PONTI, EMILIO (IWM interview)

Italian NCO served with Italian Army in North Africa, 1940-1941; POW in North Africa and GB, 1941-1945

REEL 1 Background in Mantova, 1921-1939: family circumstances; father's reaction to GB being considered as enemy; education; reasons why he volunteered for Italian Army, 1938; story relating to his attitude towards Blackshirts; character of Mussolini's welfare policies; Italian's attitude towards Austrian and Germans; Italian's attitude towards Jews; behaviour of Blackshirts; state of Italian Army, 1930s. REEL 2 Continues: attitude towards Germans treatment of Jews and Italians. Recollections of operations with armoured forces of Italian Army in North Africa, 1940-1941: quality of NCOs compared with officers; role during initial action against New Zealanders in desert; opinion of tanks; conditions for Italian infantry; finding dog; camouflaging tanks in sand; attitude to fighting in desert; movements from Tobruk to Bardia, summer 1940; withdrawal to Tobruk; siege conditions in Tobruk 1940-1941; air activity over Tobruk; effect on morale of withdrawal of Italian Air Force; cease-fire at Tobruk, Christmas 1940; artillery barrage at start of British attack on Tobruk. REEL 3 Continues: reasons for his decision not to fire on advancing Allied troops; chaos in Tobruk; move to Red Cross centre and what he found there; surrender to Australians. Recollections of period as POW in North Africa, 1941: mass transfer of POWs to makeshift camp; bombing of camp; arrival of medical services and mass burial; meeting between Australian and Italian brothers; behaviour of drunken Australian troops; living conditions in camp, 1/1941-4/1941; method for drinking urine; move to Alexandria; living conditions in camp; relations between POWs and Polish guards; move to Suez; role in organising work parties. REEL 4 Continues: reaction of some POWs to his role; reason for being chosen to go to GB. Voyage from Egypt to GB aboard Duchess of Richmond. Period as newly arrived POW in GB, 1941: arrival in Liverpool, 9/1941; move to camp in Sheffield; first contact with family. Recollections of period as POW in Ledbury Camp, 1941-1946: description of early stages in camp; organising work parties; reaction to potential escaper; camp orchestra and theatre; effect of Badaglio take over in Italy and removal of fascists from camp; type of work done by POWs and pay; change in POW clothing after the fall of Mussolini. REEL 5 Continues: drainage work carried out in Ledbury area; story of how he was trusted with shotgun to shoot birds; new opportunities for work after fall of Mussolini; distinction between terms co-operators and collaborators; pay for work; attitude towards non-fraternisation policy; meeting with wife-to-be; reasons for engagement on route to Italy; life in camp, 1945-1946. Recollections of return to Italy, 1946-1947: reasons for wanting to return temporarily to Italy; reception in Naples; character of train journey through Italy; reunion with family. REEL 6 Continues: voting for Popular Front; his father's demand for recompense for son's 'suffering' during Second World War; background to return to GB, 1947; types of work he took; return to Ledbury, marriage and subsequent career. Question of nationality. Question of Italian fighting reputation. Story of reaction of Italian POWs to sight of hanging of Mussolini. REEL 7 Additional material: Interview by Jane Williams of BBC Hereford and Worcester on 13/11/1998 'Dad's Prisoner of War Epic'.