Interview with Robert Arthur Horsley

British private served with Royal Army Service Corps attached to No 2 Docks Group, Royal Engineers at Brest, France, 9/1939-6/1940; served with Royal Army Service Corps attached to School of Infantry, Warminster, GB, 6/1940-8/1940; private and NCO served with Royal Army Service Corps at Headquarters, London District at Kensington Barracks, London, GB, 8/1940-1/1941; NCO served with No 12 Troop Carrying Coy, Royal Army Service Corps attached to Headquarters, Fortress Command, Hong Kong, 5/1941-12/1941; prisoner of war in Sham Shui Po Camp, Hong Kong, 12/1941-8/1945; clerk and NCO served with 307th (Royal Horse Artillery) (South Nottinghamshire Hussars Yeomanry), Royal Artillery and South Nottinghamshire Hussars Yeomanry (Royal Horse Artillery) in Nottingham, GB, 1958-1971; served with 3rd (Volunteer) Bn Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters at Beeston, GB, 1971

REEL 1 Background in Southwell, Newark-on-Trent, Chellaston and Nottingham, GB, 1917-1938: social circumstances; education; interest in joining British Army; effects of father's death; attending business college, 1931-1932; employment as clerk for scales manufacturer; employment as clerk and estimator with structural engineering firm; increased work on Royal Air Force airfield construction on approach of Second World War; air raid shelters. Aspects of period as private with Royal Army Service Corps in GB, 1938-1939: recruitment to Supplementary Reserve of Royal Army Service Corps, 1938; reaction to call-up for military service, 31/8/1939; initial movements and postings in GB, 9/1939: train journey to Aldershot Garrison; rations; kitting out and vaccinations at Buller Barracks, Aldershot Garrison; accommodation at Hounslow Barracks; journey out to Brest, 9/1939. Recollections of period as private with Royal Army Service Corps attached to No 2 Docks Coy, Royal Engineers at Brest, France, 9/1939-6/1940: voyage from GB to Brest, 9/1939: successful objections to stable accommodation and move to warehouse. REEL 2 Continues: role checking quantities of supplies unloaded from ships; issuing petrol to Bren Carriers of 1st Guards Bde; routine duties; drill; route marches; weapons training; visits to estaminets; washing, latrines and visits to French bathhouse; relations with French civilians; rations; relations with NCOs, Other Ranks and officers; role of Pioneer Corps and Scottish infantry unit in unloading ships; question of stealing; move of checking procedure to inside ship holds; explosion aboard ship carrying petrol; question of Phoney War; reaction to German offensive, 5/1940-6/1940; departure of majority of unit; evacuation of civilians; failed attempt to board Royal Navy destroyer; evacuation aboard Polish troopship MS Bactory, 6/1940. REEL 3 Continues: reception at Plymouth, GB. Aspects of period as private with Royal Army Service Corps attached to School of Infantry, Warminster, GB, 6/1940-8/1940: anti-parachutist patrols and search for bailed out German Air Force aircrew; mixed nature of unit. Aspects of period as private and NCO with Royal Army Service Corps at Headquarters, London District at Kensington Barracks, London, GB, 8/1940-1/1941: responsibility for royal baggage; start of German Air Force night bombing raids, 9/1940; role putting out German Air Force incendiary bombs; holding cage for captured German Air Force aircrew; effects of German Air Force bombing raids and increased anti-aircraft fire; sheltering in London Underground stations; duties as clerk dealing with officers' pay; invasion scare, 9/1940; reception from regimental sergeant-major and his weekly parade; promotion to corporal; accommodation; background to request for overseas service. Aspects of period as NCO with Holding Bn, Royal Army Service Corps at Weybridge, GB, 1/1941-3/1941: role as instructor; accommodation; rations and use of church canteens. REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Duchess of York from GB to Singapore, Malaya via South Africa and India, 4/1941: conditions; 'crossing of the line' ceremony; hospitality of South African civilians during shore visit at Cape Town, South Africa; impressions during visit ashore and hospitality of British civilians, Bombay, India. Aspects of period at Wavell Camp, Singapore, Malaya, 4/1941: initial impressions; routine duties; purchase of khaki drill uniforms from Chinese tailors; voyage from Singapore, Malaya to Hong Kong, 5/1941. Recollections of period as NCO with No 12 Troop Carrying Coy, Royal Army Service Corps at Hong Kong, 5/1941-12/1941: barrack accommodation; duties as clerk to adjutant at Headquarters, Fortress Command; shifts; passing drill certificate; inspecting Royal Army Service Corps dumps in New Territories; recreational walks; Chinese burial customs; relations with Chinese civilians; promotion to sergeant; nature of sergeants' mess. REEL 5 Continues: awareness of build up of Japanese forces in Canton, China and question of defensive arrangements; Recollections of operations as NCO with No 12 Troop Carrying Coy, Royal Army Service Corps attached to Headquarters, Fortress Command during Battle of Hong Kong, 8/12/1941-25/12/1941: first Imperial Japanese Army Air Service attack on RAF Kai Tak, 8/12/1941; nature of bunker occupied by Headquarters, Fortress Command; routine duties; supervising moving of supplies by Chinese labourers; Imperial Japanese Army mortar fire; opinion of Imperial Japanese Army troops and prospects for defence of Hong Kong; monitoring progress of Japanese forces' attack; rejection of initial Japanese invitation to surrender; surrender, 25/12/1941. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Sham Shui Po Camp in Hong Kong, 12/1941-8/1945: assembly of prisoners of war and move to Sham Shui Po Camp; state of camp; personal possessions; administrative role of prisoner of war camp office; relations with Imperial Japanese Army guards; food and cooking arrangements; working party to collect wood and food; rations; prevalence of beri beri and diphtheria; source of supplementing minimal medical supplies. REEL 6 Continues: barrack accommodation; problems with bed bugs with sleeping platforms and iron bedsteads; washing facilities; subsequent provision of Japanese style bath; latrines; roll call parade; cleaning squads; working parties to collect wood and food; working parties to extend airfield at Kai Tak; vegetable garden; sporting activities and physical training; failure of educational programme; concert party activities; hut organisation. REEL 7 Continues: Red Cross parcels and bulk supplies; newspapers; Red Cross parcels; relations between prisoners of war; playing bridge; suicide case; deaths from disease; organisation of huts by unit; nature of Japanese and Korean guards and introduction of hut night sentry; working parties; question of escape; decision to sign parole under duress; question of Major Cecil Boon's failure to represent prisoners of war and co-operation with Japanese captors; opinion of medical officers and operations to remove shrapnel splinter; background to avoidance of working parties sent to Japan, 1942-1943; minimal contact with GB. REEL 8 Continues: accidental death of NCO during working party; working parties preparing Hong Kong Racecourse for agricultural use, cutting grass and digging storage tunnels into hillside; effects of nervous system disease 'happy feet', self-treatment, numbness and post-war compensation received; attacks of pellagra and sores; uniform worn and personal appearance; camp money and shop; cigarettes and use for bartering; hair cuts; chaplains and importance of religious belief; state of morale and reactions to fall of Singapore, 15/2/1942; state of health; attack of dysentery. REEL 9 Continues: contents of Red Cross parcels and bulk supply deliveries; production of illustrated camp souvenir; work on camp pig farm; United States Army Air Forcer raids, 1944-1945; working parties digging storage tunnels into hillside; rumours of Japanese surrender, 10/8/1945; cancellation of working parties and departure of Japanese guards, 15/8/1945; question of treatment of staff of British camp office; assisting in camp office; decision to remain in camp; arrival of Royal Air Force Regiment; visit to HMS Maidstone; question of care in diet. Aspects of return to GB, 1945-1946: voyage from Hong Kong to GB via Manila, Philippines and San Francisco, United States of America, 9/1945-11/1945. REEL 10 Continues: period military service prior to demobilisation, 1/1946: reception on arrival in Nottingham; marriage and honeymoon. Post-war life and employment: return to work as estimator for engineering firm, 1946-1949; question of medical and physical effects of prisoner of war experiences; work for furniture manufacturer, 1959-1986. Recollections of period as clerk and NCO with 307th (Royal Horse Artillery) (South Nottinghamshire Hussars Yeomanry), Royal Artillery and South Nottinghamshire Hussars Yeomanry (Royal Horse Artillery) in Nottingham, GB, 1958-1971 at Bulwell Drill Hall, Nottingham, 1958-1970: reasons for enlistment as clerk with Headquarters Bty, 1958; opinion of Chief Clark Geoff Douglas; kitting out; drill night duties producing regimental orders and updating Army Command instructions; posting as chief clerk and promotion to sergeant with 425 Bty, 1958; duties producing battery orders; weekend training sessions and acting as battery quartermaster sergeant; opinion of quartermaster. REEL 11 Continues: role of regimental quartermaster sergeant; opinion of Major Peter Featherby and his visits to the sergeants' mess; activities of Wives' Club; stories illustrating opinions of Second Lieutenant Peter Stone, Captain John Keays, Lieutenant-Colonel James Gunn, Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Forman Hardy and Battery Sergeant-Major Jack Dennis; nature of sergeants' mess including socials, boat race drinking game and drinking habits; joint games night with officers at annual camps; stories of Cook Corporal 'Butch' Barnet, Gunner Paddy Maidment and Sergeant Gil Aldridge; wet weather at Otterburn Camp, 1959; role as battery quartermaster sergeant at Westdown Camp, 1962. REEL 12 Continues: civil defence training and fell walking at Millom Camp, 1960; attending Sennybridge Camp; weekend firing camp at Thetford Ranges, 5/1962; attending Westdown Camp, 1962; employer's attitude to Territorial Army service; firing weekends; rifle course at Sennybridge Camp, 1963; social events including regimental dances, battery dinners and Christmas celebrations; visits to Salmon Inn at Otterburn; recreational walking at Redesdale Camp, 1964; opinion of Major Roland Bream; civil defence training; participation in Queen's Cup at Larkhill Ranges, 1964 and 1966, including qualification, failure due to wireless breakdown, 1964, winning and celebrations, 10/1966; opinion of Lieutenant Lee Parkes and Lieutenant Tony Haines. REEL 13 Continues: effects of reduction in size of unit and conversion to AWR III status, 1968 including loss of pay and allowances, subsequent success of recruitment efforts, handing in uniform and Ordnance QF 25 Pounder Field Gun and consequent reduction in rank to sergeant; infantry training; question of pay and allowances; opinion of Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Featherby; nature of unpaid annual camp at Warcop Camp, 1968; conversion of unit observation party role, 1969; posting as battery quartermaster sergeant to cadre unit; writing to previous personnel to recruit men for cadre; pay and allowances; accompanying battery on weekend exercises; re-activation of cadre and promotion to Warrant Officer Class II. Recollections of service with B Coy, 3rd (Volunteer) Bn Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regt at Beeston Drill Hall, GB, 1971: question of staying with South Nottinghamshire Hussars Yeomanry (Royal Horse Artillery); opinion of Major John Robinson; sharing drill hall with Officer Training Corps; initial personnel and role as Warrant Officer Class II; question of retaining gunners and South Nottinghamshire Hussars Yeomanry (Royal Horse Artillery) links as infantry unit; visit to regimental headquarters at Newark; weekend training at Proteus Camp, Ollerton; arrival of additional NCO. REEL 14 Continues: typical training programmes; recruitment activities and unit strength; weekend camp at Thetford Ranges; question of links with South Nottinghamshire Hussars Yeomanry (Royal Horse Artillery); question of exceeding age limit, question of extension and leaving unit, 12/1971; activities on committee of South Nottinghamshire Hussars Yeomanry Association.