Description
Object description
British NCO served with 4th <Tank> Bn, Grenadier Guards in GB and North West Europe, 1939-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in Eastleigh, 1920-1938: family background and social circumstances; education; work on hardware van, 1934-1938; background to recruitment into Grenadier Guards, 9/1938. Recollections of conditions o service, lifestyle and daily routine during training at York Block, Grenadier Guards Depot, Caterham Barracks, 9/1938-2/1939: reception; barrack accommodation; role of trained soldier l kitting out and hair cut; morning routine; food rations; vaccinations; PT; drill; inspections prior to leaving camp; preparations for kit inspections; relationship with instructors and officers.
REEL 2 Continues: boxing activities; gas mask test; significance of No. 17 to GG; punishment drill; weapons training including rifle, bayonet and grenades; cross country runs; relationship with recruits; tactical exercises. Recollections of period with Training Bn, GG, Victoria Barracks, Windsor, 2/1939-9/1939: accommodation in former married quarters; memories of Captain Rodney Moore; guard duties at Windsor Castle; prior driving license; attending MT fitter course; outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; story of drunken officer nicknamed 'Cookoo'. Aspects of period with 4th <Tank> Bn, GG in GB, ca 1939-1944: formation of unit; story of collecting old armoured cars from Woolwich Arsenal; role as armoured unit; use of impressed vehicles to practice driving; exercises; move to Wanstead Flats; reorganisation into squadrons; move to Codford; visit to study Churchill tank engine at Vauxhall factory, Luton.
REEL 3 Continues; promotion to sergeant in charge of MT fitters; visit to study Crusader tank engine; promotion to gold sergeant; story of preparations to tank for visit by Princess Elizabeth; fatal electrical accident; nature of Churchill including problem wit reverse steering; nature of fitters' Whites halftrack and equipment carried; exercises; maintenance duties and repairs; question of Churchill armament; move to Bridlington; formation of 6th Independent Guards Tank Bde; story of fire in Whites during drive to Portsmouth area, 5/1944. Voyage on Landing Craft Tank <LCT> to Normandy. France, 11/6/1944. Various aspects of operations in France, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany, 6/1944-5/1945: move into overnight laager; stories illustrating methods of repairing broken down tanks and MT; conditions of service and sleeping in bivouacs under tank; casualties; successful improvisation to repair Churchill hydraulics; German snipers in trees and consequent adaptation to Churchill turret; use of tank tracks to reinforce Churchill side armour.
REEL 4 award of certificate of merit; tank routes during advance, 8/1944; collecting supplies from rear echelons; question of run ration; story of award of MM for role in bringing up supplies in Venlo sector, 10/1944; opinion of US troops and Ardennes campaign, 12/1944-1/1945; operations with Commandos at Osnabruck and nickname 'Churchill Butchers'; various units supported during advance through Germany; VE Day at Lubeck, 8/5/1945; hospitalisation with headaches caused by tumour; flight back to GB. Hospitalisation in GB, 1945. Demobilisation, 1945. Post-war career: work as fitter; relationship with former officer and old comrades.