Farquharson, John James (Oral history)

British officer served with 67th Light Anti-Aircraft Regt, Royal Artillery in GB, 1942-1943; served with 444 Bty, 133 LAA Regt, RA in GB and North West Europe, 1943-1945

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Weymouth, 1920-1941: review of father's service in Royal Navy, 1896-1945; family background and social circumstances; interest in navy; preparatory education at Old Malthouse School, Langton Maltravers, 1929-1933, including bullying, building huts, swimming in sea pool, academic progress, sporting activities and question of homesickness. Recollections of conditions lifestyle and daily routine attending Knoll House, Harrow School, London, 1933-1939: reception; absence of bullying and fagging system. REEL 2 Continues: fagging system and duties; uniform and privileges; shared rooms; house servants; morning routine and lessons; afternoon routine and sports activities including Harrow football and cricket; prep sessions; punishments. REEL 3 Continues: role pf 'Phil Athletic Society' in enforcing school rules and question of corporal punishments; relationship with pupils and case of theft; passing school certificate at 15; problems in specialisation in maths and consequent transfer to modern languages; opinion of various teachers; training with OTC, 1934-1937, including uniform, command structure, NCO instructors, drill, weapons training on rifle, .22 range and Lewis gun, tactical exercises on field day and stories of annual camp at Tidworth Common, 1935. REEL 4 Continues: training with OTC, 1934-1937, including passing Certificate 'A' and background to giving up OTC, 1937; interests in music including learning flute and gramophone recitals; interest in railways and model railways; Boy Scouts activities and camp; privileges through school and Sunday uniform; membership of Phil Athletic Society; role as house and school monitor; membership of Knoll House. REEL 5 Continues: role as Head of House and 2nd Head of School; interest in architecture and theatre; view of barrage balloons; awareness of approach of war; leaving school, 7/1939; reactions to outbreak of war, 3/9/1939. Recollections of studying Economics and English at King's College, Cambridge, 10/1939-7/1941: lodgings and college accommodation; lecture courses and essays; memories of John Maynard Keynes; economics lecturers; effects of war; lifestyle; accommodation and conditions; change to study English; question of 'ordinary' degrees; music interests; volunteering to join Royal Artillery and deferred call up; award of honours degree for graduates joining services; question of conscientious objectors. REEL 6 Continues: assisting in care of migrant fruit harvester at Wisbech, 6/1940; German air raids; summer vacation work with Charity Organisation Society, London, 7/1940-9/1940; lodgings in Chelsea; effects of German air raids, 9/1940; English lecturers; first aid training; fire watching duty on chapel roof; move into college rooms; academic progress and exams; attending May Ball, 5/1941; minimal contact with local population; call up, 7/1941. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine with 10th Light Anti-Aircraft Training Regt, Royal Artillery, Deepcut Camp, 7/1941-1/1942: train journey; hut accommodation; relationship with recruits and instructors; kitting out. REEL 7 Continues: PT; food rations; local café; morning parade; disciplining of ex-student; drill; older recruits; disciplinary charge; weapons training and relationship with instructors; map reading; promotion to lance bombardier in potential officers' squad; value of OTC experience as officer; opinion of Colonel Buckland; move into disused married quarters and case of stealing by NCO; preparing for kit inspections; question of gun drill; manning Lewis gun AA positions; weekend passes; relationship with recruits. REEL 8 Continues: camp concert; Christmas celebrations at Camberley, 25/12/1941. Recollections of period at OCTU, RA at Bedford Barracks, Shrivenham and Towyn, 1/1942-8/1942: barrack accommodation and layout; preparing for room inspection; training on mobile 40mm Bofors gun including method of dropping into action and loading drill; prior MT training at Deepcut Camp including learning to drive lorry and engine theory; motorcycle training; rifle and pistol training; assault course. REEL 9 Continues: aircraft recognition; lectures; tailored officers' uniform; status as senior cadets; move to Towyn prior to commission, 8/1942. Recollections of period with 67th Light Anti-Aircraft Regt, RA at Brawle Point, Dartmouth, Watchett and Swansea area, 8/1942-1/1943: state of unit; opinion of Major Dennis Murphy; role defending radar station; role as acting troop commander including relationship with ORs, NCOs and composition of headquarters; German air raids on landing craft in Salcombe Bay and siting detached Bofors gun on beach; view of naval action; alarm system; story of accidentally firing on Beaufighter and damage to radar mast; move to Dartmouth; guns dispositions; officers' mess; detached Bofors gun at Dittisham and accidental discharge incident; move to firing camp at Watchett, 11/1942; story of accidental discharge of Bofors gun; move to Jersey Marine, Swansea area, 12/1942; camp concerts; move to guard Farewood Common airfield, Gower Peninsula, 12/1942; posting. Recollections of period with 444 Bty, 133 LAA Regt, RA in GB, 1/1943-9/1944: joining unit at Leigh on Sea; opinion of officers; question of disbandment of 67th LAA Regt after failing inspection. REEL 10 Continues: prior re-equipment and mobile training; frequency of moves; convoy drill and overnight stops; nature of 'O' Groups; setting up gun positions and hut accommodation; setting up and operation of predictor to direct Bofors gun; replacement of predictor with Stiffkey Stick; inaccuracy of Bofors with Predictor and Stiffkey Stick; spare Bofors barrel; posting to H Troop and composition of mobile troop; posting to Teignouth; role of and comparison with Air Defence Great Britain; anti-gas exercise; participation in Exercise Eagle in Yorkshire, 1944; rat problem; casualties amongst despatch riders; daily routine and visits from civilians; leave periods in Salisbury; WREN girlfriend. REEL 11 Continues: relationship with ORs, officers and NCOs; range of Bofors gun; move to firing camp; firing at towed drogues; review of movements; move to Millfield airfield, 1944; demonstrating barrages planned to protect RAF forward landing grounds; role on motorcycle guiding convoy south and passing through London; question of deployment against V1; period at Margate; story of German air raids used as excuse to replace equipment deficiencies; move to Botley; prior period as demonstration unit at School of Artillery, Larkhill, 1943, including new shields fitted to Bofors gun, removal of colonel for ordering polishing of shields, role as liaison officer, living in officers' mess and story of inspection by senior officer. REEL 12 Continues; role training RAF Regt personnel in use of Bofors gun; move to Southampton; sandpit gun positions at Maybury; story of recall to unit, 5/6/1944; view of D Day air armada, 6/6/1944; move to concentration camp, Bassett Common, 7/6/1944; waterproofing and de-waterproofing MT; move to coastal gun positions at East Wittering, 6/1944; V1 attacks on Southampton; methods of countering V1 and subsequent of US barrages using proximity fuses; movements; story of embarkation at Tilbury Docks, 9/1944; move to Southend; delayed crossing due to storm, 9/1944; V1s carried by German aircraft. Recollections of period at Orderen, Antwerp, Netherlands, 10/1944-1/1945: Channel crossing, 10/1944; disembarkation at Arromanches, Normandy, France; move to Vernand; horse corpses; US lorry convoys; reception at Brussels, Belgium; explosion of V2 on arrival at Antwerp; role of Orderen gun position protecting Krusschens Docks on River Scheldt; nature of gun positions; ban on firing at V1s; effect of V2s; origins of V1 fire and use of US AA barrage fire; billets; compo food rations; daily routine; close escape of gun detachment from V2; view of V2 landing on Antwerp. REEL 13 Continues: relationship with Belgian civilians and US units; German air raid on Antwerp, 31/12/1944, including prior party, use of radial zone barrages and crashed German aircraft; opinion of Colonels Clive Blaber and Sykes; cold weather and preparations to repel possible German airborne attack during Ardennes offensive, 12/1944-1/1945; situation 1/1945;. Period in Nijmagen, Gavres and Arnhem sectors, 1/1945-2/1945: German shell fire; situation and effects of flooding; looting in Cleves; move to Gavre; role protecting bridge over Maas River; final V1 attacks; visits to officers' club, Vesle; and story of minor jeep accident; dance organised in Nijmagen; US jacket; minor jeep accident; move to Arnhem, 4/1945; fatal accident; capture of Arnhem, 4/1944, including use of smoke screen, cutting electricity supply, preliminary barrage and role firing tracer to guide troops. REEL 14 Continues: capture of Arnhem, 14/4/1945; removal of guns on conversion to infantry role; German booby traps; animal corpses; rest period at Barneveldt, 5/1945; VE Day celebrations, 8/5/1945; move to Naaldwijk, Hague area, 5/1945; reception from Dutch civilians; move to Battery Headquarters on acceptance for gunnery staff coruse; collection of German POWs and guard duties; move into underground fort; accidental fatalities in minefield at Loosduinen; nature of German fort and German rangefinder; state of Soviet workers; interview with German POW; GB leave, 5/1945; state of German POWs marching back to Germany; fatal accidental shooting incident; auction of German equipment and purchase of camera on blackmarket; party on leaving unit. REEL 15 Continues: return of camera; return to GB. Recollections of attending staff course at School of Anti-Aircraft Artillery, Manorbier, Tenby, 6/1945-2/1946: training on 3.7" AA gun; prior promotion to captain; opinion of Major Gyillym Lloyd George; training on mobile radar; and generators; firing at air towed drogues; opinion of instructors of gunnery; mathematics course at Military School of Science, Bury; billets; VJ Day, 15/8/1945; qualification as Inspector of Gunnery. Period as Inspector of Gunnery at Tronfanau, Towyn, 3/1946-5/1946: role training Dutch troops in AA gunnery; friendship with Dutch officer. Period at Trials Equipment Wing, Anti-Aircraft School of Artillery, Tenby, ca 5/1946-9/1946: regular visits for trials on mobile Bofors gun at Woolwich; change of name to Equipment Wing; composition and nature of officers' mess; technical problems. REEL 16 Contineus: question of remaining in army as regular; background to securing work as management apprentice with railways; recreations. Demobilisation and demob suit, 9/1946. Post-war career: training as management apprentice on railways, 1946-1948; review of career in railway management and research, 1948-1981; effects of war service; question of contacts with old comrades.