Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 2017-2020 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1 file, 21.2MB
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Harriett was a PhD candidate at University of York between 2017 and 2020. As part of her PhD research, she carried out face to face interviews with a number of Second World War veterans.
Name of creator
Biographical history
George Meredith was a Normandy Veteran. He signed up to be in the army at Wicks Cross, London at the age of 17. He was in the Rifle Brigade initially, but was then transferred to the Royal Army Service Corps, where he became a driver, providing fuel and food to the troops. He could not drive prior to the war, but was trained to drive at Darley Dale after signing up. He landed at Normandy on 7th June, and did not return home until 1945.
George Meredith died in York Hospital in 2017 at the age of 92. The announcement of his death was made in York Press on 4 September 2017.
Repository
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Interview with George Meredith 'took place on August 7th 2017 in the presence of Elsie Johnson (Elsie) and Nick Beilby (NB) at the interviewee's home' (transcript).
The interview transcript (HBE/1/11) provides the following background information about George Meredith: 'George Meredith signed up for active service in London aged 17 and initially served in the Rifle Brigade. He later became a Driver in the Royal Army Service Corps and landed in Normandy on June 7th 1944. When he was demobilised, Meredith worked at the LNER Depot at Stratford as a Fireman . He then moved to Norfolk where he became a lorry driver and continued in that role up to retirement. In later life, he lived in Lincoln and Scarborough. In retirement he was very active in the Pickering wagon group, restoring wagons on the North York Moors Railway. He passed away on September 3rd 2017, aged 92.'
The interview includes discussion about what it means to be a veteran, the Lincoln NVA, going to Normandy, coming back from war, wearing medals, Remembrance Day services, favourite rations (baked beans), getting involved with the play 'Bomb Happy'.
Parent folder: 2020/008
MD5 Checksum: 018aedc238c657f694efc1c5e14324d9
Original Creation date: 07/08/2017
Last-modified date: 09/04/2020. Altered during digital preservation activities by Frances Bell.
Original last-modified date: 07/08/2017
File size: 21.214
File format: Not determined by DROID. Thought to be MPEG-4 Audio File
File extension: m4a
Backup storage location:
Accruals
System of arrangement
The parent folder (2020-008) contains eighteen audio files (constituting ten interviews) and one Microsoft Word document.
Arrangement intervention is level 1 (no intervention by the archivist). The original material has been retained without any intervention by the archives staff. This does mean that the collection may include filenames containing spelling mistakes and duplicate files that were placed in the wrong folder(s) by the creator.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open
Material is available subject to the usual terms and conditions of access to Archives and Local History collections.
Conditions governing reproduction
Images are supplied for private research only at the Archivist's discretion. Please note that material may be unsuitable for copying on conservation grounds. Researchers who wish to publish material must seek copyright permission from the copyright owner.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
See also York Normandy Veterans archive (NVA).