Mallabar, Ronald (Oral history)

British private served as signaller with 7th Bn, East Yorkshire Regiment in GB and France, 1943-1944; served with 9th Bn Durham Light Infantry in North West Europe and Germany, 1944-1945; NCO served with 2nd Bn, Essex Regiment in Germany, 1945-1946

REEL 1 Background in Chester-le-Street, GB, 1924-1942: family; education and leisure activities; work with Newcastle Co-Op; outbreak of war 9/1939; issue of gas masks; erection of Anderson shelters; memories of war. Aspects of period as recruit in Richmond, GB, 12/1942-1/1943: call-up for army; posting in Richmond; selection for signals; opinion of reason selected as signaller; time in 11th West Newcastle Battalion Home Guard; discipline; summary of duties as signaller; description of 18 set radios; 18 sets in a regiment; opinion of 18 set; description of field telephones; other equipment trained on; opinion of equipment in action situations; posting to Specialist Company East Yorkshire Regiment. Aspects of period as private with 7th Bn East Yorkshire Regiment in GB, 1/1943-6/1944: accommodation at Aske Hall; signal examinations; discussion of posting with infantry; training prior to D-Day. Aspects of operations as private with 7th Bn East Yorkshire Regiment in North West Europe, 6/1944-7/1944: landing at Ouistraham; shelling on beach; break-up of battalion; posting to 9th Battalion Durham Light Infantry at Hottot. Aspects of operations as private with 9th Bn Durham Light Infantry in North West Europe, 7/1944-5/1945: reception from battalion; attachment to mortar platoon; reasons for posting; pet goat; scenes in Falaise; duties with mortar platoon; morale of battalion; organisation of signallers in battalion; NCOs in signals section; problems with dust and mosquitoes; smell of dead humans and animals; cooking of food; rations; latrines; field showers; terrain of the bocage. REEL 2 Continues: shelling in cornfield; proximity of Germans at Hottot; scenes through Normandy; contact with civilians; movement around battalion; duties with rifle companies; problems faced by signallers from snipers; casualties in signals platoon; reactions to situation in France; fear among troops; effects of fatigue on troops; comradeship; pride in battalion; fear in battle; discussion among troops of most feared German weapon; own fear of machine gun; discussion of minenwerfers; description of 88 guns; supporting units; scenes at Falaise; role of Operation Market Garden; crossing of Albert Canal; cellar entered in Gheel; action in Gheel; loss of contact with A Company and search for them; wounding in shoulder; crawl along ditch; found A Company; treatment for wound; arguments with German POWs; evacuation to Brussels; treatment at Field Dressing Station; treatment in Brussels; reason for evacuation to GB; journey to Walsall; time in Walsall General Hospital; parents knowledge of his situation; parent's reaction to wound; leave. REEL 3 Continues: return to battalion via Duke of Wellington's; story of sheltering from anti-aircraft guns in Nijmegen; conditions in area; accommodations in Geleen and Sittard through winter; German use of British equipment; relationship with civilians; examples of Dutch sympathy with Germans; move of battalion into 7th Armoured Division; changes in warfare; description of new 19 sets; other changes for signallers; make-up of division; memories of Colonel Mogg; raid on a farmhouse; loss of cool on return to Headquarters after raid; battalion attack on Deteren; set up of company headquarters; approach of Germans; return to canal to find no one; dead Germans found; wounding on return to village; damage to equipment; treatment received; description of wound; time in Lille Hospital and convalescent camp in Saint Pol; rejoined battalion in Holland; problems with mines and booby traps; condition of German POWs; posting as radio operator to Major Scott; changes made to jeep; duties of Major Scott and himself; German tank barrier at Stadtlohn; fire from machine gun in church tower. REEL 4 Continues: destruction of church tower; events on advance through North Germany; surrender of General Wolz; attitude of German civilians; events in Wildeshausen; rumours of SS activity; POWs he took personally; opinion of SS troops; state of civilians in Hamburg; movement around North Germany and scenes in Kiel; posting in Berlin; celebrations at end of war. Aspects of period as private with 9th Bn Durham Light Infantry in Germany, 5/1945-9/1946: state of POWs in area; activities after armistice; relationship with civilians; Control Commission; duties as signaller; reactions to new situation; leisure activities; reaction to posting in Berlin; scenes in Berlin; reception from civilians in British sector; division of Berlin; leisure activities; condition of civilians; help from Allies to improve condition; German Communist party; story of blind man; activities of battalion; switchboard operation at Grunewald Station; time spent in Berlin and transfer to 2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment; opinion of reason for transfer; reason for early demobilisation; demobilisation at Colchester; start of civilian employment; coping with fear; story of getting lost in Holland; psychological effects of war.