Description
Object description
British gunner and NCO served with 155 Light Anti-Aircraft Regt Royal Artillery in GB, France and Norway, 1937-1942; officer cadet served with Officer Cadet Training Unit in Deolali, India, 1942; officer served with 6/1 Punjab Light Anti-Aircraft Regt Royal Artillery in India and Burma, 1942-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Exeter, GB, 1920-1937: family; education; civilian work before and after war. Aspects of period as gunner and NCO with 155 Light Anti-Aircraft Regt Royal Artillery in GB and France, 1937- 1940: Bofor guns in unit; deployment of guns in Abbeville, 9/1939; reactions to outbreak of war; pattern of training with Territorial Army; reasons for joining artillery; gunnery training; mobilisation; journey to Dover, 3/9/1939; night in transit camp; period in Calais and journey to Abbeville; journeys made to Scotland; air activity; journey to Harstad. Aspects of operations as NCO with 155 Light Anti-Aircraft Regt Royal Artillery in Norway, 4/1940-6/1940: air raids and problems with anti- aircraft fire; description and bombing of gun site including role in team; length of time in Harstad; voyage away from Norway; opinion of campaign; details of winter clothing; rations; evacuation from Harstad; contact with civilians; posting at oil depot; further details of evacuation.
REEL 2 Continues: posting to RAF Prestwick; opinion of evacuation from Norway; mail; leave on return to Britain; story of journeys to Scotland from France; make-up of regiment. Aspects of period as NCO with 155 Light Anti- Aircraft Regt Royal Artillery in GB, 6/1940-1942: postings at Dover; successes of anti-aircraft fire; leisure activities; reason for postings elsewhere; engagement; make-up of battery; relationship with comrades; communications; knowledge of approaching aircraft; air raids on Dover harbour; shelter dug at cliff gun site; postings at factories; coping with boredom; postings around Britain; anti-aircraft fire; supply of rations.
REEL 3 Continues: rations; standard of turnout; guard duties; cleaning and inspection of battery gun; success of anti-aircraft fire and reaction to shooting down aircraft; embarkation leave. Aspects of journey from Liverpool, GB, to Trincomalee, Ceylon, aboard the Christian Huygens, 1942: attack from Japanese Navy on arrival at Trincomalee; period of hospitalisation; route taken to Freetown; activities during voyage; knowledge of destination; period in Durban; voyage to Ceylon; air raids on arrival; period of hospitalisation; issue of tropical kit; sleeping arrangements during voyage; earlier selection for officer training; posting for training in and journey to Deolali. Aspects of period as officer cadet with Officer Cadet Training Unit in Deolali, India, 1942: impressions on arrival at training centre; pattern of training; cadets returned to unit; news of commission; field craft training; opinion of training; learning of Hindustani; reasons for wanting to join Indian Army.
REEL 4 Continues: journey to regiment at Arakan; knowledge of situation in Burma and Japanese Army. Recollections of operations as officer with 6/1 Punjab Light Anti-Aircraft Regt Royal Artillery in India and Burma, 1942-1945: make-up of regiment; movement in and out of line; opinion of Indian Army; relationship with troops; details of Indian officers in regiment; problems among Indian troops; contact with civilians during patrols; further details of relationship with and between troops.
REEL 5 Continues: attendance at festivals; discipline; lessons learned while settling into unit; fears in jungle; relationship with troops; roles of unit including reaction to taking on infantry role; organisation of unit at nights during patrols in jungle; terrain of jungle; movement through jungle away from crash landing; morale; story of wounding and evacuation; discipline in field; relationship with troops; experiences of commanding British troops; relationship with senior officers; details of Indian officers; contact with commanding officer including after war.
REEL 6 Continues: turnover of officers; knowledge of wider war; effects of situation; money; details of wounding; problems with jungle sores; difficulties faced in jungle; promotions gained before 8/1945; areas fought in; joining of 14th Army in Kalewa area; situation and anti-aircraft activities static period; changing role of unit; comparison of German and Japanese air attacks and use of Bofor guns; question of success against Japanese; movement behind Japanese lines; problems with wildlife; activities in static position; reactions to end of war; delay to repatriation; morale and opinion of troops; personal morale including break-up of engagement; details of mail and family.
REEL 7 Continues: choice of regiment upon commission; period in Chittagong; deployment and use of guns; story of wounding during an air raid; opinion of posting with 6/1 Punjab Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment; promotion to captain and duties; problems with Bofors guns; anti-aircraft presence in Chittagong; story of breaking leg; period of hospitalisation; situation in Burma; use of light anti- aircraft; involvement in the Battle of the Admin Box, 2/1944, including difficulties faced and care taken with use of ammunition; discussion of battle including use of guns against ground troops and tanks; details of shells used; firing of Bofor gun.
REEL 8 Continues: meeting of reinforcements at Madras; description of torpedoing and sinking of MV El Medina, 16/3/1944, during return voyage including survivors of incident; story of swim away from ship and being pulled under by sinking wreck; wait in sea for rescue; activity on ship before sinking; question of lifeboats on ship; supply of Chittagong; rescue; reason for survival; hospitalisation in Chittagong including casualties and survivors of MV El Medina; hospitalisations and question of leave; requests of troops to return home; observance of festivals; rations for Indian troops.
REEL 9 Continues: rations; details of batman; relationship with troops including discipline; situation in early 1945; interview with commanding officer, 2/1945; meeting with US Major Mickey Rooney in Calcutta and details of approaching operation; flight to and preparations in Jhansi; impressions of Major Rooney; flight to Burma; plans for operation including details of site chosen for base; previous knowledge of Major Rooney.
REEL 10 Continues: knowledge of operation; make-up and leadership of force; impressions of operation from commanding officer; briefings for operation from Major Rooney and given to Indian troops; description and loading of aircraft; flight to and landing in wet paddy field; discussions with Major Rooney and decisions made; money taken on operation; details of march north to Chittagong; fate of Major Rooney; role of operation; rations gained during march; contact with civilians; further details of planned operation; relationship with American troops including Major Rooney; impossibility of completing operation; wider knowledge of operation; interview with commanding officer on return to regiment; reflections on operation.
REEL 11 Continues: Japanese surrender; reactions to end of war. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1945: taking of civil service exam during posting in Woolwich; question of staying in army; reflections on service and civilian work including effects of war service; attitude to Japanese; holding of grudges; reflections on Second World War.
