Interview with Maurice Wilfred Allen

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Description

Object description

British civilian in Kingston-upon-Thames, GB, 1939-1942; private served with General Service Corps at Parkhurst Barracks, Isle of Wight, GB, 1942; NCO served with Royal Armoured Corps in GB, 1942; trained with No 148 Pre-Officer Cadet Training Unit, Wrotham, GB, 1943; officer cadet with No 123 Officer Cadet Training Unit, Royal Artillery, Catterick Garrison, GB, 1943; officer served with 69th Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 49th (West Riding) Infantry Div in GB and North West Europe, 10/1943-5/1945; officer served with Photographic Interpretation Unit, RAF at RAF Medmenham, GB, 1945-1947

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Kingston upon Thames, GB, 1923-1939: family; education; early interests; degree of awareness of political situation in Europe during late 1930s; father's involvement in Air Raid Precautions; degree of concern over prospect of bombing and use of gas. Aspects of period as civilian in Kingston upon Thames, GB, 1939-1942: memories of outbreak of Second World War, 3/9/1939; returning home from school for lunch; situation during Phoney War, 1939-1940; employment with Shell Oil in London from 6/1940; delivery duties in London during air raids; nature of German Air Force bombing to west of London; membership of Auxiliary Fire Service, 1940-1941; membership of 64th Surrey (Kingston) Bn Home Guard, 1941-1942; description of Blacker Bombard. REEL 2 Continues: opinion of Home Guard training; call-up for military service, 1942. Aspects of training as private with General Service Corps, Parkhurst Barracks, Isle of Wight, GB, 1942: journey to Parkhurst Barracks on Isle of Wight; NCO instructors; first lesson in army life; issue of uniform and equipment; accommodation; foot drill; origins of recruits; aptitude tests and his preference for service with Royal Artillery; visit to civilian home for bath; barrack facilities; room inspections. REEL 3 Continues: NCO's stealing of personal possessions. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Armoured Corps in GB, 1942-1943: rail journey to Darlington to train with Royal Armoured Corps; blancoing equipment; method of making black beret fit; drill; pistol drill; learning to drive soft-skinned vehicles; learning to drive tank; problems with gears on Covenanter Tank; character of Covenanter Tank; learning to use radio sets; communication net and radio procedure. REEL 4 Continues: memories of instructor Sergeant Church; incident of being placed on charge; background to becoming officer cadet; pre-Officer Cadet Training Unit training. Aspects of period as officer cadet at No 148 Pre-Officer Cadet Training Unit at Wrotham, GB, 1943: pattern of training; use of 'puff table'; map reading; learning to ride motorcycle; nature of gun drill; theoretical lessons; degree of training received as officer; degree of training on Quad Artillery Tractor; duration of course; question of attitude towards potential of service in tanks. REEL 5 Continues: prior recollection of civilian employment with Shell Oil, 1940; story of visiting Schneider Trophy races during 1930s. Aspects of period as officer cadet with No 123 Officer Cadet Training Unit, Royal Artillery at Catterick Garrison, GB, 1943: background of officer cadets; organisation of training; description of various crew positions on gun; organisation of Royal Artillery field regiment; role of driver of Quad Artillery Tractor; laying out guns; sequence for setting up battery positions; degree to which camouflage used; construction of gun pits; firing training in Wales; characteristics of Ordnance QF 25 Pounder Field Gun; firing of guns. REEL 6 Continues: posting to 69th Field Regt, Royal Artillery at end of course. Aspects of period as officer with 69th Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 49th (West Riding) Infantry Div in GB, 10/1943-6/1944: posting to regiment at Kilmarnock, 10/1943; characteristics of Priest 105mm Self-Propelled Gun; opinion of Priest 105mm Self-Propelled Gun; use of American ammunition; how Priest 105mm Self-Propelled Gun was laid out; exercises firing from landing craft onto Scottish island; background to conversion back to Ordnance, QF 25 Pounder Gun; opinion of performance of divisions brought back from Italy in Normandy, France, 6/1944; move to south to Gorleston-on-Sea; vehicle used to move south; operation of battery command post. REEL 7 Continues: need to register targets; choice of ammunition; types of fire provided by regiment; description of a 'stonk'; method of correcting fire; reasons for 'friendly fire'; seasonal celebrations in Norwich, Christmas, 25/12/1943; waterproofing of vehicles; bags provided for guns in transit; awareness that division would have a follow up role in invasion; gunner who deserted from troop; move to holding camp in East End of London, 6/1944; move to London Docks. REEL 8 Continues: dockers' loading of ship. Recollections of operations as officer with 69th Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 49th (West Riding) Infantry Div in Normandy, France, 6/1944-8/1944: crossing English Channel; disembarkation on beach; making way inland to assembly point; deploying guns in anti-tank role; first morning in Normandy; deployment in first positions; how he was given responsibility as battery command post officer; command post personnel; attitude to deployments in orchards. REEL 9 Continues: method of moving battery; character of typical day in Normandy including censoring letters; preparations for big operations; question of recycling of spent shell cases; degree of German counter-battery fire; dealing with assistant who had had enough; fate of Jewish forward observation signaller who lobbied to take a more active role; first work as observation officer with infantry; injury received during withdrawal from positions; hearing of capture of his friend. REEL 10 Continues: Recollections of operations as officer with 69th Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 49th (West Riding) Infantry Div in North West Europe, 8/1944-5/1945: memories of attack on Le Havre, France; reaction to transfer of division into Canadian First Army; rapid movement into Belgium; discovery of German Army soldier; transfer to regimental headquarters, 9/1944; composition of headquarters; role as assistant adjutant and intelligence officer; vehicles; relations with civilians; encounter with commanding officer and only dead body in wood; amusing story of arrival of 104th Infantry Div, United States Army; visit to United States Army Artillery regimental headquarters; move onto The Island in Netherlands, winter 1944; problems operating in flooded conditions. REEL 11 Continues: memories of second in command Tom Hardy; return to battery as battery command officer; role disarming Dutch Schutzstaffel (SS) troops at end of Second World War in Europe, 5/1945; sight of German artillery unit surrendering; leaving regiment. Aspects of period as officer with Central Interpretation Unit, RAF at RAF Medmenham, GB, 1945-1947: posting to course; nature of course; interpretation of captured German photographs; description of role running courses. REEL 12 Continues: degree of security at RAF Medmenham; demobilisation, 1947; attitude towards service. Aspects of period as advisor with Shell Oil Coy to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in GB and Brussels, Belgium, 1950s-1970s: background to setting up of structure to supply fuel to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in event of war; setting up of International Supply Agreement Group.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
McDonough, Richard (Recorder)
Allen, Maurice Wilfred (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2013-11-28
Dimensions: whole: Duration 360, Number Of Items 12
Catalogue number: 33978

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Interview with Maurice Wilfred Allen

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