Description
Object description
British marine served with 8th Bn Royal Marines in GB, 1941-1942; marine and NCO served with No 41 (Royal Marine) Commando in GB and Italy. 10/1942-5/1944; served with No 41 (Royal Marine) Commando, 4th Special Service Bde and North West Europe, 6/1944-9/1944
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Shepherd's Bush, London, GB, 1922-1940: family; education; employment. Aspects of enlistment and training with 8th Bn Royal Marines in GB, 1941-1942: reasons for enlistment in Royal Marines, 1941; discipline during training at Lympstone; incident illustrating nature of discipline demonstrated by NCO; billeting system for Royal Marines; training on Eureka Boat (LCPL). Aspects of period as marine and NCO with No 41 (Royal Marine) Commando, Special Service Bde in GB, 10/1942-6/1943: volunteering for commandos and type of recruit required; training in Ayrshire. Recollections of operations as NCO with No 41 (Royal Marine) Commando, Royal Marines, Special Service Bde during landings on Sicily, Italy, 7/1943: voyage from GB to Mediterranean; character of beach landings.
REEL 2 Continues: passwords used during landings; advancing inland; wounding in chest; method used by officer to locate his position; use of Italian prisoners of war as stretcher bearers; German Air Force attack on Allied hospital ships. Aspects of hospitalisation in North Africa, 7/1943-8/1943: nature of his wound; wounded German prisoner of war who believed GB was under German occupation; attempts to rejoin his unit in Sicily; amusing incident with regimental sergeant-major in charge of transit camp. Recollections of operations as NCO with No 41 (Royal Marine) Commando in Sicily and Italy, 8/1943-9/1943: finding his unit in Sicily; effects of his blowing up unloading ships at Catania, Sicily, 8/1943; impressions of landings at Salerno, 9/1943; refusal of members of 51st (Highland) Infantry Div to carry out orders; his own landing.
REEL 3 Continues: how his previous wounding made him cautious; duties with Headquarters Coy; high morale in No 41 (Royal Marine) Commando; attitude towards Germans; lack of sleep; reaction to being withdrawn. Aspects of period as NCO with No 41 (Royal Marine) Commando, Special Service Bde in North Africa, 10/1943-1/1944: recuperation; reaction of unit members to prospect of not returning to GB; dangers to isolated troops in Algiers, French Algeria, hearing song 'Lili Marlene' on return voyage from French Algeria to GB, 1/1944. Recollections of operations as NCO with No 41 (Royal Marine) Commando, 4th Special Service Bde in North West Europe, 6/1944-9/1944: character of unit advance in Normandy, France; incident of atheist in unit replacing crucifix on wall; symptoms of shell shock under mortar fire.
REEL 4 Continues: means of earning extra money for handling postal orders; reselling supplies of liqueur from Benedictine monks at Fecamp Abbey, France; injuries from Willys Jeep accident on French-Belgian border, 9/1944. Aspects of hospitalisation in GB, 1944-1945: transfer to GB; operation for dislocated shoulder; attitude to being labelled 'below physical standard for Royal Marines'. Aspects of German Air Force attacks on Shepherd's Bush, London, GB, 1940-1941: ventilation of air raid shelters; periods spent in air raid shelters; public morale; sight of glow in sky from German Air Force bombing of London Docks, 9/1944; memories of German V weapons attacks, 1944-1945.