Linaker, Frederick (Oral history)

British private served with 307th Infantry Training Centre in Northern Ireland, 1940; served with Holding Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1940; served with 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, Cyprus, Iraq and North Africa, 1940-1942; POW in North Africa, Italy and Germany, 1942-1945

REEL 1 Background in Lancashire and Cheshire, 1919-1940: family and memories of childhood; education; civilian work; marriage; registration for call-up including medical; reactions of family to call-up; arrival at Fulwood Barracks in Preston; first meal; items in possession on arrival; route of journey to Belfast; size of draft. Aspects of period as private with 307th Infantry Training Centre in Northern Ireland, 1/1940-3/1940: knowledge of selection for Durham Light Infantry <DLI>; arrival at Holywood Barracks; uniform issued; details of unit; cap badge worn; accommodation and description of barracks; washing facilities; population of room; cleaning of room; kit inspections; memories of NCO in barrack room; rations; learning to and opinion of drill; role of drill; pace of drill; arms drill; cleaning of rifle; firing of course at Ballykinler; proficiency with rifle. REEL 2 Continues: bayonet training; training with and opinion of Bren gun; description and opinion of Thompson Submachine gun; grenade training; physical training; route marches; opinion of training and fitness; relationship with fellow recruits; daily routine; threat of IRA and picket duties; church parades and treatment at Catholic services; relationship with Catholic and Protestant civilians; guard and picket duties; attitude toward picket duties; activities in NAAFI; visits to Belfast and Holywood including safety measures taken; attitude to religious situation in Northern Ireland; length of training; leave; posting at Devarel Barracks in Ripon. Aspects of period as private with Holding Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 3/1940- 6/1940: details of unit; activities at Ripon; visit of wife; joining of 8th Battalion at Rugeley; coastal defence duties. REEL 3 Continues: arrival in Rugeley and march to camp; selection for 8th Battalion D Company. Aspects of period as private with 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 6/1940-5/1941: reception from and relationship with other ranks and NCOs; reaction to reception; details of reinforcements; further details of division between Territorials and conscripts; memories and opinions of Captain Clay and Regimental Sergeant Major Jennings; memories and opinions of Company Quarter Master Sergeant Jackie and Company Sergeant Major McQuaid; background of D Company troops; accommodation and role of posting in camp; accommodation at Maiden Newton; formation of bicycle platoon; weapon situation; defensive positions built on seafront; daily routine; Stand To; invasion rumours; relationship with civilians; posting to D Company stores; sleeping arrangements and accommodation; duties as storeman in static situation and on manoeuvres; process of gaining extra stores; storage of items; location of stores in Yeovil; movement of stores; replacement of lost items; security of stores; temptation to sell items. REEL 4 Continues: parade with Regimental Sergeant Major Jennings; duties excused as storeman; role in action; route marches including treatment of feet after 12 mile route march in Honiton; role during exercises; opinions of posting and Regimental Sergeant Major Jennings; alcohol available; posting in Honiton; description of accommodation and sleeping arrangements; contact with officers; exercises on Dartmoor; issue of tropical kit and rumours of destination; embarkation leave; inoculations; knowledge of destination; settling into battalion; wearing of forage cap; pride in marching pace; opinion of Durham people; knowledge of regiment; journey to Gourock. Aspects of journey from Gourock, GB, to Port Tewfiq, Egypt, aboard the Duchess of Richmond, 5/1941-7/1941: boarding and details of ship; reaction during embarkation; parade with brigadier; sleeping arrangements; packing of stores for embarkation; conditions and activities onboard; further details of sleeping arrangements; seasickness and earlier sailing experience; rations; activities during voyage; boat drill and anxieties during voyage; contact with civilians in Freetown harbour. REEL 5 Continues: relationship with civilians in Durban; crash of HMS Exeter's Supermarine Walrus; route taken to Africa; departure of escort; stop at Aden; arrival at Port Tewfiq. Aspects of period in transit though Egypt, 7/1941: role in battalion; accommodation at Qassassin; problems with sand and wildlife; contact with civilians; camp cinema; beer; activities in camp; journey to Cyprus aboard HMS Jaguar. Aspects of period as private with 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry in Cyprus, 7/1941-11/1941: spread of battalion; posting at Nicosia airfield; building of defences; role of battalion on Cyprus; air raids and reactions to them; accident during an exercise; role during exercises; description of stores; opinion of posting; visits into Nicosia including VD precautions and availability of grapes; period in Mount Troodos rest camp; symptoms and treatment of sand fly fever. Aspects of journey from Cyprus to Northern Iraq, 11/1941: voyage to Haifa; memories of jaffas; details of transport collected in Haifa; stop at RAF Habbaniyah; accommodation each night; guards taken against rifle theft; transport of stores; role since leaving GB; journey through Baghdad and situation in Iraq; relationship with civilians; route marches. REEL 6 Continues: Aspects of period as private with 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry in Iraq, 11/1941-2/1942: arrival in Eski Kellik; climate; Christmas 1941; entertainment and visits to Mosul; methods of keeping warm; Gazelle shoots; sports; parades; details of stores; pass through Qantarah. Aspects of operations as private with 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry in North Africa, 3/1942-6/1942: reactions to entering theatre of war; relief of 4th Indian Division; state of box on arrival; description of dugout; details of stores; supply of rations to rifle companies; problems with and cleaning of khaki shirts and shorts; care of ammunition and rifles; weapons in stores; storage of mortar bombs; use of camouflage; collection of rations; water ration; proximity to opposition and freedom of movement; availability of luxury items; problems with tea; availability and use of petrol; shaving; rations; cigarette ration; problems with fleas; health problems among troops; latrines and dung beetles; toilet paper; opinion of latrines; Stand To; physical training; activities at stores; collection of rations; methods of passing time; description of Junkers Ju 87 Stuka attacks; reaction to attacks. REEL 7 Continues: opinion of reason for selection for April 9th reconnaissance patrol; preparations for patrol; make-up and role of patrol; sighting of tanks and cover taken; opening up of tank fire; return machine gun and artillery fire; journey back to lines; battalion members captured; reason for not firing rifle; casualties; role of German tank fire; reactions to tank attack; event leading up to Axis attack; news of breakout; description of sandstorm; make-up of group for breakout; transport and items from stores taken; details of breakout from Gazala Box; fire faced during journey; immobilisation of truck; reaction of Danny Furburn to wounds; capture by Italian troops. Aspects of period as POW in North Africa, 6/1942-9/1942: personal possessions taken; communications; memories of Company Quarter Master Sergeant Jack Hudson; reactions to being taken POW; wait for transport; journey to Benghazi including rations; Hudson's swap of watch for water; reaction to Hudson not sharing water; arrival in Benghazi; kit carried; description of transit camp. REEL 8 Continues: split from group captured with; sleeping arrangements; roll call; rations; theft of Jack Hudson's possessions; length of stay in transit camp; health problems; help given by East Yorkshire soldier and message taken to wife. Aspects of hospitalisation in North Africa, 9/1942: staff and sleeping arrangements in Tripoli hospital; condition of ward and treatment received; conditions during voyage to Naples aboard Virgilio. Aspects of hospitalisation in Italy, 9/1942-2/1943: details of Caserta hospital; treatment; physical state; loss of kit and uniform; clothing worn; hospital staff; details of ward; problems with bugs; sleeping arrangements; rations; status; awareness of time; train journey to Bergamo; staff; arrival in hospital and daily mass; change in treatment; problems with administering of drugs; issue and details of Red Cross parcel; story of Guards patient; contents of Red Cross parcel; opinion of treatment; length of illness. Aspects of period as POW at Campo PG73 in Carpi, Italy, 2/1943-9/1943: registration as POW; description and population of camp; memories of George Walton; availability of onions; reason for boredom. REEL 9 Continues: layout of camp; recreations hut; washing facilities; latrines; exercise and sports; camp perimeter; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; heating and fuel; senior NCO in hut; cleaning of hut; lights out; washing facilities; problems with lice; latrines; details and issue of rations including daily routine and opinion of rations; issue of Red Cross parcels and reason for piercing tins; contents of North American and British Red Cross parcels; distribution and Red Cross parcels; division of parcel contents and bread; swapping of items with Indian POWs; reason for not receiving mail in Italy; bartering among POWs; camp money and items available to buy; theft of mail. REEL 10 Continues: processing on arrival at PG73; involvement with sports; items provided by Red Cross; camp library; learning to play bridge; details of housey housey games; POWs organising and details of concert parties; lectures; walks outside camp including contact with civilians; relationship with guards; opinion on possibility of escape; lack of organisation among POWs; morale and postcards sent home; tension among POWs; attitude to situation; concern for and rumours about wife; rumours about Allied advance; disappearance of guards; arrival of German guards; attempt of POWs to escape; reaction to situation; changes to life; preparations for departure and separation from George Walton; reunion with George Walton in 1946; Italian uniform worn and kit owned. Aspects of journey from Italy to Germany, 9/1943: conditions and rations during journey. REEL 11 Continues: arrival at Innsbruck station; details of rations issued; reception from civilians; description of remainder of journey; overnight stop at Stalag VII A in Moosburg. Aspects of period as POW in Germany, 9/1943-1/1945: arrival at Stalag VIII B and change to name during stay; description of camp; bartering; processing and delousing on arrival; rations; comparison of accommodation and sleeping arrangements with PG73; heating and fuel; medical; physical state; details and issue of rations and Red Cross parcels; piercing of tins from parcel; treatment from guards; treatment of Russian POWs and Canadians from Dieppe; freedom of movement around camp; items available in camp; haircuts; drafts for working parties; activities in camp; camp photographer; details of logging fatigue party; posting to E535 in Sosnovitch; size of draft; reason for drafts; issue of British uniform; clothing and kit; reactions to posting; journey to Sosnovitch; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; POWs sharing accommodation with. REEL 12 Continues: equipment and clothing issued for mining work; reaction on being underground for first time; use of ponies; routine before start of shift; guarding on journey; details of work in mine shovelling coal and erecting pit props; communication with civilian workers; conditions and dangers of mine; roof falls and casualties; routine following shift; breaks during shift; reasons for fear during work; rations and meal times including further details of work; activities on day off; changes in shift. REEL 13 Continues: problems with lice and health problems among POWs; details of pay and shop; mail and parcels; routine of life and physical state; relationship with fellow POWs; concerns from correspondence with wife; reason for not sabotaging work; length of posting; German treatment of and relationship with civilian colleagues; posting and journey to E72 at Beuthen; camp commandant John the Bastard; description of camp; details of work in mine; act of sabotage; non- POW workers in mine; further details of mining work including machinery used in mine; sabotage of conveyor belt; reasons for acts of sabotage; problems with claustrophobia; work undertaken by night shift; weight loss. REEL 14 Continues: treatment of Russian POWs at E72; contact with Jewish prisoners from Auschwitz; state of Jewish prisoners; memories of John the Bastard including bartering with civilians and punishments; story of faking illness; attempt and method to infect self-inflicted wounds and gain time off; other methods used by POWs to get out of work; discussion of morale of POWs using more extreme methods; method of cutting himself; stories of accidents in mines; activities during days off; thoughts and talk about food; morale of POWs; opinion that would rather not hear bad news; problem with teeth and visit to Katowice for treatment; details of mine; background of and treatment from guards; memories of civilian supervisor; lack of organisation among POWs; reasons for not escaping; hopes for liberation from Russians. REEL 15 Continues: change in frequency of Red Cross parcels including reason given and affect on health; change in attitude of guards; lack of change in John the Bastard; preparations for departure from camp. Aspects of period as POW in transit, 1/1945-4/1945: clothing and possessions taken; rations issued; departure and joining with column; make-up and formation of column; weather conditions; details of march; condition of road; sleeping arrangements; rations scavenged and method of heating food; reason for not leaving column; deaths of Russian POWs; troops falling out of column; problems from cold; more on sleeping arrangements; state of feet and boots; problems with walking on roads; route taken and work undertaken fixing railway; story of bean theft and method of guards to find culprit; rations; fears about health; pace of march; state of guards; contact with civilians; memories of a guard. REEL 16 Continues: route taken to Regensburg; length of march; memories of march; problems following thawing of snow; opinion of worst conditions; latrines; POWs marched with; talk among POWs and thoughts during march; loss of weight; fainting POWs; news of route change; mental state during march; morale of POWs; disappearance of guards; appearance of American troops; searches for food; drink on march; time at airfield; flight to Reims; cookhouse in transit camp; length of stay; flight to GB; details of airfield; processing on arrival; leave granted; reactions to being free; details of reassessment at Amersham; medical grading; postings with Royal Army Ordnance Corps. Aspects of mental illness from 1946: symptoms of mental problems after demobilisation; changes following war; awareness of actions; description of electroconvulsive therapy. REEL 17 Continues: after-effects of electric shock therapy; visits to psychologist; opinion of reason for continuing problems; decision to admit him to psychiatric hospital; reason for not worrying about admission; financial aid received; civilian work before illness; cost of care; opinion of staff; treatment; opinion of hospital and attempts to stay; ongoing treatment; reason for decision to halt treatment in 1970s; army pension; story of interview for job at Strangeways; attitude toward army service and time as POW.