Godfrey, Bob (Oral history)

British officer served with 1st Bn, Suffolk Regt in Malaya, 1950-1953; served with 1st Bn, SR in Germany and Cyprus, 1955-1957served with British Military Mission in France, 1958-1959; served as staff officer <GSO3> with British Commander-in-Chief Mission to Soviet Forces in Germany, 1959-1962; served with 1st Bn, East Anglian Regt in GB, 1962; served with Sarawak Rangers in Malaya, 1962-1963; served with 1st Bn, Malaysian Regt at in Malaysia, 1963-1965: served with 4th Bn, Royal Anglian Regt in GB and Malta, 1965-1967; served as staff officer <GSO2> with British C-in-C Mission to Soviet Forces in Germany, Germany, 1967-1969

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Stonham and Wisbeach, 1929-1948: family background; father's military service 1914-1918; move to Wisbeach, 1938; education at Wisbeach Grammar school, 1938-1947; outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; makeshift garden air raid shelter; effects of German air raids; Morrison shelter; rationing; halftime school due to evacuated school sharing building; relationship with evacuees; review of father's service in Pioneer Corps and Home Guards, 1939-1945; training with A Coy, 1st Isle of Ely Cadet Bn, 1942-1947, including courses attended, passing Certificate 'A', promotion and summer camps; interest in joining regular and background to failing written entrance exam for Royal Military Academy, Sandhust; VJ Day celebrations, 15/8/1945; call up and acceptance as potential officer, 9/1947. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine with 28th Bn, Junior Leader Regt, Holywood Barracks, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 9/1947-1/1948: journey out. REEL 2 Continues: reception and kitting out; hut accommodation; muster parade; food rations and canteen; weapons training including rifle, bayonet, Bren gun, Sten gun, PIAT, hand grenades and relevance of Army Cadet training; drill; PY and hockey activities; map reading; first aid; tactical training including section and platoon attacks; preparing for kit inspections; importance of personal hygiene. REEL 3 Continues: nature of Belfast dance halls; visit to opera; relationship with recruits and prevalence of public school boys amongst potential officers; relationship with officers and instructors; Christmas leave n Dublin, Eire, 12/1947; passing out parade, 1/1948; selection as PO for Continuation Coy; giving short lectures; nature of continuation training; passing tests at War Office Selection Board, ca 3/1948. Period at Officers' Cadet Training Unit, Eton Hall, Chester, ca 3/1948-5/1948: unit role training National Service officers; passing tests at Regular Commissions Board. Period at Mons Officers Cadet School, Aldershot, ca 6/1948-7/1948: nature of educational training; memories of Regimental Sergeant Major. Recollections of period as cadet with Somme Coy, New College, Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, 8/1948-12/1949: nature of course; accommodation; opinion of NCO instructors; role of officer instructors and concentration on divisional command level. REEL 4 Continues: academic subjects and civilian lecturers; opinion of Platoon Commander Captain Charles Baker; company organisation; use of models and TEWTS; nature of weekend camp; leadership training; inadequacy of training for role as platoon commander; nature of cadets' mess; assessment and grading system; promotion to corporal cadet; final examinations; passing out parade and ball, 16/12/1949. Attending course at Small Arms School, Hythe, 1/1950-3/1950: rifle grenades; 2" mortar; Thompson sub machine gun (SMG); firing on various ranges. Period attending platoon commanders' course at School of Infantry, Warminster, 4/1950-6/1950: section and platoon tactical exercises on Salisbury Plain; absence of jungle training; combat appreciations and plans. REEL 5 Continues: awareness of Korean War. Voyage aboard Empire Foye to Singapore, 6/1950-7/1950: conditions; ole as duty officer; question of seasickness; route; issue of khaki drill uniform; question of acclimatisation to climate; arrival at Singapore. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine during operations with C Coy, 1st Bn, Suffolk Regt in Malaya, 7/1950-1/1953: issue of weapons prior to night train journey from Singapore to join unit at Segamat, Johore; reception; nature of headquarters camp at Segamat; role of Lieutenant Adrian Gilmour in training drafts; nature of jungle patrol training including learning self-sufficiency, acclimatisation, single file formation, immediate action contact drills and final patrol exercise; opinion of various officers including Lieutenant Adrian Gilmour, Colonels Philip Morecambe and Ian Wight, Captain Geoff Howgega and Captain 'Tiny' Heal; opinion of RSM Duffy. REEL 6 Continues: posting to command 8 Platoon, C Coy at Bata Aman Camp reception from Major Jack Devy; news of death of Sergeant Ashdown on patrol and leading patrol to reclaim corpse; relationship with NCOs and acting as OR on first patrols; terrain; methods of navigation in jungle; nature of typical reconnaissance patrol including situation and area of operations searching for Malayan insurgents tracks, weapons carried including Owen carbine, Bren guns and US carbine, formation adopted, distance covered, avoidance of ridge tracks, use of parang, hand signals, wireless communication, groundsheet bivouacs, uniform and drainage. REEL 7 Continues: nature of typical reconnaissance patrol including compo food rations and cooking arrangements, snakes, scorpions and leeches and question of size of Malayan insurgent camps; organisation of patrols schedule; resettlement policy established by General Harold Briggs to deny Malayan insurgents support from Chinese civilians; method of setting night ambush on tracks; story of jungle patrol including discovery of jungle Malayan insurgent farm in jungle clearing, setting up ambush, attack on hut and bringing in bodies for identification; unit move to Selangor State; organisation of liaison with Malayan Police and arrival of former Palestine Police personnel. REEL 8 Continues: rest periods at Penang Barracks; unit move to Waddieburn Camp, Kuala Lumpar, Selangar with C Coy operations based at Bukit Dharah Camp, Northern Selangar; terrain; impact on morale of assassination of High Commissioner; opinion of General Templar and General Harold Briggs; story of successful patrol to destroy crops in Malayan insurgent jungle clearing farm spotted by Auster pilot; rest days at HQ and absence of threat from Malayan insurgents in towns; role of Eban and Dyak trackers; role of civilian liaison officer; learning Malay; rest period on detachment to 45th Regt, Royal Artillery at Sek Kong Camp, New Territories, Hong Kong, 4/1952-7/1952, including role as troop commander and riding motorcycles; award of MC; efficiency of head count system of judging unit success; decision to train platoon of Eban trackers for patrols. REEL 9 Continues: method of training Eban Platoon for jungle service based at Waddieburn Camp, ca 6/1952-9/1952, including syllabus, Eban reaction to drill, weapons training, silence moving in jungle, success of patrols with Eban sections; relationship with Eban soldiers and story of resolving minor dispute over pay and ration allowance; question of success of experimental Eban platoons; process of handover to 1st Bn, Somerset Light Infantry, 11/1952-1/1953; farewell parade at Kuala Lumpar; recognition of success of unit during Malayan campaign; reaction to leaving Malaya. Voyage aboard Georgic to GB, 1/1953-2/1953: recreations; relationship with Korean veterans; role as baggage officer. Period at Hydrabhad and Meanee Barracks, Colchester, 2/1953-6/1953: imminent move of unit to Trieste, Italy; reception on parades through county towns; participation in special colour party for Coronation Parade, London, 6/1953. Recollections of period as training officer at Suffolk Regt Depot, Gibraltar Barracks, Bury St Edmunds, 6/1953-1/1955: role training national service potential officer candidates for East Anglian Bde. REEL 10 Continues: demonstration platoon activities for Home Guard; organisation of depot and transit camp; lifestyle and recreations. Recollections of period as signals officer with HQ Coy, 1st Bn, SR, Wupperthal Barracks, Ruhr, Germany, 4/1955-7/1956: prior signals course at School of Infantry, Hythe, 2/1955-3/1955; unit role facing Soviet threat and training programme; relationship with Colonel 'Tiny' Heal and Adjutant Captain Bill Dellar; officers' mess accommodation; role of Princess Margaret as Honorary Colonel and presentation of new colours; nature of officers' mess including guest nights, mess games and drinking habits; question of relationship with German civilians and military band concerts; relationship with Signal Sergeant Len Drew; role of Signals Platoon and signals officer; annual training programme and exercises; nature of autumn camp exercises and concentration of defensive role. REEL 11 Continues: NBC equipment and training; question of Soviet threat; question of movements of Soviet Mission vehicles; learning German; recreational touting; return to GB, 7/1956. Recollections of period with 1st Bn, SR at Zeros Camp, Lefka, Cyprus, 8/1956-9/1957: role with advance party and changes n deployment plans; briefings on Cypriot political situation and activities of EOKA; importance of liaison with Cypriot police; arrival of unit; nature of camp; company deployment into Trudos Mountains; opinion of Colonel Bertie Brown; battalion sweeps into Trudos Mountains; question of success of patrols and ambushes; visits to detached signallers with companies; story of disguise as Greek Cypriots to covertly investigate village; move to Kyfko Camp, 5/1957; handover to replacement signal officer; question of impact of Suez Crisis, 1956. REEL 12 Continues: background to leaving unit and state of career, 9/1957. Recollections of attending Russian course at Dept of Slavonic Studies, Cambridge University, 10/1957-6/1958: assignment to Intelligence Corps; marriage, 4/1957; intensive nature of course using direct teaching methods; progress. Period attached to British Military Mission, Paris, France, 7/1958-3/1959: accommodation with Russian émigré family; arrival of wife and birth of son; Russian history lectures. Period studying Military Russian and qualifying as Russian linguist at Joint Service School of Languages, Crail, 3/1959-6/1959. Recollections of period as staff officer <GSO3> with British Commander-in-Chief Mission to Soviet Forces at Potsdam, Germany, 11/1959-3/1962: initial role of mission in establishing communication at local level with Soviet forces; composition of mission and corridors to gain access to Berlin; illustration of unofficial espionage role to confirm intelligence sources; question of interception by Soviets; role looking for unusual Soviet troop movements; question of patrolling around Soviet restricted areas and photographing Soviet military convoys; communications and extra petrol tanks on special vehicles; question of evasive tactics on being followed by German Democratic Republic cars. REEL 13 Period with 1st Bn, East Anglian Regt, Dovercourt, 3/1962-7/1962: question of unit move to Borneo and Posting to Sarawak Rangers; reaction to amalgamation of Suffolk Regt and Royal Norfolk Regt in 1st EAR and subsequent formation of Royal Anglian Regt. Recollections of period with Sarawak Rangers at Ulutiram Camp, Johore Bahru Southern Malaya, 7/1962-6/1963: 7/1965; bungalow married quarters; composition of unit as development pf Eban platoons; administrative role as second in command; relationship with British personnel attached to unit including Major Douglas Bruce-Murrie; background to conflict with Indonesia; deployment of unit to North Borneo; role remaining with rear echelon and visits to unit in Borneo; bar on moving into Indonesia; effects of formation of independent Malaysia and loss of opportunity to command unit, 1/6/1963. Recollections of period with 1st Bn, Malaysian Regt at Sungei Patani, Kedah, Ipoh and Kuching, Malaysia, 6/1963-7/1965: formation of unit; opinion of Lieutenant Colonel Gopsill; composition of unit; move to Sungei Patani, Kedah, 9/1963. REEL 14 Continues: role commanding HQ Coy; recruiting mission to Sarawak including travelling by launch on Rajang River, interview on Sarawak radio to publicise mission, accommodation at HQ, Kapit district and selection tests for prospective recruits; successful assimilation of Eban officers into unit; training role of British NCOs and officers; learning Eban; speed of recruitment; move to Ipoh, ca 9/1964; recruitment of 3rd BN, MR in North Borneo; question of decreasing proportion of Sarawak component in MR; training for deployment in South East Asia jungle warfare; role on posting to command C Coy; preparations for move to Kuching; adoption of Ghurkha daily routine; sporting activities and recreations; role of wife running Eban school; officers' mess; enjoyment of posting; wife's determination to accompany on postings and question of children's' education. Period at Royal Anglian Depot, Bury St Edmunds, 7/1965-9/1965. REEL 15 Period with C Coy, 4th Bn, Royal Anglian Regt at Watchit Camp, Minehead, 9/1965-11/1965: background to unit as former Royal Leicestershire Regt and status with RAR; assimilation process; role as company commander and relationship with senior NCOs; recruitment and discipline problems. Period at St Peter's Barracks, Malta, 11/1965-4/1967: nature of barracks and married quarters; unit role; nature of desert warfare training in Libya; opinion of General Sir John Frost; acclimatisation to desert conditions of service; situation in Libya and imminence of British withdrawal; deployment of C Coy to provide guards during evacuation of Tripoli; detachment of C Coy to provide guards during final withdrawal of RAF from Khormaxa, Aden 1/1967-3/1967, including situation, flight to visit detachment up country and guard rotas. Recollections of period as staff officer <GSO2> British C-in-C Mission to Soviet Forces in Germany, Potsdam, Germany, 7/1967-5/1969: nature of HQ buildings; story of effect of erection of Berlin Wall during holiday in East Germany, 8/1961; continuation of freedom to travel in East And West Germany; coordination between British, US and French missions. REEL 16 Continues: role of mission teams and periods of detention; effects of Czechoslovakian uprising, 5/1968, including restricted area; patrolling motorways; detection of Soviet troop movements towards and back from Czechoslovakian border during crisis, 1968; relationship with officers of Soviet External Relations Bureau in Potsdam; question of Soviet threat; decision to leave army due to absence of promotion prospects. Post-service career: study at Russian School, University of East Anglia, 1969-1970; question of financing studies; work as university administrator at Lancaster University, 1972-1973; question of acclimatisation to civilian lifestyle; work as senior lecturer in international affairs and war studies at Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, 1973-1982, including changes in course, structure of cadets into platoon and academic courses and decision to leave, 1982; period as Permanent Staff Administrative Officer with 6th BN, RAR at East Dereham, 1982-1984; role organising pageant and exhibition to commemorate TA 75th anniversary; method employed in writing History of Suffolk Regt, 1948-1959. REEL 17 Continues: method employed in writing 'History of Suffolk Regt, 1948-1959' research fro move of Royal Norfolk Museum from Britannia Barracks to Shire Hall, Norwich, 1988-1989; work as administrative officer for County Solicitors Office, Norwich, 1989-1991; writing history of Royal Norfolk Regt, 1945-1959; work as Russian expert for battlefield tour operator, 1992-2002; membership of Suffolk Regt Assoc Council and role editing Suffolk Regt section of Britannia and Castle magazine.