Description
Object description
British NCO served with Royal Corps of Signals in GB, Gibraltar, Egypt, Singapore and North West Europe, 1925-1946.
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of period in GB, 1908-1925: various recollections of family background, childhood and education in Brinkley, Cambridgeshire, GB.
REEL 2 Continues: employment; story of unsuccessful attempt to join Royal Navy and subsequent enlistment in Army, 1925; posted to Gibraltar Barracks, Bury St. Edmunds and attested for Royal Corps of Signals, 5/Oct/1925. Aspects of training with Royal Corps of Signals in GB, 10/1925-1928: posted to Catterick, Yorkshire; description of camp, facilities and accommodation; opinion of L/Cpl. Luck; medical examination; haircuts; clothing; drill; squad training; weapons training; fatigues; guard duty; physical training; hut inspections; passing out parade; story of being awarded squad prize; posted to C Coy for equestrian training; pay; reason for nickname Pip; description of riding instruction; care of horse Ada and equipment; daily routine including stable picket duty; story of squad being made to carry saddles on heads as punishment; method of preventing saddle sores; care of horses; passed riding course and posted to E Coy Training Bn, 5/1926; church parades; Regimental March; description of uniform and cable wagon sheds; Corps motto; issued with new kit; description of trade training as telephone linesman; passed out and posted to Eastern Command Signal Coy, Chatham, 10/1926; description of telephone exchange; education classes with Royal Engineers; role as instructor on rifle range; posted to detachment at Sheerness; shared accommodation and rations with Royal Engineers; description of duties with fortress communications and beach defences; posted to Gibraltar, 1928; issued with KD clothing; description of voyage from Southampton to Gibraltar aboard HMT Nevasa, 1928.
REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period with Royal Corps of Signals in Gibraltar, 1928-4/1930: opinion of accommodation and facilities at King's Bastion barracks; proximity of Governor's residence; organisation and size of unit; passed written trade test; daily routine and duties; inspections; church parades; description of duties on repairing and testing phone lines and artillery cables; promoted lance-corporal and took over running of Garrison telephone exchange, 1929; accommodation and staff; sailed aboard HMT Dorsetshire to Port Said, Egypt, 1/Apr/1930. Aspects of period with No. 3 Coy Egypt Signals, Royal Corps of Signals in Egypt, 4/1930-1/1933: description of journey to Abusir Garrison; accommodation in Polygon Barracks; opinion of camp and facilities; description of tropical kit and stables; duties in telephone exchange at Cavalry Bde HQ; opinion of local odd-job man Abdul; sporting and social activities; further educational qualifications; posted as superintendent in signal office to HQ BT Cairo, 9/1930; description of accommodation and signal office in Eden Palace Hotel; reaction to news of R101 crashing, 5/Oct/1930; story of 3 months leave in GB, 1931; formed camera club and visited historical sites; duties as wines corporal in Combined Officers' Mess, 1932; sailed aboard HMT Somersetshire to Southampton, GB, 1/1933, Aspects of period with Royal Corps of Signals in GB, 1/1933-1934: posted to 3rd Divisional Signals at Bulford Camp, Wiltshire; accommodation; description of further horse riding training on Salisbury Plain and care of horses; story of using motorcycle to go home on leave; duties as telephone linesman at exchange in Oxford; posted to Singapore Signal Coy, 1934; granted four weeks embarkation leave; description of voyage aboard HMT Neuralia to Singapore, 1934. Aspects of period with Royal Corps of Signals in Singapore, 1934-5/1938: posted to Signal Coy Admin HQ at Pulau Brani; story of being welcomed by band; description of terrain and location of other signal sections; section strength; sporting activities; opinion of local food; story about submarine cable; transferred to take charge of signals at Blakang Mati; memory of noise of insects; use of sampan; description of office and accommodation; problem of ants eating wood of cables; daily routine and duties; description of uniform and kit; weather conditions; off-duty activities.
REEL 4 Continues: promoted corporal and posted to HQ at Fort Canning; accommodation; size of staff; problem of snakes; duties laying new cables; use of Malay driver; story of laying submarine cable; duties revising circuit drawings; moved to barracks at Alexandra; role in installing wiring for new telephone exchange and organising cable laying; trade test; opinion of Singapore and population; Christmas celebrations, 12/1937; sailed aboard HMT Dorsetshire to Southampton, GB, 8/May/1938. Aspects of period with Royal Corps of Signals in GB, 6/1938-6/1944: posted to A Corps Signals, Mons Barracks, Aldershot; story of kit and possessions being stolen on train; engaged during home leave; promoted lance-sergeant; description of sergeants' mess; attitude to mechanisation of Army and change of uniform; duties as instructor for trade training; description of testing prototype cable; duties serving behind bar in sergeants' mess; marriage, 4/1939; posted to Royal Artillery Regt in Brighton; accommodation in Farnborough; promoted full sergeant; pay; role as instructor in Militia Training Wing; mobilized, 2/Sep/1939; story of listening to Chamberlain's broadcast announcing outbreak of war, 3/Sep/1939; posted with Militia Training Wing to Prestatyn, North Wales; formed cadre for 2nd Signal Training Centre; billeted in holiday camp; problem of shortage of subalterns leading to creation of new rank Warrant Officer 3; duties as Section Sergeant-Major; problem of cold winter; repaired civilian telephone lines; issued with rum; line training duties; rank and promotion, 1940; duties as Quartermaster Sergeant; story about court martial over theft of goods from stores; promoted Acting Regimental Sergeant-Major and posted to 38th Welsh Div Signals, Blandford Forum, 1/Mar/1942; location of HQ and other sections; accommodation and mess; Quartermaster's stores and staff; daily routine and duties; summary of movements in GB, 1940-1943; posted to barracks in Newport, Isle of Wight; confined to barracks prior to D-Day landings, 6/1944; awarded Long Service and Good Conduct Medals; supervised disbanding of unit; posted to reception centre in New Forest; Newhaven; sailed aboard troop transport to Dieppe, France, 6/1944. Aspects of operations with Royal Corps of Signals in Belgium and Holland, 6/1944-5/1945: description of train journey to Reinforcement Holding Unit in Bruges, Belgium; posted to 21st Army Group Signals in Brussels; transferred to TAC HQ, 21st Army Group, Zonhoven, Belgium; rank; location of TAC HQ in school; accommodation; posted to Geldrop, Holland, 12/1944; use of abandoned German store; posted back to Brussels as Company Sergeant-Major; role with Independent Coy stores and personnel for Norway Force signals.
REEL 5 Continues: remained in Brussels until after VE Day, 5/1945. Aspects of period with Royal Corps of Signals in Egypt, 5/1945-9/1946: posted to holding unit at Heliopolis; posted as Regimental Quartermaster-Sergeant to 4 GHQ Signal Regt, Maadi; accommodation and facilities; daily routine and duties; sporting activities; terrain and location; problem of severe rain storm; off-duty visits to Cairo; returned to GB for demobilisation, 9/1946. Aspects of post-war life in GB: demobilized at Fulford Barracks, York; length of service; family life and employment.