Description
Object description
British NCO served with 305 Bty, 98th (Light Anti Aircraft) Regt, Royal Artillery in GB, 1940-1944; detached to serve with US Landing Craft Tank during landings at Omaha Beach, Normandy, France, 6/6/1944
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in Shoreditch and Stoke Newington, London, 1920-1940: Jewish family background and social circumstances; education; question of rise of anti-Semitism; resistance to British Union of Fascists activities and success in stopping Cable Street march, 1936; restrictions on Jewish people gaining employment; anti-Semitic attacks travelling home from school; orthodox Jewish nature of family; work as apprentice wood turner, 1934-1939; awareness of events in Germany; question of nature of concentration camps in Germany; father's military service, 1914-1918; reactions to outbreak of war and false air raid alarm, 3/9/1939; decision to get married, 1940; Anderson air raid shelter; blackout; food rationing and question of kosher food; manufacture of stretcher poles and question of reserved occupation status; call up and medical, 9/1940.
REEL 2 Recollections of conditions of service and lifestyle during basic training at Houndstone Barracks, Yeovil, 10/1940-11/1940: reception; hut accommodation; question of Jewish status including relationship with recruits and absence of kosher food; kitting out and shortages; drill; question of homesickness and position of wife; question of weapons training; PT; relationship wit instructor; recreational visits to Yeovil and relationship with civilians; question of posting to Royal Artillery. Recollections of period as gunner with 305 Bty, 98th (Light Anti Aircraft) Regt, RA in GB, 11/1940-1944: joining unit at St Austell; composition of mobile Bofors gun team and attached MT; training on Bofors gun; routine Bofors maintenance; conditions of service; movements; setting up gun positions; food rations; issue of Jewish prayer book and visit from Jewish padre; period at gun position in Lydd sector.
REEL 3 Continues: opening fire against German bombers including prior warning, use of predictor to control Bofors, rate of fire, changing barrels and success in shooting down aircraft; relationship with gun team; promotion to corporal; attending detachment commanders' course and promotion to sergeant; conditions of service; re-equipment in camp; story of Stuka dive-bombing attack on gun position, 1943; personal morale; story of dispute with farmer over use of wall and officer's threat to requisition farm; move to Isle of Wight, 1943; training for role covering Landing Craft Tanks; invasion preparations in Southampton area, ca 6/1944; detachment as Bofors team to US Army and consequent loading aboard US LCT, ca 3/6/1944; question of sister's marriage and supervised phone call. Recollections of attack son Omaha Beach, Normandy, France, 6/6/1944-7/6/1944: postponement; rough Channel crossing; situation on approach to beach; use of Bofors gun as artillery; German shell fire on beach; smells of battle; landing with Sherman tank.
REEL 4 Continues: casualties crossing beach; personal morale; situation during assault on cliffs; personal weapons; German retirement; reaction to corpses and story of searching German corpse for documents; story of German mobile brothels and rumours of execution of French women; recall to GB, 7/6/1944. Period on East Coast of Kent, ca 6/1944-3/1945: role shooting don V1s assisted by RAF; V2 problem; question of posting to North West Europe and retraining as field artillery. Period in camp in South Wales, ca 1945-1946: minimal duties as sergeants; death of mother on VE Day, 8/5/1945; news of German concentration camps and Jewish extermination programme; subsequent discovery of fate of Rumanian family members; question of status as son of Rumanian and incorporation of photograph in pay book, ca 1944; minimal duties and extra leave.
REEL 5 Continues: unofficial return to work as wood turner whilst on extended leave in London; demobilisation, 1946Post-war career: question of hearing damage caused by war service and question of disability pension; membership of Association of Jewish Ex-Service men and Women.
