Brice, Herbert Henry (Oral history)

British officer cadet served with Officer Cadet Training Unit in Bangalore, India, 1941; officer served with 47 GPT Coy Royal Army Service Corps in India, 1941-1942; served with 70 GPT Coy Royal Army Service Corps in India and Burma, 1942-1945; served with 59 Rajputana GPT Coy Royal Army Service Corps in India and Singapore, 1945-1946

REEL 1 Background in Somerset, GB, 1920-1940: death of father; education; application to join Indian Army; death of mother; memories of childhood; wait for call-up; size and background of draft; reason for wanting to serve in India; air raids; evacuees in area; details of rationing; opinion about length of war; period in Aldershot; journey to Gourock. Aspects of journey from Gourock, GB, to Bombay, India, 1940-1941: details of ship, Empress of India; disembarkation; submarine watches; joining with convoy; period with flu; route taken; stops at Freetown and Cape Town; activities onshore at Durban; change to and details of Union Castle; voyage to Bombay via Mombasa; conditions on train journey to Bangalore. Aspects of period as officer cadet with Officer Cadet Training Unit in Bangalore, India, 3/1941-8/1941: accommodation; training during voyage; organisation of unit; pattern of training including difference between North West Frontier and desert training and man management; discipline; learning of Urdu; climate; lessons about treatment of Indian troops; daily routine; leisure activities; rations; uniform worn. REEL 2 Continues: formal clothing; civilian workers in camp; weapons training; map training; communications; question of training in desert and on frontier; opinion of training received; posting to Kashmir for transport training, 8/1941-10/1941; period as officer with 47 GPT Company Royal Army Service Corps on North West Frontier, India, 10/1941-2/1942; Japanese activities in South East Asia and situation in Burma; choice of unit when commissioned. Aspects of period as officer with 70 GPT Coy Royal Army Service Corps in India and Burma, 2/1942-7/1945: re-equipping and training in Bombay; description of journey to Imphal; setting-up of camp; British withdrawal from Burma including role of unit; refugees leaving Burma; widening of road by Assam tea planters; problems from landslides and solution. REEL 3 Continues: opinion of vehicles; details of Naga people around Kohima including relationship with Indian government and British Army; climates at and journeys between Dimapur and Kohima; posting to Imphal area; assistance given to Royal Engineers; problems from monsoon and use of bamboo; building of bridges; use of bitumen soaked hessian; creation of airstrips; supply drops including during 1944 crisis; air raids on convoys and precautions taken; increase in Royal Air Force presence; ranks held; visits from Maharaja; changes in British to Indian officer ratio; relationship with troops; details of leaves; knowledge of wider situation. REEL 4 Continues: guards against Japanese attacks on Chindwin River; contact with Chindits; advance to Chindwin River and withdrawal to Imphal plain; knowledge of situation; contact with superior officers; collection of transport from Bombay; Japanese invasion of India; hospitalisation including evacuation from Imphal; story of posting to Kohima; details of siege at Kohima; question of confidence during siege; return to unit; description of box system including Japanese tactics at night; problems distinguishing friend from foe; advance to and crossing of Chindwin River. Aspects of period as officer with 59 Rajputana GPT Coy Royal Army Service Corps in India and Singapore, 7/1945-1946: preparation for and cancellation of Operation Zipper; changes to life after posting to Singapore. REEL 5 Continues: surprise following contact with Japanese POWs; problems in Malaya; accommodation; knowledge of life in Singapore during war and evacuation of Commonwealth internees; departure for GB; duties in Singapore including Japanese boats used. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1946: demobilisation leave; settling into civilian life; reasons for leaving army; plans for civilian life. Aspects of period as officer with 70 GPT Coy Royal Army Service Corps in India and Burma, 2/1942-7/1945: knowledge of war in Europe; activities on VE and VJ Days including alcohol ration during war; entertainments; activities of and contact with US Army; British opinion of Indian troops; backgrounds of different Indian troops served with; considerations of different faiths among troops. REEL 6 Continues: discipline including problems with troops going AWOL; details of Indian National Army including museum about leader Subhas Chandra Bose; opinion of Japanese troops and tactics; opinion of senior officers; memories of General Slim; details of supply lines; opinions of Second World War and army service; details of items brought back from Far East.