Hall, Charles (Oral history)

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Description

Object description

British private served with 2/5th Bn Welch Regt in GB, 6/1940-3/1941; signaller and NCO served with Royal Corps of Signals in India, 7/1941-11/1942; NCO served with Royal Corps of Signals attached to 14th Indian Infantry Div in India and Arakan, Burma, 11/1942-4/1943; served with Royal Corps of Signals attached to 109th Indian Infantry Bde, 14th Indian Infantry Div in Chindwara, India, 1943-1945

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Birtley and London, GB, 1914-1939: family and education; father's political background and membership of Communist Party of Great Britain; memories of 1926 General Strike and miners strikes; victimisation of strikers and Communist Party of Great Britain members, 1927-1929; move to London, 1929; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; debates within trade union movement and Communist Party of Great Britain about whether war should be supported or not in 1939; question of changing political outlook whilst on coastal defence duties with 2/5th Bn Welch Regt at Portland Bill, 9/1940-10/1940. REEL 2 Continues: further details of debates in Communist Party of Great Britain about nature of Second World War. Aspects of period as private with 2/5th Bn Welch Regt in GB, 6/1940-3/1941: call-up for military service, 6/1940; lack of initial choice of role; volunteering for signals work, 10/1940; question of adjusting to military discipline; trade unionist background of conscripts; lack of equipment, summer 1940; lack of special loyalty to Welch Regt; character of initial training. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Empress of Japan from GB to India via South Africa, 3/1941-6/1941: leaving Gourock, GB, 3/1941; route of convoy across North Atlantic. REEL 3 Continues: conditions aboard troopship; advantages of volunteering for serving duties; meetings of Communist minded soldiers on board; contact with leaders of Communist Party of South Africa in Cape Town, South Africa; hospitality of South African civilians towards British service personnel. Aspects of period as signaller and NCO with Royal Corps of Signals in India, 7/1941-11/1942: period at Mhow, 7/1941-12/1941; attitude of servicemen to barracks servants; attitude of Gurkhas to British Army troops, Sibi, 1/1942-4/1942; train journey across India; move to Comilla, 4/1942-11/1942: social contact with Indian civilians. REEL 4 Continues: Indian civilian's attitude to behaviour of British Army troops; questioning by unit officers about Communist Party of Great Britain membership. Recollections of operations as NCO with Royal Corps of Signals attached to 14th Indian Infantry Div in India and Arakan, Burma, 11/1942-4/1943: move to Cox's Bazaar, India, 11/1942; attitude of Royal Air Force Regt to Indians; contracting malaria; contact with left wing Indian civilians in Calcutta, India, 1943; aim of division to capture Akyab, Burma; sight of Japanese prisoners of war; false alarm caused by elephants. REEL 5 Continues: retreat from Maungdaw, Burma; effects of monsoon; later recollection of effects of famine in Bengal, India, 1943: reaction of British troops to famine; Burmese womens' avoidance of British Army troops; description of appearance of Japanese prisoners of war in Burma, 1943. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Corps of Signals attached to 109th Indian Infantry Bde, 14th Indian Infantry Div in Chindwara, India, 1943-1945: role as brigade signals adviser; training problems; relations with India sepoys; sense of restlessness in British Army by 1945. REEL 6 Continues: British Army troops' wish for demobilisation, 1945; go-slow tactics employed by troops; political feeling in British Army at time of General Election in GB, 7/1945; contrast between officers risen from ranks and other officers; memories of Peter Murphy; influence of Indian National Congress political party on Indian troops in India.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1945-1989 (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Wood, Conrad (Recorder)
Hall, Charles (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 1986-03-03
Dimensions: whole: Duration 180, Number Of Items 6
Catalogue number: 9230

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Hall, Charles (Oral history)

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