Description
Object description
British driver served with 5th Royal Tank Regt in North Africa, Italy, GB and North west Europe, 1942-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in North Finchley and Wall End, 1920-1941: family background and social circumstances; education; work with family greengrocer business, 1934-1941; outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; duties with Auxiliary Fire Station, 10/1939-5/1941, including training, fire watching, uniform and use of Anderson shelter as headquarters; effects of food rationing on greengrocers business; deferment of call up on business grounds; medical and call up for Royal Armoured Corps, 5/1941. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine with 55th Training Regt, RAC, Pinehurst Barracks, Farnborough, 5/1941-6/1941: reception; accommodation in married quarters; kitting out; relationship with instructors; cross country runs; food rations; drill; map reading; weapons training including revolver and Bren gun; PT; relationship wit recruits; preparing for kit inspections; canteens; recreations. Recollections of period with 51st Training Regt, RAC, Aisne Lines, Catterick Camp, 6/1941-10/1941: reception and increased discipline; continuation training; learning to drive in Guy lorry.
REEL 2 Continues: minimal duties due to prior experience as driver; basic engine and vehicle maintenance course; lack of practical tank driving experience due to shortage of tanks; driving Bren Carrier; anti-invasion exercise at Scarborough; church parades; Saturday adjutant's parade; cleaning huts for inspection. Formation of draft at Tidworth Camp, 10/1941-11/1941: potato picking for local farmers; prior vaccinations. Voyage aboard Empress of Asia to Durban, South Africa, 11/1941-12/1941: conditions; seasickness; stop at Freetown, Sierra Leone; hospitality of South African civilians. Voyage aboard Aronda to Port Said, Egypt, 12/1941-1/1942. Period at Abbassia Barracks, Cairo, 1/1942: bug problems; soldier's missing false teeth; driver refresher course; role guarding captured German officers; recreational visits to Cairo; teetotalism. Recollections of period as driver with 'A' Sqdn, 5th Tank Regt, RAC, 4th Armoured Bde in Western Desert, 1/1942-9/1942: reception on joining unit at Bene Yusef; opinion of Major Richard Ward; assignment to drive Chevrolet ammunition lorry; opinion of Grant tank.
REEL 3 Continues: tent accommodation; relationship with ORs, NCOs and officers; role collecting ammunition from Cairo; guard duties; recreational visits to Cairo; convoy discipline during move into Western Desert; desert driving conditions; climate; question of latrines; food rations; water supply; method of brewing tea; Browning machine guns used for defence of column; opinion of Colonel Uniacke; German attack on 7th Armoured Div in Gazala area, 27/5/1942, including situation, role in support column following tanks and retreat; state of unit and temporary formation of 3/5th Tank Regt; continued retreat to El Alamein area, 6/1942, including overnight laagers, German shell fire and Stuka attacks; digging defensive positions in El Alamein area; Stuka attacks and German 210mm shell fire; German re-supply arrangements; situation; abortive attack of 8th Armoured Bde during First battle of Alamein, 7/1942; relief and move to Ameira; local leave in Cairo; relationship with Egyptian civilians.
REEL 4 Continues: diphtheria outbreak during period at Sidi Bishr; refusal of promotion; posting as driver to Company Sergeant Major Nobby Clarkson and role taking supply columns up to unit; move to Quattara Depression; background to posting as tank driver; opinion of Crusader tank and crew roles; night exercises; relationship with tank crew; background to Battle of Aden Halfa, 8/1942; opinion of General Claude Auckinlech and Montgomery; operations during Battle of EL Alamein, 10/1942-11/1942, including prior preparations, role capturing January Minefield, driving over corpses, absence of opposition, question of reserving strength for breakout; breakdown with engine trouble and issue of replacement Crusader; nature of advance to Tripoli; move as driver to crew of Lieutenant John Roberts; accidental death and burial of wireless operator prior to Battle of Mareth, 3/1943; review of Battle of Mareth, 3/1943; German tank attack at Medanine; reconnaissance role of 'A' Sqdn; reputation of Italian troops.
REEL 5 Continues: Battle of Mareth and advance to Enfidaville; situation; move by sea to join First Army; state of uniform; successful attack in Longstop Hill sector; reception on entry into Tunis; relationship between First and Eight Army personnel; rest period at Homs; opinion of Sherman; practice beach landings. Aspects of operations in Italy, 9/1943-12/1943: embarkation on Landing Ship Tank; landing at Salerno, ca 12/9/1943; assisting in burials; breakout; reception from Italian civilians; advance to Naples; close escape from mine; Nebelwerfer fire in Volturno sector; shortage of infantry; crossing Volturno; advance to Sangro sector, 10/1943; reaction to news of return to GB, 11/1943; period in Sorrento sector; Cambrai Day celebrations, 20/11/1943. Voyage back to GB, 12/1943: submarine threat; period ashore at Oran. Period at Mildenhall, Barandon and Knacton, 1/1944-6/1944: leave; move to Brandon; conditions of service; state of morale; opinion of Colonels Wilson and Holliman.
REEL 6 Continues: opinion of Cromwell and period on Kircudbrigshire ranges, 2/1944; track testing and debriefing at Longcross Halt Camp, 3/1944; state of unit morale; waterproofing Cromwell at Knacton, 5/1944; security measures in sealed camp; embarkation on Landing Craft Tank, 2/6/1944; self-heating cans. Recollections of operations in France, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany, 6/1944-8/1945: Channel crossing and delayed landing at Gold Beach, 5/6/1944-7/6/1944; situation on landing; move inland; de-waterproofing; attack in support of attack on Pont Embocon, 7/7/1944; injury caused to wireless operator by recoiling gun; situation; advance in Villers Bocage sector, 13/6/1944, including casualties in encounter with Tiger tank, consequent retreat and effect of unit reputation; drafts to Pioneer Corps of men considered unfit for active service; state of unit morale; reception given replacement drafts; situation; ground attack support from RAF Typhoons; supporting Canadian troops in assault on Caen; German shell fire; advance through Falaise, 8/1944; casualties caused by panzerfaust when surrounded by German troops including opinion of Lieutenant Jackie Garnett and success in breaking out.
REEL 7 Continues: reinforcements from Northamptonshire Yeomanry; rapid advance to Ghent, 8/1944-9/1944, including petrol requirements, reception from French and Belgian civilians and surrender negotiations with German troops; collapse with battle exhaustion and treatment in field hospital, 9/1944; period in left out of battle camp at Eindhoven, 9/1944; downgrading as unfit for tank duty after tribunal appearance; duties as driver of ammunition lorry with 'B' Echelon and 'Y' Packet following tanks; role of tanks patrolling Arnhem corridor; move to Linburg sector; role as duty jeep driver; relaxed nature of discipline; death of Colonel Holliman and opinion of Colonel Leakie; question of award of gallantry awards; nature of Operation Blackcock in River Maas sector, 1/1945; move to Weert, 1/1945-3/1945; crossing Rhine, 3/1945; situation during advance into Germany; non-fraternisation with German civilians; GB leave, 4/1945; move into Schleswig Holstein; absence of VE Day celebrations, 8/5/1945.
REEL 8 Period in Germany, 8/1945-9/1945: move to Danish border; collecting weapons from German troops; role driving soldiers to divisional school and leave camp in Brussels; role collecting displaced persons and British POWs; re-mustering of division. Period as driver with 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry in Germany, 9/1945-12/1945: reception; routine duties. Compassionate leave to assist with father's greengrocery business, 12/1945-1/1946. Period in Catterick Camp, 1/1946-2/1946. Demobilisation on compassionate grounds, 2/1946. Post-war career: return to work in greengrocery business; problems in acclimatisation to civilians lifestyle; attack of boils; effects of war service; membership of Royal Tank Assoc.
