Elliott, George Dennis (Oral history)

British private trained at Durham Light Infantry depot in GB, 1932-1933; served with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1933; private served with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in India, Sudan and GB, 1933-1939; private served with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1939-1940; private and NCO served with 50 Div Headquarters in GB, France and Belgium, 1939-1942; NCO served with 70th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1942-1943; NCO served with 10th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, and North West Europe, 1943-1946

REEL 1 Background in Wheatley Hill, GB, 1913-1932: family; father's service in the World Wars; community; education; story of qualification for Inter-School Running Competition; death of brother; football; school exams; grammar school entry; family home; miners payment to hospitals and Colliery Welfare; food; community spirit. REEL 2 Continues: story of forbidden courting; falling out with father and reason for joining army; work at Shotton and Wheatley Hill Collieries; story of ghost in pit; details of shifts and pay; lunch; pay increases and insurance; union; jobs worked in collieries; story of accident; compensation; promotions in pit; stories from work as miner; story demonstrating the importance of safety. REEL 3 Continues: travel to Shotten Colliery; start of mining work; the cage; pit ponies; pit safety and lamps; wagon waymen; tests for gas; men allowed at coal face; accidents; memories of Billy McCreagh; relationship with ponies; comparison of comradeship in mines and army; movement around pit; mine layout; effects of 1926 General Strike. REEL 4 Continues: local cricket; pit spoil; drinking among miners; leisure activities; religion and marriage; story behind his losing faith while in army; service with British Legion following war; reasons behind joining army; enlistment in army; attitude of civilians towards army; meetings with girlfriend. REEL 5 Continues: reason for wanting to join a certain army units; resolve to join army. Recollections of period as recruit with Durham Light Infantry in GB, 8/1932-2/1933: process of recruitment; opinion of recruitment officer; journey to Fenham Barracks; arrival at Fenham; time waiting for squad to be formed; issue of kit; buttons and badges on uniform; clothing and equipment issued; storage of equipment; details of pay; details of life in barracks; drill; problems with Northumberland Fusiliers on drill; marching pace; overview of training at Fenham; weapon training. REEL 6 Continues: REEL 7 Continues: memories of Corporal Percival; abuse of authority; visits to Aunt at Gateshead; story of reprimand over time in Leazes Park; reasons for places being out of bounds; relationship with civilians; teaching of Bn history; Regimental pride; guard duty at Tynemouth Castle; reactions to being on guard duty; opinions of NCOs at Fenham; memories of the Commanding Officer; length of stay at Fenham; Christmas 1932; news of move to Catterick Camp at training's end; competitions squad took part in. REEL 8 Continues: size of squad; journey to Richmond. Recollections of period as private with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 2/1933-9/1933: march into camp with band; paces marched at; make-up of Catterick Camp; activities and differences from time at Depot; observation marches; route marches; singing and humour on route marches; marching into camp; length of marches; water; care of feet; details of tactical exercises. REEL 9 Continues: activities on tactical exercises; reasons for troops not taking exercises seriously; weapons tests and effect on pay; proficiency with weapons; opinion of Lewis Gun; examples of mechanical failure of Lewis Gun; hand signals and whistle calls; gas training; accommodation; cleaning of accommodation; difference in atmosphere from recruit training; leisure activities; embarkation leave; news of draft abroad; reactions to going abroad; attitude to promotion; opinion that Regiment would block transfers. REEL 10 Continues: opinions on being blocked from returning to mining in 1941; possibilities for learning a trade in army; qualification as Nursing Orderly and attempt to transfer to Royal Army Medical Corps; reason for not taking First Certificate of Education; reaction to not being given RAMC transfer; activities on embarkation leave; reaction of relations to his going abroad; other men from village in army; contact with miners on leave; preparations for embarkation; issue of khaki drill; inoculations; training for life in India; journey to Southampton; equipment carried; time on dock; first sentry duty; relationships with troops from other Regiments. REEL 11: Continues: Aspects of journey from Southampton, GB, to Bombay aboard the HMT Dorsetshire, 9/1933-10/1933: description of ship; conditions; arrival on board; equipment carried onboard; khaki drill issued; reactions to situation; activities onboard; size of draft; organisation of draft; morning procedures; sleeping arrangements; getting used to boat; breakfast; cleaning of ship; restricted areas; leisure activities; death of Private Henty and ship rules; contact with officers on voyage; lectures; women seen on arrival in India; boat drill; accommodation of NCOs; deck inspections; gambling; problems caused by gambling; army attitude to stealing; canteen; discipline; opinion of voyage; help of humour. REEL 12 Continues: duties guarding water-tight doors; free time; changes in climate; warnings about climate; army attitude towards sunburn, VD and scabies; punishment for earlier contraction of scabies; opinion about this; medical on boat; canteen; mail; impressions of Suez Canal; restricted areas on ship; religious ceremonies; meals; lights out; rations; civilians in ports stopped at; opinion of civilians; signs were approaching India. Recollections of period as private with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in India, 10/1933-2/1937: arrival in India; issue of bedding; journey to Barrackpore; scenes on journey; poverty seen in India. REEL 13 Continues: split of battalion; description of Barrackpore camp; accommodation; organisation of unit; details of Barrack Blocks and sleeping arrangements; latrines; punkahs; storage of equipment; securing of rifle and ammunition; room orderly duties; problems with theft; civilian workers in camp; details of pay; typical day at Barrackpore; guard duties; standard of turnout; stick man; line of command in guard; visits from officers while on guard. REEL 14 Continues: sports; Leward's promotion of rugby; rugby in Bombay; routine of a day; story of charge from guard duty; opinion of officers in India; story of a bet between two officers; contact with officers; story of padre at Deepcut; guard duty at Cossipore; makeup of a duty; types of guard duty. REEL 15 Continues: stick man's duties; bugler; story of a practice emergency call; flag marching; sleeping arrangements; activities on marches; behaviour on marches; relationship with civilians; length of march and standard of turnout; terrain and tracks; Coy detachments; crafts; beating the retreat; story of drummer on parade with broken chin strap; relaxed dress; Barrackpore bazaar; Indian way of life; going out of camp; Hindu holy man; move to Bombay; accommodation and problems with bed bugs. REEL 16 Continues: make-up of camps at Bombay and Deolali; contact with Indian troops; rations; duties; incidents in Bombay; out of bounds areas; venereal disease; Methodist chapel and relationship with civilians; importance of religion; leisure activities; processes of leaving and entering camp; leave; field training; duties on Deolali detachment; stories of snakes on firing course. REEL 17 Continues: reward for being stick man three times; comradeship in helping get ready for guard; pride in turnout; story of rifle charge; duties with garrison police; story of refusal to charge troops; more on police duties; out of bounds areas; responsibilities and organisation of garrison police; reasons for posting to Regimental Nursing Orderly; initial refusal to do duty and attempts to get out of it; attitude of nurses in hospital; equivalent ranks of nurses; stories of friction with nurses. REEL 18 Continues: treatment of Welch Regiment rugby team; qualification as Nursing Orderly; duties; sterilising of equipment; first aid training; uniform; staff on ward; doctors in hospital; wings in hospital; Major Allinmon's visit; pay; shifts; wards; illnesses dealt with; discipline; relationship with patients; rations; water rations; accommodation at Deolali; relationship with civilians; caste system; Deolali bazaar; division of time between Bombay and Deolali; weapons and field training; spilt of Bn between Deolali and Bombay; section and Coy training; training for civil riots; 1936 Bombay riots. REEL 18A Continues: opinion of Indian troops; attitude towards training; Gurkha troops; preparation for move to Sudan; health of Bn in India; problems with VD; treatment of skin conditions; death of a Sergeant's wife; mail; ceremonies at home and abroad; Sovereign's birthday parade; inspections and standard of turnout; differences with service abroad and reasons for men to join armed forces; poverty in India; memories of officers and NCOs in India. REEL 19 Continues: opinion of time as Nursing Orderly; reactions to not being able to stay with Royal Army Medical Corps; reason for Bn leaving India; meeting with and advice given to Tom Scott; news of posting to Sudan; preparations for posting; knowledge of Sudan; voyage from India to Sudan; sleeping arrangements; leisure activities. Recollections of period as private with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in Sudan, 2/1937-11/1937: arrival at Port Sudan; journey to Khartoum; other units in Sudan; reason for short stay; accommodation; latrines; water rations; conditions from heat; rations; guards; story behind becoming batman; cleaning of accommodation and kit; supervision of officer's bath. REEL 20 Continues: role in dinner preparation; washing of uniform; waiting in officer's mess; guest night in mess; customs of mess; length of meals; provision for own meal; preparation of bed; pay; morning duties; difficulties of waking officers; duties during day; relationship with Lieutenant Jeffreys and his family; later incident with Jeffrey's mother in law; end of career with Jeffreys; weapons training; driving course. REEL 21 Continues: reason for not passing out; Khartoum's reputation for death; treatment for malaria; effect of illness on duties; story of sandstorm during weapon course; sports; story of trip with battalion fishing club; reason for not visiting Khartoum; Regimental Band concerts; gambling; inconsistency in army's attitude to gambling; films; Hooge Day celebrations. REEL 22 Continues: celebration days in general; detachment at Adbarra; journey to Woking. Aspects of period as private with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 12/1937-7/1939: death of brother; leave; batman duties at Jeffreys' house; accommodation in Pullen; leisure time; getting news from barracks; relationship with civilians; reactions to leaving Pullen; duties on return to barracks. REEL 23 Continues: weapons course with substitutions for Bren Gun and Boyes Anti-Tank Rifle; description of Camp Woking; first National Service soldiers; reason for depletion of 2nd Bn at Woking; role of 2nd Bn; vocational training course; offer of job as instructor; reasons for turning it down; Airtrack Fitter Improvement Course at Waddon; accommodation on course; clothing. Aspects of period as civilian in GB, 7/1939-9/1939: job gained following course; procedures of leaving army; details of work on Sterman bomb bays at Rochester; mobilisation and return to army. REEL 24 Continues: reactions to mobilisation and signs of approaching war from 1937. Aspects of period as private with Depot Durham Light Infantry in GB, 9/1939-1/1940: reasons for delay in arrival at Fenham; opinions on length of war; re-equipment; move of Depot to Brancepeth Castle; troops at Depot; drafts to other Regiments; duties at Brancepeth Castle; state of car requisitioned to drive; reaction to draft into 6th Bn; accommodation and arrival in Chipping Norton; help with field training; interview with Commanding Officer; earlier refusals of batman duties; story of interview with Major General Martell. Aspects of period as private with 50 Div Headquarters in GB, 12/1939-5/1940: arrival in Burford; first impressions of the Major General. REEL 25 Continues: opinion of why some officers are bad; examples of bad officers; time at 50 Div Headquarters; duties on visit of King George VI; stories from the King's inspection; reactions to meeting King; details of advance party; journey to Caens via Cherbourg. Recollections of operations as private with 50 Div Headquarters in France, 1/1940-5/1940: accommodation at Caens; rations on journeys; towns stayed at in France; set-up of Headquarters at Villemontini; officer's mess; duties as bodyguard to Martell; story of being stopped by Military Police and making tea at Headquarters; comparison of batman duties with Lieutenant Jeffreys; role of 50 Div Headquarters at Villemontini; accompanying Martell on billet searches. REEL 26 Continues: other towns Headquarters was based in; story of relationship with grocer; memories of General Martell; summary of movement around France and Belgium after German invasion; orders to go to Brussels; story of Joe Gort's bravery during German attack in Belgian village; summary of time during German advance; story of troops at Vimy; story of rest for 50 Div drivers; start of to Dunkirk; meal at Armentieres; difficulties of getting transport to coast. REEL 27 Continues: arrival at compound; directed onto beach; opinion of the destruction of vehicles; joined Martell; organisation of evacuation; air activity; rations; time in Dunkirk with Martell; boarding of ship; state of troops; time on ship. Aspects of period as private and NCO with 50 Div Headquarters in GB, 1940-1942: arrival at Dover; tea and rations; telegram form at Canterbury; time in Aldershot; leave from Knutsford; move to Crewkerne in Somerset; accommodation; re-equipment; split of Div; Div Headquarters at Blandford; staff at Headquarters; length of stay in south- west; formation of Royal Armoured Corps and move to London; Aide-de- Camps; duties in London; Headquarters and accommodation in Hammersmith and Latimer Court; changes in contact with Major; use of free time; move of wife back to Co Durham and leave; memories of Commander-in-Chief General Brooks. REEL 28 Continues: fire piquet duties during Blitz; parachute scare in 1941; room for Duke of Gloucester; move to Latimer Court; trip to East Anglia with American Colonel; conditions on special train the Rapier; Dieppe Raid; rest in Camberley; stories from looking after Montgomery on train to Dumfries; death of Martell's daughter. Aspects of period as NCO with 70th Battalion Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1942-1943: arrival at Barnard Castle to join 70th Bn; offer of job as provost Sergeant; police duties; Fillingham's refusal to fulfil Jeffreys promise. REEL 29 Continues: reasons for going back to duties; reason for not wanting to be provost Sergeant; cleaning up of barrack room; run-in with Platoon Sergeants; story of soldier with one lung; Battle School training; death of batman; Irish Guards demonstration; special training camps; news of promotion to Lance Sergeant; duties on field training; communication; relationship with civilians; journey back after leave; discipline; disbandment of 70th Bn; reaction to disbandment. Aspects of period as NCO with 10th Battalion Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1943- 1944: posting to 10th Bn; arrival in Hamilton; introduction to Platoon. REEL 30 Continues: accommodation; training; news of role in D-Day and training; accommodation at Ross; role of Sergeant; memories of Platoon Commander John Mackie; training for D-Day at Rothesay; sappers attached; opinion of Royal Navy; journey to Southwold; accommodation; relationship with civilians; training in East Anglia; relief from 151 Bde; reactions to news of their replacement by 151 Bde in D-Day operation; anti- mine training at Brandon; move to Thetford; accommodation; training and exercises; story of misfired mortar; final preparations. REEL 31 Continues: compassionate leave; journey back from leave; return to Thetford; activities at Thetford; D-Day and journey to Newhaven; equipment issued; role; reactions to situation; morale; methods to keep morale high; memories of the Padre; voyage to France. Aspects of operations as NCO with 10th Bn Durham Light Infantry in France, 6/1944: landing in Normandy and scenes on beach; journey into countryside and state of 50th and 51st Divs; terrain; signs of battle; move into valley before first action; buying water from farmer; booby trap on wagon; plans of action; method of getting information; supporting units; role in action at St Pierre; initial advance; movement through St Pierre. REEL 32 Continues: removal of casualty; machine gun attack at orchard; rest of advance; casualties; withdrawal to orchard; reasons for withdrawal; story of prisoners; effect of action on platoon; burial of dead under fire; advance following day towards Bocage; opinion of reasons for withdrawal; selection of a Bren gun crew; opinion of German and British strengths in area; opinion of German positions; story of a direct hit on a position earlier in Dunkirk; casualties; troops reactions when in action; story of an advance by Duke of Wellingtons; wounding; initial treatment; journey back to England; treatment at Regimental Aid Post and Field Hospital; reaction to being wounded; memories of Platoon Commander John Mackie; live ammunition training. Aspects of period of hospitalisation in GB, 1944: arrival in GB; hospitals treated at; lasting effect of wound; attempts to extend contract; reactions to refusals. REEL 33 Continues: reasons for wanting to reengage. Aspects of period as NCO with 10th Battalion Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1944-1945: further on rejections including postings in Hartlepool and Edinburgh; role of a disarmament unit; role of Sergeant in unit; opinion of role; accommodation; reactions to VE Day; opinion of troops in Far East; leave Aspects of period as NCO with 10th Battalion Durham Light Infantry in Germany and Denmark, 1945-1946: reaction to posting in Germany; time being moved on through Europe before posting of draft; role of draft in Charboitz; time as provost Sergeant; description of camp; entertainment; discipline; checking of documents; story of mysterious mission; posting to similar camp in Kolding; relationship with German civilians; German disbelief on discovery of concentration camps; role at Kolding and attempts to reengage; duties at Kolding; return to Charboitz; return to GB; procedure of demobilisation at Strensall; details of pension; attempt to return to old job; opinion of failure and treatment from army; work following war; health.