Forster, John Joseph (Oral history)

British private and NCO served with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, France, Belgium, Cyprus, Iraq and North Africa, 1939- 1942; NCO served with Infantry Base Depot in Egypt, 1942; served with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in North Africa, GB and North West Europe, 1942-1946

REEL 1 Background in Longhorsley, GB, 1917-1939: family; education; work on family farm; job taken as lorry driver in Newcastle; trial working in Birtley Colliery and effect on health; work as lorry driver; work driving on Major Straker's estate; time in Scouts; discipline; conscription into army; signs of approaching war; reactions to war. Aspects of period as private with Durham Light Infantry Depot in GB, 11/1939-1/1940: enrolment at Brancepeth Castle; settling into army life; marching at Light Infantry pace; opinion of training; sleeping arrangements; accommodation in Willington; parading in streets; relationship of Sergeant Rasmussen with civilians; cookhouse and rations; morning procedures; physical training; cross country runs; breakfast; marching and saluting in street; stripping and re-assembly of weapons; route marches; feet inspections; tips for care of feet from veterans; tea; guard duties in training; prowling guards. REEL 2 Continues: preparation for guard duty; guarding of billets; inspection of guard; passwords; hours guard worked; rifle issued; opinion of Lee Enfield; bayonet issued and training; opinions of bayonet; opinion of 2" mortar; opinions of bren gun; tuition with Thompson Sub-Machine Gun; opinion and description of Boyes anti-tank rifle; gas precaution training; hand grenade training; summary of training; leisure activities; details of pay; kit inspections; stealing among recruits; games in pubs; relationship with civilians; gambling; relationship between recruits; opinion of and relationship with NCOs; memories of Sergeant Holdcroft and posting to signals. REEL 3 Continues: posted to 6th Battalion at Chipping Norton and transfer to motor transport; leave; concerns of family and code used in later letter home; reactions to men of army age that were still civilians. Aspects of period as private with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1/1940: journey to Chipping Norton; draft; details of D Company; truck driven; posted as company commander's driver; duties of truck drivers; driving in convoy including during night; maintenance of vehicles; courses to become driver mechanic; vehicles in a company; role of Royal Army Service Corps attachment; duties as company commander's driver; discipline and standard of turnout; relationship with Captain Cummins; accommodation; reception from civilians; accommodation when company commander's driver; use of anti-freeze; adaptations of trucks for snow; football; rations; manoeuvre; journey to Southampton. REEL 4 Continues: voyage to France. Aspects of period as private with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in France, 1/1940- 5/1940: arrival in Cherbourg and first impressions of France; reception from civilians; drive out of Cherbourg for night; drive to Arras area; time in Emmerin and on La Bassee Canal; reception from civilians in Ancoines; accommodation; story of a carrier driver in the local café; swimming in canal; friendships made with civilians; coping with lack of women; accommodation; story of air activity in Arras area; hygiene; anti-lice powder; rations and supplements to rations. Aspects of operations as private with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in France and Belgium, 5/1940-6/1940: positions taken on Vimy Ridge; advance into Belgium to River Dendre; march in column back to France; refugees on roads; reactions to seeing refugees; air activity; return to La Bassee; move onto Vimy Ridge; time on Vimy Ridge; news of battle with tanks; formation of battalion; march into action; reactions to situation; air activity; stop in orchard; infantry went into attack; story of French tank on crossroads; destroyed German transport; POWs; order to pull out at night; reunion with Captain Cummins; withdrawal from Vimy Ridge. REEL 5 Continues: splitting-up of battalion after Vimy; rations; damage to vehicle from strafing; abandonment of vehicle; fights between refugees and troops trying to get on lorries; thoughts on withdrawal; disembarking from lorries at Dunkirk; rushed march to docks; boarding of mole; loss of battalion; Junkers Ju 87 Stuka attack on voyage to Devonport; scenes of traffic on channel. Aspects of period as private with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 6/1940-5/1941: arrival in Devonport; night in naval barracks; journey to Brancepeth Castle; reception on arrival; arrival of party from Boulogne; leave; reformation of battalion at Brancepeth Castle; reason for move to Rugeley; camp; reinforcements; morale of battalion; opinion that French had let them down; reason for not blaming high ranking officers. REEL 6 Continues: settling in of Scottish reinforcements; equipment situation; commandeering of civilian transport; resumption of duties with Captain Cummins; medal awards; training in Thetford; journey to Maiden Newton; activities; German planes shot down and beach defence duties on Chesil Beach; rumour of an attempted invasion; accommodation; leisure activities; improvements in weapons situation; naval guns behind farmhouse; duties; postings on Uffculme and Cullompton; new transport received; night training; problems with gutters; issue of tropical kit; send-off from civilians and troops who got married; journey to Gourock. Aspects of journey from Gourock; GB, to Port Suez, Egypt, aboard the Duchess of Richmond, 5/1941-7/1941: boarding of ship; sleeping arrangements; bakery on ship; seasickness on voyage round Ireland; rations; activities onboard; convoy; disappearance of ships to chase Bismarck. REEL 7 Continues: lectures during voyage; training given on ship; conditions onboard; latrines; resentment towards accommodation of NCOs and officers; discipline and clothing worn; sleeping position; events in Freetown harbour; leave and reception from civilians in Durban; Ghurkha troops taken onboard; shark following ship and death of a Ghurkha; refuelling in Aden. Aspects of period in transit through Egypt, 7/1941: landing in Egypt; accommodation in camp; first impressions of Egypt; description of camp; rations; journey to Cyprus aboard minelayer. Aspects of period as private and NCO with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in Cyprus, 7/1941-11/1941: role on Cyprus; relationship with civilians; training given to civilians with tractors; duties as driver; state of battalion; slit trenches dug in orchard; figs in orchard; Stand To; air activity; activities in Famagusta, Larnaca and Akrateria. REEL 8 Continues: leisure activities including visits to Nicosia; relationship with civilians; scenes around Cyprus and climate; promotion to Lance Corporal; length of time on Cyprus; reason for posting in Iraq. Aspects of journey from Cyprus to Iraq, 11/1941: journey to Haifa; transport picked up; route taken to Habbaniya; new road driven on; Lawrence of Arabia's Headquarters and staging point; terrains driven over. Aspects of period as NCO with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in Iraq, 11/1941-2/1941: arrival in Habbaniyah; sleeping arrangements; theft of rifles; hospital and camp in Baghdad; death of Sergeant and revenge taken; duties in Kirkuk; arrival on border; accommodation; climate; methods of keeping warm; threat from Germans; rations; leisure activities. Aspects of journey from Iraq to Egypt, 2/1941: drive through Iraq; route taken to Egypt; journey through Cairo; drive through desert to Alexandria; reunion with troops; guide picked up in El Daba; signs of battle on journey to Gazala Box. Aspects of operations as NCO with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in North Africa, 2/1942-6/1942: boxes at Gazala; work on boxes; accommodation built; storage of vehicle; latrines. REEL 9 Continues: rations; water ration; company cookhouse; meals; visits from NAAFI and Salvation Army; visits to Tobruk for sea water; opinion of Salvation Army; church services; memories of padres; help of religion in situation; hygiene and problems with sand; clothes from South African forces; common illnesses and treatments; method of reporting sick; mail; censorship of mail and secret codes; leisure activities; troops with low morale; boredom of life in box; punishments given for ill discipline; Stand To; guards watching wire; mining of gap at night; listening posts; discipline; terrain of desert; carrier's suitability for the terrain; ease of digging in; dispersal of spoil and items used for camouflage; accommodation of troops; description of escarpment; proximity to wire; Company Headquarters. REEL 10 Continues: personnel and duties at Company Headquarters; company commander's inspection of positions; communications with listening post; spread of companies; box defences; proximity to opposing troops; details of listening posts; ease of movement; air activity; support from artillery and anti-tank platoon; opinion of 25lb guns; Royal Army Service Corps; tank support; support from Royal Engineers; duties as Major Cummins's driver; petrol in desert; formation of patrols; length and make-up of patrol; activities of patrols weapons taken; stories of patrols; use of terrain for cover; navigation; reactions when lost; organisation of Jock Columns; Jock Column attack on Mektili Aerodrome; length of time column spent out of box. REEL 11 Continues: methods of avoiding Axis forces; timing of attacks; attacking other columns; briefing before departure; procedures for if captured or wounded; role in attack on Mektili Aerodrome; reactions as going into attack and afterwards; comradeship in column; examples of troops losing nerve; reactions on return to box; composition of Jock Column; formation in laagers at night; reactions of troops to selection for Jock Columns; proximity columns got to main German lines; contact with German forces; start of Axis advance; shelling of box; column sent to help 150 Brigade; orders before breakout; cut through German column; journey east away from box; arrival; at Fort Maddalena. REEL 12 Continues: covering of withdrawal of troops at Mersa Matruh; defence against Germans surrounding them; breakout from escarpment; wounding from driving over mine. Aspects of period of hospitalisation in North Africa and Middle East, 1942: story of being found by Indian troops; initial treatment; description of wounds; evacuation via El Alamein hospital to Alexandria; hospital train journey to Tel el Kebir; shrapnel in legs; description of hospital; staff in hospital; news of evacuation to South Africa and reason for change of plans for convalescence in Nathania; differences in discipline between hospitals run by different nations; opinion of doctors and nurses; rations; resentment towards nurses; memories of Keith Elliott; description of Nathania hospital; bathing in sea; staff of hospital; memories of a nurse at Tel el Kebir; effect of treatment on troops; relationship with nurses; medical grading on leaving Palestine; journey to Geneifa. Aspects of period as NCO in Geneifa, Egypt, 1942: duties; medical re-grading; request to rejoin battalion; posting as Colonel Battersby's driver at the Battle School; details of courses at school; news of return to battalion and limits from medical grading; journey to Alexandria. REEL 13 Continues: enjoyment of time at Battle School. Aspects of period as NCO with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in North Africa, 11/1942-11/1943: state of battalion; welcome on return; work as Colonel Watson's driver; return to Geneifa; landing manoeuvres; departure of transport for Tripoli; duties at Tel el Kebir while battalion in Sicily; departure of battalion; troops left behind; news of Sicilian landings; driving duties in A Echelon; preparations for departure from Egypt. Aspects of voyage from Port Suez, Egypt, to Liverpool, GB, aboard the Duchess of Richmond, 11/1943-12/1943: departure for GB; friends lost in Sicily; memories of Colonel Watson; state of battalion; journey through Mediterranean; sleeping arrangements; attack on submarine; attempts to kill lice in South African bush shirt; arrival in Liverpool. Aspects of period as NCO with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 12/1943-6/1944: disembarkation and march to station; time in transit camp; issue of uniforms; details of leave given; reception on arrival home; restlessness while on leave; food; attitude towards non-fighting men; period posted as missing. REEL 14 Continues: requests for information about comrades; return to battalion; movement around GB; medical re-grading; posted as driver to Lieutenant Colonel Green; training; change in conditions from desert; discussion of training near Thetford; duties; promotion to Corporal; night manoeuvres at Minehead; new weapons in battalion; embarkation leave and 48 hour passes; relationship with civilians; leisure activities; reactions to being locked into camp near Southampton and troops sneaking out of camp; reactions to role as Assault Division; looking after newcomers; antagonism with 51st Division; relationship with NCOs and officers; bomb happy officer in B Company; memories of Colonel Green; visits from important people; time in camp near Southampton; journey to Southampton docks. REEL 15 Continues: boarding and loading of landing craft; postponement of departure; voyage to Normandy; firing of warships; return of fire from Germans; landing on beach and disembarkation; waterproofing of vehicles; methods for making movement up beach easier; blockhouse above Gold Beach; underwater obstacles; noise on beach; journey to assembly area; removal of water proofing; joining with Colonel Green and signaller; swimming tanks; movement forward with tanks; contact with civilians and POWs; advance and resistance met; role in advance; terrain fought over at Tilly sur Seulles; German positions; tank battle at Hottot; story of jeep being shelled at Hottot while taking message; arrival at battalion with message; return journey to Colonel Green; Panzers met at Villers Bocage; passing over of Avro Lancasters; damage to town; sheltering of civilians outside town; effect on troops of fighting in the bocage; caution of veterans. REEL 16 Continues: carnage at Falaise Gap; knowledge of destination; advance to Brussels; contact with civilians and resistance; treatment of Nazi collaborators; information from resistance; reception from civilians in Brussels; camp outside Brussels; scenes in city on return through to Brigade; tank battle at Louvain; halt on Gheel Canal; story of old woman crossing the canal; advance across canal and towards Gheel; news of surrounding by German paratroopers; story of fire taken on journey across cornfield; relief from 52nd Division; reinforcements; move into Holland; reconnaissance with Colonel Wood; advance through Holland towards Eindhoven; consolidation and taking of Eindhoven; fall of Nijmegen; attempt to reach Arnhem; role of infantry in advance; problems from flooding; living conditions; action seen; relief from Canadians; break- up of division; reactions to being sent home; time as training battalion at Skipton; bombing at Ostend; duties at Skipton; organisation of demobilisation; handover of transport at Castle Douglas; last troops in battalion; demobilisation at York.