Description
Object description
British officer served with 1st Bn The Queen's Own Buffs in Kenya, 1961-1962 and with 3rd Carabiniers in Germany, 1964-1967; served with UN in Cyprus, 1969; served with Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and Royal Armoured Corps in Germany and Northern Ireland, 1971-1976; served as staff officer with Ministry of Defence in London, 1976-1985.
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of period in GB, 1940-1945: family background and tradition of military service; childhood in East Grinstead; various memories of Second World War including air raid shelter in garden, air raids, rationing; story of father keeping bees. Aspects of period in GB, 1945-1960: post-war rationing; education; employment as assistant on computer payroll at St Barts Hospital, London; reason for joining The Buffs on short service commission; interview with CO. Aspects of training with The Buffs and The Queen's Own Buffs in GB, 1960-1961: description of basic training at Depot in Canterbury; opinion of accommodation; issued with uniform and equipment; opinion of food; kit inspections; attitude to army life and discipline; punishments; drill; physical training; changing parades; weapons and bayonet training; field training; off-duty activities; promoted to corporal; posted to Aldershot for 16 week officer training course.
REEL 2 Continues: description of officer training course; role as stick orderly on passing out parade; commissioned as first officer in Queen's Own Buffs, 2/Mar/1961; posted to Shorncliffe barracks, Folkestone, 4/Mar/1961; duties as commander of No. 8 platoon, C Coy; accommodation and messing arrangements; posted to Kenya with advance party, 5/1961. Aspects of operations with 1st Bn Queen's Own Buffs in Kenya, 30/May/1961-10/Jan/1962: description of camp and facilities at Gil Gil; shared tent with other officers; role of advance party; placed on standby for emergency deployment; first impressions of Kenya and climate; jungle patrols and riot patrol training; relations with local civilians; duties looking after Charlie Chester and concert party in Nairobi; recreational and off-duty activities; returned to GB, 12/1961. Aspects of period at School of Infantry, Warminster, 21/4/1962-14/Apr/1964: description of duties as assistant adjutant; transferred to 3rd Carabiniers, 4/1964. Aspects of operations with 3rd Carabiniers in Germany, 14/Apr/1964-17/Nov/1967: role as troop leader in command of four tanks; training and education courses; command post exercises; communications; firing and tactical exercises; brigade exercises; opinion of accommodation; attitude to Soviet threat; emergency exercises; biological and nuclear training.
REEL 3 Continues: relations with German civilians; returned to GB, 17/Nov/1967. Aspects of period with UN in Cyprus, 1-6/1969: description of administrative role at British Contingent HQ; accommodation; drove own car. Aspect of period in Singapore, 6/1969-2/1971: duties as administrative staff officer; opinion of lifestyle; marriage, 9/1970. Aspects of period with Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and Royal Armoured Corps in Germany and Northern Ireland, 2/1971-8/1976: posted to Herford, Germany; duties as Motor Transport Officer; types of vehicles; accommodation; adventure training; off-duty activities; posted as staff officer to HQ Royal Armoured Corps, Bielefeld, 8/1972; duties as intelligence officer in Newry, Northern Ireland, 1971; description of accommodation in Cookstown police station; liaison role with police; further description of duties at HQ Royal Armoured Corps, Germany; promoted major and put in command of A Sqdn, Royal Scots Dragoon Guards in Osnabruck, Germany, 9/1974; description of second tour of duty in Northern Ireland, 1976; accommodation in portakabins; opinion of rations; vehicle patrols; relations with local communities.
REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period with Ministry of Defence in London, GB, 8/1976-9/1985: description of duties as staff officer in Military Assistance Office, Personnel Branch and Directorate of Army Recruitment; retired from army, 9/1985.
