Bateman, William Edward (Oral history)

British private served with Durham Light Infantry Depot in GB, 1932-1933; served with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1933; served with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in India and Sudan, 1934-1937; NCO served with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in China, Hong Kong, North Africa, Syria, Lebanon and Malta, 1937-1943; served with Durham Light Infantry Depot in GB, 1943-1944; private and NCO served with 9th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB and North West Europe, 1944; private served with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in Belgium and GB, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Background in Co Durham, GB, 1913-1932: family and family homes; education; area grew up in; attendance at church; work in North Bitchburn Colliery including working week and details of pay; period on dole; medical for Navy in Newcastle; joining of army and medical; journey to Fenham Barracks. Aspects of period as private with Durham Light Infantry Depot in GB, 11/1932-5/1933: reception on arrival; sleeping arrangements; description of barrack block; reactions on arrival; reason for not attending grammar school; reveille; introduction from NCO instructors; uniform and equipment issued; medicals; learning to wear and care for uniform and boots; lights out; reveille; washing facilities; methods and times of making bed; barbers shop and army haircut; details of pay; rifle and bayonet issued; cleaning of rifle; cleaning and wearing of webbing. REEL 2 Continues: cleaning and inspection of barrack room; heating and fuel allowance; troops and NCO in block; morning procedures and clothes worn for training; breakfast; washing of utensils; morning break; timetable; morning inspection; learning salutes; learning to drill including pace and punishment for mistakes; details of marching; wearing of puttees; polishing of boots; method of keeping crease in uniform; details of badges and buttons; inspections before being allowed out of barracks; time before allowed out of barracks; Christmas leave 1932; medicals; opinion of dentist; further details of drills; end of working day and tea; evening activities; boot inspections. REEL 3 Continues: boxing; physical training; cross country runs; marching with full pack; other units at Fenham; details of equipment including storage of kit; cleaning of square; fatigues; weapon training; leisure activities; bedtime; comradeship; recruit loaning money; army education; first use of live ammunition; visits into Newcastle; lectures from Captain Dryden; further details of Christmas leave 1932; passing out parade; memories of Sergeant Kemp; discipline and punishments; opinion of Captain Dryden; reason for gaining first jankers. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 5/1933-12/1933: journey to Catterick; reception on arrival; posting in A Company and NCOs at Catterick; make-up of A Company; changes from life at depot; preparation for guard duties; inspection of guard and selection of stick man; guard duties including inspections and changing of guard; rest following guard duty; description of barracks; other duties and fatigues including assistance given to butcher. REEL 4 Continues: commanding officer's parade; NCOs and officers at Catterick; make-up of battalion; opinion of Lewis Gun; church parades; Inkerman Day; musketry practice including visits to Bellerby; details of a firing course; proficiency pay; coal fatigue; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; kit inspections; washing facilities; latrines; discipline; administration of visits out of barracks; leisure activities; weekend leaves; drill training; details of manoeuvres; opinion of training; presence of tanks and artillery; rations during manoeuvres; news of placement on draft; embarkation leave; train journey to Southampton; boarding of ship; reactions to posting abroad. Aspects of journey from Southampton, GB, to Bombay, India, aboard HMS Somersetshire, 12/1933- 1/1934: seasickness and route taken; journey through Suez Canal; uniform worn; stop at Aden; conditions on ship; sleeping arrangements including problems storing hammocks; activities during voyage; lectures; arrival in Bombay; train journey to Calcutta including rations. REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of journey across India, 1/1934: first impressions of India; conditions on train journey to Calcutta; physical training during journey; rations; washing facilities; latrines; tea; arrival and first night at Barrackpore. Aspects of period as private with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in India, 1/1934-1/1937: description of barrack block; sleeping arrangements; story of shock on first morning; cleaning of barracks; posting in A Company; khaki dress issued; army education; manoeuvres; guard duties in Ishapore Rifle Factory; activities while off duty; guard duties in Barrackpore including tests by orderly officer; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; administration of moving beds; posting in and journey to Lebong; accommodation; rifle training; passing of 2nd Class Army Education Certificate; visits to Darjeeling; daily routine including sports played; weekend leisure activities; opinion of time in India; competitions among sections and platoons. REEL 6 Continues: completion of army education and exams; train journeys to Barrackpore and on to Deolali; split of battalion; transfer to signals platoon; accommodation; location of Headquarters Company; make-up of signals platoon; learning of Morse code; writing out of lessons in evenings; methods of sending Morse learned; description of heliograph; sending and receiving messages on heliograph; timing of messages; proficiency of sending messages by different methods; daily routine; distance visual messages sent over; description of sending messages over telephone lines; use of telephones in battalion; communications during manoeuvres; repairing of lines; description of Fullerphone; later use of Fullerphone; annual signal tests including details of pay and signals ephemera worn; commanding officer's signaller; description of send a message on a message pad. REEL 7 Continues: involvement in manoeuvres; problems with sun and army attitude to sunburn; cholera outbreak and inoculations; sports; involvement with machine gun demonstrations including opinion of Vickers gun; leisure activities; ceremonial parades; movement between Bombay and Deolali; description of Kalaba Barracks in Bombay; sleeping arrangements; debugging of barracks; leisure activities including relationship with British civilians; arrival in mail; comradeship in battalion; details of pay; guard duties; visits from officers; commanding officers in battalion; civilians workers in camp; attendance at riots in Bombay; out of bounds areas; treatment and punishments for VD; memories of Corporal Lewes; memories of Privates Oliver and Wilson. REEL 8 Continues: assistance given to defence of harbour; visits to naval guns; activities in Bombay; course and exams affecting pay; details of pay; discipline; rations; latrines in Bombay and Deolali; standard of turnout; washing of clothes and change to short puttees; mail; newspapers; routine in Deolali; route marches to Santa Cruz from Bombay; commanding officer's parade; ceremonial parades attended; packing of kit for journey to Sudan; activities during voyage including lectures; sleeping arrangements; stop at Aden; arrival in Port Sudan. Aspects of period as private with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in Sudan, 1/1937-9/1937: train journey to Khartoum; description of barracks; daily routine; duties; meals; sports; leisure activities; rifles used in India and Sudan; sleeping arrangements and use of paliasse cases brought from India; visits into Khartoum; climate in Sudan and India; sandstorms; details of ceremonial guards at Governor's Palace; contact with civilians including civilian workers in camp; clothing worn for signals training; hygiene; opinion of barracks; device used to move air; arrival and importance of mail; casualties in India including soldier stabbed; funerals. REEL 9 Continues: transport in battalion; return of 2nd Battalion to GB and news of posting to 1st Battalion. Aspects of journey from Port Sudan, Sudan, to Shanghai, China, aboard HMT Dilwara, 9/1937: joining of battalion at Port Sudan; transport of kit to China; changes to uniform; stops on voyage; typhoon off Hong Kong; sleeping arrangements and activities; calmness of sea between Colombo and Singapore; dolphins in sea; arrival in Shanghai. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in China, 9/1937-12/1939: accommodation in school and barracks; signals and battalion duties; details of and relationship with Businessmen's Battalion of Tokyo; Japanese troops relieving this battalion and their treatment of civilians including reactions to incident and story of a Stand By; living conditions and details of pay; visits to cinemas; details of International Concessions; leisure activities; signals training and duties; stories of girlfriends ringing troops; relationships between troops and local women; problems with VD; organised and out of bounds brothels; punishments for contracting VD; bomb damage in Shanghai; relationship with civilians; routine; standard of turnout. REEL 10 Continues: health and climate; seasonal changes to uniform; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; heating; latrines; details of school initially accommodated; sleeping arrangements in different accommodations; details of mail; British civilians in Shanghai; sports; split of battalion between Tientsin and Peking; attendance on pole climbing course in Tientsin with George Sparrow; posting in and train journey to Peking; description of duties and systems used during attachment to Royal Corps of Signals Radio Station; passport issued; Japanese tapping of wire; use of code; leisure activities in Peking including stories of trouble with Japanese; winter conditions and clothing; guards at embassy; rickshaw used; story of civilian given a pension from British Government; rations and issue of meals; civilian suits bought; listening to British radio; Royal Signals proficiency with messages; delivery of mail; 1938 Stand By in Shanghai; knowledge of events in Europe; preparations for demobilisation in November 1940; sights in Peking; English speaking radio presenter. REEL 11 Continues: posting to Shanghaikwan; training received; omnibus circuit set up; attempts to regain contact with Tientsin following floods; contact made with an American ship and with battalion; evacuation from Shanghaikwan; journey to Tientsin including controversy over dining procedures during voyage; outbreak of war and reactions; problems disembarking at Tientsin; rations during river voyage; accommodation and cleaning up in Tientsin; new uniform and equipment issued; opinions of Bren gun; preparations for move to Hong Kong; voyage to Hong Kong. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in Hong Kong, 12/1939-1/1940: accommodation in Kowloon; Christmas 1939; changes in money; leisure activities; voyage to Port Suez. Aspects of operations as private and NCO with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in North Africa, 1/1940-7/1941: journey to Moascar and first impressions of Egypt; group posted to Port Said with B Company; duties and accommodation at Naval exchange; entrance of Italy into war; leisure activities and relationship with civilians; work shifts; journey to Mersa Matruh; civilian fear of air raids; arrival on escarpment; details of Mersa Matruh; positions taken up; setting up of telephone exchange. REEL 12 Continues: laying of telephone lines; activities of rifle companies; air activity; anti-aircraft fire; air raids; precautions taken against air raids; terrain; building of headquarters; items taken from Mersa Matruh during December 1940 advance; details of Don 5 telephone issued including use of condoms to protect it from sand; knowledge of fighting against Italians; arrival of Italian POWs; issue of rations; opinion of rations; water ration; issue of tea; NAAFI presence; condition of roads; Charing Cross water point; arrival at Sidi Barrani; condition of water; opinion of signals officer Lieutenant Craig; posting to signals stores; accommodation and duties; sandstorm drill; sleeping arrangements; posting at Sollum; activities of battalion at Sollum; position taken up on Egyptian frontier; opening up of artillery and sinking of HMS Barham; rations; destruction of petrol dumps; request for rations and cigarettes; splitting-up of matches and cigarettes; opinion of Italian cigarettes found; method for cooking onions; method of lighting cigarettes; posting to Qassassin Camp; joining of Guards Brigade; march to Suez including rations issued and threat concerning dropping out; open order advance on camp; oranges bought from civilians; accommodation; invasion training on Bitter Lakes; rumours of next move; return to Mersa Matruh; journey into desert; plan for attack on Fort Capuzzo including own role; destruction of truck; cover taken from battle; withdrawal at dawn and reunion with battalion; meal eaten. REEL 13 Continues: events following Fort Capuzzo action; fate of different signals platoon members; casualties in rifle companies; move down Halfaya Pass; reorganisation and move to Buq Buq; details of reinforcements; problems with riding motorcycle in desert; settling in of reinforcements; promotion to lance corporal and posting to Qassassin; leave in Cairo including story of arrest by Military Police; interview with company commander and charge received; train journey to Palestine; contact with civilians in Haifa area; state of battalion. Aspects of operations as NCO with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in Syria and Lebanon, 7/1941-9/1941: journey to border; posting in Merdjayoun; accommodation; terrain; activities of signals platoon; opposing troops and their positions; plan for patrol; use of heliograph during patrol; return to battalion headquarters; surrender of Vichy French; movement forward and armistice; details of signal instructors course attended in Mahdi with Private Almond; changes to uniform after passing course; return journey to battalion at Aleppo; details of accommodation; leisure activities in Aleppo; story of visit to French officer's brothel; cost of brothels; use of Regimental brothels including request of one prostitute. REEL 14 Continues: description of barracks; rations; mail; relationship with civilians; posting to and make-up of advance party; journey to Alexandria; boarding of ship; voyage on destroyer to Tobruk including rations and accommodation. Aspects of operations as NCO with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in North Africa, 10/1941-12/1941: disembarkation from ship; shelling of harbour; time in wadi and with Australian troops; description of signal headquarters; communications set up; relationship with Australian troops including warnings about snipers; description of company headquarters and communications; arrival of battalion and posting to Derna section; activities of Australians at Tobruk; positions taken by battalion; story of repairing lines; takeover of communications; German positions; air activity; posting to central section; rations; artillery presence; extra lines laid to companies; use and advantages of Fullerphone; laying and testing of lines to listening post; story of guiding ration truck into a minefield; freedom of movement; story of line put out to Captain May. REEL 15 Continues: details of work repairing lines including tests made and weapons carried by party; stresses and dangers of task; replacement of missing cable; battalion attitude toward platoon; opinion of troops in platoon; radios issued while in reserve; briefing for breakout; training of troops on and details of 101 Radio; codename; transport to and formation for attack on Point 157; talk with Colonel Arderne before battle; problems with radio; description of attack on Italian Army; reactions before and during action; evacuation of casualties including Mickey McGuire; return to Tobruk; shelling of positions by 4th Indian Division; description of slit trenches dug and cover taken in them; opinion of rations; cigarette and water rations; morale and work of signals platoon; health; journey into Egypt; sinking of B Company. Aspects of period as NCO with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in Egypt, 12/1941-1/1942: accommodation at Qassassin; issue of clothing; building up of signals supplies; leave in Cairo. REEL 16 Continues: make-up of signal platoon; pattern of training for signallers; roles undertaken by members of platoon; description of 101 Radio; further details of leave in Cairo including story of being caught in out of bounds area; charges received and punishment; packing up and journey to Alexandria; boarding of Breconshire; air attack on ship and make-up of convoy. Aspects of period as NCO and private with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in Malta, 1/1942- 6/1943: arrival in Valletta harbour and air attack; posting in Bosketta Gardens; climate; accommodation; lecture received on arrival; companies at Bosketta Gardens; laying of lines and spread of battalion; houses built to accommodate troops; posting to Rabat and movement of lines; burial of line to Brigade Headquarters; building of sangars at Ta'Kali and Luqa aerodromes; details of transport used and shifts worked; issue of No 9 Set radios and problems with them; details of No 9 and 101 Sets; problems with wireless sets; use of heliograph; air raids; cover taken; settling into new terrain; leisure activities including visits into Rabat and casualties. REEL 17 Continues: rations; baking facilities; accommodation and cookhouses in Bosketta Gardens and Dingli; cookhouses; opinion of cooks; further details of rations; supplements available to rations; relationship with civilians; leave at St Paul's Bay; contact with women; church services; sleeping arrangements; dangers of sleeping in tents; changes made by Lord Gort; watching air raids; morale; cigarette situation; mail; newspapers; arrival of Supermarine Spitfires with luxury rations; help given to unload convoys; further details of air raids; reaction to bombing; health of battalion; water supply; latrines; dealing with bugs in tent; sleeping in clothes during raids; leisure activities; entertainments in India; duties of signal platoons; training to deal with invasion; firing on rifle range; reputation for being tight-lipped; Egyptians arrested while in Mersa Matruh; fitness; opinion of posting; decision to withdraw battalion from Malta. REEL 18 Continues: improvements in conditions following 8th Army's advance and Christmas 1942; change in battalion command; opinion of Major Kirby; story of voluntary removal of stripes following charge for mixing with private soldiers including memories of Lieutenant Smith including learning to ride motorbike; posting to B Company and dining room orderly; reason for return to signal platoon; training of new signals sergeant; preparations for departure from Malta; boarding of troopship Nevassa; voyage to Tripoli including sinking of cargo vessel in convoy; journey to Beirut. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in Lebanon, 6/1943: accommodation; mountain training including communications; leave; news of return to GB. Aspects of period as private in draft for GB, 6/1943- 10/1943: packing up and posting to Faide Camp; story of almost being sent on draft to Sicily; members of group returning to GB; journey to Alexandria; details of P&O liner boarded; reactions to leaving battalion; memories of officers and NCOs; characters among private soldiers; memories of Major Clapton; settling in of reinforcements; upholding name of regiment; dealing with arguments in boxing ring and conduct in signals platoon. REEL 19 Continues: boarding of P&O liner; details of first convoy; entertainments; route taken to Liverpool; reactions on arrival; parades and disembarkation; clothing worn and train journey to Durham; pay during journey; journey to Brancepeth Camp; reception on arrival and first night; parade following morning and issue of uniform; leave including details of pay and marriage. Aspects of period as private with Durham Light Infantry Depot in GB, 10/1943-c2/1944: hopes on return to Depot; formation of draft into a squad; fire watching duties; reception from troops in camp; story of a river crossing exercise and placement on fatigues; posting to holding battalion; train journey to Haydon Bridge Camp and night there; parade with Captain Atkinson; reason for being returned to Brancepeth; posting with recruits to Wainfleet; accommodation; medical; Christmas 1943; physical training; return to Brancepeth; return of 50th Division to GB; posting to holding unit; journey to Southend-on-Sea; accommodation; wait for 50th Division to return from leave; visits into Southend; charge received and interview with commanding officer; joining of 9th Battalion and reaction to posting. Aspects of period as private with 9th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, c2/1944-6/1944: joining of battalion at Saffron Walden. REEL 20 Continues: reception from battalion; reunion with Sergeant Storey and posting with carrier platoon; background of troops; make-up of carrier crew; exercises; description and firing of flamethrower added to carrier including role in carrier crew; weekend leave; self-discipline during army career; information given to wife concerning approaching action and her reaction; return from weekend leave; waterproofing of carriers; invasion training at Eastbourne; posting in signals platoon; relationship with troops in platoon; role given in platoon; confinement in camp; briefings for invasion; reactions to American guards; complaints made and movement of guards; boarding of landing craft at Southampton; activities during wait for embarkation; thoughts before invasion; voyage to France including health problems. Aspects of operations as private and NCO with 9th Bn Durham Light Infantry in North West Europe, 6/1944-12/1944: disembarkation and wade to beach; signs from Allied bombings; scenes on beach; equipment taken carried during landing; rations issued including self-heating cans; advance behind rifle companies and communications; arrival at assembly point; opposition faced; activity during first night in Normandy; milk gained at farm; supply of rations; terrain; lines laid to companies; Germans seen. REEL 21 Continues: rations; formation before action at Lingèvres; sounds of battle; movement forward to find C Company; story of German tank seen destroyed; casualties; scenes in village; change in battalion command; return to headquarters; rest period in Bayeux; situation and action at Tilly- sur-Seulles; laying of line after battle; sound of minenwerfers and machine guns; story of being thrown by shell and reactions; advance into Tilly-sur- Seulles including abandonment and opinion of lines; location of battalion headquarters; Allied air activity over Hottot; advance into and activities in Hottot; help given to wounded signallers; reunion with Sergeant Major Blenkinsopp; story of Colonel Mogg's reaction to request of a film crew; problems from terrain; story of line laid out to listening post; return to headquarters and sleep gained; bombing of Villers Bocage; details of booby traps left by Germans; capture of a Hitler Youth unit; scenes in Falaise Gap. REEL 22 Continues: reactions to scenes; opposition faced; French Resistance activities during night; contact with French Resistance and civilians; dead women and children seen in Tilly-sur-Seulles and reaction; story of sniper in church tower; opinion of snipers; story of sniper friend tortured before killed; signals changes since pre-war days; promotion to lance corporal; crossing of River Seine; end of German air activity; advance through First World War battlefields including scenes of vengeance weapons and sleeping arrangements; period in Lille; latrines; pass through Brussels; positions taken on Albert Canal; shelling; story of a line taken out to a rifle company; reception from civilians in Brussels; posting to and telephone exchange set up in Neerpelt; problems with interference and story of cutting high-tension cable including safety clothing worn; start of Operation Market Garden and arrival of film crews; story of scout car; tanks knocked out by Germans; codenames; journey through Eindhoven; infiltration of convoy by German Army; communications during movement; contact with American troops; state at end of journey; accommodation in Nijmegen; crossing of bridge. REEL 23 Continues: further details of accommodation in Nijmegen; sleeping arrangements; visits into Nijmegen; reiteration of crossing river story; terrain; location of company headquarters; reason for not laying lines; story of fire in house; German position; plan for advance; memories of action including shooting of a stretcher bearer; setting up of company headquarters; story of German cable used for communications; return to battalion headquarters and posting as replacement corporal; laying of lines and promotion to full corporal; contact with and evacuation of German POWs; relief of American troops and extra rations gained; position taken near Nijmegen-Arnhem railway; story of laying line across the railway and fire faced; reunion with Major Crossthwaite and return to battalion headquarters; story of line laid out to a company and stay with them; new uniform issued; leave in Brussels including details of pay; story of return journey to unit; posting in Elst; story of letter from wife; news of return to GB with 6th Battalion. Aspects of period as private with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in Belgium and GB, 12/1944-11/1945: joining of 6th Battalion in Poperinge; accommodation; reinforcements; reversion to private; meeting with Lance Corporal Pratt. REEL 24 Continues: length of time in Poperinge; train journey to Ostend; voyage to Southampton; march to wasteground and meal issued; train journey to Skipton-on-Swale; arrival and story of march from station to town; accommodations in Skipton; Christmas leave; posting to F Company at Crosshills; duties and staff in stores; issue of meals; leisure activities; training of ex-pioneers as signallers; manning of telephone; leisure activities in Crosshills and Skipton; transport used; preparations for demobilisation; story of police plant following thefts from stores; announcement and process of demobilisation; journey home; earlier refusal to return to mines; leave and period in Z Reserve. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1945: civilian work; problems settling into civilian life; membership of Durham Light Infantry Association; opinion of Colonel Paddy "Crackers" May.