Description
Object description
British sapper served with Royal Engineers in GB, Norway, Iceland, Iraq, Italy, Middle East and Greece, 1939-1946
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Bury St Edmunds, GB, 1917-1939: education; family; civilian work; story of call-up; children and civilian work following war including story of invention; leisure activities as child; further details of civilian work. Recollections of service as sapper with Royal Engineers in GB, Norway, Iceland, Iraq, Italy, Middle East and Greece, 1939-1946: talk with King Haakon VII and problems landing Hawker Hurricanes on beach in Norway; story of visit to Greece; opinion of events in Iraq, 2007; details of service in Gaza.
REEL 2 Continues: details of nitro-glycerine; tension among troops; events during attachment to Polish troops at Rimini; details of base at Ancona; splitting up of troops during advance north through Italy; story of factory destroyed in Rimini; rations carried to Norway; events on beach in Norway; withdrawal of 49th Division without him; destruction of equipment left behind; splitting up of unit; withdrawing of rations; boarding of destroyer; voyage to GB; arrival at Gourock; story of joining army; reaction of parents to his joining; accommodation; story of theft of sergeant's watch; story of guard duty in Norway; details of Lewis guns and Ju-87 Junkers Stuka attacks; contact with civilians; story of military policeman; effects of German propaganda on morale; relationship with civilians; story of leave in Cairo; story of journey to Damascus.
REEL 3 Continues: opinion of basic training; story of journey to Wallingford; horseplay among troops; posting to Norway; knowledge of troops; journey to Norway; duties in Iceland; American activity in Iceland; naval traffic coming in and out of Reykjavik; contact with American troops and German POWs; opinion of war in Iraq and problems in Gaza; arrival in Norway; accommodation; request for volunteers; voyage on cruiser and scenes of fighting; destruction of gun by Norwegian troops; role of engineers; details of service; contact with French Foreign Legion troops; destruction of underground hospital in Jordan; details of weapons and clothing taken to Norway including problems with clothing issued; knowledge of posting to and issue of clothing for Norway; details of training.
REEL 4 Continues: volunteering for other duties; events in hospital at Piraeus; relationship with civilians in Norway including story of escaping family on arrival; sound of bullets hitting boat; activities on beach; story of shopping in Narvik; reactions to situation and opinion of army involvement in Iraq, 2007; role of army in Norway and attitude of civilians; length of time spent in Norway; daily routine and knowledge of operations; opinion of leadership and organisation; details of posting in Shell Haven including story of tanker on River Thames; story of air raid at Liverpool Street Station; charge and punishment for late return.
REEL 5 Continues: departure of 49th Division and duties with rear party; boarding of destroyer and voyage to GB; period in Halifax; posting to and role in Iceland; story of trouble in Reykjavik; leisure activities; relationship with civilians and details of stores; posting in Shell Haven and story of tanker that caught fire on Thames; cover taken from air raid; visits to France; story of explosives collection and posting abroad; voyage to Middle East including stops in Montevideo, Durban and Bombay; story of crocodiles in River Tigres; arrival in Basra; precautions taken against thieves in camp.
REEL 6 Continues: problems with heat in Basra; journeys to Persia and journey to new unit; details and activities of Experimental Demolition Company; camp at Haifa; story of accident; story of visit to Jerusalem; relationship with civilians including story of near involvement in Suez Crisis and Fire Brigade; story of delivery made in Haifa; details of Experimental Demolition Company; nitro-glycerine dumps in Gaza; details of service in Greece; first news of demobilisation; story of problems during flight to Italy; opinion of women in armed forces; discussion of service with Royal Engineers; story of attempts to find information on colleagues; relationship with civilians in Italy.
REEL 7 Continues: details of divorce and children; attitude towards Germans during army service; opinion of war.