Description
Object description
British trooper served with Heavy Training Regt, Royal Armoured Corps in GB, 6/1940-12/1940; trooper served with 11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own), 7th Armoured Div in North Africa, Iraq, Italy, GB and North West Europe, 1941-1946; served with 43rd Reconnaissance Regt in Germany, 1946
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Little Dunmow, GB, 1916-1940: family; education; employment; initial exemption from military service; attitude toward war; service he would have faced without exemption; arrival of call-up papers to Essex Regiment; receiving second set of call-up papers. Recollections of training as trooper with Heavy Training Regt, Royal Armoured Corps in GB, 6/1940-12/1940: call-up to Heavy Training Regt, Royal Armoured Corps; medical at Great Dunmow; journey to and reception on arrival at Bovington Camp; sorting into squads; accommodation; sleeping arrangements; issue of uniform; cleaning of equipment; NCO in charge of squad; first fatigue; pattern of training; length of basic training; fatigues; opinion of fellow recruits.
REEL 2 Continues: further family details; drill; weapons training at Lulworth; changes to training after first three months; details of wireless training; further details of weapons training at Lulworth; German Air Force raid on Lulworth Camp; fire fighting on Wareham Heath; camp defences; training with tank guns; driver maintenance course taken; later armoured car training in Egypt; mounting of guards; opinion of rations; first leave; posting at end of course; passing out parade; news of posting to 11th Hussars; leave and joining of reinforcements for 11th Hussars at Perham Down; conditions at Perham Down, 12/1940; length of time spent at Perham Down Camp; officers at Perham Down Camp; train journey to Avonmouth. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Highland Princess and SS Europa from Avonmouth, GB, to Port Tewfik, Egypt via South Africa, 1/1941-4/1941: description of HMT Highland Princess; sleeping arrangements; population of ship; rations; length of journey; change of transports at Durban, South Africa; route taken to Durban, South Africa; details of escort; stop in Freetown, Sierra Leone; activities during voyage; character of SS Europa; transfer of luggage; shore leave; route taken to Red Sea.
REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period as trooper with 11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own) in Egypt, 3/1941-5/1941: arrival in Port Tewfik; journey to Polygon Barracks in Cairo; issue of beret in GB; posting in 2 Troop, B Sqdn; pattern of training; troop leader; vehicles in unit; use of Rolls-Royce and Marmon-Herrington Armoured Cars; wireless and weapon training; armament and crew of Marmon-Herrington Armoured Car; location of wireless set; role in crew; description interior of Marmon-Herrington Armoured Car and crew positions; radio procedure; proficiency with Morse Code; range of radio; issue of khaki dress; climate; sleeping arrangements; accommodation; changes to discipline; visits into Cairo; impressions of regiment on arrival. Recollections of operations as trooper with 11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own), 7th Armoured Div in North Africa, 5/1941-12/1941: story of patrol at Fort Maddalena, Libya; reaction to first actions; first experience of artillery fire; opinion of Humber Armoured Car.
REEL 4 Continues: later period in Iran and Iraq and return to Egypt at Qattara Depression including description of River Tigris, Iraq; problems with armour of Marmon-Herrington Armoured Car; organisation of patrols; water ration; supply of water; washing of clothes; wildlife in desert; role on patrols; story of spotting of German laager; communications and proximity to other armoured cars on patrol; problems with sandstorms; mirage; role watching flanks during tank battles; description of tank battles; memories of regimental commanders; Axis opposition faced; navigation; hospitalisation with pneumonia in Alexandria, Egypt; journey to Kermanshah. Aspects of period as trooper with 11th Hussars in Iraq and Iran, 1/1942-5/1942: opinion of Kermanshah, Iraq; problems with venereal disease; problems with mosquitoes; precautions taken against mosquitoes; return journey to Egypt; opinion of reason for catching pneumonia; opinion of hospital at Alexandria, Egypt; treatment received; staff.
REEL 5 Continues: collection and description of Humber Armoured Car; journey to Qattara Depression including stops made en route. Aspects of operations as trooper with 11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own), 7th Armoured Div in North Africa, 1942-1943: Axis air raids including story of raid on squadron headquarters; patrol activities; role driving commanding officer's Willys Jeep; position of forward troops; rations; supply and issue of rations; organisation of squadron headquarters; arrival of General Bernard Montgomery; journey to north of El Alamein Line, Egypt; removal of mines; formation on start line; advance to El Dhaba, Egypt; scenes along coast road; memories of and role in Battle of El Alamein, Egypt; vehicle driven; troop leader; impressions of Battle of El Alamein, Egypt; advance to Fûka, Egypt; surrounding units; action and role at Fûka, Egypt; advance along coast and air activity; triumphal arch Marble Arch, Libya; scenes following Battle at Wadi Akarit, Tunisia
REEL 6 Continues: movement of advance; sleeping arrangements; organisation of night stops during advance; story of German armoured cars seen during a guard; problems with sand at Wadi Akarit, Tunisia; artillery shelling at Castel Benito, Italy; move into Tripoli and arrival of 51st (Highland) Infantry Div; visit of King George VI; description of Tripoli, Libya; attitude of civilians; towns passed through in Tunisia; story of prisoner of war ship captured and returned; posting in Homs, French Syria; aid given to sinking ship; visit from relative; entertainment at Leptis Magna, Libya; entertainments and tramlines in Cairo, Egypt; activities in Homs, French Syria; voyage to Salerno, Italy from Tripoli, Libya and preparations for landing. Aspects of operations as trooper with 11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own), 7th Armoured Div in Italy, 9/1943-10/1943: voyage from Tripoli, Libya to Salerno; preparations for landing; night spent in orchard near Pompeii; wounding on River Volturno. Aspects of hospitalisation and convalescence in Sicily, Italy, 10/1943-12/1943: medical evacuation to hospital in Catania, Sicily; state of unconsciousness after wounding; drinking Captain Richard Wingfield Digby's whiskey.
REEL 7 Continues: treatment received during medical evacuation and description of wounds; flight in Douglas Dakota to Catania, Sicily; memories of matron; convalescence; evacuation to advanced dressing station; end of convalescence and delivery of vehicle park; story of boarding ship; concern about being posted to a different unit; memories of Captain Toby Horsford. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Cameronia from Italy to GB, 12/1943-1/1944: issue of new uniform; details of ship; stop in Oran for Christmas, 25/12/1943; reasons for needing an escort; roughness of sea off Gibraltar; rations. Aspects of period as trooper with 11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own), 7th Armoured Div in GB, 1/1944-6/1944: posting to and description of Ashridge Camp; duties on telephone exchange; posting to regimental headquarters squadron and duties with commanding officer's car; commanding officer's cars; opinion of Lieutenant-Colonel Bill Wainman; armament of Daimler Dingo Scout Car; collection of Daimler Armoured Cars from Castle Bromwich; opinion and characteristics of Daimler Armoured Car; training received; waterproofing vehicles; duties while at Ashridge Camp. Aspects of voyage aboard MV Bradford City from London, GB to Normandy France, 6/1944: details of the SS Bradford City; reaction of Major Tony Crankshaw to date of landing.
REEL 8 Continues: voyage from Millwall Dock, London to Normandy; scenes during wait for turn on bridgehead. Aspects of operations as trooper with 11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own), 7th Armoured Div in in North West Europe, 1944-1945: landing on Juno Beach, Normandy, France; stay at Bayeux, Normandy, France; sights during journey through Caen, France; Allied bombing raid; activities in positions outside Falaise, France; boarding of landing craft tanks and landing; description of landing craft tanks; activities as Lieutenant-Colonel Bill Wainman's driver; digging of slit trenches; maintenance responsibilities; bombing of Villiers Bocage, Normandy, France; death of Sergeant Lawrence Orchard at Ponthoek, Belgium, 6/9/1944; story of relieving Sergeant William Luke's troop on Juliana Canal, Netherlands including role as observation post; increase in use of anti-freeze; accommodation in Roosteren.
REEL 9 Continues: crossing River Rhine, Germany; activities when troops were in action; arrival in Hamburg; use of chain ferry; sight of abandoned submarine parts in Hamburg, Germany; state of Hamburg; further details of arrival in Hamburg, Germany; story of driving Captain Toby Horsford to meet a German surrender party; reaction to end of war in Europe, 8/5/1945; celebrations at end of Second World War, 8/5/1945; move to Spandau Barracks, Berlin; visit to French sector for meeting, Berlin; involvement in and preparations for Victory Parade, 7/9/1945. Aspects of period as trooper with 43rd Reconnaissance Regt, Reconnaissance Corps in Berlin, Germany and GB, 1946: posting to 43rd Reconnaissance Regiment for demobilisation; activities with regiment; issue of driving licence; leaves prior to demobilisation; marriage; journey from Berlin, Germany to Northampton, GB; process of demobilisation. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1946: civilian employment in Ipswich.
REEL 10 Continues: wife's work during war and details of home bought; gratuity; win on football pools; further details of civilian employment; health problems; application for army pension and results; family; opinion of how life might been without Second World War; comparison of agricultural work in 1930s and 1990s; reason for not returning to pre-war employment; attitude toward continuation of military service.
