Frost, Terry (Oral history)

British trooper and NCO served with Warwickshire Yeomanry in GB and Palestine, 1939-1940; NCO served with No 52 Commando in Sudan and Crete, Greece, 1940-1941; prisoner of war in Dulag 183, Salonika, Greece, Stalag III-C, Alt-Drewitz and Stalag 383, Hohenfals, Germany, 1941-1945

REEL 1 Background in Leamington Spa and Coventry, GB, 1915-1939: education; attending evening art classes whilst unemployed; employment; employment in aircraft industry, 1938; employment in bakery and selling radios; membership of Territorial Army from 1933. Aspects of period as trooper and NCO with Warwickshire Yeomanry in GB and Palestine, 1939-1940: mobilisation, 9/1939; training; rough sea crossing from Marseilles, France to Palestine; disembarkation in Palestine; training in Palestine. Aspects of operations as NCO with No 52 Commando in Sudan and Crete, Greece, 1940-1941: background to volunteering for Commandos; posting to Sudan; initial impressions of Sudan; nature of duties; description of 'range card'; terrain and wildlife in Sudan; duties as NCO. REEL 2 Continues: encounters with wildlife; description of operations; nature of journey to Crete, Greece; arrival on last boat to get into Suda Bay; importance of training in action; withdrawal and inability to evacuate; surrender. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Dulag 183, Salonika, Greece and Stalag III-C, Alt-Drewitz, Germany, 1941: transfer to Dulag 183, Salonika, Greece; failed escape attempt; journey to Stalag III-C, Alt-Drewitz, Germany; description of attempts to relieve boredom; work on railways; coping with cold. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Stalag 383, Hohenfals, Germany, 1941-1945: move to camp; caricature and portrait drawing; attending camp art class; friendship with Adrian Heath; painting portraits; effect of imprisonment on personality; painting still life after taking parole outside camp. REEL 3 Continues: illustration of camp theatrical programmes; description of materials used; method of forging official permits; other artists in camp; memories of Adrian Heath; determination to become artist; return to GB; start of post-war painting career; opinion that war increased opportunities; first exhibition of art in camp, 1944; appreciation of art by other prisoners of war; influence of time as prisoner of war on his art.