van Emden, Henry (Oral history)

British mechanic/driver served with Royal Army Service Corps in GB and North West Europe, 1944-1947. As band leader broadcast on British and American Forces Broadcasting Networks, 1945-1947

REEL 1 Recollections of background in London, 1923-1942: social circumstances; education; work as office boy, 1938-1940; interest in music and learning to play piano; playing with semi-professional dance band; story of learning to play saxophone; dance band gigs; learning to play guitar and clarinet; air raid alarm on outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; basement air raid shelter; effects of German air raids; fire watch duty and use of stirrup pump against incendiary bombs; close escape from land mines; story of contacts with senior officers and question of joining Fleet Air Arm. REEL 2 Continues: family's non-observant Jewish background; advice from senior officer to take tradesmen's course on enlistment; call up, 9/1942. Various aspects of basic training with infantry unit, /1942-10/1942: relationship with instructors; drill; weapons training and natural ability as marksman; application for tradesman's course. Attending mechanics MT course with Royal Army Service Corps, 1942. Recollections of various moves with 704 Coy, RASC in GB, 1943-1944: reception; story of forming unit dance band; role in charge of petrol dump and re-supply function to Guards Armoured Div; assault course during commando training; exercises; question of promotion; waterproofing lorries; attending course in defusing mines and booby traps. REEL 3 Continues: learning to drive lorries; view of V1s, 5/1944; birthday celebrations, 25/1/1944; entering sealed camp at Tilbury; speech from Montgomery; story of prior meetings with VIPs; embarkation on American liner. Aspects of operations in France, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany, 1944-1945: convoy crossing of English Channel, 6/1944; situation on landing at Arromanches, Normandy; role clearing teller mines prior to unit moves; playing piano in officers' mess; move towards Caen; view of Allied bombing of Caen; entry into Caen; view of dead animals during advance towards Falaise, 8/1944; relationship with French civilians; problem with mines; duties taking fuel to forward tank units; advance towards Nijmagen bridge; story of losing half convoy; attending piano concert; background to breakdown of Arnhem operations. REEL 4 Continues: background to breakdown of Arnhem operations; prior diversion o allow Free French forces to take Paris; reception from Belgian civilians on entry into Brussels; view of reunions of separated Jewish families during visit to synagogue; assisting Jewish families contact relatives in GB; German Ardennes offensive, 12/1944-1/1945; advance into Germany; story of opening fire with Sten gun during sentry duty in France; halt at River Elbe; German troops surrendering to avoid capture by Soviet troops; relationship with Soviet troops; leave and VE Day celebrations in London, 8/5/1945. Period in Germany, 1945-1947: Van Emden dance band broadcasts on British Forces Network from Hamburg; posting to Berlin; story of playing at party for General Alan Adair; story of forming 'big band' Guards Armoured Division Orchestra; opinion of saxophonist Benny Simkins. REEL 5 Continues: opinion of saxophonist Benny Simkins; disbandment of GADO due to demobilisations; posting to RASC unit in Berlin, 1946; view of destruction in Berlin; story of starting Van Emden dance band; success broadcasting on American Forces Network; question of working in USA after war; relationship with German civilians; story of visit to Belsen concentration Camp, 5/1945; question of black market activities; role running unit canteen, 6/1944; demobilisation, 3/1947; story of close escape from 25pdr misfire, 1944; story of buying clarinet discovered in France, 1944. Post-war career: story of meeting wife and abandoning career as professional dance band leader; work as administrator and semi-pro musician.