Imperial War Museum Interviews
Imperial War Museum, London
to also listen to the audio tapes
Reels 1 & 2:
Family background. 1920-1940 Youth, Study & Outbreak of War.
Reel 1
Reel 2
House where Cyril was born.
Cyril and two brothers slept in room on top floor.
Classroom D.
Elementary School (Swan Street) just inside the City of London
Approx. 1924 - 1929
Cyril is 4th row back, 2nd from Right
Parmiter's School where Cyril studied from age 10 to 17.
King's College students evacuated to Bristol in October 1939
at beginning of WW2.
Cyril is seated second from the left front row
Picture of King College students at pub.
Perhaps where Cyril spent most of his time when he should be studying. He is back row 3rd from left next to his room-mate (2nd left) Ken McKinnon who was killed on the motor cycle they shared.
Reels 3 & 4:
1940 - 1941 Army in UK, Embarkation
Reel 3
Reel 4
Cyril commissioned as Second Lieutenant Royal Artillery
in summer 1941 during WW2.
Soldiers embarking for overseas.
Reels 5 & 6:
1942 Troopship, South Africa, Egypt
Reel 5
Reel 6
SS Orcades.
Cyril sailed on this troop ship December 1941 - January 1942.
It had been a Cruise Ship on the Southampton - Capetown run.
It was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine on 10th October. 1942.
Table Mountain, Capetown.
December 1941
Cairo Street Scene 1942
No Explanation Needed!!
Cyril's first job in Egypt
was in charge of an anti-aircraft station, including radar, defending Alexandria,
the main British naval port in the Middle East.
This is a German reconnaissance aerial photograph of the port
Reels 7 & 8:
1942-1943. 8th Army. Retreat to El Alamein.
Battle of Alamein then Advance.
Reel 7
Reel 8
Cyril just before joining 8th Army at Battle of Alamein
Reels 9 & 10:
1943. 8th Army: Egypt, Libya, Tunisia. GHQ Cairo (Gen Staff Technical Intelligence).
Reel 9
Reel 10
Route of 8th Army North Africa.
Advance to, and retreat from, Tobruk to El Alamein.
Then advance to Tunisia.
El Alamein to Tunis is 2,500 km (1,500 miles).
3.7 inch mobile anti aircraft gun in action.
As Gun Position Officer, Cyril controlled 4 of these guns.
Pity you can't hear the noise!!
German Heinkel Bomber shot down in the desert.
Cyril is the officer with the binoculars.
Reels 11 & 12:
1943-1944. GHQ Cairo - General Staff Technical Intelligence. Middle East School of Military (Technical) Intelligence. Cairo and Palestine.
Reel 11
Reel 12
Captain Cyril in Cairo 1944.
Cairo Street Scene 1942
More Modern Cairo
Italian Hospital, Alexandria
King David Hotel, Jerusalem, 1942
Cyril and Woolf Marmot on Mount Scopus, Jerusalem
Tel Aviv - Jaffa 1941
More Modern Tel Aviv
Course Cyril Taught at MESMI, Gaza
Test Firing of German Weapons
Note the Union Jack flying with the flag that was to become the flag of Israel.
Reels 13 & 14:
End of WW2. Claims Commission Iraq and Persia. Return to UK. Demob.
Reel 13
Reel 14
Cyril in Basra, Iraq. Claims Commission.
Considered the most unpleasant army station in the world.
Americans say they are sent there as punishment.
Then started journey back home to ''Blighty''.
December 1945.
MALTA Harbour.
Surrendered Italian warships.
TOULON, South France.
Arrived Christmas Day. Terrible weather.
They gave us turkey (?) for dinner and it was bad.
Spent the night being sick etc in the mud.
White Cliffs of Dover
After 4 years abroad
Cyril's brother Ian arrived back home after 4 years in a Prison of War camp in Germany.
He was captured in Crete in 1941. He is third from our left.
Piccadilly Circus, London
Fitting soldier out with ''civvy'' clothing at demobilisation barracks.