Blake, Dennis Arthur (Oral history)

British private served with London Rifle Brigade in London, GB, 1939; officer cadet trained with 168 Officer Cadet Training Unit at Aldershot, GB, 1939-1940; officer served with 1st Bn Royal Fusiliers in Northern Ireland, 1940; served with 1st Bn Royal Fusiliers, 5th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div in Egypt, Sudan and Eritrea, 1940-1941; served as staff officer with 5th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div in Eritrea, 1941

REEL 1 Aspects of period as private with London Rifle Brigade in GB, 1939: reasons for joining Territorial Army; basic training; annual camp; composition of unit; uniform and equipment; embodied into armed services, 9/1939; guard duties in London; discipline; family tradition of military service; expectations of coming war. Aspects of period as officer cadet with 168 Officer Cadet Training Unit at Aldershot in GB, 1939-1940: selection for officer training; syllabus of course. REEL 2 Continues: pattern of training at OCTU; drill; instructors; field exercises; duration of course; threat of being returned to unit; commissioning into Royal Fusiliers. Aspects of period as officer with 1st Bn Royal Fusiliers in Northern Ireland, 1940: posting to Northern Ireland; guard duties and training; dealing with conscripts; basic training conducted; accommodation; discipline; relations with local civilians; religious services; orders to move to Middle East, 7/1940. REEL 3 Continues: reaction to posting. Aspects of voyage aboard SS Ontranto from GB to Egypt, 1940: embarkation at Liverpool; route taken by convoy; composition of convoy; initial impressions of Egypt. Aspects of operations as officer with 1st Bn Royal Fusiliers, 5th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Div in Egypt, 1940: discomfort of flies; reaction to strangeness; stomach problems; meeting with brothers; move to Mersa Matruh; degree of intelligence on Italians; composition of his platoon; desert tactics and mobility; lack of cover in desert; description of Italian grenades; reception by new platoon; acclimatisation. REEL 4 Continues: flies and infection; desert sores; withdrawal from Western Desert. Aspects of period as officer with 1st Bn Royal Fusiliers, 5th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div in Sudan, 1941: journey from Egypt to Sudan; in camp at Gedaref; impressions of Sudan; contrast in terrain between Egypt and Sudan; character of terrain in Sudan; effect of terrain on movement and Italian operations. Recollections of operations as officer with 1st Bn Royal Fusiliers, 5th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div in Eritrea, 1941: climate in Eritrea; flies and sanitation; conditions in Eritrea; water supply. REEL 5 Continues: use of cotton maps; navigation; strength of battalion; morale; organisation; opinion of Italian mortars; character of 3 Inch Mortar; Italian use of mortars at Keren; battalion transport; route march and difficulties with feet; relations with Indian troops; rations; lack of contact with civilians; character of battalion communications. REEL 6 Continues: kit issued for overseas service; use of tin helmets to protect stomachs and fear of abdominal wounds; appointed as battalion intelligence officer; duties as intelligence officer; navigation in desert; collection and presentation of information; sources of intelligence in Eritrea; use of large patrols to gather information at Agordat; Italian positions at Agordat; lack of capacity to interrogate prisoners; intelligence from brigade conveyed by briefings; nature of orders; Italian propaganda leaflets; attitude of Italians POWs; composition of Intelligence Section; field sketching and maps. REEL 7 Continues: functioning of battalion command structure; conduct of brigade ‘O’ group; battalion ‘O’ groups; impact of personalities; formulation of plans in battalion; relationship with commanding officers of battalion; relations with adjutant; duties of intelligence officer during action; reconnaissance of Italian positions at Agordat; orders for attack on Agordat; battalion plan for attack at Agordat; forming up point and start line; artillery support for attack; administrative elements of commanding officer’s orders; use of white tape to mark start line; move up to start line before dawn; early advance concealed by mist; shelling and strafing by Italians. REEL 8 Continues: battalion frontage for attack on Agordat; delay of tank support; importance of tanks on morale; companies out of alignment; Italian sniping and penetration of Italian positions; formation of companies in advance; terrain during advance; start of Italian shelling after mist lifted; character of Italian defensive fieldworks; success of attack; opinion of Italian forces in opposition; Italian armoured counter attack; attacks by Italian Air Force; nature of Italian counter attack; behaviour of POWs; casualties; burial of dead; time spent in over run positions and re-organisation. REEL 9 Continues: artillery support for attack at Agordat; advance to Keren, 2/1941; battalion movements, 2/1941; night advance towards Acqua Col; failure of attack on Acqua Col; terrain at Acqua Col; effects of Italian mortars; description of positions on Cameron Ridge; sickness amongst troops; effects of Italian grenades and attempts to use shields; distance from forward positions to battalion headquarters; importance of offensive spirit; patrols; state of intelligence; artillery fire support plan. REEL 10 Continues: effect of heat on shell trajectories; communications; sense of isolation; method of re-supply; water and food rations; sniping by Italian forces; daily routine on ridge; means of disseminating news; reduction in battle; strength of battalion; state of morale and importance of humour. Recollections of period as intelligence officer with 5th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div in Eritrea, 1941: posting to brigade staff; composition of staff; duties as brigade intelligence officer; role as assistant to brigadier; daily work routine; degree of intelligence available. REEL 11 Continues: location of brigade headquarters; advanced and rear headquarters; shelter based on natural features; availability of rations; programme in rest area; effect on morale of mobile bath unit; brigade planning process; influence of Generals William Platt and Noel Beresford-Peirse; Italian formations used; effects of attacks and attrition; importance of high ground; reasons for failure of attacks on high ridges; effect of attack up gorge and Italian withdrawal; pulling out of 4th Indian Infantry Div via Port Sudan; reads letter sent to mother, attitude to participation in East African campaign.