Description
Object description
British gunner and NCO served with 64th Medium Regt Royal Artillery in GB, Egypt, Greece and Crete, 1939-1945 and NCO with General Headquarters in Egypt, 1941-1945; also comments by Joyce Grogan
Content description
REEL 1 [Ted Grogan] Background in Walthamstow, GB, 1918-1939: family; details of Walthamstow and memories of childhood; education; civilian work including decision to join Territorial Army and details of pay; hobbies as child; support of Arsenal FC; civilian work after war; awareness of events in Europe; reasons for joining artillery. Aspects of period as gunner and NCO with 64th Medium Regt Royal Artillery in GB, Egypt, Greece and Crete, 1939-1945: reactions of family; annual camp at Redesdale; role as gun layer; story of guard duties in Kidbrooke; leisure activities; activities at Tel-el-Kebir; problems with sand and heat; problems from lack of training; details of force sent to Greece, 4/1941; premonition of commanding officer in Larissa; period in Tetbury; story of training accident; leave; relationship with civilians; lessons learned.
REEL 2 Continues: importance of Royal Air Force; opinion that Britain would win war and loss of status afterwards; story of belly dancers in sergeant's mess; uniform worn in North Africa; activities of unit during battle at Sidi Barrani; details of guns used; story of air raid; life in desert; leave in Egypt, 5/1941; story of near marriage in Cairo; background to defeat of Italian Army; treatment of Italian POWs; reactions to situation; opinion of Italian troops; role in unit; relationship with officers; morale; activities in Greece; evacuation and landing on Crete including air activity; details of German invasion; capture of paratroopers; evacuation to Alexandria.
REEL 3 Continues: method of destroying guns in Greece; evacuation and landing on Crete; morning air raids and latrines; length of time on Crete; orders for evacuation; story of air raids during night journey to Sfarkia; capture of paratroopers; story of punishment for rapist captured; return to Egypt; departure from artillery. Aspects of period as NCO with General Headquarters in Egypt, 1941-1945: details of statistics compiled and sent to War Office in London; life in Egypt; meeting of future wife Joyce Fryer including first performance of Tommy Cooper; relationship with civilians; war service of Joyce Fryer; reunion with Joyce Fryer after war and marriage; further details of relationship with civilians; opinion of chances in war; demobilisation in Leeds; discussion of war in Mediterranean; settling into civilian life and changes in Britain following war; reaction to 1945 General Election; reason for not staying in army; civilian work; mental effects of war.
REEL 4 Continues: [Joyce and Ted Grogan] Background in Leeds, GB, from 1923: memories of childhood and family; reasons for joining forces. Aspects of period as aircraftwoman with Women's Auxiliary Air Force in GB and Egypt, 1941-1945: story of reprimand for smiling when saluting; training in Great Yarmouth; posting abroad; reaction of family; comradeship including story of carving initials at top of Great Pyramid; thoughts of possible dangers; accommodation in Egypt; relationship between servicemen and women including warnings issued; relationship with civilians; involvement in entertainments; reflections on service; concerns about German success; process of demobilisation; civilian work; settling into civilian life and importance of comradeship.