Description
Object description
British officer served with 13/18th Hussars in GB and Normandy, 1940-1944
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as officer with 13/18th Hussars in GB, 1940-1944: background to enlistment in unit on exchange of Territorial Army commission; story of joining Territorial Army with cousin Airey Neave; incident of hearing German seaplane on Black Water River; expectations of coming war, late 1930s; morale of unit after return from France, 6/1940; airfield defence duties using Beaverettes at RAF North Weald; character of operations room at RAF North Weald; use of Beaverettes to raise morale in bombed areas; move to Gosfield; formation of 9th Armoured Div in Northamptonshire; map reading; professional nature and origins of troops.
REEL 2 Continues: changes on formation of 27th Armoured Bde of 9th Armoured Div; character of Crusader tanks; nature of large scale exercises; transfer of 27th Armoured Bde to 79th Armoured Div; character of General Percy Hobart; character of commanding officer Colonel Thomas Moulton-Barrett; importance of attention to detail during training; duration of role as adjutant; effect of draft of ex-Royal Tank Regt reservists on unit; importance and qualities of good tank drivers; duties as adjutant; opinion of Derek Wormald and his ability to move across country; role of Regimental Sergeant-Major 'Duffy'; Hind; theoretical training on Duplex-Drive tanks.
REEL 3 Continues: sacking of brigadier; use of tank gunnery ranges; question of superiority of German equipment; opinion of Sherman tank; gunnery tactics; use of machine guns as suppressive effect in Normandy; Brigadier Errol Prior- Palmer's interest in discipline and movement; difficulty of moving columns on narrow roads; amphibious exercises at Fort George; adjusting to the idea of chaos during operations; unit communications; character of amphibious landing exercises in Scotland; injury to commanding officer during exercise; decision to use one squadron of waders for Normandy; opinion of 3rd Div and Royal Navy crews; simulated bombardment and air activity.
REEL 4 Continues: visits by General Montgomery and opinion of his behaviour; opinion of the Staffordshire Yeomanry; territorial nature of unit; opinion of Colonel Richard Harrap; circumstances of Colonel Richard Harrap's death in Normandy; amusing encounter between Lieutenant Douglas Coker and General Richard Gale; story of visit to General Richard Gale's headquarters in Normandy; level of knowledge of role on D-Day; memories of commanding officer Sim Feversham; importance of visits to unit by VIPs; quality of his tank crew; effect of lack of sleep; smell of dead cows in Normandy; state of health.
REEL 5 Continues: briefing of beach obsticles; instruction on proper behaviour in Normandy; degree of contact with civilians in Normandy; waterproofing of tanks; longevity of his tank 'Balaclava'; unit communications net; role of the tank in Normandy; degree of knowledge of landing area; the infantry battalions to be supported on landings. Recollections of operations as officer with 13/18th Hussars on Sword Beach, Normandy, D-Day, 6/6/1944: problems of congestion on beach; meeting brother on beach; intelligence on beach fortifications; threat of German defences in Le Harve and sight of Norwegian destroyer sunk by mine; level of German opposition; sight of dead German on road beyond beach; German POWs.
REEL 6 Continues: Colonel Richard Harrap's absence from headquarters during landings; problems encountered by second in command; personal morale during landings; nature of courage; attitude towards Germans. Recollections of operations as officer with 13/18th Hussars in Normandy, 1944: memories of batman Mason; troop commanders; first night in Normandy; character of German POWs taken; halting of German 21st Panzer Div counter attack at St Honoraire la Chardonerette; reiteration of story of encounter between Lieutenant Douglas Coker and General Richard Gale; effects of breaking up of German counter attack.
REEL 7 Continues: positions in orchard near River Orne; character of German artillery activity; story of demise of Colonel Richard Harrap; reconstruction of command after death of commanding officer; contrast in characters of commanding officers Richard Harrap and Sim Feversham; lack of daily routine; dealing with snipers attacking General Richard Gale's headquarters; presence of mosquitoes; ethos of the campaign to avoid unnecessary casualties; threat of hand held anti-tank weapons; provision of tank protection troop at Montgomery's headquarters; problems of movement in bridgehead; encounter with French Canadian soldier; scale of Montgomery's headquarters and role of tank protection troop; Montgomery's use of liaison officers; rations.