Wackett, Frederick (Oral history)

British NCO served as photographer with Film and Photographic Unit in GB, 1939-1942; served with No 2 Army Film and Photographic Unit in North Africa and Italy, 1942-1944; served with No 9 Army Film and Photographic Unit in India, Burma, Singapore, Malaya and Java, Dutch East Indies, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Aspects of period as civilian photographer in GB, 1934-1939: employment with Daily Express Newspaper and at picture agency in London; story of being given camera. Aspects of period as private with North Staffordshire Regiment in GB, 1939: conscription into North Staffordshire Regt, 9/1939; basic training at Regimental Depot, North Staffordshire Regiment, Whittington Barracks, Lichfield. Aspects of period as photographer with Army Film and Photographic Unit in GB, 1939-1942: background to joining Army Film and Photographic Unit; assignment with Scottish Command photographing units in mountains in Scotland; opinion of Zeiss Super Ikonta Camera; type of film used; story of being stopped from photographing Duke of Kent shortly prior to his death, 25/8/1942; attitude to working with cine cameraman. Recollections of operations as photographer with No 2 Army Film and Photographic Unit in North Africa, 11/1942-7/1943: landing during Operation Torch at Algiers, French Algeria; reason for wearing United States Army helmet and leather jacket; problem of only being able to photograph United States Army troops; attitude of troops towards cameramen; issue of motorcycle; attacks from German Air Force aircraft; opinion of Eyemo Cine Camera; opinion of Major Hugh Stewart and method of allocating cameramen; story about Lieutenant Alan Whicker collecting films; captioning photographs; attitude to photographing dead and victims of German atrocities; photographing troops behind the lines, winter 1942. REEL 2 Continues: arrival in Tunis, Tunisia following end of North African campaign, 5/1943; photographing Italian prisoners of war; setting up unit headquarters in villa at Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia; assignment to United States Army post in desert at Gafsa, Tunisia; preparations for invasion of Sicily, Italy. Recollections of operations as photographer with No 2 Army Film and Photographic Unit in Sicily and Italy, 7/1943-8/1943: landing with 1st Bn Hampshire Regt, 231st Independent Infantry Bde, 7/1943; problem of rough sea; use of ground sheet and condoms to keep camera and rolls of film dry; photographs taken during landing; story about Sergeant Len Chetwyn faking photographs of troops landing and in action; method of film being collected by aircraft; sharing Willys Jeep with cine cameraman and keeping lookout for German Air Force aircraft; bivouac tent and compo ration box carried in Willys Jeep; obtaining intelligence reports from divisional adjutant; photographing tanks and troops in orange groves; censorship of gruesome photographs; attitude to work as war photographer; question of selecting certain types of soldiers to photograph; story of troops being ordered to stop eating walnuts after outbreak of dysentery. Aspects of operations as photographer with No 2 Army Film and Photographic Unit at Salerno, Italy, 1943-1944: landing at Salerno, Italy, 9/1943; reaction to death of Captain Harry Rignold, 12/9/1943; description of Monte Cassino Monastery; story about photographer losing nerve and returning to GB; assignment to Pompei. REEL 3 Continues: photographing bodies of Italian civilians murdered by Germans in olive grove; comparison of commanding officers of unit; return to GB and work on set at Headquarters, Army Film and Photographic Unit at Pinewood Studios. Recollections operations with No 9 Army Film and Photographic Unit in India and Burma, 4/1944-9/1945: journey from GB to Bombay, India; issue of tropical kit; move into large house on Chowringhee Road, Calcutta, India; problem of prickly heat and treatment; use of darkroom at the Times of India Newspaper and sharing office with Indian Public Relations Unit; move from Kohima, India into Burmese jungle; attitude to photographing new locations and subjects; feature on troops making beds to avoid snakes; washing in rivers; leeches and method of removal; question of photographers and cameramen living under same conditions as troops; problem of high humidity affecting camera and film; meeting Chindit patrols; converting Willys Jeep to drive along railway tracks; assignments photographing Major-General Orde Wingate and General Francis Festing; arriving at Rangoon Docks prior to arrival of Allied forces; opinion of Lord Louis Mountbatten and relations with photographers. Aspect of period as photographer with No 9 Army Film and Photographic Unit in Singapore, Malaya and Java, Dutch East Indies, 8/1945-10/1945: photographing Japanese surrender to Lord Louis Mountbatten in Singapore, Malaya, 15/8/1945; living with Chinese family for two months. REEL 4 Continues: arrival at former internment camp for Dutch women on Java, Dutch East Indies; story of being taken prisoner by Indonesian forces and offering to take photographs of President Sukano and his cabinet in exchange for release; detainment on return to Allied lines; reaction in GB to his photographs of President Sukano.