Description
Object description
British NCO served with 70th Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in Tunisia, 1943; prisoner of war in Campo PG 66, Capua and Campo PG 53, Sforzacosta, Italy and Stalag IV-B, Mühlberg and Stalag 357, Fallingbostel, Germany, 1943-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Bradford, GB, 1917-1939: family; education; reasons for joining Territorial Army, 1939. Aspects of period as NCO with 70th Field Regt, Royal Artillery in GB, France and North Africa, 1939-1943: mobilisation in GB, 1939; experiences in France, 1940; return to GB; duties as wireless operator to forward observation officer in Tunisia, 1943; capture by Germans. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Tunisia, 1943: German attitude towards Italians and Americans; German attitude to Arabs profiteering at expense of prisoners of war; how he lost his blanket to fellow prisoner of war; abortive idea to escape by aircraft; transfer to Italy.
REEL 2 Continues: fraternisation with German seaman during voyage. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Campo PG 66, Capua and Campo PG 53, Sforzacosta, Italy, 1943: lice problems in Campo PG 66, Capua; contact with Indian prisoners of war; capitulation of Italy whilst at Camp PG 53, Sforzacosta and how he became a captive of Germans, 9/1943; transfer to Germany including conversations with British commandos, Long Range Desert Group personnel and German veteran of Eastern Front. Recollections of period as POW in Stalag IV-B, Mühlberg and Stalag 357, Fallingbostel, Germany, 1943-1945: description of delousing procedure; health screening and hygiene; shooting of prisoner of war by German guard and reaction of prisoners of war.
REEL 3 Continues: how Germans guards felt British prisoners of war were arrogant; differences between army and Royal Air Force prisoners of war; escape attempts and measures taken by Germans to deter them; German treatment of Soviet prisoners of war and what British prisoners of war did to aid them; description of cigarette cases made by Soviet prisoner of war; relations between British and Soviet prisoners of war; relations with French prisoners of war; memories of Royal Air Force Sergeant James 'Dixie' Deans.
REEL 4 Continues: contact with home; camp swap shop; news of progress of war; receiving war news via illicit wireless set; German propaganda; prisoner of war handicrafts; reasons for lack of interest in sex; instance of homosexuality in camp; discipline amongst prisoners of war; wall newspapers; methods of passing time; prisoner of war morale; variation in conditions according to progress of war; attitudes of American prisoners of war; contact with Polish and Yugoslav prisoners of war.
REEL 5 Continues: relations with German captors; story of Scottish interpreter of Italian origins who was lured into the Italian Army prior to Second World War; prior recollection of British NCO who collaborated with Italians; German attempt to play Irish and Soviet prisoners of war against British; objection of German Army to giving Nazi salute after July 1944; German dislike of Italians; lectures; involvement in entertainments; physical condition of prisoners of war; clubs.
REEL 6 Continues: handicrafts; descriptions of 'blowers'; character of German guard dogs; education in camps; sporting activities; German reprisal against British prisoners of war for treatment of Germans in North Africa. Aspects of march away from Stalag 357, Fallingbostel and liberation in Germany, 1945: march towards Berlin; stealing from farmer; commandeering food from Germans after release and aftermath.
REEL 7 Continues: return to GB and reception; story of how pet dog was eaten by prisoners of war; danger to released prisoners of war from Hitler Youth; long-term effects of imprisonment.