Description
Object description
British NCO served with Royal Marines with Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation in GB and Crete, 1940-1941; served with Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation in Ceylon, 1942-1944; served with HMS Sea Serpent in GB, 1944-1945; served as instructor with Royal Marine Depot, Chatham in GB, 1945- 1950; served as Senior Drum Major with Royal Marines School of Music at Deal in GB, 1950-1972
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Portsmouth and Sheerness, GB, 1916-1939: family; education; membership of Marine Cadet Corps; employment; move to Sheerness; reasons for not joining Royal Marines. Aspects of period as NCO with Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation in GB and Egypt, 1940-1941: call up to Arborfield, 4/1940; pattern of training; rapid promotions; gunnery training; move to site near Derby; voyage from GB to Egypt aboard Bergensford, 1/1941. Recollections of operations as NCO with Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation on Crete, 5/1941: move to Crete; composition of unit's guns; hospitalisation for dysentery; capture by German paratroopers.
REEL 2 Continues: release from captivity by Maori New Zealand troops; move to Suda Bay; reception from naval personnel; re-joining gun battery; rearguard action towards Sparkhia; options given to marines by Major Ralph Garrett; escape from Sparkhia aboard landing craft; collecting water from small island; running out of petrol and water; deaths of personnel from drinking sea water; attempts to move craft and making landfall in Libya; making contact with British forces.
REEL 3 Continues: physical condition on arrival in Egypt. Aspects of period as NCO with Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation in Ceylon, 1942-1944: move to Ceylon; lack of Japanese attacks; training Singhalese officers; move to Wilson's Plains; search of temples; return to GB, 1944. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Marines at HMS Sea Serpent in GB, 1944-1945: posting to shore establishment; guarding sealed camp; move to Juno Beach, Normandy and recall; role as acting company sergeant major, then promotion. Aspects of period as instructor with Royal Marine Depot at Deal, 1945-1950: role as squad instructor.
REEL 4 Continues: duties with band. Aspects of period as drum major with Royal Marines School of Music at Deal, GB, 1950-1972: attending Royal Tournament; parade at closure of Chatham Barracks; role and duties; memories of commanding officer; various parades and events attended including Edinburgh Tattoo; terms of service and extension of his time; attending funeral of Winston Churchill, 1/1965.
REEL 5 Continues: participation in Queen Elizabeth's II coronation, 1953; rank and status as senior drum majors; death of Major Jones; other events attended.