Description
Object description
British civilian in Aylsham, GB, 1939-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Aylsham, GB, 1926-1939: move of family to Aylsham; story of birth; relationship with siblings; education; memories of childhood; talk of war; reasons for enrolment in Swiss school and for its cancellation in favour of Cheltenham. Aspects of period as civilian in GB, 1939-1945: journeys to and from Cheltenham including story of air raid in Birmingham; relationship with house mistress; discipline; departure from school; formation of Home Guard in Aylsham and father's involvement with them and Auxiliary Units; details of transmitter kept including description of hiding places used; use of transmitter including changeover of codes; work with horses and watching activities to report; mystery surrounding activities; later reconstruction of transmitter; changing of batteries; opinion of reasons for not arousing suspicion of neighbours; memories of Major Collings and his dog, Mark, including story of soldiers in woods; story of delivering a message at night; method of delivering messages; dangers of travelling at night; reactions to situation.
REEL 2 Continues: differences between 1940s and modern life including rations; examples of independence among female relatives; knowledge of approaching war; discussion of preparations for repelling a German invasion; secrecy of work; description of air raid at Cheltenham; reason for transfer to Lilleshall Hall; visits from teacher; slow return to Cheltenham; story of bomb damage to school; memories of teachers; opinion of school; end of invasion threat; use of transmitter; details of radar CH Station work with.
REEL 3 Continues: organisation of thousand bomber raids; activities on D-Day; story of a returning plane; problems with air base in Yorkshire; aptitude tests; decision to work with radar; leisure activities in Otterburn including story of finding toilet; story of riding horses in West Woodburn; memories of Reverend Humphrey Barclay; story of colleague listening for German speakers; rifle training. Aspects of period as civilian in Aylsham, GB, during Second World War: reactions to possibility of being arrested as spy; husband's role in Auxiliary Units.
REEL 4 Continues: story of horse acquired; story of Auxiliary Unit hideout; knowledge of people serving on continent including with Special Operations Executive; activities of Mark the Dog in North West Europe; replacement of transmitter at Hempstead; sending of messages; memories of gardener; question of pay; father's use of Home Guard rank; father's involvement with Home Guard and Auxiliary Units; issues with father's work as doctor following war.
REEL 5 Continues: activities of friends during and after war.