Description
Object description
British officer served with 4th Bn Royal West Kent Regt in GB, 1939; served with 6th Bn Royal West Kent Regt in GB, 1939-1940; served with 12th (Eastern) Division in GB, 1940; 6th Bn Royal West Kent Regt in GB, North Africa and Italy, 1940-1944; served with Mountain Warfare School in Italy, 1944-1945; served with B British Liaison Unit in Greece, 1945-1946
Content description
REEL 1 Background in GB, 1920-1939: family including service of father in First World War; education at St Ronan's, West Worthing, and Charterhouse, Godalming, including period of hospitalisation and membership of Officers Training Corps; description of period in Germany, summer 1938 including earlier school football tour of France; civilian work as solicitor in Tunbridge Wells; reason for joining Territorial Army; process of joining army. Aspects of period as officer with 4th and 6th Bns Royal West Kent Regt in GB, 3/1939-3/1940: drill nights; Easter Camp at Shorncliffe including story of river crossing; pattern of training; guard duties at RAF Detling.
REEL 2 Continues: story of soldier refusing orders; story of security alert; posting and activities at Sutton Valence; posting to Headquarters Company at Tonbridge; duties as messing officer; exercises; reason for posting to France; story of drunken night out; sister's marriage; separation from and subsequent war service of brother; details of map reading course taken in London. Aspects of period as officer with 12th (Eastern) Division in GB, 3/1940-6/1940: duties and accommodation in Reigate; posting in West Worthing; accommodation including relationship with civilians; training of reinforcements from Borstal Prison; memories of Borstal reinforcements including story of court martial; defensive positions dug at Worthing; news from Dunkirk; fate of division's troops in France; story of dinner with former commanding officer, 1945; opinion of chances against German invasion; reflections on visit to Germany, 1938. Aspects of period as officer with 6th Bn Royal West Kent Regt in GB, 6/1940- 11/1942: return to unit at Malvern; reinforcements; posting in and make-up of B Company; activities of battalion; promotion to captain; story of church parade at Malvern Priory.
REEL 3 Continues: memories of B Company Sergeant Major Marshall including dealing with applications for compassionate leave; training of Home Guard; exercises; posting to Broad Haven; pattern of training; posting to Inverary; details of combined operations training; story of salmon on Duke of Argyll's estate; posting in Pollokshields; accommodation; description of invasion training; story of parade in Glasgow; training with Guards and subsequent inspection from Duke of Kent; details of exercises; rations; march to Crieff; accommodation; memories of Wing Commander Duncan Smith; details of Battle School attended at Barnard Castle.
REEL 4 Continues: further details of Battle School including description of assault course; battle training passed on to battalion including assault course built; story of demonstration given to 36th Brigade officers and NCOs including wounding and medical treatment; story of forced march; story of house clearance exercise and promotion to major; make-up of 78th Division; details of Exercise Dryshop; story of platoon sergeant cited in divorce case. Aspects of voyage from Glasgow, Scotland, to Bougie, Algeria, 1942: details of ship; sleeping arrangements; population and loading of ship; details of convoy and escort; activities during voyage; scenes in Mediterranean; impressions of American troops; details of American landings at Algiers, 8/11/1942, and support given to US Army; continuation of voyage to Bougie. Aspects of operations as officer with 6th Bn Royal West Kent Regt in North Africa, 1942-1943: description of landing and opposition faced; reception after march into Bougie; sinking of troopship; details of kit lost and compensation gained; voyage to Bone; description of Junkers Ju-87 Stuka attacks on arrival; movement inland and reorganisation; role assigned to Miskin; problems with transport during advance; reconnaissance undertaken in carrier.
REEL 5 Continues: further details of advance; details of crossroads at Djebel Abiod and preparations for action there; description of German attack, 17/11/1942, including opinion of anti-tank guns; results of battle; battles fought by Hampshire Regiment and Guards Brigade; details of advance; terrain and German positions; description of night attack against German positions; casualties including disappearance of Ron Palmer; withdrawal and description of slit trenches dug; living conditions; method of stopping American troops from leaving trenches during German shelling; story of fighting patrol; story of air raid during home leave in Mereworth and letter received from father in 1942; contents of compo rations; method of keeping cleaning; changes to behaviour of troops perceived by other units; discussion of battle fatigue among troops.
REEL 6 Continues: comparison of British and German troops; details of rest period in Sedjenane and later leave, 1/1943; battles fought by Hampshire Regiment and Guards Brigade; relief from 46th Division; details of movement; story of dinner with Randolph Churchill; opinion of new commanding officer; contact with American troops including description of mess tin; details of Moroccan and Algerian troops; story of message dog test; terrain; story of fighting patrol; attitude of wounded company runner; description of attack on Bou Dis hill including assistance given to main force; story of wounded German soldier.
REEL 7 Continues: night attacks during, 3-4/1943, including story of conversation on start line and physical state; events during battle at Longstop Hill, 24-25/4/1943; withdrawal and interview with brigadier; rest period at Bone; clearance of start-line for attack on Tunis, 5/1943; scenes of tanks advancing on Tunis; description of march into Tunis and commandeering of buildings, 8/5/1943; arrival of brigadier. Aspects of period as officer with 6th Bn Royal West Kent Regt in North Africa, 5/1943- 7/1943: activities during period in La Marsa; leisure activities in Tunis including details of Victory Parade and opinion of American troops; setting- up of Battle School in Siliana; details of training given to officers; inspection from General Montgomery.
REEL 8 Continues: celebrations after award of VC to Major John Anderson; scenes during invasion of Sicily; problems faced by 8th Army in Sicily and posting of 78th Division to island. Aspects of operations as officer with 6th Bn Royal West Kent Regt in Italy, 7/1943-8/1943: role in unit; terrain at Centuripe; story of drink with Regimental Sergeant Major Paddy Burn; activities during battle for Centuripe; impressions of Sicily; scenes in Bronte; problems with navigation; story of German paratroopers captured; description of nebelwerfer fire; end of campaign; visit to Taormina. Aspects of hospitalisation in Italy and Tunisia, 8/1943-9/1943: health problems with malaria and hepatitis; evacuation to Tunisia; story of South African patients; transfer to Algeria-Tunisia border; treatment received; story of return journey to battalion with Major Mike Jennings. Aspects of operations as officer with 6th Bn Royal West Kent Regt in Italy, 9/1943-2/1944: problems with terrain and climate; details of patrols sent across River Sangro; story of General Charles Salfrey's visit to observation post; scenes of attack across River Sangro from observation position; story of escaped British POWs.
REEL 9 Continues: rest period at Campobasso; period in foothills of Majella including story of patrol; background to gaining post with mountain school in Sepino. Aspects of period as officer with Mountain Warfare School in Italy, 2/1944-5/1945: arrival and interview with Jim Scott; details of staff including Alpini troops; learning to ride; opinion of mules; mule training given to Alpini troops; description of mountain exercises including sleeping arrangements and meals; relationship with Alpini troops; story of games festival; move of school to Monte Terminillo and promotion; details of area including leisure activities and accommodation; building of ski lift; story of students from Popski's Private Army; stories of local nobility.
REEL 10 Continues: story of avalanche and rescue team; story of marriage and honeymoon, 2/1945; training given to American troops; attitudes toward black American troops; details of Garibaldi Brigade and period training them; changes to school at end of war; opinion of mountain warfare school; situation in Greece; VE Day celebrations in Rome; journey to Athens; interview on arrival; posting and journey to Salonika. Aspects of period as officer with B British Liaison Unit in Greece, 5/1945-5/1946: details of unit; period of inactivity; details of cinema; posting to Ceres; relationship with Greek troops; problems with instilling discipline; posting to Alexandroupolis; story of visit from Greek senior officer; opinion of role; story of boar shoot; visit to brigadier in hospital; scenes on River Evros; impressions of Greek life.
REEL 11 Continues: home leave; return to Ceres; details of 5/1946 legislative election; description of Greek Orthodox Easter including memories of Greek Orthodox priests; visit to partisans in Salonika jail; arrival and delivery of supplies from Sweden including black market; reflections on posting in Greece; visit to Mount Athos; story of journey to Britain; pass through customs; demobilisation at Woking, 26/5/1946; reflections on war and service including opinion of British troops. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1946: civilian work; reception of troops on arrival home; discussion of post-war Britain.
REEL 12 Continues: lasting physical and mental effects of war; membership of Old Comrades Association; memories of father; mail sent home during war; highest rank achieved; reading of citation for award of Military Cross; receiving of medal; story of wounded company runner and British morale; opinion of skills learned during war and use in civilian work.
