Description
Object description
British cadet at Royal Military College, Sandhurst, GB, 1948-1949; officer served with 1st Northamptonshire Regt in Trieste, Italy, 1950-1952; served with 5th Bn Malay Regt in Malaya, 1952-1955; served with 1st Bn Northamptonshire Regt in Hong Kong and GB, 1956-1959; served as adjutant with 5th Bn Northamptonshire Regt in GB, 1959-1960; student at Staff College, Camberley, GB, 1960; served as staff officer with 12 Infantry Bde in Germany, 1962-1965; commanded B Coy, 2nd Bn East Anglian Regt in Cyprus, 1965-1966; served on directing staff at Staff College Camberley, GB, 1966-1968; commanded 2nd Bn Royal Anglian Regt in GB and Gibraltar, 1968-1970; served as staff officer at Royal College of Defence Studies in London, GB, 1970-1972 commanded Junior Division of Staff College at Warminster, GB, 1972-1974; commanded Dhofar Bde in Oman, 1974-1976; served as staff officer with Ministry of Defence at Stanmore, GB, 1976-1979; commanded 4th Armoured Div in Germany, 1979-1981; served as commandant of Staff College, Camberley, GB, 1982-1984; served as Deputy Commander in Chief of UK Field Army and Inspector of Territorial Army in GB, 1984-1986; served as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander in Europe at SHAPE in Belgium, 1987-1990
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Deal, 1930-1947: family; impact of Second World War in Deal; membership of OTC at Cranbrook School; drill and weapons training; discussion of First World War tactics; reasons for enlistment in army, 1947. Aspects of training as private with 28th Training Bn at Holywood Barracks, Northern Ireland, 1947-1948: recruitment at Maidstone; posting to Holywood Barracks; memories of Jeremy Thorpe; selection of potential NCOs and officers; syllabus of basic training; emphasis on shooting; opinion of Lee Enfield Rifle, AK47, Self Loading Rifle and M1 Carbines; character of NCO instructors.
REEL 2 Continues: discipline and training; physical condition and adjustment to army boots; accommodation; map reading exercise in snow; relations with civilians; potential officers move to Helen's Bay; selection for War Office Selection Board; memories of Sergeant Major Whelan; level of tactical instruction; initiative tests; value of lectures during War Office Selection Board; Corporal Pine's manipulation of conduct sheets. Period as officer cadet at Eaton Hall, OCTU, 1948: pattern of training; memories of commandant; commandant's interviewing technique.
REEL 3 Continues: final interview with commandant. Period as officer cadet at Mons OCTU, Aldershot, 1948: limit of ambitions; character of Regimental Sergeant Major Britton. Aspects of period as officer cadet at Royal Military College, Sandhurst, 1948-1949: accommodation; number passed out at; opinion of time spent on drill and exercises; daily routine; formal dinner; character of Regimental Sergeant Major Lord; driving instruction; syllabus of course and opinion of tactics taught; weapons training; opinion of signals equipment; cadet government system; system of grading; memories of Major John Gibbon; recreational activities; ban on visiting public houses within three miles of Sandhurst.
REEL 4 Continues: passing out parade; attitude to period spent at Sandhurst; wish to join Royal Fusiliers and commissioning into Northamptonshire Regt. Recollections of period as Lieutenant with 1st Northamptonshire Regt in Trieste, 1950-1952: background to posting to unit; train journey from Netherlands to Austria; arrival at Rosetti Barracks; drinking in army and story of unsolicited bottle of whiskey at Sandhurst; use of batman; character of company commander; observing platoon sergeant's conduct sheet; character of platoon; story of meeting Regimental Sergeant Major Clements at East Anglian Bde depot; visit to regimental chapel at Northampton; limitations of platoon sergeant; character of commanding officer.
REEL 5 Continues: commanding officers concentration on training subalterns and NCOs; situation in Trieste; use of landing craft to practise amphibious landings; advice on always appreciating ground; duel with Very pistol; accident with mortar smoke bombs; contacts with Americans; origins of 'Morgan Line'; relations with Italians; attitude of National Servicemen; formation of shooting team at Bisley; amusing story of shooting training with Territorial Army; attending signals course at Hythe; composition of Signals Platoon; organisation of unit signals; story of listening into conversation between commanding officer and Brigade commander about his application to serve in Malaya; training of signallers.
REEL 6 Continues: Recollections of operations as officer with 5th Bn Malay Regt in Malaya, 1952-1955: journey to Malaya; acclimatisation to climate; briefing on unit and emergency; opinion of General Templer; posting to unit and initial impressions; character of commanding officer and his company commander; first company patrol; opinion of unit tracking skills; jungle uniform; Malay and British rations; use of purifying tablets; language course at Kota Bahru; the Malay language; appointment as signals and intelligence officer; unit communications equipment; character of Malay troops.
REEL 7 Continues: importance of religious observant; use of Iban trackers; move to camp at Alostar; delivery of gifts; sources of intelligence; degree of intelligence of insurgent order of battle; abortive attempt to plant recording device in insurgent wireless set; ambush of insurgent group; informant nervous about giving information; behaviour of surrendered enemy personnel; air reconnaissance; character of Operation Question using surrendered enemy personnel to identify suspects in villages; character of 'fan' patrols; patrol techniques used by Frank Kitson; use of fortified villages; promotion and demotion after training of Malay officers.
REEL 8 Continues: duties as company commander; incident when patrol came across insurgent camp where Iban tracker was killed; opinion of fan patrolling; ambush of three man insurgent group; reasons for searching bodies of dead insurgents; effect on moral of death of Iban tracker and dealing with his body; airburst technique used by RAF Avro Lincoln bomber squadrons; reasons for calling in air strike on insurgent gathering; arrangements for air strike; Malay's technique of snake handling; discovery that camp had been evacuated before bombers arrived; discovery of insurgent camp during air reconnaissance and resulting air attack.
REEL 9 Continues: move to Mount Ophir in Johore; setting up ambush line after insurgent attack; hasty retreat prior to air strike; time taken to pack up camp; Malay style of command; social recreations; lack of night time operations; contacts with Thai Police; degree to which Thais pursued anti-insurgent operations; role guiding General Templer around area and his remarks to Malay villagers; visit by General Templer to State War Executive Committee; General Templer's style of command; visit by General Stockwell and consequences; working practises at battalion headquarters.
REEL 10 Continues: deployment of battalion tactical headquarters; encounter with patrol of 1st Bn Manchester Regt; story of reasons why surrendered insurgent gave information on location of his group; casualties during Special Air Service drop into jungle; personnel and equipment in battalion tactical headquarters; map painted to show relief; watch keeping arrangements; arrangements for air drops; issue of battalion operations; discipline in unit; question of role of commanding officer; lessons learnt in Malaya; value of military training; return to unit. Period on Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Warfare at Winterbourne Gunner, 1955: syllabus; lack of protective clothing; gases encountered on course.
REEL 11 Continues: question of effectiveness of NBC. Recollections of period as officer with 1st Bn Northamptonshire Regt in Hong Kong, 1956-1957: voyage from GB to Hong Kong; reception on arrival; appointment as motor transport officer and organising NBC course; attending motor transport course in Singapore; preparing for annual motor transport inspection; unit vehicles; compassionate leave in GB, 12/1956; difficulties returning to Hong Kong; deployment during rioting in Kowloon; dealing with riots; troops attitude to treatment of detainees by police; return to barracks.
REEL 12 Continues: visits to border; behaviour of troops; handing over stores to ordnance depot prior to return to GB; character of the transfer voucher system; reasons for technical corporal's attempted suicide. Voyage from Hong Kong to GB aboard Nevasa, 1957: duties as ship's adjutant; role as disc jockey; story of convicted soldier murderer escape from custody in South Africa. Aspects of period as officer with 1st Bn Northamptonshire Regt in GB, 1957-1959: move to Watchet; taking part in trials for hand drawn trolleys; duties as weapons training officer; amphibious training exercise, Operation Rock and Roll on Guernsey; encounter with HM Customs on return to GB; character of trolleys and their fate; accounting for spent cases during field firing exercises.
REEL 13 Continues: drinking arrangements in Watchet; effects of troops drinking scrumpy cider. Aspects of period as adjutant with 5th Bn Northamptonshire Regt in GB, 1959-1960: character of territorials in unit; role of unit; attitude of National Servicemen in unit; responsibilities for band and drums; proposed role of Territorial Army after end of National Service; question of winding down of infantry Territorial Army; impact of amalgamation of Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire Regt; difficulty of merging unit and later amalgamations; pattern of amalgamation into 2nd Bn East Anglian Regt and time taken by officers, NCOs and troops to integrate; question of name of unit; reinforcements from disbanded searchlight unit; character of commanding officer.
REEL 14 Continues: personal family circumstances; study for staff college examination; passing examinations for staff college. Aspects of period as student at Staff College, Camberley, 1961: syllabus of course; importance of battlefield tours; forming triumerate to tackle staff college problems; methods of instruction; syndicate work; application of pressure; graduates who attained grade two posts; negotiations of appointments; reaction to appointment as brigade major of 12 Bde. Recollections of period as staff officer with 12 Infantry Bde in Germany, 1962-1965: memories of General Philip Tower; move to Osnabruck; character of Brigadier Pat Mann; relations with brigadier and battalion commanders.
REEL 15 Continues: mobilisation role of unit; degree of belief in Russian threat; threat of use of nuclear weapons; belief in validity of nuclear deterrent; views on prospect of nuclear war; close air support; strength of artillery support; degree of intelligence available about opposing forces; plans to defend River Weser and defend terrain west of river; question of lack of security in NATO; personal security measures taken with plans; expectation of having warning time before Russian attack; opinion of British logistics; attitude of Brigadier Philip Tower to situation in British Army of the Rhine.
REEL 16 Continues: tactical plan determined by corps concept of operations; planning constraints at brigade level; character of the training cycle; impact of ending of National Service; different methods of handling of regular and National Servicemen; leadership styles; relations with German civilians in Osnabruck; brigade accommodation; personal quarters; daily routine; Brigadiers Philip Tower's activities including frequency of visits to battalions; deployment of brigade headquarters during field exercises; daily routine for brigadier; exercise when brigadier refused to move before breakfast; security arrangements for brigade headquarters.
REEL 17 Continues: British command system; dealing with staff at divisional headquarters; arguments about training programmes; visits from divisional commander General 'Tubby' Butler; security of brigade in barracks; an officer defector and his fate; discipline within brigade; reasons for absence amongst troops; composition of brigade. Recollections of period as officer of B Coy 2nd East Anglian Regt in Cyprus, 1965-1966: background to posting; training; taking over command of B Coy; guard duties; navigation training during visit to Libya; night field firing exercise. REEL 18 Continues: tactical exercises; two principles of desert warfare; degree of enjoyment troops had in desert training; visits to Libyan battlefields; political situation in Cyprus; relations with Turkish and Greek Cypriots; guarding ammunition dump; exercise to test security of Akrotiri Airfield; relations with commanding officer; flew to Aden to protect RAF station perimeter; regional origin of troops; pattern of company duties. Aspects of period as member of directing staff at Staff College, Camberley, 1966-1968: return to college; organising the battlefield tour to Normandy.
REEL 19 Continues: organisation of staff; lecturing on nuclear warfare; question of concept for nuclear war in Germany; Israeli student's actions during Six Day War; an Arab student protest; change to TEWTs; persuading students the value of military appreciation; degree of scope for recognising command ability; significance of the pantomime; assessment of students. Recollections of period as commanding officer with 2nd Bn Royal Anglian Regt in GB and Gibraltar, 1968-1970: return to unit as commanding officer; relations with second in command; attending test exercise in Cyprus; character of exercise in Otterburn.
REEL 20 Continues: splitting battalion between Gibraltar and Felixstowe; relations with RAF station commander in Gibraltar; encounter with new governor Admiral Sir Veryl Begg; degree of threat from Spanish; defensive positions based on caves; occupying troops time; relations with Gibraltarians; ploy to get band out to Gibraltar for concert; effect on domestic arrangements of blockade; activities in Morocco; farewell dinner in mess; degree of planning to meet Spanish threat; plan for 19 Bde exercise in Malaysia and preparations in Kenya; relations with Kenyan Army; views of white settlers in Kenya.
REEL 21 Continues: problems caused by family separation; air portability of unit; exercise in Malaysia; chance sighting of opposing forces positions during exercise; technique for river crossing; advantages of serving in Malaya; presence of journalists; navigation in jungle; helicopter accident; character of exercise scenario; leaving battalion; posting of unit to Northern Ireland; suicide of company commander. Period as staff officer at Royal College of Defence Studies in London, 1970-1972: organisation of world tour; duties; purpose of course; changes in course implemented by Alastair Buchan.
REEL 22 Continues: purpose of college; purpose of world tour; sources of outside lecturers; attending all lectures; effects of General 'Tubby' Butler's illness; seminar discussions; lectures from media and impressions of Enoch Powell. Period commanding Junior Division of Staff College at Warminster, 1972-1974: concept and content of course; methods of instruction; syndicate system; cloth model exercises; change in running order of syllabus; question of failure on course; advantages of course; duration of course; use of demonstration battalion; relations with General Frank Kitson.
REEL 23 Continues: Recollections of commanding Dhofar Bde in Oman, 1974-1976: reaction to being appointed to command; character of briefings prior to posting; sources of intelligence; intelligence staff; aerial reconnaissance of terrain; effects of monsoon on operations; relations with Mahra nomads and their leader; degree of contact with Saudi Arabia; views on money offered to sultanate by Saudis; characteristics of multi- national force under his command; dealing with Iranians and Jordanian special forces; attitude of Omani troops; characteristics of Baluchis; Omani-Baluchi relations; character of New Villages in jebel.
REEL 24 Continues: Firquat leaders in contact with opposing forces; insurgent attacks on logistic support for New Villages; uses of air support available; reaction to contesting of control of RAF in Oman; friendly fire incident and responses to incident; use of helicopters; insurgent heavy artillery at Hauf; illicit attacks by Jordanian Hawker Hunters on insurgent artillery at Hauf; size of command; lessons learnt; reasons for declining chance to stay in Oman; life in Dhofar. Aspects of period as staff officer with Ministry of Defence at Stanmore, 1976-1979: duties as Deputy Military Secretary A; briefing selection board on characteristics of candidates for appointments; opening up of systems of appointments; question of nepotism; character of promotion boards.
REEL 25 Continues: durations of boards; changes in selection of Brigadiers and Major Generals; own staff; promotion of technical staff; grading procedure for brigadiers; chain of command; knowledge of own future appointment; Major General appointments. Recollections of period commanding 4th Armoured Div, British Army of the Rhine in Germany, 1979- 1981: developments in equipment and tactics; attitude to serving in British Army of the Rhine and potential use of nuclear weapons; character of corps commanders General Peter Laing and General Nigel Bagnall; mobilisation role of division; made own secret plan; organisation of division; question of intelligence available; speeches to troops; introduction of new tactics for mechanised infantry and developments in artillery; role of RAF.
REEL 26 Continues: air defence; character of divisional headquarters; daily activities in the field; use of helicopter for personal movement; visits to units; visits to corps headquarters; commanding opposing forces during corps exercise; impressions of German armoured troops; opinion of Americans and Germans; relations with German civilians in Herford; distinctive quarters; question of division and corps not being ready for war; deficiencies of training area in Canada; character of exercise attempting to simulate Russian tactics; tactics employed by British troops during exercise; question of best defence to employ.
REEL 27 Continues: Aspects of period as commandant of Staff College, Camberley, 1982-1984: reasons for declining post of GOC, Northern Ireland; opinion of General Howard-Dobson that choice may have effected; reasons for not wanting to become Chief of General Staff; view of Joint Service Staff training; no major changes implemented during tour; restoring battlefield tour to syllabus; lessons of Arnhem; promoted use of reverse slope positions on TEWTs; visit from Queen and Duke of Edinburgh to college; visit of Duke of Edinburgh to lecture at college; attitude to serving as commandant. Recollections of period as Deputy Commander in Chief of UK Field Army and Inspector General of Territorial Army in GB, 1984-1986: views on Territorial Army; problems of turnover in Territorial Army; advantages of short service in Territorial Army.
REEL 28 Continues: proposal to raise rank of senior Territorial Army; organisation of large scale exercise to reinforce British Army of the Rhine on mobilisation; amusing story of REME wrecker from York; character of Operation Brave Defender; issue of precautions against AIDs in Nairobi; observing Operation Trumpet and Dance by American Light Div in Seattle; introduced fast track commissioning system in Territorial Army; practice deployment against Greenham Common protesters; degree of contact with Royal Navy and RAF. Recollections of period as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander in Europe at SHAPE in Belgium, 1987-1990: American style of work; role within SHAPE; attitude to use of tactical nuclear weapons.
REEL 29 Continues: quarters provided; reasons for provision of personnel protection team; forms of entertainment carried out by Deputy Supreme Allied Commander in Europe; contents of daily briefings; mixing cultural and military activities; character of visit to SHAPE by Margaret Thatcher; organisation of Margaret Thatcher's visit; impressions of Margaret Thatcher; impressions of Lord Carrington; view of chemical weapons and possible uses by Russians; problems with news story by Hella Pick; mobilisation role of Deputy Supreme Allied Commander in Europe; completion of underground command post at Mons; role of German Deputy Supreme Allied Commander in Europe; military relations with French; conflict with General Nigel Bagnall over content of Kermit Roosevelt lecture.
REEL 30 Continues: trip to Norway; acquaintance with all NATO countries and their attitude to the Alliance. Aspect of period as chairman of Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve Association in GB, 1990-1995: invitation to become chairman; role of chairman; relations with Ministers of Defence; other work after retirement; resettlement training in fly tying; opportunities for roles on leaving army; prospects for non-executive directorships; advantages of military life; story of representing BritishGovernment over defence contracts in Saudi Arabia.