IWM Interview with Harry Maples Williams 1st Bn South Staffordshire Regt

IWM Interview with Harry Maples Williams 1st Bn South Staffordshire Regt

This interview has a fascinating account of the ' Pagoda Hill ' action in which George Cairns won his VC

Object description

British trooper served with Staffordshire Yeomanry in Palestine, 1940; officer served with 1st Bn South Staffordshire Regt in Western Desert, 1940-1941 and India, 1942-1943; served as animal transport officer with 77 Bde during Second Chindit Expedition in Burma, 1944
Content description

REEL 1 Background in Wolverhampton, 1918-1938: family and education; employment. Joining Staffordshire Yeomanry, winter 1938-1939: reasons for joining Territorial Army, question of usefulness of pre-war training. Period with Staffordshire Yeomanry in Palestine, 1940: reasons for move to Palestine, winter 1939-1940; role as farrier; problems on Vichy French Syrian - Palestine frontier after fall of France especially between French stallions and British mares. Period with OCTU, Cairo, 7/1940-10/1940 including commissioning into 1st Bn South Staffordshire Regt, 10/1940. Recollections of operations with 1st Bn South Staffordshire Regt in Western Desert, 1940-1941: joining unit at Mersa Matruh; 'Jock Column' system used by British, 1940; support from HMS Terror; contact with Italian POWs; question of why 'Jock Column' used. Recollections of period with 1st Bn South Staffordshire Regt, 23 Bde, 70 Div in India, 1942-1943: training for counter attacking Japanese in Burma at Khunti, 1942. REEL 2 Continues: nature of training; guarding railway line in Patna area during Quit India movement; techniques for opening fire on crowd at Lakiserai; nature of Quit India crowd and reaction of British troops; degree of contact with Indian civilians; story of how he got to know royal family of Bhopal;. Period of training as animal transport officer with Chindits in India, 1943-1944: selection of 1st Bn South Staffordshire Regt to be part of Second Chindit Expedition; composition of 77 Bde; role as animal transport officer; selection of mule leaders; types of mules used. REEL 3 Continues: training exercise 'Scheme Thursday', end 1943; solving problem of transporting mules in aircraft. Recollections of operations as animal transport officer with 1st Bn South Staffordshire Regt, 77 Bde during Second Chindit Expedition, 1944: flying into Burma, 3/1944 and losses on landing, contact with Orde Wingate before going into Burma including opinion of his leadership qualities; move from Broadway towards Myitkyina area, 3/1944; Brigadier Michael Calvert's establishing White City, 3/1944; charge led by Michael Calvert up Bare Hill against Japanese; George Cairns' Victoria Cross action at Henu Block, 13/3/1944; memories of fighting on Bare Hill; later clash with Japanese on patrol; Japanese positions on Bare Hill. REEL 4 Continues: question of unit leaving positions to attack Bare Hill; memories of George Cairns VC; character of Japanese attacks on White City and role of animal transport personnel; rotting Japanese corpses around White City; Japanese use of Bangalore torpedoes against wire at White City; predictable timing of Japanese attacks; leg wound and other medical problems he was suffering from; how he was flown out of White City as casualty; memories of Brigadier Michael Calvert. Hospitalisation for wounds and other medical problems, India, 1945. Question of effects of war.

Mike