Strachan, Robert Douglas (Oral history)

British private and NCO served with 1st Gordon Highlanders and Gordon Highlanders Depot in GB, Germany, Malaya, Cyprus, Kenya, Zanzibar, Swaziland and Borneo during Indonesian Confrontation, 1950-1970; officer served with 1st Gordon Highlanders in GB and Northern Ireland, 1976-1980; served with Gordon Highlanders Depot in GB, 1980-1985

REEL 1 Background in Banchory, GB, 1930-1950: details of Banchory; family; education and civilian work; joining of cadet force, 1944; membership of pipe band; regimental association; details of cadet uniform; memories of outbreak of war, 9/1939; life during Second World War including evacuees in Banchory and rationing; activities and training with cadet force; weapons training; signals training; other training received including drill; sports; description of camps; runner duties with Home Guard; joining of Territorial Army, 1948; ranks held with army cadets; differences between cadets and Territorials; process of joining army, 1950, and reaction of parents; wait for and arrival of call-up papers; first meal in army; interview in Aberdeen; desire to join Gordon Highlanders; journey to Fort George including reactions. Aspects of period as private with Gordon Highlanders in GB, 1950: details of Fort George. REEL 2 Continues: uniform issued; details of ceremonial uniform; description and role of puttees; details of equipment issued; cleaning of equipment including description of Blanco; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; washing facilities; storage of kit; description of kit inspections; recruits having problems settling down; rations; drill; settling into army life and discipline; punishments; sports; details of pay; women at Fort George; leisure activities including gambling. REEL 3 Continues: intensity of basic training; route marches and fitness; physical training; boxing; weapons training including issue and cleaning of rifle; details of bayonet; grenade training; reactions to using live ammunition; firing on range; tests during course; passing out parade; leave; return to Fort George; pattern of training; opinions of unit; learning of regimental history; loyalty to regiment; background and memories of recruits; relationship with NCOs; dealing with failing troops; description of barracks; population of barracks; accommodation; duties and morning procedures; embarkation leave. REEL 4 Continues: details of pay; description of journey to Germany including accommodation in London; state of Netherlands and Germany. Aspects of period as private and NCO with 1st Bn Gordon Highlanders in Germany, 1950: details of Sennelager; description of camp; reception on arrival; accommodation; rations and issue of meals; relationship with civilians; NAAFI; washing facilities; pattern of training; duties; details of guard duties and night piquets; clothing worn; leisure activities; sports; details of mail; terrain around camp; visits out of camp; learning of German language; free time; identification; role of unit; question of threat; details of training outside camp; riot drill; route marches; firing on range; posting to Glasgow. Aspects of period as NCO with 1st Bn Gordon Highlanders in GB, 1950-1951: accommodation. R EEL 5 Continues: details of Maryhill Barracks; washing facilities; knowledge of posting in Malaya; issue of meals; activities at Maryhill; details of tropical kit issued; duties as lance corporal; details of NCO course attended; later promotion in Malaya; duties as batman in Germany, GB and Malaya including change of accommodation and embarkation leave; inoculations; population of troopship; train journey to Liverpool; reactions of self and family to posting; send-off from Liverpool. Aspects of voyage from Liverpool, GB, to Singapore aboard HMT Empire Halladale, 1951: details of ship; accommodation including inspections; batman duties and training onboard including issue of meals; scenes on Red Sea; concerts; stops during voyage; contact with civilians in Port Said. REEL 6 Continues: activities in Aden; gambling among troops; availability of alcohol; details and issue of pay; populations of ship; reactions on approach to Singapore; details of transit camp. Aspects of period as NCO with 1st Bn Gordon Highlanders in Malaya, 1951-1954: summary of jungle training course undertaken; dealing with bites; problems with leeches and wet conditions; conditions in jungle; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; boots and socks worn; condition of feet; sentry duties; Stand To; details of overnight camps; wildlife and noise in jungle; tool carried for cutting through jungle; rations and cooking of meals including description of Tommy cooker; lengths of patrols; question of hunger; rum ration; sterilisation of water; details of weapons carried by unit. REEL 7 Continues: posting with A Company in Jabor Valley; details of camp and accommodation; washing facilities; dealing with waste; inspection and replacement of kit; washing of uniform by civilians; further details of camp including rations and contact with civilians; firing on range; opposition activity including attack on camp and reactions; story of patrol and celebrations on 21st birthday; details of mail; cleaning and storage of rifle; promotions to corporal and sergeant; lengths of service; benefits and responsibilities of promotion to sergeant; leave; terrain in Malaya; supply of rations; knowledge of opposition; details of attack faced in jungle including casualties; relationship with civilians and liaison with police; burial of and reaction to casualties. REEL 8 Continues: reporting of casualties; story of attack on opposition camp; dealing with opposition casualties including details of cordon searches; details of patrols and raids; relationship with troops including zeroing of guns; organisation of canteen and unit; reactions to end of posting; journey to Edinburgh including preparations for Royal Guard duties; process of gaining promotion to sergeant; responsibilities as sergeant including foot inspections and accommodation; chain of command. Aspects of period as NCO with 1st Bn Gordon Highlanders in GB including attachment to Royal Military College, Sandhurst, 4/1954-6/1956: issue and details of Royal Guard ceremonial dress. REEL 9 Continues: contact with Queen Elizabeth II including inspections at Ballater and dance with her at Ghillies Ball; details and population of Victoria Barracks in Ballater; work with shooting parties on Balmoral Estate including rations; length and opinion of posting; posting to and details of Redford Barracks in Edinburgh; accommodation; details of sergeants' mess; background to posting at Sandhurst including details of instructors selection course attended; short return to battalion including marriage; posting as instructor to Sandhurst; accommodation at college until 2/1955 and in village with wife; details of Sandhurst village and Royal Military College; kit taken to Sandhurst; clothing worn; company allocation; use of bicycle including details of military bicycles used. REEL 10 Continues: accommodation of officer cadets; supply of meals; daily routine; inspection of rooms; relationship with officer cadets including details of subjects taught; evening activities; leave; instructor training received; staff at Sandhurst; reason for and process of return to battalion; period in Aberdeen; flight to Cyprus including problems with kilt. Aspects of period as NCO with 1st Bn Gordon Highlanders in Cyprus, 6/1956- 6/1957: first impressions and terrain of Cyprus; journey to barracks; situation in Cyprus including activities of EOKA; question of preparation for posting; details of camp; story of forest fire occurring on arrival; posting to Bravo Company; accommodation; washing facilities; latrines; mess facilities; state and activities of company following fire; prior knowledge of troops; question of threat faced. REEL 11 Continues: movement and make- up of patrols; contact with civilians during patrols; knowledge of EOKA members; briefings; length of patrols; movement around island; formation of patrol including own position; communications; boots worn; supplies including water rationing and food rations; sleeping arrangements; uniforms worn in and out of camp; question of wildlife; dealing with climate; organisation of training including accommodation in hotels at Kakopetria and Petra; fitness training; further details of patrols including briefings received and radio communications; leisure activities; relationship with civilians; visits to NAAFI; leave in GB; mail; radio; stress on troops including story of incident at village police station; weapons carried. REEL 12 Continues: reactions from civilians; opinion of opposition; journey to GB with advance party. Aspects of period as NCO with 1st Bn and Depot Gordon Highlanders in GB, 1957-1960: reason for posting in Dover; leave; army presence in Dover; details of camp; uniform worn and relationship with civilians; accommodation; rations; activities of unit; description of work as extra in 1958 film Dunkirk including rations and pay; visit of Duke of Gloucester; reason for posting to Canterbury; details of barracks and accommodation; relationship with police; leisure activities; married quarters; further details of visit of Duke of Gloucester; duties as sergeant; posting to work recruiting office in Aberdeen; details of accommodation in married quarters; NAAFI and food shopping; car; buses in Aberdeen; life for family in barracks; work in recruiting office including training and attendance at National Service Boards. REEL 13 Continues: work in recruiting office including attendance at National Service Boards; posting and duties as instructor; promotion to colour sergeant and changes to duties; education; organisation of closure of Bridge of Don barracks including reactions and closure of married quarters; posting and journey to Celle in Germany. REEL 14 Continues: Aspects of period as NCO with 1st Bn Gordon Highlanders in Germany, 1960-1961: details of Celle and barracks; visit to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp; accommodation including journey to work and education of children; role and activities of unit; threat of Soviet Union; details of exercises; relationship with civilians including learning and use of German language; NAAFI; duties as colour sergeant. REEL 15 Continues: further details of exercises including own role; leisure activities; leave including in Bavaria; washing facilities in barracks; rations and supply of meals; opinion of posting in Germany; reaction to posting in Kenya; handover of barracks and details of voyage aboard HMT Oxfordshire to Kenya and embarkation leave. Aspects of period as NCO with 1st Bn Gordon Highlanders in Kenya, Zanzibar and Swaziland, 1962-1964: arrival in Mombasa; train journey to Gilgil; activities and lectures during voyage including cancellation of posting to Kuwait; supply of meals aboard ship; inspections; activities of family; route taken and seasickness. REEL 16 Continues: arrival in Mombasa harbour, 31/12/1961; first impressions of Mombasa; scenes during train journey to Gilgil; organisation of journey; details of Mombasa; accommodation during train journey; health of children; warnings received about insects in Gilgil; final bus journey to camp; description of camp including problems with thieves; accommodation in married quarters and civilian workers in camp; reason for and news of posting to Zanzibar; health of children; details of journey to Zanzibar; accommodation; rations including emergency rations held; details of camp; relationship with civilians. REEL 17 Continues: description of Zanzibar City; further details of camp; situation in Zanzibar; details of patrols undertaken; help given to civilians during flood; details of posting; conditions for family in Kenya including leisure activities; contact with GB; listening to radio; other units in Kenya; maintenance of camp; reason for posting to Swaziland, 1962; dispersal of crowds on arrival; news of posting and items taken to Swaziland; details of period in Salisbury, Rhodesia, during journey; knowledge of situation in Swaziland; relationship with civilians. REEL 18 Continues: knowledge of posting before departure; protection against rain; reactions and events on arrival in Swaziland; rations supply; accommodation including boots worn; duties; details of Swaziland; leisure activities; storage and use of rifles; details of posting including question of security; relationship with civilians; opinion of posting; contact with family; preparations for Zanzibar Independence Parade after return to Kenya including problems faced; problems in Zanzibar following parade; involvement in dealing with African troop mutiny; memories of Zanzibar Independence Parade including uniform worn and details of kilt. REEL 19 Continues: story of lion cubs borrowed from Scots Guards; leave; sale of car; posting and duties as company sergeant major; duties during move to Edinburgh; details of flight to GB. Aspects of period as NCO with 1st Bn Gordon Highlanders in GB, 1964-1965: accommodation; activities of battalion; details of drill course attended at Pirbright; preparation of troops for ceremonial duties including opening of Forth Road Bridge; duties at Bisley shooting competitions including details of ranges; training undertaken at Otterburn; knowledge of posting and situation in Borneo; family; flight to Borneo; tropical kit issued. REEL 20 Continues: posting and duties with rifle company; opinion of posting. Aspects of operations as NCO with 1st Bn Gordon Highlanders during Indonesian Confrontation, 2/1965-2/1966: first impressions of Borneo; details of training camp; supply and other details of rations; story of complaint about rations; training for patrols; salt tablets and water purification; water rationing in Borneo and Cyprus; water supply in training camp; equipment carried; latrines; question of instructors; details of overnight camps set up in jungle including communication between troops; wildlife in jungle including leeches; clothing worn during night and day; accommodation in jungle; climate. REEL 21 Continues: sleeping arrangements; guard duties and working day; use of light at night; rations; cooking of meals; transport of ration packs; liaison with police and civilians; ambush tactics; make-up of section including weapons; movement through jungle; organisation of patrols; posting to and details of Kalabakan; journey to Kalabakan; details and population of camp; life in camp; details of air supply; contact with civilians; details of sergeants' mess; climate; sleeping arrangements; accommodation; details of patrols; roads and transport; sources of intelligence; communications; details of air drops including drinks ration; canteen; leave. REEL 22 Continues: use of air strip; leisure activities and sports in camp including washing facilities; weapons training; further details of camp including defences; length of patrols; rations during patrols and in camp; details of postings in Borneo; strains on troops and families during posting; flight to GB. Aspects of period as NCO with 1st Bn Gordon Highlanders in GB, 1966: pass through customs; activities of unit; posting to Royal Guard at Ballater; duties as guard sergeant major and of guard; story of band playing Yellow Submarine; size and selection of guard; uniform worn; attendance at Ghillies Ball including dancing with Queen Elizabeth II; visit of Queen to Ballater Barracks; selection of guard; dance training; contact with Royal Family; posting as regimental quarter master sergeant in Aberdeen. Aspects of period as NCO with Gordon Highlanders Depot in GB, 1966-1968: duties. REEL 23 Continues: role of depot; changes since last posting; accommodation and family; duties; working week; details of annual tests. Aspects of period as NCO with 1st Bn Gordon Highlanders in Germany, 1968-1970: posting as regiment sergeant major in Minden; details of barracks; accommodation; relationship with civilians; life for family; army presence in Minden; role of battalion; details of exercises including supply of meals and own role; opinion of exercises; army presence on border with East Germany; own visit to border; role as regiment sergeant major; battalion parades. REEL 24 Continues: relationship with young troops. Aspects of period as officer with 1st Bn Gordon Highlanders in Northern Ireland, 1976-1978: details of training exercise at Fraserburgh before posting; role as technical quartermaster Palace Barracks in Holywood; leisure activities; relationship with civilians in different areas; process of issuing weapons; working week; liaison with police; budgeting; perimeter of barracks; conditions for wife; leave; family; details of area around barracks including Holywood; story of car bomb attack on barracks; posting to Chester. Aspects of period as officer with 1st Bn Gordon Highlanders in GB, 1978-1980: details of camp and reason for posting in Chester; accommodation; family; promotion to major and benefits; duties. REEL 25 Continues: activities in Chester; equipment taken to Chester; details of town; exercises; posting to Gordon Barracks. Aspects of period as officer with Gordon Highlanders Depot in GB, 1980-1985: role; accommodation; details of training establishment; duties including involvement with messing; accommodation for recruits; population of barracks; passing out parades; destinations of recruits; kitting out of troops for regiments; accommodation for recruits.