Video and Audio Recordings of Martin Farndale

FAR00911

Martin used tape recorders and cine cameras from the 1960s to record some significant events of the British Army, the Royal Artillery and especially 1 RHA since that time.

Also on this page are recordings of interviews of Martin Farndale during his more senior command roles during the Cold War. Martin was a passionate believer in the importance of deterrence and peacekeeping. He was driven by the vital importance to stop another major war occurring in Europe and to avoid real clashes of arms, especially in Europe. This comes across in many of the interviews below, particular towards the end of the 1983 interview below on assuming command of 1 (BR) Corps) in which he passionately speaks of the importance of maintaining the peace and avoiding the unnecessary misery of war in Europe by the maintenance of a sufficiently strong deterrent.

Video Material

Martin Farndale took cine film of First Regiment Royal Horse Artillery between 1964 and 1971.

The cine film has now been converted to video files (.mov), which include:

· 1 RHA 1964 to 1965 and 1970 to 1971 in Germany.

· 1 RHA Freedom of Nottingham Parade, 20 April 1970.

Other converted films include:

· Martin Farndale’s Christmas Speech as Commander Northern Army Group in 1985.

· Mrs Thatcher’s visit to BAOR when Martin was Commander in Chief, also in 1986.

· As Commander of Northern Army Group, Martin Farndale also commanded a German Corps. Here he is interviewed by German television and takes the salute at two German army parades.

· A BFBS Interview on farewell to role as Commander BAOR and Northern Army Group in 1987.

· As Master Gunner, a speech to 51^st HAA Regiment 50^th anniversary in 1989.

· Warning about the risks of army cuts as part of the Options for Change Review in 1991 (the quality of this bit of film is not good).

Audio Material

Martin Farndale made a number of audio reels and cassette recordings which have now been converted to MP3 files which can be listened to here:

· 1966 Battle of Dhala, Aden. Recording made by Major Martin Farndale RA in April 1966.

· 1966 General Sir Robert Mansergh KBE CB MC Master Gunner Address 1966 on 250th anniversary of the Royal Regiment of Artillery.

· 1966 Major Martin Farndale RA in 1966 with 1 RHA in Aden, talking about Royal Artillery History on their 250th anniversary.

· 1970 Memorial Service Major Brian Moore, Battery Commander of The Chestnut Troop, 4 December 1970, Detmold.

· 1976 Brigadier Martin Farndale talks on assuming role of Director of Public Relations Army.

· 1978 Brigadier Martin Farndale Interview 1978 on relinquishing his role as Director of Public Relations Army talks about 1 RHA in Northern Ireland and HMS Belfast then role as his role as DPR then about 1 RHA.

· 1982 Major General Farndale Commander Second Armoured Division talks about the Battle of Kohima and the Terence Cuneo painting of the Battle.

· 1983 Lieutenant General Sir Martin Farndale KCB on assuming command of 1 (BR) Corps talks about his early life; Sandhurst; 1 RHA; Suez and the Canal Zone; Malaya; South Arabia (Aden); Northern Ireland; 1 (BR) Corps and army public relations.

This recording is to follow.

· 1983 SSVC Up the Belight Without a Paddle. A Desert Island Discs equivalent. Martin Farndale in Brunei talks about the Army Air Corps; his time as Director of Military Operations; as Commander of 1 (BR) Corps; and selects his choice of music.

· 1985 Lieutenant General Sir Martin Farndale KCB speaks to the British Forces Broadcasting Service in an interview on relinquish Command of 1 (BR) Corps on 1 May 1985.

· 1986 General Sir Martin Farndale KCB in a Nottingham Interview on 1 RHA and the Cold War, recorded in April 1986.

· 1987 General Sir Martin Farndale KCB Commander of the Northern Army Group talks to the British Forces Broadcasting Service about Exercise Certain Strike, the largest, most complex exercise since D Day in 1987.

· 1989 - SSVC Sitrep interview on the collapse of the Soviet Union and its military implications with Martin Farndale speaking at the end.

· 1991 British Forces Broadcasting Service Sitrep Special on Options for Change. General Martin Farndale, General Anthony Farrah Hockley, Major General Julian Thompson and others speak about the threatened cuts to the armed forces.

· 1995 An interview about the British Army Training Unit Suffield (“BATUS”), the training facility in Canada, with General Farndale and others.

· The Bagpipe Tune called 'General Sir Martin Farndale' , Master Gunner composed by Pipe Major David Black BEM.

· A longer recording of the Bagpipe Tune General Sir Martin Farndale.