Mogg, Herbert John (Oral history)

British private served with Coldstream Guards in GB, 1933; private and NCO served with 3rd Bn Coldstream Guards in GB, 1933-1935; officer cadet served at Royal Military College in Sandhurst, GB, 1935- 1937; officer served with 1st Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in GB, 1937-1939; served with 5th Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in GB, 1939-1944; served with 9th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB and North West Europe, 1944

REEL 1 Background in Canada and GB, 1913-1933: father's service in First World War and reason for move to Canada; education in Canada; move to GB; education at Malvern College; details of army class; membership of Officers Training Corps including annual camps; business course taken; year at home; joining of Coldstream Guards at Oxford; reactions of parents to his joining army; family tradition in army. Aspects of period as private with Coldstream Guards in GB, 1933: story of reception from NCO; activities while waiting for squad to be formed; pattern of training; cleaning of uniform; discipline; bullying within squad; background of recruits; help given to fellow recruits and opinion of help it gave him later in career; standard of turnout when leaving camp; activities outside camp; entry medical; fitness training; rations; NCOs and officers. Aspects of period as private and NCO with 3rd Bn Coldstream Guards in GB, 1933- 1935: posting in Chelsea; duties and standard of drill; field training; proficiency with rifle; details of NCOs course attended and promotion to corporal; joining of rugby team; discussion of difficulties in corporal's job; later loss of ambition in corporals; details of pay; help from grandmother; items bought with pay; daily routine; sports. REEL 2 Continues: battalion manoeuvres on Salisbury Plain; details of route marches; weapons in battalion; opinion of Boys anti-tank rifle; gas precaution training; influence of First World War in training; strength of units served in before war; organisation of a Coldstream Battalion; final Coldstream parade with horses; discussion on discipline; punishments; opinion of officers; story of charge received at Pirbright; more on punishments; sex talk in barrack room and VD precautions; army attitude to VD; later shock at level of VD among 28th Commonwealth Brigade in Malaya; attempt to open a licensed brothel; story of touring brothel area and drink with Australian troops; solutions to lower VD cases; attitude of civilians to army; memories of Coldstream officers; comradeship; details of A Cadet Scheme; story of failed interview; later success and departure from Coldstream Guard. Aspects of period as officer cadet at Royal Military College in Sandhurst, GB, 1935-1937: story of being shot in leg by vicar and missing first week; relationship with NCO instructor Sergeant Major Middleditch and opinion of help gained from service; organisation of course; opinion of training; sports involved with; posts held within college; honours passed out with; methods of making assessment; passing out parade; uniform worn. REEL 3 Continues: pride in unit; opinion of advantage given by having been in ranks; background of cadets when cadet and Sandhurst Commandant; opinion of why change has come; army education; military training; relationship between cadets and tutors; spare time; punishments given at Sandhurst; failure rate; work of Regular Commissions Board; reason for choosing Ox and Bucks. Aspects of period as officer with 1st Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in GB, 1937-1939: arrival at Colchester; strength of battalion; leave; batman and groom taken home; leisure and sports; exercises on Salisbury Plain; opinion and memories of Colonel Partiger; leisure activities; posting in A Company; doubling of Territorial Army and posting as 5th Battalion adjutant. Aspects of period as officer with 5th Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in GB and Northern Ireland, 1939-1944: memories of Lieutenant Colonel Edmunds; interviewing officers; spread of battalion; marriage and honeymoon; story of return from honeymoon; organisation of mess and story of first breakfast; memories of batman Private Smith; comradeship; memories of Mess Sergeant Darlow and Regiment Sergeant Major; availability of horses; officer duties; postings on south coast and in Northern Ireland; training; postings; IRA activity; story of meeting a member of IRA; outbreak of war; period on south coast; training in Northern Ireland; posts held; posting at Battle School in Margate; requests for active posting. REEL 4 Continues: news of posting to 9th Battalion Durham Light Infantry; changes in army during Second World War; duties as A Company Commander in 5th Battalion Ox and Bucks; settling of men into army; make-up of A Company; weapons and equipment in company; length of period in Northern Ireland; defences prepared after Dunkirk; offensive training programme; speed civilians adapted to training; opinion of British and German weapons; opinion and role of Bren carrier; use of carrier and mortar platoons; opinion of 3" mortars; make-up and use of anti-tank platoon; communications; work of pioneer platoon; work with RAF Liaison Officer in Normandy; training exercises with supporting arms; artillery support; importance of training; artillery weapons; cooperation with tanks; briefing of troops; invasion training; initial restrictions on invasion; contact with American troops; talks from high ranking officers; popularity of troops among 9th Battalion Durham Light Infantry troops; morale and reactions following Dunkirk. REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of period as officer with 9th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1944: reactions on arrival in battalion; settling into battalion; memories of commanding officer Humphrey Woods; briefings and preparations for D-Day; getting to know colleagues; description of Nightingale Wood camp; delay of invasion; dinner at Haunch of Venison in Salisbury; premonition of Humphrey Woods and own reactions during action; attitude of Humphrey Woods and troops; importance of religion; story of church service during a rest period; memories of padres including Father Jack Devine; importance of padre; discussion of battalion's experience and use of his presence as an inexperienced but enthusiastic officer; opinion of patrolling methods used by battalion; use of infantry skills in Normandy; morale of battalion; troops going AWOL before and after invasion; waterproofing of vehicles; issue of bicycles to A Company; problems with and dumping of bicycles; embarkation aboard LCI; contact with American crew; scenes on water; air activity; seasickness and remedy given by American Naval officer; activity on approach to beach. Aspects of operations as officer with 9th Bn Durham Light Infantry in North West Europe, 1944: disembarkation and walk to beach; obstacles; death of signal sergeant; scenes on beach; concentration at Meauvains; knowledge of route to Meauvains; location of landing on Gold Beach; time at concentration area; advance on first day; story of patrol on first night; advance to Lingèvres; day outside village; news of attack on village; patrol sent out; briefing of Colonel Woods about attack. REEL 6 Continues: results of patrol at Lingèvres; start line of battle; rumour about discussion between Humphrey Woods and Brigadier before battle; description of Lingèvres; plan of attack; supporting units; fire on Lingèvres at start of battle and reaction; description of cornfield; first casualties from machine-gun fire; last communication with Humphrey Woods; details of German position; casualties; arrival in village and opinion of tanks; state of Lingèvres; shelling from Germans; news of Colonel Woods's death and reaction to becoming commander; arrival of carriers; plan put together for continuation and orders given; problem with positioning of anti-tank guns; first German counter attack; phrase remembered from training; decision to take out a patrol; story of patrol and tanks destroyed; reactions during patrol; second German counter attack; German withdrawal; relief and return to Battalion Headquarters; casualties and questions over value of attack; reflections on losses; discussion on Battle of Lingèvres; reactions to becoming commander; importance of communication with troops; lessons learned about Germans and weapons; opinion of medical facilities; rest period; background of reinforcements; settling of reinforcements into regiment; reactions and events following battle; writing of letters to next of kin.