Description
Object description
British volunteer and officer with Auxiliary Territorial Service in GB, 1939-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Calverley and Bradford, GB, 1918-1939: childhood; education in Bradford; family; desire to become a journalist; awareness of situation in Europe during 1930s; reaction to outbreak of war, 9/1939. Recollections of period as private and officer with Auxiliary Territorial Service in GB and Northern Ireland, 1939-1945: decision to join army; IRA attack; problems with anti-aircraft guns; pattern of training; duties on anti-aircraft gun site; commissioning and subsequent duties; boredom; incident of near fire in control room; postings at Castle Ashby, Belfast and south coast; unit activities in Belfast; organised move; story of being held by IRA in Belfast; relations with civilians in Wales; further details of attack from IRA and subsequent protection from Royal Ulster Constabulary; communications on gun site; German aircraft shot down by battery; memories of brigadier; length of period in Belfast; rations; role as catering officer; story of murder in camp and funeral; description of V1 Flying Bombs attacks.
REEL 2 Continues: relations between male and female personnel; attitude of women to service; examples of poor discipline among troops; story of rape charge against American troops; relation between Auxiliary Territorial Service personnel and American troops; details of uniform; opinion of efficiency of army; awareness of war's progress; memories of sergeant- major; awareness of war in GB; impressions of civilian morale; details of V2 raids; contact with Italian POWs; further impressions of civilian morale; life of family during war; post-war rationing and living conditions; attitude towards Germans; visit to Germany, 1960.
REEL 3 Continues: post-war rationing; reflections on Second World War; opinion of British Government; reaction to 1945 General Election result; state of Britain in 1950s; VE Day celebrations, 5/1945; memories of civilian medical officer including inoculations; morale; process of demobilisation; return to civilian employment; question of treatment of civilians during war; discussion of changes to lives of women since Second World War; story of taxi journey in Belfast; underwear worn during war service; pregnancy among female personnel; story of visit to another unit.
REEL 4 Continues: reflections on war service and Second World War; American military discipline and presence in GB.