Wrigglesworth, Clifford (Oral history)

British trooper served with Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons, 5th Cavalry Bde, 1st Cavalry Div in Palestine and French Syria, 1/1940-3/1942; NCO served with Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons, 2nd Armoured Bde, 1st Armoured Div in North Africa, 4/1942-3/1943; POW in Tunisia, Campo PG 206, Nocera, Italy and Stalag VIII-B, Lamsdorf, Germany, 3/1943-5/1945; repatriated from Germany to GB, 5/1944

REEL 1 Aspects of enlistment and training as trooper at Redford Cavalry Barracks, Edinburgh in GB, 9/1939-1/1940: background to enlistment; German Air Force strafing attack on parade ground, 1939. Aspects of operations as trooper with Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons, 5th Cavalry Bde, 1st Cavalry Div in Palestine and French Syria, 1/1940-3/1942: joining mounted unit in Palestine; policing duties in Palestine, 1940-1941; move into Jebel Druse in French Syria; skirmishing with Vichy French Druse cavalry at Sweida, 10/7/1941; character of Druse in Jebel Druse. Aspects of operations as trooper and NCO with C Sqdn, Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons, 2nd Armoured Div, 1st Armoured Div in North Africa, 4/1942-3/1943: swapping horses for vehicles; description of decoy tanks; artillery barrage during Battle of El Alamein, Egypt, 10/1942; crossing minefield in vehicles; wounding by mortar fire at Medenine, Tunisia, 17/3/1943. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Tunisia, 3/1943: capture by Italians and initial treatment; amputation of leg without anaesthetic; conditions during evacuation by lorry to Sfax. REEL 2 Continues: embarkation in hospital ship at Sfax. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Campo PG 206, Nocera, Italy, 4/1943-8/1943: move to hospital camp; treatment by British medical personnel; evacuation to hospital near Bologna; appearance before repatriation board; journey towards Portugal and stopping on French frontier on Italian surrender, 9/1943. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Stalag VIII-B, Lamsdorf, Germany, 10/1943-5/1944: removal to camp; contrast between supply of Red Cross parcels in Germany and Italy; abundance of Canadian cigarettes; lack of medical drugs in camp; recommendation for repatriation; roll call. Aspects of repatriation from Germany to GB, 5/1944: train journey to Marseille, France for shipping to Barcelona, Spain; journey to GB, 5/1944; re-amputation of leg in Leeds, 9/1944; removal of shrapnel from throat, 1945; attitude towards wartime experiences; employment as shop keeper; pension received.