Brown, William Parker (IWM interview)

British NCO served with 14th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB,1940-1944; served with 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB and North West Europe, 1944

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Sunderland area, GB, 1919-1939: education; work as bricklayer, 1933-1939; military orientation of activities with 'Chums' Salvation Army group, 1928-1929; knowledge of army lifestyle; awareness of approach of war and question of joining army. Registering for military service at Sunderland, 5/1939; reactions to outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; direction to build air raid shelters in Hendon, Sunderland, 9/1939: pay; method of construction; refusal of reserved occupation status. Recollections of call up to Durham Light Infantry Depot, Brancepeth Castle, 11/11/1939: reception; reaction to not being called up to join Royal Engineers as expected; uniform and equipment issued; straw palliasses; accommodation in Willington; rifles issued. REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of conditions of service and basic training at Willington, 11/1939-1/1940: methods of preparation for kit inspections; rations; drill and question of light infantry pace; story of dispute with Corporal Rookes; rifle training and maintenance; bayonet drill; grenade training and rifle grenades; Bren gun training; gas precautions and training; route marches; relationship with other ranks. REEL 3 Continues question of standards of cleanliness; relationship with other ranks; recreations; relationship with local civilians; relationship with NCOs and officers; reactions to army lifestyle; ambition to become sergeant instructor and refusal of opportunity to become officer; promotion to lance corporal. Posting to cadre course at Durham Light Infantry Depot at Brancepeth Castle, 2/1940-5/1940: training methods in techniques of instruction; syllabus; sister's improvements to uniform; recollections of Colonel Jock Halstead; reinforcements sent to France. Aspects of posting with small section to guard viaduct at Dawdon Colliery near Seaham, 5/1940-6/1940: unofficial promotion of soldier as lance corporal; unofficial court martial and punishment issued; circumstances of remarks praising German Army and consequent charges and story of appearing in front of Halstead. REEL 4 Continues: reduction to private, transfer to regimental police and news of posting on its formation to 14th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. Aspects of period with 14th Bn Durham Light Infantry at Spennymoor, 6/1940-7/1940: duties in regimental police; warning to avoid veterans from Dunkirk evacuation; promotion to lance corporal, duties giving basic training; reception and nickname as 'Young Topper' on joining 14th Battalion, 6/7/1940; opinion of reason for suicide of Halstead. Recollections of giving recruits their basic training with B Coy, 14th Bn Durham Light Infantry at Duddingston Camp, Edinburgh and in billets at Guillane, 7/1940-12/1940: reception of first recruits and their origins; difficulty in issuing uniform and equipment; wealthy recruits reaction to rations; necessity for introduction of sympathetic training methods and example of contrast with former method in rifle training; vocabulary used in training; instruction in 'hating' Germans; story of conscientious objector who secured his discharge by starvation diet; discharge of inadequate recruits. REEL 5 Continues: question of 'working ticket'; attitude to prospect of active service; promotion to corporal; running bingo and accidental exposure of previous financial dishonesty; promotion to sergeant; sergeants mess protocol, recreations, drinking habits; use of Indian service slang; relationship between regular NCOs and new NCOs illustrated by complaints at Brown's early promotion; story of disciplinary clash between Company Sergeant Major Rossendale and adjutant; duties in command of guard and as orderly sergeant; ruse used in covering gaps in stores inventory on leaving; fire incident. Recollections of period with B Coy 14th Bn Durham Light Infantry in Folkestone area, 12/1941-8/1942: erroneous warnings as to areas status as war zone and danger of booby traps. REEL 6 Continues: accommodation in John Moore Barracks, Shorncliffe; preparations by B Company for inspection by Montgomery and his inspection of unprepared C Company; promotion to company sergeant major; recollections of Sergeant Major Rooke and his arrest by civilian police for stealing from hotel billets; movements on south coast; role as Company Sergeant Major; period as sergeants mess caterer and story of running dance bar, profit made and awareness of common financial irregularities; officers mess and their drinking habits; story of dispute with officer over the abandonment of coastal guard posts; state of coastal defences, efforts to improve them and story of accident laying minefield; role sending drafts to other battalions and training new drafts. REEL 7 Continues: escape from aerial bombing of church and long range artillery; British railway gun at Dover; story illustrating relationship with Rookes; movements on south coast. Recollections of period in Durham area and elsewhere in north east, c10/1942: role as weapons instructor; quality of recruits; attending course at Small Arms School, Bisley, 16/11/1942-23/12/1942; Piat training. Recollections of period with 14th Bn Durham Light Infantry in Durham area and elsewhere in north east, GB, 12/1942: story of fire exercise using live ammunition and reprimand for overuse; recollections of Appleby; battle school style training and pincer movement tactics; post exercise analysis and opinion of officers; refusal of opportunity to become officer. REEL 8 Continues: refusal of opportunity to become officer; run down of activities. Posting as instructor to Highland Fieldcraft Training Centre, 1943: initial impressions; role of centre; opinion of training methods; Scottish kilt traditions; church parade with Lord Rowellan; question of influence of masonry in army; story of resue mission across moors for shipwrecked sailors; question of influence of Brown's regimental approach. Period as NCO with 14th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1944: question of morale in unit; reason for acceptance of offer of transfer to active service battalion and question of refusal of majority. Recollections of period with 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1944: circumstances of posting as Company Sergeant Major D Coy despite original posting as Regimental Sergeant Major; first impressions and reception on arrival; role as Company Sergeant Major; opinion of military efficiency of unit; opinion of Sergeant Wallbank's approach to fighting and looting. REEL 9 Continues: Aspects of service with 14th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, 1940-1944: recollections of Leslie Timmins, Sebag Montefiore and 'Crank 'Dryden including his alleged homosexuality; period in billets in Noel Coward's house at Aldington, 12/1940-2/1941; conscientious objector; lecturing Home Guard; success in improving drill standards; state of morale; dry landing exercises at Hayling Island; sports and drill competition; inspection by Eisenhower; state of morale; maps; radio sets; personal morale; embarkation and disembarkation on operations postponement, 3/6/1944; change in order of landing; orders to land carrying folding bicycles and wearing gas trousers. REEL 10 Continues: gas trousers and equipment to be carried. Recollections of voyage with 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry in Landing Craft Infantry from GB to Normandy, 6/6/1944: impression of white tapes in sea; seasickness; O group briefings; efforts to provide breakfast and personal seasickness; story of Corporal Hamilton throwing parade statement for D Coy overboard; opinion of Pat English and Captain Kalliber; preparations. Recollections of operations as NCO during landings on Gold Beach, Normandy, 6/6/1944: view of rocket ships; running aground 500 yards from beach and absence of landing craft; lack of training in landing craft; absence of German fire; refusal to swim ashore; running aground 200 yards from shore and continued refusal to swim ashore; American sailor's action in swimming ashore with rope line; landing and problem with waterlogged gas trousers; volunteers to join advanced party to rendezvous point; question of absence of German opposition to landing as result of bombardment; movement to rendezvous position; first casualty and case of self inflicted wound; question of relevance of training. REEL 11 Continues: Recollections of moving inland to Bayeux and Tilly-sur-Seulles, 6/6/1944-11/6/1944: young German sniper; absence of effective opposition; reception from French civilians; unofficial disposal of bicycles; kit carried; outbreak of panic firing at night; role following up advanced units; prevalence of looting and story illustrating attitude to looting; German POWs; lack of effective German opposition and British stragglers during movements forward in attack formation; story of accepting wounded German soldier's surrender; composition rations; first hot food and death of Colour Sergeant Simon Waters Barron; personal morale. Recollections of operations at St Pierre, 6/1944: capture without opposition; coming under fire from German mortar; defensive positions at farm including old German positions; question of method of distribution of medals. REEL 12 Continues: tour of farmhouse positions; attempt to use Piat against Tiger tanks, its failure to fire, evacuation of farmhouse and slight head wound; medical treatment at regimental aid post; personal morale; withdrawal of Tiger tanks and their weaponry; nature of defensive positions; view of tank crew evacuating burning tank; reactions under fire; state of unit morale. Aspects of preparations with 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry for attack on Caen, 6/1944: question of use of searchlights; rest period; air war situation; personal morale and role as Company Sergeant Major; cancellation of attack as Germans retreated. Recollections of period with 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry in Falaise sector, 8/1944: story of getting lice from dirty soldier and delousing at regimental aid post. REEL 13 Continues: story of delousing at regimental aid post and allergic reaction to blue unction; patrol to attempt to take German prisoner; surrender of German troops on attack; opinion of German troops; story of provost sergeant killing German POWs; lack of awareness of casualties, fire patterns and role of officers during attacks. Aspects of operations with 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry during advance into Belgium, 8/1944: use of trucks; clearing pockets of German resistance; reactions to French Resistance treatment of collaborators; reception from Belgian civilians at Brussels. Recollections of operations with 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry to cross Albert Canal, 9/1944: interrupted rest period; difficulty carrying collapsible boats; crossing canal under enfilade machine gun fire; establishing defensive positions and situation; capture of 17 Platoon in advanced position and individual reconnaissance patrol to investigate; severe stomach wound and initial field dressing. REEL 14 Continues: Recollections of evacuation and medical treatment, 9/1944-10/1944: morphia injection at regimental aid post treatment; evacuation in jeep and isolated German tank's cooperation in allowing wounded to cross canal bridge; operation by surgeon at field hospital; story of how George Self won DCM; reactions following early colostomy operation; reactions to seriousness of wounds and subsequent reactions to survival; problem with septic stitches; attack of phlebitis; period in hospital in Brussels; pain problem. Story of getting drunk with Jack Lacey and comments on various personalities in 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry in Falaise sector, 1944. Question of integration into 8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. REEL 15 Continues: Assessment of officers, NCOs and other ranks in 8th Bn, Durham Light Infantry, 6/1944-9/1944: relative role; role of CSMs; performance and role of Regiment Sergeant Major in action; opinion of officers' ability and performance; question of removing badges of rank in action; opinion of NCOs; relationship with NCOs and officers; opinion of other ranks; story of soldier going absent without leave from 14th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry and his subsequent conduct in France; question of integration of new drafts and of battle fatigue in battalion; opinion of battalion's military efficiency. Aspects of period of hospitalisation in Walsall General Hospital, GB, 1944-1945: medical state and previously unnoticed thumb wound; surgeon's decision to attempt to reverse colostomy operation. REEL 16 Continues: story of German POW disguised as patient in his ward; diet prior to successful reversal of colostomy operation; successful unofficial operation on rectal abscess; convalescence; story of unofficial removal of appendicitis; visitors. Aspects of discharge from army as unfit, 1945: pension arrangements; convalescence at home; return to work in building trade; question of physical and mental effects of war; recruitment to 325 Royal Artillery (Durham Light Infantry) Territorial Army following first unsuccessful marriage, 1946.