Thornthwaite, Thomas Richard (Oral history)

British private trained at Durham Light Infantry Depot in 1933; private served with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1933-1934; private and NCO served with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in India and Sudan, 1935-1937; private served with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in China, North Africa, Syria, Malta and Palestine, 1937-1943; private served with Durham Light Infantry Depot in GB, 1943-1944; private served with 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB and France, 1943-1944

REEL 1 Background in Jesmond Vale and Newcastle, GB, 1916-1933: description of Jesmond Vale; area grew up in; family; education; details of civilian work; leisure activities; joining of army; medical; signing on and posting to Fenham Barracks. Aspects of period as recruit with Durham Light Infantry, GB, 1/1933-6/1933: arrival at barracks; recruits from Borstal; relative age when joined up; boxing and squad; issue of uniform; accommodation; details of pay; polishing of floor; thefts among troops; initiation ceremonies; kit inspections; shopping for unit; kit; cleaning of uniform and kit; method for keeping creases in uniform; inspections before being allowed out; marching out of barracks; relationship with civilians; initial training; marching pace; rifle issued; morning procedures. REEL 2 Continues: rations; story of stolen bread; use of pocket money; training during day; coal fatigue; tea; interview with commanding officer; washing of tables; NCOs at Fenham; memories of Dixie Dean; memories of the two Bainbridges; comradeship in squad; leisure time on Saturdays; death of recruits; dentist's chair and tuberculosis inoculation; discipline; punishments; length of training and leave. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 6/1933-2/1935: posted to B Coy, 1st Bn at Catterick; reception upon arrival; memories of commanding officer and NCOs; stories from veterans; fights; shooting for Northern Command; manoeuvres; firing at Strensall; accommodation; route marches; gas training; care of classroom; additions to pay; bayonet practice; pole vault lessons; army education; weapons trained with; shooting proficiency; revolver range. REEL 3 Continues: training with 36 Mills Grenades; exercises; field kitchen; opinion that training based on First World War; digging of trenches; communications; make-up of Coy; changes before Second World War; description of Catterick Camp; work on railway line; job with gardener; story of punishment given by Sergeant Coleman; discussion of punishments; leisure activities; visits to Darlington; relationship with civilians; firing course at Strensall; life in a bell tent; competition on way to tattoo after firing course; tattoo at York Racecourse; Christmas leave in Whitley Bay; routine after Christmas; 1934 Tattoo at Ravensworth Castle. REEL 4 Continues: accommodation at Ravensworth Castle; recruiting drive; reason for move to Blackdown; accommodation; duties; experimental exercise; getting own back at one Sergeant; march to Southampton. Aspects of voyage from Southampton, GB to Bombay, India aboard the Troopship Heuasa, 2/1935-2/1937: boarding of troopship; promotion to Lance Corporal; duties on ship; accommodation onboard; deck inspections; sleeping arrangements; sleeping on deck; storage of hammocks; rations and latrines; canteen; activities on ship; officers accommodation; fire piquets; washing facilities; routine; pool on deck; games played; illness; inoculations before embarkation; stop at Port Said; journey down Suez Canal; reactions to going abroad. Aspects of period as private with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in India, 2/1935-2/1937: arrival in Bombay; issue of khaki uniform; troops met by at docks; barracks; accommodation; split of Bn in India; description of Deolali. REEL 5 Continues: rations; Christmas in Bombay; Commander of B Coy; changes from army life in England; reason for Thursday being a free day; Thursday activities; latrines; boots issued at Deolali; showers; clothes worn at Deolali; evening entertainments; story of pet duck; leisure time in Bombay; sports; punishment for VD; relationship with civilians; duties in Bombay and Deolali; promotion to Lance Corporal; length of stay in India; weather; soldier drowned at Deolali and memories of Lafferty Wood; contact with Indian Troops; reason for transfer to machine Gun Section; opinion of Vickers Machine Gun; make-up of section; millionaire lieutenant; married quarters at Deolali; leisure activities at Deolali; army attitude towards gambling; tea wallahs. REEL 6 Continues: weekend leave; relationship with Indian civilians and Indian workers in camps; disembarkation from India. Aspects of period as private with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in Sudan, 2/1937-10/1937: arrival in Port Sudan and journey to Khartoum; volunteer drivers; march into barracks; accommodation; routine; sport; manoeuvres and training; routine; description of Khartoum; 21st birthday celebrations; attempted escape from cabaret and arrest; demotion to private; resentment felt towards officers; entertainments in camp; local brothel; health of Bn; latrines; guard duty at Palace; relationship with civilians; pets of troops; fatigues; story of dhobi killing monkey; guard duties at ammunition store; story of gun fired on RAF; dealing with boredom; memories of Major "Jock" Rodgers; duties and training in Machine Gun Section. REEL 7 Continues: make-up of machine gun section and coy; training with machine gun; transportation of gun; role of machine gun coy; memories of Major Arderne; memories of Lance Corporal Spencer, Lance Corporal Monaghan and Pete Robinson; embarkation from Port Sudan; reason for posting to China; voyage to China. Aspects of period as private with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in China, 10/1937-12/1939: arrival in Shanghai; role of battalion; accommodation; sleeping arrangements; duties on perimeter and precautions against mosquitoes; story of Major Rodgers and the torture of a Chinese man by the Japanese; description of position; relationship with Japanese troops; relationship with American troops; Turkish civilian friend; posting to Ash Camp Barracks; split of Bn; duties in Tientsin; relationship with British civilians; flood in Tientsin; duties with Regimental Police; stories of coping with the flood; sentry duties. REEL 8 Continues: reasons for guard duties; stories from guard duties; rations; deaths in China; story of near mutiny; pay; leisure activities; rest camp at Shanghaikwan; revenge taken after death of Thomlinson; reason for not taking part; posting in Peking; duties; route marches; leisure activities; drinking with Japanese officers; length of time in Peking; signs of approaching war; declaration of war; internment of German civilians; voyage to Hong Kong; Christmas and New Year in Hong Kong; reactions to war. Aspects of period as private working with the Officers Training Unit in Egypt, 1/1940-7/1941: arrival in Egypt; training; posting to Cairo; opening up of the OTU Mess; etiquette; duties in mess; length of stay in Cairo; duties at Qassassin Camp. Aspects of operations as private with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in Syria, 1941: rejoining of Bn and journey to Syria. REEL 9 Continues: reformation of battalion after Capuzzo; unit morale; shelling en route; arrival in Aleppo; Australian troops in Aleppo; condition French Barracks left in; reinforcements; posting of D Coy at Idlib; Durhams working in Turkey; transfer to Carrier Platoon; memories of Carrier Platoon CO Lieutenant Sivewright; journey through Jordan. Aspects of operations as private with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in North Africa, 1941-1942: wash in Canal; transport of carriers to Alexandria; re-equipment; voyage to Tobruk; RAF escort; Junkers Ju 87 Stuka attack; scenes upon arrival at Tobruk; contact with Tobruk veterans; night in wadi caves and reactions to being in Tobruk; Australian breakfast; officers conduct and plates; Australian attitude to officers; journey to positions; description of positions; sleeping arrangements; latrines; preparation of meals; description of the salient; story of an earlier truce; navigation between positions; memories of Colonel Arderne; platoon and coy officers; opinion of NCOs; supply of rations; water ration; memories of the platoon cook. REEL 10 Continues: officers' rations; Polish use of ammunition; preparation for a patrol; stories of meals at Tobruk; freedom of movement; sniper training; story of shelling while working as sniper; role in position; artillery observation post; rifle used as sniper; story of getting lost and wandering into a POW Camp; navigation; preparation of an observation patrol; role of patrol; formation of patrol; movement across No Man's Land; Axis activity seen and data recorded; keeping count of distance travelled; results of patrol; story of a patrol with an officer from Ponteland; interview with commanding officer; time in reserve line; sent back to forward line; plan for patrol in carriers; role in position with Boyes anti-tank gun; action seen on return of carriers; congratulations from Lieutenant and rum issued; role of a company attack on German positions; preparations; plan for attack; description of preceding artillery barrage; young soldier under wing; method of creating gap in German wire; name of position attacked; rockets used by Germans. REEL 11 Continues: similar rocket used by British; attack on positions; split of platoon; wounding of Cowell; retreat; discovery of Sergeant "Flipper" Giles; marker left behind; navigation on return; casualties; reactions after attack; troops breaking under pressure; opinion of reasons for this; activity during day; opinion of patrols; Polish troops on patrol; opinions of German and British weapons; tea and cigarette rations; hair cuts; water heated for wash; problems with fleas and flies; bush hats; story of rat mistaken for hare; story of last allied aeroplane in Tobruk; Junkers Ju 87 Stuka attacks and use of Boyes anti-tank gun against Junkers Ju 87 Stukas; British air attack on El Adem; move along Tobruk perimeter; new positions taken up; corridor created; tanks sent out to create corridor; rest in Tobruk; move into corridor; attack on Point 76; Italian gunners ready to be taken POW; death of Lieutenant Keith; capture of an Italian vehicle and drive toward El Aden; movement into new positions and items found in positions; stop on attack for chat with Northumberland Fusiliers; POWs taken; drive through desert; capture of Bardia by New Zealand Div; arrival in Alexandria; health of Bn in Tobruk. REEL 12 Continues: Stand To in Tobruk; listening posts; activity during night; inactivity of Germans; lifting and types of mines including booby traps; British mines; weapons faced; damage to positions; soldier who won Military Medal; opinions of officers at Tobruk; activity at night; stories of Australians injuring themselves to get out; death from rum fumes; worst memories of Tobruk; thoughts while at Tobruk; good memories of Tobruk; troopships sunk; Regimental pride; religious beliefs; growing more wary over time; supporting units in north and south Tobruk; wooden guns; drinking in Alexandria; Churchill's praise for troops at Tobruk; voyage to Malta aboard the Breconshire; spotter plane; convoy; air raid on troopship; counter attack against planes; damage to bridge; fracture of oil tanks; paravanes; length of voyage. Aspects of operations as private with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in North Africa, 1/1942-8/1943: arrival in Malta; transfer to Rabat. REEL 13 Continues: scenes upon arrival on Malta; knowledge of Malta; sinking of following coy; coy commander; accommodation; safety of tents; latrines; water rations; rations; medical examinations; soup; pig in Sergeants Mess; meat taken after bombing of piggery; health of battalion bicycles used for transport; use of bicycles to drink wine; duties on Luka airfield and sleeping in cemetery; unloading of convoys; story and arrival of the Malta Convoy, 8/1942; black market; stealing from boats in Liverpool; bread; arrival of Supermarine Spitfires; boost to morale; preparation for raid on POW Camp in Africa; cancellation of raid; swapping of chocolate ration for soil; discovery of ruse; reason for dummy preparations; relationship with civilians; problems from ration shortage; air crews selling food. REEL 14 Continues: rest at St Paul's Bay; submarine activity; items brought by Navy; minelayers; stories of air raids on Malta; terrain; health of battalion; deaths of Gardener and Hall; relationships with women; improvements in Malta and end of siege; journey to Egypt; posted to carrier platoon; training outside Haifa; reason for being sent home; reactions to going to GB; time in rest camp at Tenerife; wait for embarkation in transit camp at Port Tewfiq; route taken to GB; arrival in Liverpool; journey to station; train journey to Durham; welcome from WVS; night at Brancepeth; journey to Newcastle; reception from family; leave. REEL 15 Continues: Aspects of period as private at Durham Light Infantry Depot, 1943-1944: return to Brancepeth, 11/1943; cinema show, meal and dance in their honour; reason for being an embarrassment at Brancepeth; rations; route marches; training with PIAT gun; description of PIAT; creation of hockey pitch; leisure activities; posted to Winfleet; accommodation; medical; return to Brancepeth; reason for not leaving with draft at Winfleet; reason able to take part in D-Day; upsetting trainers; opinion of training at Brancepeth; posted to 8th Bn at Southwold; jobs given at Brancepeth. Aspects of period as private with 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1944: accommodation; D-Day training; experience of 8th Bn; loss of interest in Regt; practice landings; practice with medical corps; posted to Romsey; guarding of camp; story of escapee; relationship with Americans; rations; NAAFI; jealousy of Americans with girls; discipline; final week in camp; preparations for invasion; commanding officer; platoon Lieutenant; journey to Southampton and boarding of LCT. REEL 16 Continues: description of landing craft; delay of embarkation; crew; journey across channel. Aspects of period as private with 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry in France, 1944: scenes on arrival; disembarkation from craft; movement up beach into fields; removal of gas masks; equipment carried; rations; units faced; death of officer; place landed; French children; march towards Arromanches; sleep during action; capture of battalion headquarters; following of Germans; reason for almost being pulled back; story of a moaning Minnie; description of a Hawkins grenade; grenade accident caused by entrenching tool; tank trap and bowing of tracks on British tank; concerned only for section; pioneers making crosses; air activity; markers for RAF; Hawker Typhoon support; other supporting units; arrival at Tilly sur Seuilles; problems digging position; mortar barrage; knocked out by blast; evacuation to First Aid Post; description of and time at post; story of drinking in a farmhouse; clearing of wood; abandoned French houses. REEL 17 Continues: Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1946: process of demobilisation at York; clothes given; pay; granting of pension; comradeship in army; reunions in Durham; officers he remembers fondly; story of Paddy May in Malta; letters from Chelsea Hospital.