Interview with Laurie Russell

Sound: © IWM (33214)

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All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

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All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

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If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
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All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

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Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
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Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
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If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
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All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
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Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
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Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
993007037
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
580583148
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Description

Object description

British marine served with 57th Landing Craft Training Flotilla, Landing Craft Squadron in GB, 1948; served with Landing Craft Squadron in Mediterranean, 1948-1950; attended Coxwain's Course at Amphibious Warfare School, Eastney, GB, 1950; NCO served with Royal Marines at HMS Hornet, Gosport, GB, 1950-1951; served aboard HMS Zeebrugge, 4th Landing Ship Sqdn during nuclear tests on Christmas Island, 1951-1952; attended Landing Craft Course at Amphibious Warfare School, Eastney, GB, 1952; served as coxwain aboard D13, Royal Naval Rhine Squadron in Germany, 1952-1954; served aboard HMS Ark Royal in GB coastal waters, Mediterranean and Far East, 1955-1956; served as instructor at Joint Services Amphibious Warfare School, Poole, GB, 1956-1957; served aboard HMS Striker in Mediterranean, 1957-1960; served as instructor with Royal Marine Reserve in Bristol, GB, 1960-1962; served with 42 Commando, Royal Marines in Sarawak, British Borneo, 12/1962-2/1963, including Limbang Raid, 12/12/1962; served aboard HMS Fearless in GB coastal waters, Indian Ocean and Pacific, 1964-1966

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Little Sutton and Hartlepool, GB, 1925-1946: family; education; employment as fireman on railway; membership of 18th (West Hartlepool) Bn Durham Home Guard in Hartlepool. Aspects of enlistment and training with Royal Marines in GB, 1947-1948: background to volunteering for Royal Marines; treatment at Royal Marine Depot Deal; accommodation and inspections at Deal; drill; physical training; arms training; start of continuation training at Exeter; range work and field firing; section and platoon attacks. REEL 2 Continues: commando training at Commando School Royal Marines, Bickleigh; speed marches; gunnery training at Royal Naval Gunnery School, Chatham; training on landing craft; method of troops embarking and disembarking from landing craft; method of landing craft approaching beach. Aspects of period as marine with 57th Landing Craft Training Flotilla, Landing Craft Squadron in GB, 1948: posting to flotilla; conditions on landing craft. Aspects of period as marine with Landing Craft Squadron in Mediterranean, 1948-1950: move to Malta to form Landing Craft Squadron; messing arrangements aboard depot ship HMS Lofoten; composition of squadron; move to Haifa, Palestine; character of high speed launch; nature of duties in Palestine. REEL 3 Continues: leaving Palestine aboard HMS Striker; degree of threat in Palestine; attending junior leaders course on Malta; return to GB, 1950. Aspects of period as marine at Amphibious Warfare School, Eastney, GB, 1950: attending coxwains course; description of quick pick up; landing craft controls and handling; learning to read charts. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Marines at HMS Hornet, Gosport, GB, 1950-1951: training duties; description of fast launch; crew and accommodation; watch system worked. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Marines aboard HMS Zeebrugge, 4th Landing Ship Sqdn during nuclear tests on Christmas Island, 1951-1952: voyage from GB to Australia; duties on Christmas Island; participation in nuclear test; stop over in Colombo, Ceylon on return voyage to GB. Aspects of period on Landing Craft Course at Amphibious Warfare School, Eastney, GB, 1952: pattern of course; signals training. REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period as NCO aboard D13, Royal Naval Rhine Squadron in Germany, 1952-1954: posting as coxswain of D13; area of operations; role of squadron; amusing incidents during patrols; rum ration; navigating on River Rhine. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Marines aboard HMS Ark Royal in GB coastal waters, Mediterranean and Far East, 1955-1956: drafting to aircraft carrier; Royal Marine contingent on board; duties on board; accommodation; attitude to service on aircraft carrier. Aspects of period as instructor at Joint Services Amphibious Warfare School, Poole, GB, 1956-1957: drafting to school; organisation of training; instructional duties; training officers; attitude towards instructional duties. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Marines aboard HMS Striker in Mediterranean, 1957-1960: drafting to tank landing ship; small scale landings on Cyprus; technique for landing brigade; storage and launching of landing craft; troops and vehicles carried on board. REEL 5 Continues: duties in Mediterranean; aiding civil power on Malta; duration of posting; type of operations carried out during Cyprus Emergency. Aspects of period as instructor with Royal Marines Reserve in Bristol, GB, 1960-1962: training duties; character of reservists; location of reserve headquarters and instructional establishment. Aspects of period as NCO with 4 Troop, 42 Commando, Royal Marines in Singapore, Federation of Malaya and Sarawak, British Borneo, 1962: posting to commando; jungle training in Singapore; leeches; character of equipment including contents of pack. REEL 6 Continues: training in Sarawak; description of patrolling in jungle; return to Singapore. Recollections of operations as NCO with 4 Troop, 42 Commando, Royal Marines during Limbang Raid in Brunei, British Borneo, 12/12/1962: move to British Borneo; degree of knowledge of situation; description of Z craft lighters; deployment of troops on board Z craft lighters; start of action; fire from shoreline; firing on insurgents; landing on shoreline; house clearing; disappearance of insurgents; loss of Sergeant Walter MacFarlane; sweep through town on next day. Aspects of period as NCO with 4 Troop, 42 Commando, Royal Marines in Sarawak, British Borneo, 12/1962-2/1963: follow up jungle patrols; narrow escape from opening fire on Gurkhas during river patrol; search of kampong. REEL 7 Continues: character of lighters used in operation; search for insurgents; relations with Ibans; return to Singapore, Federation of Malaya, 2/1963. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Marines aboard HMS Fearless in GB coastal waters, Indian Ocean and Far East, 1964-1966: flight to Norfolk, United States of America to observe amphibious ship USS La Salle, 1963; description of Landing Platform Docks (LPD) ships; types of landing craft and control of them; contrast between British and American landing craft handling; joining HMS Fearless, 1/1964; embarkation of troops; training with tanks; type of exercises carried out during work up; other duties on board ship; exercises around GB. REEL 8 Continues: degaussing of ship, 7/1964; landing troops in Aden, Federation of South Arabia; visit to Durban, South Africa; leaving ship in Far East; attitude to service with Royal Marines.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), 1945-1989 (content), 1945-1989 (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
McDonough, Richard (Recorder)
Russell, Laurie (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2011-02-04
Dimensions: whole: Duration 240, Number Of Items 8
Catalogue number: 33214

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