Description
Object description
British medical officer served with Royal Army Medical Corps in Italy and Austria, 1945-1947
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of period as medical officer with Royal Army Medical Corps in Italy, 5/1945: situation in Po Valley area following end of Second World War, 5/1945; first experience of encountering Russians serving with German Army; Latvian family background and ability to speak Russian language; attitude towards Russians serving with German Army; background to posting to Austria. Recollections of period as medical officer with Royal Army Medical Corps in Lienz, Austria, 5/1945-6/1945: initial impressions of Austria; role in charge of all prisoners of war in Lienz area; description of various Cossack groups; attitude to behaviour of Cossacks serving with German Army during Second World War; situation of Cossack dependents; opinion of Cossack generals including Lieutenant-General Pyotr Krasnov.
REEL 2 Continues: relations between British officers and Cossacks; briefing on role in forced repatriation of Cossacks; description of Cossacks being disarmed at Spittal an der Dau; how Lieutenant-General Pyotr Krasnov's appeal for exemption was turned down; hearing Cossacks singing songs; description of Cossacks being loaded onto trains and deported; attitude to forced repatriation of Cossacks and other groups; problem of inadequate screening process; attitude to treatment of women and children; opinion of forced repatriation policy and question of deception; living conditions in Austria and problem of shortages; drugs and medical supplies. Recollections of period as medical officer with Royal Army Medical Corps in Italy, 1947: posting to work with pro-German Ukrainian prisoners of war in Rimini.
REEL 3 Continues: background to recruitment of Ukrainians into German Army including 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Galician); reasons for Ukrainians not being repatriated; description of prisoner of war camps in Italy; relations between Ukrainian prisoners of war and Ukrainian civilians living outside camp; story about female courier; attitude to prosecution of war criminals; relations with Vatican; support for Ukrainians from Canada; question of prisoners of war not being screened for Waffen-SS membership; attitude to Ukrainian prisoners of war being sent to GB and attempts to initiate legal proceedings against them. Reflections of period in Soviet Union and GB, 1925-1990: opinion of Nikolai Tolstoy and libel case against Lord Aldington; story of moving to GB to study medicine, 1925; opinion of regime of Soviet Union; reflections on Spanish Civil War and Second World War.
REEL 4 Continues: memories of childhood in Latvia, Imperial Russian Empire and moving to GB, 1925; volunteering to fight for Soviet Army following German invasion of Soviet Union, 6/1941; effects of Russian Revolution and Second World War on family; opinion of Mikhail Gorbachev and his policies.