Description
Object description
British officer served with Sheba 12" gun as part of 5th Bty, 2nd Super Heavy Railway Regt Royal Artillery based at Shepherd Well, GB, 1940-1942; served with 173 Bty, 179 Field Regt, Royal Artillery in GB and North West Europe; served in India, 1945-1946
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in Newport, 1920-1939: family background and social circumstances; education; work as trainee inspector with Weights and Measure Board, 1937-1939. Recollections of service with 83rd Bty, Royal Artillery, Dock Street Drill Hall, Newport, 1938-1939: background to recruitment; identification as potential officer; kitting out; drill; 18odr gun drill; MT training; weekend training as gun position and observation post assistant.
REEL 2 Continues: weekend training; stories of annual camp at Malvern, 1938; reactions to mobilisation on birthday, 2/9/1939; guard duty on drill hall; outbreak of war, 3/9/1939. Period as Clytha Hall, Abergavenny and Tenby, 9/1939-12/1939: accommodation; equipment with 18pdr guns and organisation of unit; joining rest of regiment at Tenby; billets; opinion of officers, NCOs and ORs; drinking habits; selection for officer training. Recollections of attending 121 Officer Cadet Training Unit, Wellington Barracks, Aldershot, 11/1939-5/1940: reception; nature of barracks; morning routine; food rations; 13pdr gun drill; training in taking drill.
REEL 3 Continues: church parades; story illustrating shortage of equipment; training as gun position officer; sand table OP training including method of giving fire orders and correcting fall of shot; mathematics lectures; hunting activities; preparing for kit inspections and value of 'spit and polish'; question of training in behaviour required of officers; opinion of instructors; question of practical gunnery training; fear of being returned to unit and assessment process; commission and kitting out as officer; background to cancellation of posting to France due to being only 19 years old. Period attending young officers course at School of Artillery, Larkhill, 5/1940-6/1940: nature of OP training; exercises; command post and gun position training; training in preparing creeping barrages and use of meteorological corrections.
REEL 4 Continues: policy of sending OP officer forward with creeping barrage; efficiency of wireless communications; ammunition types; rabbit shooting; nature of officers' mess and absence of private means. Recollections of period with School of Super Heavy Railway Artillery based at Catterick Camp, 6/1940: reactions to posting; reception and initial confusion over posting; arrival of railway officials and first sight of railway guns at Doncaster Railway Sheds; absence of guns sights and range tables; presence of 'Boche Buster' 18" gun; appointment to command 'Sheba' 12" railway gun section. Recollections of period with 5th Bty, 2nd Super Heavy Railway Regt in Catterick area, 6/1940: tent accommodation; opinion of Colonel Cleeve; theoretical gunnery and use of cardboard gun sight; operation of 12" breech mechanism; warnings as to effects of noise and blast on firing; training of gun crews; composition of train; nature of gun chassis and method of dropping into action; reinforcement of railway bridges required prior to move to Immingham. Recollections of period at Immingham, 6/1940: preparations for ranging guns.
REEL 5 Continues: severely restricted ammunition supply; stories of occupying OP post at Dock Tower, Grimbsy; effects of firing and detonation of 12" shell out to sea; concussive effect of blast on firing; visit by Duke of Kent. Recollections of period occupying gun positions at Shepherds Well, ca 7/1940-3/1942: prior rail journey; layout of sidings and tunnel; coastal defence role; defences against German paratrooper attacks; command post dugout; mess billets; gunners' railway carriage accommodation; view of aerial battles; capture of German airmen; presence of regimental headquarters t Canterbury; story of occupying cliff OP near Dover during calibration firing which hit cinema in Dover subsequently reported as resulting from German air raid; firing demonstration during Churchill visit; German cross-Channel bombardments; manning cliff OPs; effects of appointment of Montgomery to Southern Command including determination to improve levels of fitness, methods employed and story of battery commander dismissed for not enforcing requirement for morning PT sessions.
REEL 6 Recollections of period commanding F Troop, 173 Bty, 179 Field Regt based in Kent area, 3/1942-5/1944: training role following conversion of unit from 12th B, Worcestershire Regt; initial lack of guns; role training command post assistant; opinion of 25pdr gun; firing on ranges and question of rate of fire achieved; accident during anti-tank practice; background to marriage, 8/1942; opinion of Colonel Geoffrey Petick and prioritisation of wireless communications; divisional nature of Exercise Gallop into Scotland and Wales.
REEL 7 Continues: rate of casualties considered acceptable during Exercise Gallop; equipment with Covenanter as OP tank; German air raids; role of officer' servant; role as 'breakout division' following planned D-Day landings; embarkation exercise; Chevrolet gun towers; attending MT course prior to appointment as regimental MT officer; waterproofing and camouflaging vehicles; introduction of current affairs discussion groups; reaction to posting to parachute OP course for attachment to Royal Navy; background to cancellation of parachute OP course due to role acting as Commander Royal Artillery (CRA) representative; opinion of CRA Brigadier Heath. Periods at Bexhill prior to embarkation from Tilbury, 5/1944-6/1944: news of D-Day, 6/6/1944; personal morale and attitude to Germans.
REEL 8 Continues: visit from wives; embarkation aboard Sam Huston, 17/6/1944; reaction from civilians on passing through London; awareness of V1 threat; view of Pluto ship. Recollections of crossing Channel and landing at Arromanches, 17/6/1944: question of seasickness; transhipping by crane onto motorised rafts; landing under German shellfire; sinking of Derry County; signs of prior fighting on beach. Recollections of initial operations in Normandy, 6/1944-: move inland to rendezvous; story of Colonel Pethick being wounded by neberlwerfer fire during reconnaissance; role of 173 Bty supporting 5th Bn, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, 21st Bde; prior training of infantry officer to act as OPs in GB; story of accompanying Major John Fry and D Coy, 5th Bn, DCLI during advance on Cheux, 27/6/1944; German sniper problem; surprise attack by German tanks on orchard positions, 28/6/1944; circumstances of death of Colonel Atherton attempting to man anti-tank gun; nature of bocage terrain; use of remote control wireless link to bring down supporting artillery fire.
REEL 9 Continues: effectiveness of artillery support; destruction of self-propelled AT guns; German mortar fire; comparison of PIAT and panzerfaust; situation; problem in firing at nebelwerfer positions on Carpuguet airfield; move to Colville; barn OP; silent night march to Verson; intelligence on German movements from French civilian; establishing OP in church to bring down artillery fire on retreating German troops; nature of 'O' groups; casualties form nebelwerfer fire hitting 'O' Group and consequent role as acting battery commander, 11/7/1944; situation and plans for 5th BN, DCLI attack on Hill 112; role preparing fire plan for barrage; story of forward reconnaissance on Hill 112, 11/7/1944, including use of motorcycle, map used, knocked out A/T guns and OP position on crest, view from Croix de Filandrieres, damage to motorcycle and drawing up fire plan; story of attack by 5th Bn, DCLI on Hill 112, 12/7/1944, including accompanying Colonel Richard James during advance, early loss of troop OP officers, wounded jeep driver, moving forward with remote control onto hill crest.
REEL 10 Continues: story of attack by 5th Bn, DCLI on Hill 112, 12/7/1944, including giving wounded driver morphine, moving forward with Colonel Richard James and remote control onto hill crest, situation, death of Colonel Richard James, taking cover in slit trench, success directing fire during German tank counter-attack passing through positions, bringing fire down on own positions and relief by 7th Bn, Somerset Light Infantry; opinion of Colonel Geroge Taylor; withdrawal to rest area; story illustrating fatigue; news of award of MC; story of death of new officer on return to Hill 112 positions; baths; ENSA show. Aspects of operations in France, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany 7/1944-5/1945: story of acting as CRA representative in wireless Sherman tank during Operation Goodwin, 18/7/1944, including role providing smoke screen on left flank, liaison with 8th Armoured Bde; personal morale, supporting air attack, breakdown of attacks due to German anti-tank fire and vulnerability of Sherman.
REEL 11 Continues: rejoining 5th BN, DCLI; advance to take up OP position on Mount Pincon; attack on La Plessiegrimault, 7/8/1944, including destruction of Tiger, effects of divisional artillery barrage and importance of wireless at OPs; officer casualties; delayed news of birth of son; story of German soldier hiding in HQ; view of destruction inflicted in Falaise Gap area; crossing River Seine at Vernon, 22/8/1944; relationship with French civilians and reaction to their treatment of female collaborators; providing fire support during attack and subsequent defence of Panilleuse; recreational visit to Paris.
REEL 12 Continues: advance through Belgium, 9/1944; participation in Operation Market Garden, 9/1944, including briefing on role, view of attack by Guards Armoured Div, story of water party coming under fire, accompanying forward units in Bren carrier, hold ups on road, entry into Eindhoven, hold up at Oosterhut, story of carrying General Horrocks forward on motorcycle, move into Njimagen, view of tank attack on Nijmagen bridge, crossing bridge and advance to Driel, hold ups on road, infantry use of PIATS and hand grenades against tanks, withdrawal of 6th Airborne Div and diversionary attack, 25/9/1944; situation on 'The Island', 9/1944-10/1944; story of supplying fire support for attack on embankment.
REEL 13 Continues: story of capturing German soldier; move to positions on River Maas; static situation; state of morale; casualties amongst troop commanders and personal morale; weather conditions; gun pits; story of close escape from nebelwerfer shell in jeep; food rations and cookers; move into Germany; muddy conditions; severe casualties in attack on Hoven, 11/1944; use of Weasels to bring up supplies; presentation of MC by Montgomery; local leave in Brussels; news of German Ardennes offensive.
REEL 14 Continues: news of German Ardennes offensive and reaction of Belgina civilians; rejoining unit in Liege area; reserve role; weather conditions; billets; Christmas celebrations, 25/12/1944; contact with US artillery officers; reinforcements and break up of 50th Div; story of success in hitting German machine gun post during attack on Xanten, 3/1945; GB leave, 3/1945, including reactions to meeting baby, news of Rhine crossing and personal morale; rejoining unit at Res, Germany, 27/3/1945; advance on Bremen; role as battery captain; taking up gun positions in houses at Bremen.
REEL 15 Continues: surrender of senior Germna officer; state of morale; continued advance; casualties from German mines and booby traps; personal morale and attitude to Germans; use of White half track; news of capture of William Joycs; reactions to VE day, 8/5/1945. Aspects of period in Germnay, 5/1945-7/1945: non-fraternisation policy; opinion of Colonel Whylebore-Smith; occupying Elze barracks; horse riding; shave at German barbers; internal security role controlling and collecting displace persons; case of German suicide; recreations; role as education officer.
REEL 16 Continues: news of passing civilian examinations as inspector of weights and measures, 6/1945; background to volunteering for Far East service, 7/1945. Period at Royal Artillery Base Depot, Woolwich, London, 7/1945-8/1945: nature of officers' mess; story of missing draft; vaccinations. Voyages out to India, 8/1945-9/1945: embarkation on Britannic; hospitalisation with vaccination fever in Egypt; period on court martial board; attitude to posting to India; voyage aboard Ruys to Bombay. Aspects of period with HQ, Royal Artillery Deolali Camp, India, 11/1945-3/1946: promotion to major; role commanding rest camp at Lake Beale; recreations organised for troops; relationship with officers; reactions to internal security problems; sending home carpets; hunting; Indian servants and learning Urdu; Indian caste system. Voyage back to GB, 3/1946. Story of issue of demob suit on demobilisation, 3/1946.
REEL 17 Post-war career: rejection of possibility of regular commission; career as weights and measures and trading standards officer; acclimatisation to civilian lifestyle; physical and mental effects of war experience; question of rejoining Territorial Army; contacts with regimental comrades.