Description
Object description
British private served with Royal Army Service Corps in GB, 1954; served with Intelligence Corps in GB, 1954-1955; served with No 1 Wireless Regt Royal Corps of Signals in West Germany, 1955-1956
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Lambeth, Mitcham and Ipswich, GB, 1936- 1954: family; earliest memory; move to Mitcham; memories of air raids; temporary evacuation to grandparents in Ipswich; story of V1 raid on home; life during evacuation in Suffolk; story of V2 raid; playing on bombsites; effects of war on children's lives; story of attack on father; VE Day celebrations; sweets during war; education; family situation; civilian work; reason why university was not an option; attitude to approaching National Service; medical and joining of army. Aspects of period as private with Royal Army Service Corps in GB, 1954: journey to and reception on arrival at Farnborough; issue of kit and first night in army; background of fellow recruits; reaction to situation; lessons learned from National Service; cleaning of boots; background to posting with Intelligence Corps. Aspects of period as private with Intelligence Corps in GB, 1954-1955: journey to Maresfield; opinion of camp and training; pattern of training including methods of interrogation.
REEL 2 Continues: posting to MI8 in Cheltenham; wireless and cryptography training; background of colleagues; resentment at not gaining a degree; intelligence test; details of linguists in training; age of colleagues; attitude to Germany, Japan and Soviet Union; accommodation; duties with MI8; posting to Germany. Aspects of period as private with No 1 Wireless Regt Royal Corps of Signals in West Germany, 1955-1956: scenes during journey to Munster; accommodation; duties in Monchengladbach; posting and journey to Langeleben; scenes and reception on arrival; details of signal work monitoring Russian activity; care needed to not cross border including border marker; story of soldier who did cross border; living conditions; details of Russian activity including blockades of Autobahn; smugglers working on border.
REEL 3 Continues: daily routine including work as analyst and leisure activities; relationship with civilians; living conditions; events after West Germany gained sovereignty, 1955; German denial of fighting Britain during war; winning hearts and minds over Christmas 1955 and subsequent relationship with civilians; food in West Germany; visits to Volkswagen factory and Hannover Trade Fair; importance of Marshall Aid; influx of East Germans across border; changes to border marker; contact with Russians; reaction to later propaganda about Russians; washing facilities; leave in GB; attitude to National Service; reason for only gaining one promotion; changes to perception of life. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1956: attempt at entering civil service; civilian work; expectation of recall during Hungarian Revolution and Suez Crisis; opinion of Suez Crisis; relationship with Americans in Germany including comparison of rations and living conditions; civilian work from 1957 and contact with Russian Trade Delegation.
REEL 4 Continues: relationship with Russians met through work; surveillance from Police and Foreign Office; memories of Alfred Birse; army monitoring of Sputnik, 1957; opinion of Russians including as business partners; knowledge of Russian language; contact with Board of Trade; story of how Russians gained the secret of radial tyres; civilian work in and impressions of Romania, 1961; misinformation about Eastern Bloc in western countries; opinion of German reunification and break-up of Soviet Union; discussion of Britain's relationship with Turkey; impressions of Russia since 1991.
