Description
Object description
British officer served with 1 Troop, No. 2 Commando during raid on St Nazaire, France, 28-29/Mar/1942.
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of training with No. 2 Commando in GB, 1941-1942: opinion of Thomson sub-machine gun and reason for retaining gun while on leave; question of having an aggressive nature; varied backgrounds of commandoes; attitude to frequent cancellation of raids; story of joining the commandoes from the Black Watch; relations between regular army and commandoes; attitude to commandoes being an elite unit; opinion of speed marching and mountaineering; question of setting example to men in Troop; various memories of Lt. 'Hoppy' Hopwood; role in charge of protection party for demolition team; opinion of raid and chances of success; attitude to travelling on motor launch; opinion of ML skipper Tom Collier and role of Royal Navy; description of personal weapons and ammunition. Aspects of operations with 1 Troop, No. 2 Commando during raid on St Nazaire, France, 28-29/Mar/1942: description of entering Loire estuary in port column alongside HMS Campbeltown; story of seeing HMS Campbeltown coming under fire.
REEL 2 Continues: importance of capture of German naval signal book during Vaagso raid; reason for HMS Campbeltown sailing under German flag until opening fire; location on deck of ML behind funnel; description of standing up to fire Bren gun at searchlights; types of ammunition fired by Germans; attitude to writing letter home before raid; opinion of rehearsal for raid at Plymouth; story of fleeing Germans pretending to surrender; reaction to being ordered by Bill Pritchard not to attack pillbox; story of German soldier throwing grenade; question of German troops being afraid of commandoes; story of giving morphine to Dick Bradley after being wounded; problem of losing contact with own protection party; problem of Very pistol not working; story of requesting reinforcements; story of walking along causeway and shouting 'do you want to live for ever?'; opinion of own contribution to success of raid; story of accidentally killing another commando; rendezvoused on old mole and briefed on walking to Spain; role of 'Tommy' gunners as part of assault force; reason for not wearing kilt during raid; methods of recognising other commandoes and use of password. REEL 3 Continues: reaction to first time under fire; question of commando officers leading from front; wore same uniform as men; question of Germans treating British officers with respect; story of being shot in arm by German soldier and taken prisoner; opinion of success of raid and reaction of Germans; attitude to casualties and use of motor launches; opinion of RAF during raid; description of wounds and medical treatment; psychological effects of raid and attitude to being captured; further comments on not attacking German pillbox; reaction to loss of friends; story about ML skipper Tom Collier collecting wounded; story about receiving nickname 'Tiger' from Col. Newman.