Description
Object description
British gunner served as wireless operator with 170 Bty, 45 Regt Royal Artillery in Malaya, Borneo and Germany, 1964-1976.
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of period in Leeds, Yorkshire, GB, 1946-1964: family, background, education and employment; story of enlisting with Royal Artillery age 17½; posted to 17th Training Regt, Oswestry for basic training, 2/1964; drafted to Malaya after embarkation leave; description of flight from Heathrow to Malaya via Bombay. Aspects of operations with 170 Bty, 45 Regt Royal Artillery in Malaya and Borneo, 1964-1966: first impressions of Singapore; posted to Nee Soon transit camp; description of train journey to 170 Bty base at Seremban and by truck to airstrip camp at Paroi; description of accommodation in tin shacks; acclimatisation process; type of wireless equipment used; first impressions of jungle; craft training; opinion of 1944 ration packs; trade training in camp; story of painting guns prior to intended posting to Aden, 10/1964; description of voyage from Singapore aboard LST Empire Kittiwake to Kuching, Borneo; taken in trucks to base at Batu Lintang; first Christmas in jungle, 12/1964; location of Bty and role providing harassing fire over valley; range of guns; description of mortar shells landing in camp; story about grenades; moved to RAF Simangan; opinion of accommodation; returned to Bty near Kuching; location of border command post in school; description of Bty guns and ammunition; supplies; use of single guns to support patrols.
REEL 2 Continues: role of troops protecting police stations on border; returned to Malaya for rest and further training; story of firing on Indonesian troops; description of 110cm searchlight used to light way for Gurkhas; patrols with Gurkhas over border; story of friendly fire incident on hillside; returned to GB, 1/1966. Aspects of period with 170 Bty, 45 Regt Royal Artillery in GB and Germany, 1966-1976: posted to camp at Shoeburyness; attitude to leaving Malaya; role of 170 Bty as independent battery; duties with range staff at Brecon; posted to Dortmund, Germany, 1971; accommodation; type of guns; relations with German; learned German; posted to Paderborn, Germany; shared barracks with Queen's Royal Irish Hussars; story about tour of duty in Libya, 1969; description of two tours of duty in Northern Ireland; completed Army service in Germany, 1976; attitude to remaining in Army. Civilian employment with Prison Service and reflections on period of military service.