Description
Object description
Ts memoir (56pp, written in 2011) covering moving to Monks Risborough, Buckinghamshire, from London (July 1932), working as an apprentice compositor at a printers in Princes Risborough aged 15, moving to Brighton to work for the Brighton & Hove Herald (1939), then at the Lewes Press as a journeyman compositor, being called up to the Royal Sussex Regiment (late 1939), quick promotion to acting Lance Corporal, moving to Blatchington, Seaford, East Sussex (April 1940), instructing new recruits in weapons and tactics, manning badly placed defensive points with no ammunition following Dunkirk, being in charge of a platoon after just four months service, moving to Dover, Kent, seeing bomb damage, searching for bomb survivors and training LDVs, going on a battle course at Biffrons, a stately home near Canterbury (circa December1941 – February 1942), moving to St Margaret's at Cliffe, Dover, and later to Knowle Park near Sevenoaks, Kent, being drafted to the London Irish Rifles, Ickworth Park, his dislike of the LIR due to the undercurrent of sectarianism, moving to Liverpool and embarking on the troopship SS ORDUNA with details of the poor accommodation (August 1942), changing at Cape Town to SS CALIFORNIA, the voyage on to Bombay, India, changing to a Dutch East Indies ship ARCHANGEL, landing in Iraq, guarding oil wells at Kirkuk for several months, promotion to Lance Sergeant, moving to Egypt via Palestine, visiting his brother at an RAF camp near Alexandria, noting the differences between RAF and Army camps, setting sail for Sicily as part of 50th Division (July 1943), landing in Syracuse, marching to the front line, details of an attack which was held up by barbed wire and mines, his criticism of the lack of communication and intelligence, losing friends, retrieving wounded, reaching Messina, the LIR joining 56th (Black Cat) Division as part of the American Fifth Army for the invasion of Italy, landing at Salerno, leave in Naples and Sorrento, taking up positions on Mount Camino, seeing dead Allied soldiers, coming under enemy sniper and tank fire, taking part in the Anzio landings (February 1944), his capture by the Germans, being taken by train to Stalag IVB (Muehlberg), being moved to Stalag XXA (Thorn) in Poland, the evacuation of the camp due to Russian advances, a cattle truck journey to Stalag XIB (Fallingbostel), being marched aimlessly away from the camp, scrounging for food, his liberation by Allied paratroops and return to Allied lines, being moved to Brussels, returning by plane to England, rehabilitation leave, reporting to the Lindens Nursing Home, Peterborough, as Sergeant in charge of discipline among the patients, and his demobilisation. The account offers detailed descriptions of his training, kit, barracks, army discipline, pay, food, duties, fellow servicemen, entertainment, coarse barrack room 'humour,' descriptions of the POW camps, fellow prisoners of war and guards, poor sanitary conditions, escape attempts, inspections, and sports events in camp. Together with a pass (1p, December 1943), his Army Book 64, a reference from his commanding officer (1p, December 1945), two newspaper clippings (2pp) about meeting his brother in Egypt, and his capture, and copies of nine photographs of Swift, his brother, their father and their family. Also included is his father's discharge papers (3pp) stating he was no longer fit for service with the Rifle Brigade due to a gunshot wound to his neck (May 1917).
Content description
Ts memoir (56pp, written in 2011) covering moving to Monks Risborough, Buckinghamshire, from London (July 1932), working as an apprentice compositor at a printers in Princes Risborough aged 15, moving to Brighton to work for the Brighton & Hove Herald (1939), then at the Lewes Press as a journeyman compositor, being called up to the Royal Sussex Regiment (late 1939), quick promotion to acting Lance Corporal, moving to Blatchington, Seaford, East Sussex (April 1940), instructing new recruits in weapons and tactics, manning badly placed defensive points with no ammunition following Dunkirk, being in charge of a platoon after just four months service, moving to Dover, Kent, seeing bomb damage, searching for bomb survivors and training LDVs, going on a battle course at Biffrons, a stately home near Canterbury (circa December1941 – February 1942), moving to St Margaret's at Cliffe, Dover, and later to Knowle Park near Sevenoaks, Kent, being drafted to the London Irish Rifles, Ickworth Park, his dislike of the LIR due to the undercurrent of sectarianism, moving to Liverpool and embarking on the troopship SS ORDUNA with details of the poor accommodation (August 1942), changing at Cape Town to SS CALIFORNIA, the voyage on to Bombay, India, changing to a Dutch East Indies ship ARCHANGEL, landing in Iraq, guarding oil wells at Kirkuk for several months, promotion to Lance Sergeant, moving to Egypt via Palestine, visiting his brother at an RAF camp near Alexandria, noting the differences between RAF and Army camps, setting sail for Sicily as part of 50th Division (July 1943), landing in Syracuse, marching to the front line, details of an attack which was held up by barbed wire and mines, his criticism of the lack of communication and intelligence, losing friends, retrieving wounded, reaching Messina, the LIR joining 56th (Black Cat) Division as part of the American Fifth Army for the invasion of Italy, landing at Salerno, leave in Naples and Sorrento, taking up positions on Mount Camino, seeing dead Allied soldiers, coming under enemy sniper and tank fire, taking part in the Anzio landings (February 1944), his capture by the Germans, being taken by train to Stalag IVB (Muehlberg), being moved to Stalag XXA (Thorn) in Poland, the evacuation of the camp due to Russian advances, a cattle truck journey to Stalag XIB (Fallingbostel), being marched aimlessly away from the camp, scrounging for food, his liberation by Allied paratroops and return to Allied lines, being moved to Brussels, returning by plane to England, rehabilitation leave, reporting to the Lindens Nursing Home, Peterborough, as Sergeant in charge of discipline among the patients, and his demobilisation. The account offers detailed descriptions of his training, kit, barracks, army discipline, pay, food, duties, fellow servicemen, entertainment, coarse barrack room 'humour,' descriptions of the POW camps, fellow prisoners of war and guards, poor sanitary conditions, escape attempts, inspections, and sports events in camp. Together with a pass (1p, December 1943), his Army Book 64, a reference from his commanding officer (1p, December 1945), two newspaper clippings (2pp) about meeting his brother in Egypt, and his capture, and copies of nine photographs of Swift, his brother, their father and their family. Also included is his father's discharge papers (3pp) stating he was no longer fit for service with the Rifle Brigade due to a gunshot wound to his neck (May 1917).
History note
Cataloguer SJO