Clark, Norman Maynard (Oral history)

British correspondent with News Chronicle in North Africa, Italy and North West Europe, 1941-1945; correspondent at International Military Tribunal, Nüremberg, Germany, 1945-1946

REEL 1 Recollections of period as war correspondent with News Chronicle in North Africa, 1941-1943: background to being sent to North Africa, 11/1941; transfer to front line at Agedabia, Libya; escape from Deutsches Afrika Korps attack at Benghazi, Libya, 1/1942; story of his arrest by Brigadier John Crystall for mixing with New Zealand other ranks in a bar in Cairo, Egypt, 24/12/1941; period of inactivity on Gazala Line, Libya, 1/1942-5/1942; question of why German attack at Bir Hakeim, Libya should not have been a surprise; nature of fighting at 'The Cauldron', Libya; news of proposal of British withdrawal after 'The Cauldron' action received from General Claude Auchinleck at Tobruk, Libya, 6/1942; opinion of Free French stand at Bir Hakeim, Libya; impressions of General Claude Auchinleck; conditions of retreating Eighth Army, 7/1942. REEL 2 Continues: co-operation he received from Eighth Army in desert; question of censorship of his material; preparations for Battle of El Alamein, 1942; patrolling with South African armoured car squadron in Qattara Depression, Egypt; opinion of South African 1st Infantry Div; reaction to sight of destroyed German tanks at Alam Halfa, Egypt, 9/1942; sight of grave of German who died nearest to Nile Delta, Egypt, 9/1942; briefing received from General Harold Alexander about progress of Battle of El Alamein, 10/1942; his joining in pursuit of Axis forces westwards, 11/1942; reaction of Germans to arrival of Allies in Tunis, Tunisia, 5/1943; attitude to life in desert; morale of Eighth Army; occasions when he met General Bernard Montgomery and opinion of him. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period as war correspondent with News Chronicle in Italy, 1944: conditions at Monte Cassino, 1/1944; his role as only war correspondent covering landings at Anzio, 22/1/1944; his landing at Anzio, 22/1/1944; advance inland from beach at Anzio, 22/1/1944; first German prisoners taken at Anzio; nature of fighting at Anzio; question of Prime Minister Winston Churchill's attempt to blame war correspondents for rumours of withdrawal at Anzio, 2/1944; attempt of war correspondent Wynford Vaughan Thomas to record nightingale at Anzio. Recollections of period as correspondent with News Chronicle in France, 6/1944-8/1944: landing in France; with Cornelius Ryan in Saint-Lô; how he was first to enter Mont Saint-Michel; encounter with drunken Ernest Hemingway; covering pursuit of Germans to Le Mans and Falaise Gap. REEL 4 Continues: General George S Patton's explanation for why Falaise Gap was not closed; General George S Patton's opinion of French forces contribution to pursuit of Germans; entry into Paris, 8/1944; war correspondent's base at Hotel Scribe, Paris, 8/1944; treatment of collaborators in Paris, 8/1944; Vichy Milice opening fire at Hotel de Crillon, Paris, 8/1944. Recollections of period as war correspondent with News Chronicle in North West Europe, 9/1944-5/1945: how he was with first United States Army troops on German territory, 3/9/1944; interception by American forces of train carrying German Army troops east of Paris, France, 8/1944; question of degree of threat from German forces during Battle of Bulge, 12/1944; last sight of German aircraft at Offenbach-am-Main, Germany, 3/1945; capture of German senior officer in staff car, spring 1945; liberation of Ohrdruf Concentration Camp, Germany, 4/4/1945; liberation of Buchenwald Concentration Camp, Germany, 4/4/1945; initial problems on contact with Soviet Army, 5/1945. REEL 5 Continues: contact with Soviet Army in Bohemia, Czechoslovakia, 5/1945; his meeting with Norman Baillie Stewart in prison cell, Germany, 5/1945; how war correspondents operate; narrow escape from being killed by German Army soldier in Trier, Germany, 1945; visit to Fuhrerbunker in Berlin, Germany, 6/1945; Soviet forces' bartering in Berlin, Germany Aspects of period as civilian correspondent for News Chronicle at International Military Tribunal, Nüremberg, Germany, 1945-1946: impressions made by defendants; key role of Maxwell Fyfe as cross examiner; quality of judges; viewing of film of hanging of July Bomb plotters; impressions made by Albert Speer; delivering of death sentence on Hermann Goering; organisation of executions. REEL 6 Continues: suicide of Hermann Göering; demeanour of Rudolf Hess in dock.