Chapman, Harry (IWM interview)

British NCO served with with 9th Bn, Manchester Regt in GB, North West Europe, Iceland, North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Greece and Austria, 1930-1945

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Hurst, Ashton under Lyme, 1916-1939: social circumstances; education; sporting activities; Boys Brigade activities; recruitment and service as band boy with 9th Bn, Manchester Regt at old Street Drill Hall, Ashton under Lyne, 1930-1939, including band practice, annual camps and difference between brass and military bands; playing in village brass band; various jobs; mobilisation, 1/9/1939; interest in promotion; outbreak of war, 3/9/1939. Period at Whitley Bay, 9/1939-12/1939: tent accommodation; training as stretcher bearers; promotion to corporal; first aid training; guard duty; opinion of Major Hall; posting as stretcher bearer to C Coy. Periods in Norfolk and Suffolk, 1939-1940: German bombing raid on Southwold. REEL 2 guard duties; reaction to armylifestyle; taking over camp from Polish unit; crossing to France. Aspects of operations in France, 1940: prior learning to drive lorry; movements; personal morale; situation; acting as stretcher bearer; Stuka attacks on beach at La Panne; move to Dunkirk; German shell fire on Dunkirk mole; story of treating casualty and evacuation aboard HMS Wolsely to Dover. Various aspects of periods in GB and Iceland, 1940-1943: reorganisation of unit; movements; question of recommendation for MM; guard duties; period in Shetland Islands; move to Iceland; question of pro-German sympathies of Iceland civilians; arrival of US troops; move to Scotland. Various aspects of operations in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Greece and Austria, 1943-1945: voyage to Algiers, Algeria; movements; promotion to company quartermaster of B Coy. REEL 3 Continues: invasion of Sicily, 7/1943; role supplying B Coy; nature of fighting in Italy; German shell fire and personal morale; story of death of Major Durham-Reid at Coriano Ridge; duties on promotion to company sergeant major and regimental quartermaster; relationship with Italian civilians; situation at Monte Cassino, 1944; period on internal security duties at Athens; advance into Austria, 1945; question of remaining in army as quartermaster. Demobilisation, 1946. Post-war career: return to work; attending Victory Parade; brief return as territorial regimental quartermaster sergeant with 9th Bn, MR; old comrades association; effects of war service; father's war service.