Description
Object description
British NCO medical orderly served with 53 Sqdn, RAF in GB and France, 1939-1940; served with 238 Sqdn, 243 Wing, RAF in North Africa, 1942-1943; served with Headquarters, 211 Group, RAF in Libya, Malta and Sicily, 1943-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in Wroxham, 1920-1938: family background and social circumstances; education; training as pupil teacher, 1934-1938; recreations on Norfolk Broads; background to recruitment as laboratory technician into RAF, 10/1938. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine with Initial Training Wing, Uxbridge, 10/1938-11/1938: barrack accommodation; food rations; kitting out; hair cut; drill; PT; rifle and revolver training; gas mask training in gas chamber; preparing for room and kit inspections; relationship with recruits; recreations; relationship with instructors.
REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of attending medical course at Halton Camp, 12/1938-8/1939: bandaging and splinting; anatomy training; hygiene; trade tests; passing out as medical orderly. Period as medical orderly at Uxbridge Hospital, RAF, 8/1939-9/1939: nature as officers' hospital; routine duties; progression towards training as laboratory technician; prior attack of German measles and hospitalisation, 5/1939; preparations for approach of war. Period as medical orderly with 53 Sqdn, RAF at Odiham, 9/1939: reception; vaccinations; hangar accommodation; sick bay personnel and quarters; reactions to outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; extra kit issued; initial lack of pay. Recollections of operations with 53 Sqdn, RAF in France, 9/1939-5/1940: Channel crossing to Vherbourg, 18/9/1939; train journey to Plivot; barn billets; move to Poix; bakery billet; grass airfield; opinion of Blenheim; nature of sick quarters in bakery; state of reservists; water bowsers and water supply.
REEL 3 Continues: method of using Horrocks water testing kit and chlorine purification; duties on ranges during bombing practices and building fire for warmth; VD problems and treatment; case of carbon monoxide poisoning; winter conditions; relationship with French civilians and estaminets; nature of German air raid on Poix, 5/1940; move to Crecy; return of Blenheims to GB; retreat to Boulogne, 5/1940; rum supply; evacuation and reception at Dover, 20/5/1940. Various postings in GB, 5/1940-12/1940: period at Tidworth Camp; leave and being reported AWOL, 6/1940; period at Gatwick, 7/1940; period in sick quarters at Mount Batten, Plymouth area, 7/1940; sickbay staff on compassionate leave.
REEL 4 Continues: detachments to Mount Wise, Plymouth, 8/1940 and Rame Head, 9/1940; embarkations leave. Voyage aboard Duchess of Richmond to Port Tewfik, Egypt, 1/1941-2/1941: messdeck conditions and hammock; sleeping in sickbay; question of seasickness; visits ashore. Periods with 107 Maintenance Unit, RAF at Abu Sweir, Kasiariet and Aboukir, Egypt, 3/1941-7/1941: train journey to Abu Sweir; nature of camp and airfield; sick bay duties with radar unit; acclimatisation to climate and tropical kit; status as leading aircraftman; recreational visits to Cairo; nature of camps and latrines; question of definition of Western desert service; lack of health problems; adapting uniform; itinerant Egyptian salesmen; relationship with Egyptian civilians; periods at Aboukir. Voyage aboard Shuntien to Tobruk, Libya, 13/12/1941. Initial period at Tobruk, 12/1941-1/1942: initial role with RAF Liaison Section; situation; hotel accommodation; food tins floating in harbour; posting to 121 Maintenance Unit, RAF, 12/1941; background to delay in posting to 238 Sqdn, RAF.
REEL 5 Recollections of period as medical orderly with 238 Sqdn, 243 Wing, RAF in Western Desert, 1/1942-5/1943: joining unit; advance; nature of medial and hygiene duties; role of unit flying Hurricanes in support of Eight Army; move to Gambut airfield, 1/6/1942; destruction of airfield and retreat to El Alamein area, 6/1942; German night air raids and digging slit trenches; food rations; water supply; latrines; climate and uniform; bartering with Senussi Arabs; desert mushrooms; absence of dysentery; desert sores and sandfly fever; scorpion problem; advance following Battle of Alamein, 10/1942; overnight stops at desert landing strips; air situation and nature of advance.
REEL 6 Continues: use of desert tracks marked by numbered oil drums; period of re-equipment and rest in Egypt;, 1/1943; background to leaving unit, 4/1943. Period with Headquarters, 211 Group, RAF at Tripoli, Libya, Malta and Sicily, 1943-1945: role of unit in invasion of Sicily; move by Tank Landing Ship (LST) to Malta. 5/1943; waterproofing vehicles; monitoring mepacrine dosage to prevent malaria; voyage in LST and landing at Portopolo beach, Sicily, 13/7/1943; move inland to Noto airfield; importance of erecting long range aerials for Wing Commander Richard Atcherley; move to Catania airfield; situation; relationship with Sicilian civilians; bomb damage and question of bodies in rubble; question of posting to Libya despite time expired status; posting back to GB, 2/1945.
REEL 7 Period at Little Staughton, 1945: leave; nature of camp; duties in medical stores; reactions to VE Day, 8/5/1945. Period with No. 50 Mobile Field Hospital, RAF in Germany, 1945: journey out; unit role; administrative duties as chief clerk; disbandment of unit.
