Description
Object description
British officer served with 7th Royal Tank Regt, Royal Armoured Corps in Hong Kong, 1953-1954
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in London, 1934-1952: family background and father's service with RFC/RAF, 1917-1918; social circumstances; effects of war, 1939-1945, including father's service with RAF and German air raids; education at boarding school in Bude, 1941-1942, education at Burstow Nautical School, Horley, 1942-1946, including naval training and seamanship; V1 raids; education and nature of training with Combined Cadet Force at Malvern School, 1947-1951; work with advertising agency, 1951-1952; call up, 5/1952. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine with 68th <Training> Regt, Royal Armoured Corps, Catterick Camp, 5/1952-9/1952: question of commission; relationship with NCOs; reception and kitting out; hut accommodation; selection as potential officer.
REEL 2 Continues: morning routine; food rations; drill; PT; weapons training including rifle, Sten gun, safety on ranges, bayonet, Bren gun and 2" mortar; lectures; preparations for kit and room inspections; origins of and relationship with recruits; smoking; recreations including camp cinema and canteen; relationship with instructors and officers; training as PO; boiler fatigues; lectures.
REEL 3 Continues: lectures and map reading exercises; building assault course; question of selection criteria for POs and value of CCF experience; signal course on 19 wireless sets and voice procedures; lorry driving and maintenance course; attending and passing War Office Selection Board at Barton Stacey, 7/1952, including intelligence tests, command tests and interviews; acting as PO leader; driving training. Recollections of period as cadet at Mons Officer Cadet Training School, RAC, Aldershot, 9/1952-1/1953: basic training syllabus and memories of Regimental Sergeant Major Brittain; attitude to training; military law; tactical training and fieldcraft; question of behaviour as officer; relationship with instructors and officers; passing out parades; exercise on Salisbury Plain; driving and maintenance course.
REEL 4 Continues: acceptance for Royal Tank Regt and question of postings; gunnery course on 17pdr gun at Lulworth Cove; bracketing system of ranging; training as tank commander and use of intercom; passing out parade, 1/1953; kitting out as officer; vaccinations. Voyage aboard Asturias to Hong Kong, 2/1953-3/1953: conditions; minimal duties as orderly officer and OR conditions; recreations; route including visits to Port Said, Egypt, Aden and Singapore. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine with 1 Troop, 7th Royal Tank Regt, RAC at Sek Kong Camp, Hong Kong, 3/1953-4/1954: reception; role of officer's servant; accommodation; mosquito nets and malaria precautions; salt tablets; background to taking over I Troop; composition of unit.
REEL 5 Continues: nature of Comet tank including problems in maintenance, tank training areas, use of 19 wireless and intercom and smoke canisters; morning parade; administrative duties in squadron office; supervising repair work in tank park; suspension of work in afternoon; sporting activities; nature of officers; mess including guest nights, mess games, relationship with officers, drinking habits and mess bills; recreational visits to Kowloon and Hong Kong Island; relationship with troops sergeant and ORs; question of VD problem; nature of tactical exercises including story of acting as umpire, firing on range and continual problems with tanks breaking down.
REEL 6 Continues: recreational visits to Kowloon; acting as cricket umpire; providing guard at government house; show parades; social life; question of relationship with European civilians; troop sporting and tactical competitions; border patrols in Dingo scout car; question of Chinese threat; nature of Dingo; success in .22 rifle competitions; reactions to approach of demobilisation and cocktail party on departure; role as fire officer. Voyage aboard Devonshire back to GB, 4/1954-5/1954. Demobilisation, 5/1956. Post-service career: return to work and career with advertising agency; reserve service with 42nd Royal Tank Regt, Clapham Junction Drill Hall, 1954-1955, including retaking driving test, attending drill nights and exercises at annual camp; effects of National service.