Description
Object description
British civilian on Isle of Dogs, London, GB, 1939-1945; gunner served with 20th Anti-Tank Regt, Royal Artillery in Egypt and Palestine, 1946-1948
Content description
REEL 1: Background on Isle of Dogs, London, GB, 1927-1939: various memories of daily life and childhood; story of helping father on allotment; clothes; standard of living; story of first day at school; opinion of teachers; corporal punishment; father's employment; memories of preparations for D-Day including construction of Mulberry harbours; story of collecting bottles for pocket money; story of collecting timber; memories of wash day on Monday.
REEL 2 Continues: baths; shopping; transport; memories of construction of anti-aircraft gun positions; recreational activities in Queen's Park; further memories of school; community spirit on Isle of Dogs; issued with gas mask, 1939. Aspects of period in London and Berkshire, 1939-1945: story of evacuation to Great Coxwell, Berkshire, 9/1939; selection process; accommodation with farm labourer; returned to London; fire-watching duties at Montague Meyer's; pay; story of flying bomb hitting Montague Meyer's; pawn shops; attitude to air raids and blackout; rationing; black market.
REEL 3 Continues: attitude to possible invasion; opinion of Churchill; post-war service with Royal Artillery in Palestine; further memories of evacuation to Great Coxwell; relations with local children; question of adjustment to living in country; story of driving tractor; method of finding employment as labourer; description of Limehouse area, London; family; living conditions and employment; recognition of ships and flags; story of German ships and spies; problem of fog.
REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of training with Royal Artillery in GB, 1945: called up in Colchester; basic training; posted to Royal Artillery Driving School, Rhyl, North Wales, GB; description of waterproofing vehicle test; amusing story of sergeant concealing thunder flashes; training in defusing mines; driving training in mountains; qualification as driver; posted to holding regiments in Exeter and Suffolk; description of journey to Toulon, France. Aspects of operations with 20th Anti-Tank Regt Royal Artillery in Egypt and Palestine, 1946-1948: posted to Gaza, Palestine; demob parties; story of piano; story of refusing to wash dishes; story of hitting Military Policeman and punishment; climate; problem of prickly heat; opinion of mosquito nets; story of learning to swim in Suez Canal; story of shoeshine boys; memories of Cairo.
REEL 5 Continues: discipline; comparison of Arab and Jewish communities; patrol duties and road blocks; attitude to danger of attack outside camp; story of radio; further memories of childhood on Isle of Dogs; memories of VE Day celebrations in GB, 1945; medals; attitude to defeat of Japan; opinion of Royal Artillery; conditions of service; demobilisation. Reflections on period of military service: comradeship; leave; story of photograph.
REEL 6 Continues: communication with mother. Post-war life: adjustment to civilian life; employment; attitude to Germans; opinion of French