This set of recordings was from an unknown interviewer; the tapes are simply marked “Exbury”. It mainly concentrates on experiences during World War II, especially Dunkirk and D-Day. It may have been recorded around the 50th anniversary of D-Day, in 1994.
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Exbury recordings, ?1994
1. Origins of Spedding family in Northumberland; dislike of royalty; introduction of steam power in farming; death of grandfather from ruptured spleen; meeting of Joe’s parents; Forster family at Lepe; the idolatrous rich; deaths of his father and twin brother Henry:
2. Working in AGWI refinery at Fawley; joining Army in November 1939; army medic career:
3. Army career; wounded servicemen; futility of war:
4. Shock response of wounded servicemen to injuries; BEF in France and Belgium, 1940; train crash; BEF over-run by German column; Dunkirk evacuation; the bottle of cherry brandy; aftermath of evacuation:
5. Corruption in the army; refinery wages; smoking; wayward nephew:
6. Back in the BEF, Belgium; Dunkirk evacuation again; events on return from Dunkirk; billeted to Castleford; Sheerness Military Hospital; over-running of 44th Division of BEF:
7. D-Day at Lepe and the Beaulieu River; Free French at Inchmery House; fishing in the river around D-Day; PLUTO pipeline; construction of Mulberry harbours:
8. Secrecy surrounding construction of Mulberry harbours and D-Day preparations; suitability of the Solent for the construction and departure:
9. Landing craft and Sherman tanks; Lepe after D-Day; remnants in the present day; caretaking at the army camp on Lepe clifftop; recovery and dismantling of PLUTO pipelines; civilian life around Lepe: