotion to Lieutenant; bomb disposal course at RAF Melksham; German numbering of bombs; problems of reporting unexploded bombs during air raids; pattern of training at RAF Melksham; identifying and dealing with fuses; character of German electrical fuses; operation of fuses in bombs; dealing with impact fuses; character of German Type 17 Fuse with ZUS 40 anti-handling device; German Type 50 Fuse; increase in knowledge of German fuses; posting to 59 Section, Bomb Disposal, Royal Engineers in Leeds area; orders to move to Sheffield after bombing raid, 13/12/1940. REEL 4 Continues: method of dealing with unexploded bombs; number of Category A sites; dealing with unexploded bomb near telephone exchange in Sheffield; working with NCO; size and composition of section; relations with other ranks; question of inaccuracy of unexploded bomb report forms; depths to which bombs would travel in different soils; use of probes; damage to bombs and locking devices; exploding bomb over water main; effects of writing report to commanding officer, 12/1940; equipment for removal of unexploded bombs. Recollections of period as staff officer with UK Bomb Disposal Headquarters in London, 1941 1945: orders to report to headquarters; organisation of headquarters; character of Unexploded Bomb Committee; role dealing with scientific matters for army. REEL 5 Continues: composition of technical committee; experimental work in Richmond Park; lack of intelligence from external sources; knowledge needed to solve bomb disposal problems; construction of bomb disposal equipment; reasons why he tested each new piece of equipment first; receiving box of Japanese fuses including Japanese chemical time fuse; character of German Y fuse; method of dealing with Y fuse. REEL 6 Continues: character of meetings with colleagues; role as advisor to Unexploded Bomb Committee; degree of contact with experimental research facilities at Woolwich; method of X-raying unexploded bombs using Radium; role of the Charles Howard, Earl of Suffolk with bomb disposal and his subsequent fate; rules for dealing with unexploded bombs; role of Robert Hurst chief scientist with Bomb Disposal; civil defence experimental work in Richmond Park; ad hoc nature of organisation of bomb disposal technical work. REEL 7 Continues: nature of German time fuses; development of Magnetic Clock Stopper; method of listening to ticking of bomb's clock; use of stethoscopes; use of the Merrylees Fuse Extractors; character of German ZUS 40 anti-withdrawal device; question of unexploded bombs being caused by aircrew not electrically charging bombs; character of Crabtree Dischargers. REEL 8 Continues: opinion of RAF bomb disposal personnel; areas of service responsibilities for unexploded bombs; experiments with bomb locator; use of acid cutting technique during investigation of V1 flying bomb; impact fuses used in V1; use of quick set plastic; use of steam on unexploded bombs including use of Merryweather Steam Steriliser; method of freezing Y fuses; investigation of first V2 site; voyage to US, 1/1942; lecturing on bomb disposal at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, 1/1942-5/1942. REEL 9 Continues: return to GB; character of German Butterfly Bomb; problems of dealing with Butterfly Bomb; location of cop frame on bombs and penny whistles; reasons for demobilisation in 6/1945; hours worked during wartime; leave; adjusting to civilian life.