Collins, Thomas (Oral history)

British NCO served as wireless operator with Special Operations Executive in GB, French Algeria, Tunisia, Corsica, France and Elba Island, Italy, 1942-1944; served with Force 136, Special Operations Executive in Malaya, 1945

REEL 1 Background in South Shields, GB, 1923-1939: family; education; employment. Aspects of period as member of Air Raid Precautions in South Shields, 1939-1941: German Air Force bombing of Market Place, 1941; Air Raid Precautions uniform; leadership and headquarters of local Air Raid Precautions. Aspects of period as signaller with Royal Corps of Signals in GB, 1942: call-up to Catterick Camp, 1/1942; treatment during basic training; training as radio operator in Putney, London. Recollections of period as wireless operator with Special Operations Executive in GB, French Algeria and Tunisia, 1942-1943: recruitment to Special Operations Executive, 7/1942; accommodation at STS 54a Fawley Court, Henley-on-Thames; wireless training with Jamaican instructors at STS 54a Fawley Court, Henley-on-Thames; landing during Operation Torch at Oran, French Algeria, 11/1942; operating radio link with No 6 Inter-Services Unit in Gibraltar from Oran and later Algiers, French Algeria, 11/1942-1/1943; wireless operating for Squadron Leader Hugh Mallory Falconer and Colin McAndrew in Tunisia, 1/1943-5/1943. REEL 2 Continues: execution of Arab civilians for spying for Germans in Tunisia. Aspects of period as wireless operator with Special Operations Executive on Corsica, France and Elba Island, Italy, 1943-1944: participation in Operation Clissold to Corsica, France, 9/1943; objective of second mission Operation Balaclava to Corsica, France, 1/1944; participation in landings on Elba Island, Italy, 6/1944; work as radio link during Operation Monkey Puzzle in Algiers, French Algeria, 10/1943; opinion of wireless set and ease of operation; reasons for exclusion from Operation Anvil, the landings in Southern France, 8/1944. REEL 3 Continues: return to GB, 1944. Aspects of period as wireless operator with Force 136, Special Operations Executive in Malaya, 1945: volunteering for duties in Far East, 5/1945; parachuting into jungle near Kuala Kubu Bharu, 7/1945; means of changing wireless batteries; occasion of being pursued by Imperial Japanese Army; arrangements for Japanese forces' surrender at Kuala Kubu Bharu, 8/1945; hiding of arms for future use by Chinese Communist guerrillas; opinion of effort made by Chinese guerrillas against Japanese; impressions of guerrilla leader. Aspects of period as NCO with Special Operations Executive and Royal Corps of Signals in Ceylon and India, 1945-1946: return to Ceylon; disbandment of Special Operations Executive and posting to Royal Corps of Signals; period in Delhi, India during civil disturbances; return to GB, 1946.