Interview with George Davidson

British private trained at Gordon Highlanders Regimental Depot, Gordon Barracks, Bridge of Don, GB, 10/1942-11/1942; trooper served with 60th Training Regt, Royal Armoured Corps in GB, 11/1942-4/1943; trooper served with 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 29th Armoured Bde, 11th Armoured Div in GB and North West Europe, 4/1943-5/1945; served with 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry in Germany, 1945

REEL 1 Background in Tullynessle, GB, 1924-1942: family; education; employment with Forestry Commission; reaction to outbreak of Second World War, 9/1939. Aspects of period as private with Gordon Highlanders Regimental Depot, Gordon Barracks, Bridge of Don, near Aberdeen, GB, 10/1942-11/1942: call-up for military service and posting to depot; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; opinion of rations; relations with fellow recruits; pattern of training; tests undertaken. Aspects of period as trooper with 60th Training Regt, Royal Armoured Corps in GB, 11/1942-4/1943: reaction to posting to Royal Armoured Corps at Catterick Camp; wireless training; gunnery training; learning to drive; method of steering tanks; leave; allocation to role as tank driver and training received; opinion of Valentine Tank. Aspects of period as trooper with 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 29th Armoured Bde, 11th Armoured Div in GB, 4/1943-6/1944: posting to Chippenham; problems with accent; background of troops; posting in B Sqdn; memories of Major John Gilmore; officers and NCOs; posting in Rudston; character of M4 Sherman Tanks and crew; involvement in schemes; driving M4 Sherman Tanks including visibility; exercises; accommodation in Bridlington; relations with civilians; posting to Aldershot Garrison; degree of awareness of upcoming D-Day operations; accommodation; waterproofing of tanks; drinking and pay; voyage to Normandy, France including embarkation. Recollections of operations as trooper with 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 29th Armoured Bde, 11th Armoured Div in North West Europe, 6/1944-5/1945: landing on Gold Beach, Normandy, France; advance from beach; action during Operation Goodwood, Normandy, France, 7/1944. REEL 2 Continues: escape from damaged M4 Sherman Tank at Amiens, France, 8/1944; passing German Army troops; issue of new M4 Sherman Tank; tank lost during Battle of the Bulge, 12/1944-1/1944; clothing worn; opinion of Comet Tank; training on Comet Tank at Ypres, Belgium; German breakthrough in Ardennes, Belgium, 12/1944; preparation for Battle of the Bulge; story of talk with businessman accommodated with; return from Ardennes, Belgium; continuation of training at Ypres, Belgium and gunnery training at Dunkirk, France; crossing of River Rhine, Germany, 3/1945; loss of tank track to mine; opinion of officers and NCOs; rations; advance to River Elbe, Germany; leave and end of Second World War, 5/1945. Aspects of period as trooper with 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry in Germany, 1945: disbandment of 2nd and posting to 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry; joining unit at Gehrden; relations with German civilians; story of drive into Hanover when duty driver; punishment given for charge; relations with civilian workers; involvement with black market; posting to 14th/20th King's Hussars in Wuppertal; employment following demobilisation; memories of military life; memories of Gordon Fidler.