Description
Object description
British officer served with 4th County of London Yeomanry in North Africa, 1941-1942; served with Royal Military College, Sandhurst, GB, 1943-1944; served with 4th County of London Yeomanry in GB and North West Europe, 1944
Content description
REEL 1 Background in GB, 1921-1941: early childhood in India; awareness of approaching war; father's service in First World War; education including membership of Officers' Training Corps; service of school friends during war; interest in zoology; story of family holiday in Cornwall, late 8/1939; return journey from Cornwall to Lambeth; involvement in setting-up first aid posts including outbreak of war; further details of Officers' Training Corps membership at Marlborough and Cambridge University including desire to join-up; pattern of training at Tidworth and Sandhurst; process of joining 4th Hussars; problems faced during period with Hussars; posting to County of London Yeomanry; story of sleeping-in at Sandhurst; discipline at Sandhurst and Tidworth; relationship with instructors; story of air raid in London, 29/12/1940; other experiences of air raids; settling into army life; rumours of destination and issue of tropical kit. Aspects of voyage from GB to Egypt aboard the RMS Strathnaver, 1941: make-up of convoy; events in Cape Town and Aden; accommodation; alcohol onboard; physical training; TEWTs and lectures; leisure activities.
REEL 2 Continues: knowledge of destination; situation in North Africa; arrival and train journey to El Amiriya. Aspects of operations as officer with 4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) in North Africa, 10/1941-6/1942: details of camp and pattern of training; health; posting to B Squadron; memories of B Squadron Leader Gerald Walker including description of mess and story of search for bolts; hospitalisation with dysentery; return to unit before Operation Crusader; initial problems faced during Operation Crusader; German misinformation; story of getting stuck in marsh; assistance given to 7th Hussars and pass through German tanks; warnings given to Rhodesian and South African troops and 7th Armoured Division; results of South African patrols and attack; problems with truck; destruction of abandoned truck; rations; details of journey to Benghazi including relationship with brigade major and collection of water from well; driving of trucks in desert; description of sun compass; details of Junkers Ju-87 Stuka raids; driving through minefields; duties with water supply; period at Morassus including story of float in sea.
REEL 3 Continues: activities during leave in Cairo; return journey to unit including sandstorms; camps posted to; collection of and problems with staff cars; death of squadron leader; exercises and issue of Medium Tank M3 Grant tanks; crew, layout and opinion of Medium Tank M3 Grant; navigation aid invented by Jack Pearce; posting at Gazala; 21st birthday celebrations and memories of Regimental Quarter Master Sergeant Punch Jones; leisure activities; availability of oranges and health; coping with climate; further details of 21st birthday; movement out of static positions; story of baby fox; problems with water; contact with civilians and German POWs; description of action against German tanks including problem with Crusader and Cromwell tanks; reactions to battle; capture of German officer; story of attack made against 15th Panzer Division.
REEL 4 Continues: effects of 88mm shell hitting tank; evacuation and medical treatment given to Trooper Alf Carr; successes of attack. Aspects of hospitalisation in North Africa, South Africa and GB, 6/1942-2/1943: fellow patients in Tobruk Hospital; period in Cairo including details of treatment and wounds; memories of fellow patients; voyage to South Africa; details of hospital in Durban; leisure activities and medical treatment including meeting with General Smuts; voyage to GB including weevils in bread; medical treatment; posting gained at Sandhurst. Aspects of period as officer at Royal Military College, Sandhurst, GB, 2/1943-1944: story of medical re-grading and return to regiment; tactics course attended including meeting of future wife; changes on return to unit; loss of topees and effects of sun; rations including 21st birthday cake and celebrations; memories of Regimental Quarter Master Sergeant Punch Jones; water ration; washing facilities and latrines; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; relationship among troops.
REEL 5 Continues: contact with Bedouin civilians; impressions of Italian and German troops; attitude to fighting; contact with other units; description of German air attacks including anti-aircraft fire; family's knowledge of his being wounded; gaining of post at Sandhurst, 1943; promotion to captain; duties as gunnery instructor; contact with Polish and Russian cadets; story of gaining return to regiment; details of tactics course attended in Oxford; use of camouflage in North Africa; meeting and courting of future wife; concerns in action. Aspects of period as officer with 4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) in GB, 1944: details of exercises and invasion training; navigation in desert including story of getting lost.
REEL 6 Continues: courses undertaken and court martials attended; period at Holkham working with Sherman Firefly tanks; story of learning about Duplex Drive tanks; waterproofing and testing of tanks; leisure activities; journey to and boarding of landing craft at Felixstowe; morale; barrage balloons on craft; voyage to Normandy including role in invasion. Aspects of operations as officer with 4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) in North West Europe, 6/1944-7/1944: drive from craft to beach; removal of waterproofing and movement inland; further details of landing; morale before invasion; opinion and details of Cromwell tanks; communications including with infantry; German air attacks; problems with hay fever; leaflet drops; scenes during journey to Tilly-sur-Seulles including problems with snipers; casualties; journey around Tilly-sur-Seulles; battle witnessed at Lingevres; knowledge of situation in Villers-Bocage; reception from civilians on arrival; headwear worn; rank.
REEL 7 Continues: formation in Villers-Bocage including story of armoured car before arrival; story of attack from Tiger tank commanded by SS officer Michael Wittmann including near miss from 88mm shell; scenes of brigadier; problems with gun lock and effects of shell hitting tank; evacuation from tank; description of withdrawal from Villers-Bocage; cover taken in cellar; reactions to situation; period in cellar; reconnaissance of withdrawal; return to crew; arrival of and talk with civilians; activities during wait for night including rations; directions given for escape; air activity during day; details of journey to Allied lines including contact with and escapes from German troops; use of pliers stolen from civilian.
REEL 8 Continues: further details of journey to Allied lines including route taken through Hottot; arrival in British lines and return to division; debriefing; return to regiment; rest period and reformation at Juaye Mondaye; training given to reinforcements; posting to B Squadron; role and formation of troop at Crauville; story of contact with armoured car crew; reconnaissance undertaken; morale after Villers-Bocage action; activities and morale at La Belle Epine including letters written to families of missing and casualties; reflections on action in Villers-Bocage; attempts to silence Meteor engine; communications in tank; posting to No 3 Troop; scenes of V1s; news from family; activities of troop at Crauville; rest period by sea including scenes of military activity.
REEL 9 Continues: scenes in Colombelles on outskirts of Caen; capture of German machine-gunners; details of advance toward Caen including scenes of death in Normandy; drive through and night in cornfield including morale; shelling received in morning; story of friendly fire against Canadian troops; drive around woods including POWs taken; preparations for tank battle; description of Nebelwerfer fire received; tiredness; withdrawal for infantry attack including speed of Cromwell tank; activities of Sherman Firefly tanks; German air attack; withdrawal to Ifs; rations; collection of water from knocked-out tank; shelling received; problems with tank; shelter taken from shelling and near misses; scenes during advance including air support; results of attack from Tiger tank.
REEL 10 Continues: arrival of supplies and mail; scenes around Ifs; state of Caen; reason for posting to GB; night in hospital; Douglas Dakota flight to Swindon; period with training regiment; visit to War Office, 11/1944, and demobilisation; morale in Normandy including problems with Cromwell tank; contact with Royal Air Force; memories of Harry Ramsbottom; problems with terrain in Bocage; question of remaining in army. Aspects of period as civilian in GB, 1944-1960: following progress of war; atmosphere and education at Cambridge University; housing problems, late 1940s; details of Cambridge Iceland Expedition, 1947; research into water mites; interest in deserts including expedition to Tunisia, 1954.
REEL 11 Continues: period working in Tehran; work gained in Khartoum including initial visit to Sudan. Aspects of period as civilian in Sudan, 1960-1971: details of move to Sudan; latrines; condition of roads; water supply; air conditioners; leisure activities; political atmosphere; relationship with Sudanese civilians; changes at university after departure; war service of friends and family including Julian Seagrim; treatment and impressions of civilians from southern Sudan; British civilian attitude to independence; contact with civilians around Sudan including learning of Arabic and problems with leg iron.
REEL 12 Continues: stories of visits to outlying areas; restrictions on photography; travel around Sudan; attitude to Italians and Germans during war; story of surrendering Germans; reflections on war service; mental effects of war; opinion of treatment after war.
