Kerevan, Benjamin (Oral history)

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Description

Object description

British private served with 70th (Young Soldier) Bn Border Regt in GB, 1941-1942; trooper served with 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry in GB, 1942-1943; NCO trained as wireless operator with Special Operations Executive in GB, Egypt and Palestine, 1943-1944; served with Military Mission, Special Operations Executive in Peloponnese area, Greece, 6/1944-12/1944; served with IS9 (CMF), MI9, Secret Intelligence Service in Italy, 1945

Content description

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1925-1941: family; education; employment. Aspects of period as private with 70th (Young Soldier) Bn Border Regt in GB, 1941-1942: enlistment underage, 1941; reaction to initial training, 1941; presence of ex-Borstal boys in unit; hospitalisation for appendicitis and return to unit; street fighting training at Leith; disbandment of unit; posting to 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 1942-1943. Aspects of period as wireless operator with Special Operations Executive in GB, Egypt and Palestine, 1943-1944: background to recruitment to Special Operations Executive including taking Morse Code test; question of foreknowledge of Special Operations Executive; voyage from GB to Egypt; initial impressions of Port Said, Egypt, 9/1943; relations with Egyptian civilians; wireless training at Middle East Training School (ME102), Special Operations Executive at Mount Carmel, Haifa, Palestine. REEL 2 Continues: parachute training at No 4 Parachute Training School, RAF at RAF Ramat David, Palestine; attitude towards length of training; issue of kit; opinion of degree of preparedness for operations in Greece. Recollections of period as wireless operator with Military Mission, Special Operations Executive in Peloponnese area, Greece, 6/1944-12/1944: parachute drop, 6/1944; modification of clothing; mule ride to camp; nature of wireless work; story of British destroyer's failure to recognise his signals requesting pick up of mutineering German troops; compensation to villagers for war damage; living conditions; loss of air dropped supplies to villagers. REEL 3 Continues: reaction of Major Tony Andrews to visits from Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS) guerrillas; presence of German deserters in camp; liberation of Patras; liaison officer's inaccurate reports; story of being left to sleep in middle of nowhere by Major Tony Andrews; drive towards Athens; contact with 2nd Independent Parachute Bde at Megara; encounter with New Zealand soldier living in hills since 1941. REEL 4 Continues: Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS) attack on convoy; entering Athens and contact with Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS) member, 12/1944; police firing on Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS) demonstration, 12/1944; nature of street fighting in Athens, 12/1944; looting by troops; civilian casualties; leaving Greece; rocketing of Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS) positions on Acropolis by Royal Air Force, 12/1944; attitude towards Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS) within Special Operations Executive; relations with Greeks and help they gave Special Operations Executive. REEL 5 Continues: Greek attitude towards Germans. Aspects of period as wireless operator with IS9 (CMF), MI9, Secret Intelligence Service in Italy, 1945: news of posting to Italy; secondment to security service; treatment of collaborators in Bologna; liberation scene in Mantua; looting including Lagonda car and tapestry from Benito Mussolini's house. Estimate of value of Special Operations Executive particularly in Greece.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1945-1989 (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Wood, Conrad (Recorder)
Kerevan, Benjamin (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 1987-03-02
Dimensions: whole: Duration 150, Number Of Items 5
Catalogue number: 9723

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Kerevan, Benjamin (Oral history)

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