Powell, Hugo (Oral history)

British civilian artist and conscientious objector served with Friends Ambulance Unit in GB, 1939-1941; served as surgical nurse with Hadfield-Spears Ambulance Unit, 1st Free French Div in Palestine, French Syria, North Africa, Italy and France, 1941-1945

REEL 1 Background in Reading and London, GB, 1919-1939: family; awareness of effects of war; opinion of education at Leighton Park School, Reading; joining Peace Pledge Union at Hornsey School of Art, London; reaction of family to his pacifist beliefs; incident of being handed white feather at time of outbreak of Second World War, 9/1939; activities with Boys' Pacifist Society at Leighton Park School, Reading; story relating to Jewish boys in class; opinion of League of Nations; attitude to Spanish Civil War. Aspects of period as conscientious objector in GB, 1939-1940: basis of pacifist beliefs and reasons for taking a conscientious objector stance; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; registering as a conscientious objector and joining Friends Ambulance Unit, 1939; description of tribunal in Birmingham and reaction to verdict of conditional exemption, 1940; prior recollections of headmaster at Leighton Park School, Reading. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period as nurse with Friends' Ambulance Unit in GB, 1940-1941: attitude to role in war; hospital work at Gloucester City General Hospital, Gloucester; training at Friends Ambulance Training Camp, Manor Farm, Northfield, Birmingham; work during German Air Force bombing campaign in London; attitude to medical work treating sick and injured patients; question of being thought a coward and comparison of experiences with relatives who served in armed forces. Recollections of period as nurse with Hadfield-Spears Ambulance Unit, 1st Free French Div in Palestine, French Syria and Lebanon, 1941: history of Hadfield-Spears Ambulance Unit; description of field hospital and workshop; opinion of efficiency of unit and morale; description of uniform; relations between Friends' Ambulance Unit and Free French Forces personnel; journey to Sarafand, Palestine via Port Tewfik, Egypt; arrival during battle between Vichy French and Free French forces in French Syria; description of journey to Damascus, French Syria, 7/1941; political situation in French Syria; attitude of Free French Forces to Spears family and Friends Ambulance Unit. REEL 3 Continues: story about Lady Mary Spears antagonising Free French personnel; setting up clinics in French Syria following armistice and role of Quakers, 8/1941; work in Beqaa Valley, Lebanon; nature of poverty in area; method of wheat distribution; amusing story about sheik's daughter; attitude to work in French Syria. Recollections of period as nurse with Spears-Hadfield Ambulance Unit, 1st Free French Div in North Africa, 1942-1944: opinion of Free French Forces; setting up casualty clearing station in Tobruk and advanced posts at El Azragh and Bir Hakeim, Libya, 1942; Axis bombing of Tobruk, Libya; evacuation of hospital and retreat to El Alamein, Egypt; surgical nursing duties; multi-national composition of 1st Free French Div including Foreign Legion component; story of being ordered at gunpoint to give morphine to soldier's friend; description of hospital moving up to front line prior to start of Battle of El Alamein, Egypt, 10/1942; artillery bombardment at start of Battle of El Alamein, 23/10/1942; role searching for casualties in minefields during battle; Axis bombing of hospital being bombed and evacuation further back behind lines. REEL 4 Continues: casualties from Axis bombing of hospial; role of unit as mobile hospital during Battle of El Alamein, 10/1943-11/1942; problem with minefields; comparison of German and Italian prisoners of war reaction to outcome of Battle of El Alamein, 11/1942; amusing story about General Archibald Wavell; opinion of General Charles de Gaulle; story about Lady Mary Spears wearing First World War medals; journey to Mareth Line, Tunisia; memories of various unit personnel; problem of boredom in desert and remoteness from Friends Ambulance Unit; recreational activities; pay. Aspects of period as nurse with Hadfield-Spears Ambulance Unit, 1st Free French Div in Italy, 4/1944-8/1944: move to Italy, 4/1944; arrival in Naples and initial impressions of living conditions there; story of taking tinned food from liberty ship to give to local civilians; move to Monte Cassino and location of hospital; incident of being shelled by German tank until Red Cross flags waved. REEL 5 Continues: description of battlefield and casualties at Monte Cassino; problem of having nightmares; treating wounded; reassessing pacifist beliefs following news of concentration camps; attitude to risks faced as non-combatant; reasons for volunteering to work at advanced posts; female French nurse unable to cope with conditions; attitude to medical work with wounded; period near Lake Bolsena prior to move to France. Recollections of period as nurse with Hadfield-Spears Ambulance Unit, 1st Free French Div in France, 1944-1945: description of landing near Fréjus; contracting malaria and medical treatment; rejoining unit in Rhône Valley; fighting and casualties at Lure; unit award of Croix de Guerre; problem of post-traumatic stress after war; description of 1st Free French Div's return to France; story of protesting about young French woman having head shaved; attitude to behaviour of French Army troops billeted in Germany. REEL 6 Continues: description of Victory Parade in Paris and reaction of General Charles de Gaulle to presence of Hadfield-Spears Ambulance Unit; story of 1st Free French Div threatening to return medals after General Charles de Gaulle ordered unit to leave France; send off received from 1st Free French Div. Reflections on service with Hadfield-Spears Ambulance Unit during Second World War: psychological condition following end of war and problem of recurring nightmares; attitude to returning to Friends Ambulance Unit; effect of wartime experiences on own art; role of women in Hadfield-Spears Ambulance Unit; attitude towards nuclear disarmament and peace movement.