Description
Object description
British private served with Honourable Artillery Company in GB, 1937-1939; served as officer with Royal Artillery in GB and North West Europe, 1940; served with Parachute Bde in GB and North Africa, 1940-1942; served as deputy governor of Windsor Castle, 1943-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in Blackpool and Watford, 1919-1939: family background and social circumstances; education and sporting activities at Watford Grammar School, 1930-1937; work as commodity dealer, 1937-1939. Aspects of service with Honourable Artillery Company, London, 1937-1939: background to recruitment; kitting out; training on Bofors gun and crew roles; drill; drinking habits; annual camp; acting as driver on gun team; role of unit training potential officers; learning to ride; gunnery training; call up, 7/1939. Period on 3-inch naval gun battery on Canvey Island, 7/1939-12/1939: reactions to outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; conditions of service; opinion of 3-inch naval gun. Period as cadet at Officers Cadet Training Unit, Royal Artillery, 12/1939-3/1940. Period with field battery, RA in GB, 1940. Story of raid with assassination squad on target in Belgium, 1940: training in breaking and entry from professional criminal; target of party of German officers and civilian engineers; crossing English Channel in submarine; landing; guidance from Belgian Resistance; entering pub; killing victims with burst of Thompson gun fire and wounding of fellow assailant; escape alone back to submarine.
REEL 2 Continues: awareness of similar missions. Attachment to Parachute Bde at Ringway, 1940-1942: initial role as Bofors gun instructor; parachute training including ground training, jumps from balloon and aircraft and failing course due to ankle injury on last jump. Recollections of operations with 2nd Bn, Parachute Regt in Tunisia, ca 1942: voyage out to Algiers, Algeria; train journey to Green Hill area; situation; initial supernumerary status within Parachute Bde; background to minor wounds and rapid promotion to Lieutenant Colonel commanding unit through high casualties amongst senior officer; method of attacking German machine gun posts; story of being wounded in knee while attacking German machine gun post; rescue and evacuation to US field hospital near Algiers; medical treatment and question of amputation of leg. Story of investigation by U-Boat during evacuation on hospital ship to GB, 1942. Period at home in Watford, 1942: state of leg; exercises to strengthen leg. Period as deputy governor of Windsor Castle, 1943-1944: administrative role; presence of various senior officers; society parties hosted in castle; story of meeting Queen Mother; question of status as young colonel; visits from refugee royalty; memories of George VI and Queen Mother.
REEL 3 Continues: memories of Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret; state of amputated leg; story of visit and briefing of George VI on D Day operations from Eisenhower, 4/6/1944; question of possible security breech over advance knowledge of D Day; accommodation in Round Tower; enjoyment of posting. Period in command of Royal Artillery training regiment, 1944-1945: problems with conscripts; resigning commission. Post-war career: work as manager of tea firm; question of 80% disability pension; effects of war experiences; question of joining Parachute Regt Assoc; story illustrating American combat inexperience during attachment to US unit in North Africa, 1942.
