Description
Object description
British private trained with Durham Light Infantry Regimental Depot at Brancepeth Caslte in GB, 1939-1940; private and NCO served with 9th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 151st Infantry Bde, 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Div in GB, Cyprus, Iraq, North Africa, Italy and North-West Europe, 1939-1944
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Sunderland, GB, 1918-1939: family; education; employment. Aspects of training as private with Durham Light Infantry Regimental Depot at Brancepeth Castle in GB, 1939-1940: call-up to Militia, 1939; question of participation in active service; British Army number; posting to regimental depot and request to join Royal Navy; arrival at regimental depot; discipline; live firing at Whitburn; drills; route marches; Light Infantry marching pace; physical training; sleeping arrangements; rifle and bayonet training; weapons training; later exercises on Exmoor; guard duties. Aspects of period as private with 9th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 151st Infantry Bde, 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Div in GB and Cyprus, 1940-1941: joining battalion and Carrier Platoon at Rugeley, GB; introduction to first Universal Carrier at Meadowfield; characteristics of Universal Carrier; composition of Universal Carrier crew and Carrier Platoon; role in schemes and in action; opinion of Universal Carrier; training; reception on arrival at Rugeley; move to Devonshire; duties; accommodation; relations with civilians; rations; state of battalion; NCOs and officers in battalion; journey to Cyprus; duties in Cyprus. Aspects of period as private with 9th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 151st Infantry Bde, 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Div in Iraq, 1941-1942: journey in convoy to Iraq.
REEL 2 Continues: precautions taken against theft of rifles at Habbaniyah; transit role; opinion of guards at overnight camps; care of Universal Carriers on journey. Aspects of operations as private with 9th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 151st Infantry Bde, 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Div in North Africa, 1942-1943: life in 151st Brigade Box, Gazala, Libya; accommodation; latrines; rations and water ration; lamps made; parcels received from Sunderland Corporation; censorship of mail; air activity; maintenance of Universal Carrier; camouflage of vehicles; terrain; loss of sight; leave in Alexandria and Cairo, Egypt; washing facilities; 151st Brigade Box defences; patrols in Universal Carrier; Axis attack on airfield at Timimi, Libya and counter-attack; news of withdrawal; retreat to Tobruk, Libya; intermingling with Deutsches Afrika Korps patrol; position taken inland; capture of Ordnance QF 25 Pounder Field Guns; action against Deutsches Afrika Korps; retreat to El Alamein Line, Egypt; positions at Mersah Matruh, Egypt; casualties; memories of Lieutenant-Colonel Joscelyn Percy; rejoining battalion; lack of discussion about war; Axis artillery fire on El Alamein Line, Egypt; tanks; taking of objective; inspection prior to action on Mareth Line, Tunisia; similarity of terrain across North Africa; events during Battle of Mareth in Tunisia; incident at Gazala, Libya; religion; question of thinking of prospect of wounding.
REEL 3 Continues: role of Universal Carriers during Battle of Mareth in Tunisia; unit casualties at Wadi Akarit, Tunisia; uses and weaknesses of Universal Carrier; communications; advance to Enfidaville, Tunisia; role taking Universal Carriers to Benghazi, Libya; problems with flies; story of earlier narrow escape at Tobruk, Libya; waterproofing Universal Carriers. Aspects of operations as private with 9th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 151st Infantry Bde, 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Div on Sicily, Italy, 7/1943: voyage to, landings and disembarkation on Sicily; journey to rejoin battalion; absence and opinion of officers; fear of mines on journey to Avola; march to Primosole Bridge and scenes on arrival; drives across minefield; events occuring across Primosole Bridge; capture of German prisoners of war; supply of ammunition to forward company; walk along sunken road after battle; description of German prisoners of war; charge of German half-tracks through position; death of Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Clarke at Fosso Bottaceto, 23/7/1943; reception from civilians; return to GB. Aspects of period as private with 9th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 151st Infantry Bde, 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Div in GB, 1943-1944: posting to Saffron Walden; hospitalisation. Recollections of operations as private with 9th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 151st Infantry Bde, 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Bde in North West Europe, 6/1944-12/1944: background to rejoining battalion at Bayeux, Normandy, France; memories of Colonel Mogg; role with Universal Carrier; drinking in wine store at Lingèvres, Normandy, France; attack of German Tiger Tank and subsequent counter-attack.
REEL 4 Continues: presene of civilians at Falaise, Normandy, France; break-up of 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Div, 12/1944; reasons for not remembering action at Gheel, Belgium, 9/1944; anticipation of destination of fire; discussion of German weapons; story of artillery shell hitting his half-track; mines and booby traps; question of worst conditions faced; accommodation at Nijmegen, Netherlands; winter conditions, 12/1944. Reflections on military service, 1939-1945: actions on route through Germany; duties in Berlin, Germany, 1945; reception from civilians; search for Schutzstaffel (SS) personnel; black market; attitude towards civilians in Berlin, Germany; story of having German girlfriend; duties; prior recollection of action at Mersa Matruh, Egypt, 1942 for which he received a Mention in Dispatches; demobilisation; reason for not using up leave; post-war civilian employment; prior recollection of reception recieved from civilians in Brussels, Belgium and Netherlands, 1944; prior recollection of inspection in Tiverton, GB, 1940; membership of Eighth Army Association; reason for not keeping in touch with Durham Light Infantry.