Hammond, Barbara (Oral history)

British driver and NCO served with First Aid Nursing Yeomanry in GB, 1940; NCO served with Auxiliary Territorial Service in GB, 1940-1942; officer served with Auxiliary Territorial Service attached to Royal Army Medical Corps in GB and Egypt, 1943-1946

REEL 1 Background in St Leonards-on-Sea, GB, 1919-1940: family; reactions to Munich Agreement; civilian work; joining of First Aid Nursing Yeomanry at King's College; medical; wait for call-up including buying of uniform and service with Air Raid Precautions; training; journey to Shorncliffe. Aspects of period as driver and NCO with First Aid Nursing Yeomanry in GB, 1940: description of 20th Motor Transport Company camp; duties; story of first day driving an ambulance; posting to South Heighton; accommodation; memories of Company Sergeant Major; background of and relationship with colleagues; leisure activities including with Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry; maintenance of vehicles; help given to wounded troops evacuated from Dunkirk; story of cousin's evacuation; news of posting away from South Heighton; overnight guard; weapons training; concerns about German invasion. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period as NCO with Auxiliary Territorial Service in GB, 1940- 1942: details of camp and sleeping arrangements; memories of commanding officer Stella Dixon including reason for receiving the Military Medal; duties on farm in Edenbridge; leisure activities; contact with plastic surgery patients in East Grinstead; accommodation in Woolwich; scenes during an air raid; impressions of civilians; duties in company office; details of move to Auxiliary Territorial Service; uniform issued; pattern of training; details of promotions; pre-OCTU training at Dalkeith; officer cadet training in Windsor; story of passing out parade and final activities at OCTU. Aspects of period as officer with Auxiliary Territorial Service attached to Royal Army Medical Corps in GB, 1943- 1945: posting to South Mimms Military Hospital. REEL 3 Continues: duties and details of patients; treatment of VD; population of hospital; background of and problems faced by patients; involvement with adoption and law; details of VD patients and question of sex education; patients keeping babies; attendance on junior commander's course in Egham; refusal of postings in Ceylon and Germany; health problems and posting to Egypt; activities with holding unit at Bristol including problems with tropical uniform; accommodation in Egypt; journey to port. Aspects of voyage from GB to Egypt, 1945: duties; leisure activities; sleeping arrangements; route taken; scenes on arrival in Valletta Harbour; arrival in Port Said and disembarkation; details of train journey to Cairo. REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period as officer with Auxiliary Territorial Service attached to Royal Army Medical Corps in Egypt, 1945-1946: night in hotel; posting to Tel-el-Kebir; accommodation; memories and duties of Italian batman, Umberto; leisure activities; climate and malaria precautions; latrines; washing facilities; health; story of bugs in Cairo hotel; details of patients; background of and relationship with European Jewish colleagues; VE and VJ Day celebrations; story of brother-in-law's internment in Hong Kong. REEL 5 Continues: warnings given about taking taxis; story of abduction by taxi drivers and escape; subsequent interview with intelligence; story of raid on hospital; death and funeral of Auxiliary Territorial Servicewoman; contact with sister, Nancy; return to Britain and demobilisation; leave in Palestine. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1946: settling into civilian life; period with holding unit in Belgravia; process of demobilisation; application for training in care work; civilian work including at Britain Can Make It Exhibition at Victoria & Albert Museum and in various hospitals; post-war contact with VD patients and their families; contact with American troops in Europe, early 1950s; opinion of what makes a good officer.