Thompson, Douglas Weddell (Oral history)

British chaplain served with Royal Army Chaplains' Department attached to 1/4th Bn Essex Regt, 5th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div in North Africa, 1942; prisoner of war in Campo PG 75, Bari and Campo PG 70, Monteurano, Italy, 1942-1943; prisoner of war in Stalag IV-B, Mühlberg, Oflag VII-B, Eichstätt, Stalag Luft III, Sagan and Marlag und Milag Nord, Westertimke, Germany, 1943-1945

REEL 1 Background in GB and China, 1902-1939: family; education; work as chaplain in China during 1930s. Aspects of period as chaplain with Royal Army Chaplains' Department attached to 1/4th Bn Essex Regt, 5th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div in North Africa, 1942: pattern of service in Middle East prior to capture; German attack at Sidi Barrani, Egypt, 7/1942; story of wounding and capture, 1942. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Libya, 1942: medical treatment received by Axis; registration as prisoner of war; behaviour of Indian prisoners of war; comfort offered to wounded German soldier in hospital; thefts by Italian orderlies. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Campo PG 75, Bari and Campo PG 70, Monteurano, Italy, 1942-1943: parading of prisoners of war at Lecce; joining other chaplains in Campo PG 75 at Bari; volunteering to move to Campo PG 70 at Monteurano; description of 'desert feet' condition; work as chaplain in camp; how he started educational classes. REEL 2 Continues: how prisoners of war coped without mail; attempts to keep prisoners of war in camp on collapse of Italian regime. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Stalag IV-B, Mühlberg, Germany, 1943: transfer to camp; conditions for Soviet prisoners of war; how British prisoners of war aided Soviet prisoners of war; hierarchy of nationalities in camp and favoured position of Vichy French in camp; incident of fight between British prisoner of war and German officer; contrast in attitude of prisoners of war captured at Dunkirk and in North Africa; his removal to Jacobstahl Lager and incidents of baiting guards. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Oflag VII-B, Eichstätt, Germany, 1944: how camp was run; problems with morale; education in camp; German censorship; friendship with German civilian on train. REEL 3 Continues: sheltering from Royal Air Force air raid in Munich during transit. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany, 1944-1945: allocation to East Compound; provision of chaplains; character of American prisoners of war; bribing of guards for radio parts; presence of high ranking American prisoners of war; escapes from camp; German reaction to Great Escape, 3/1944; reasons why he was opposed to tunnel escape attempts; activities to deal with boredom of captivity; incident of prisoner of war being shot by guard; how German women tormented prisoners of war. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Marlag und Milag Nord, Westertimke, Germany, 1945: march away from Sagan; contrast between Milag and Marlag camps; march away from camp and strafing of prisoner of war column by Royal Air Force aircrart, 19/4/1945; camping on farm near Lübeck. REEL 4 Continues: liberation by British Army; reaction of prisoners of war towards anti-German attitude of liberators; return to GB and treatment received. Reflections on period as prisoner of war in Italy and Germany, 1942-1945: physical and attitudinal effects of captivity; variation in treatment by captors in accordance with how the war was progressing; contrast between German and Italian treatment of prisoners of war; his admiration for Italian women.