Neal, Ian Frederick Stewart (Oral history)

British NCO served with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, North Africa, Italy and Middle East, Greece and Austria, 1943-1946

REEL 1 Background to conscription into Durham Light infantry, 16/10/1939: father's military career prior work as clerk and sporting activities; reactions; desire to become county cricketer; question of approach of war; preconceptions of nature of war. Aspects of periods with Durham Light Infantry Depot and 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry at Spennymoor, Brancepeth Castle and various postings in GB, 10/1939: reception; kitting out; route marches and physical training; bayonet and unarmed combat training; basketball activities; rifle training; problems with hand grenades. REEL 2 Continues: problems with hand grenades; question of conscientious objections; weapons training including Thompson gun, pistol and psychological effect of bayonet, guard duties and award of 'stick'; absence of map training; fieldcraft; assault courses at Battle School, Barnard Castle; tactical exercises; question of contact with artillery and tanks; transport; brief parachute training; assisting in quartermaster's store, 2/1940-6/1941; relationship with NCOs; importance of discipline and value of sports; story of dealing with difficult soldiers as corporal in North Africa and question of qualities of good NCO; importance of comradeship in maintaining morale; question of qualities of good officer. REEL 3 Continues: question of qualities of good officer; proportion of regulars in 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry; attending junior NCOs' course, 1941; assessment on preliminary officers' training course, 1941; question of awareness of disciplinary offences and punishments during detachment as clerk to Deputy Assistant to Provost Marshall at Headquarters, 46th Div, 12/1941-7/1942; duties on posting to orderly room, Headquarters Coy, 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 7/1942; distribution of information and orders. REEL 4 Continues: distribution of information and orders received from motorcycle despatch riders; composition and distribution of Headquarters Coy; role of regimental sergeant major; disciplinary offences reported to orderly room; duties and questions of equipment shortages whilst assisting in quartermaster's store, 2/1940-6/1941; formation of 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 7/1940; question of preparedness for war, 9/1939; reaction to possibility of German invasion, 1940; billets at Spennymoor Town Hall, 10/1939; conditions of service at Brancepeth Castle; recreations and relationship with civilians; attending intelligence security course; guard duties; cipher course. Voyage with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry aboard Staffordshire to Algiers, Algeria, 12/1942-1/1943. Aspects of operations in North Africa, 1/1943-9/1943: first impression on march to initial transit camp. REEL 5 Continues: view of stolen British equipment on sale during visit to Casbah at Algiers; duties collecting and delivering mail; importance of mail and cigarettes parcels to troops; casualties at Sedjenane, 3/1943; acclimatisation of reinforcement drafts; effects of climate; state of health and precautions against malaria and dysentery; stories of taking out listening patrols including attempt to dig in in cemetery and German mortar fire; role of B Echelon; story illustrating Colonel Johnny Preston's insistence on getting mail; cricket activities; opinion of Preston; listening patrols; various aspects of terrain, German defensive positions and situation. REEL 6 Continues: German Junkers Ju 87 Stuka attacks; attempt to dig in in cemetery; various aspects of German defensive fortifications in North Africa and Italy; German POWs; question of superior conditions of service of US troops; food rations supplemented by eggs from Arab civilians; question of contact with French civilians; train journeys; question of Arab supplying military intelligence to both sides; ineffectiveness of bombing and bombardment on German defensive positions at Bizerta; problems with light infantry pace during Victory Parade in Tunis, 5/1943. Various aspects of period in Italy, 9/1943-2/1944: landing with second wave at Salerno, 9/1943; question of briefing; situation as part of US VI Corps; move inland; relationship with Italian civilians and situation. REEL 7 Continues: role as drummer with band including formation of band in GB, playing swing concerts for troops and instrumental line up; concert for Italian police, relationship with Italian civilians and question of learning Italian; question of black market activities; move inland, 9/1943; terrain; mail duties; civilian reactions on entry into Naples; river crossings; listening patrols; opinion of German troops and 88mm guns; problems with light infantry pace victory parade in Tunis, 5/1943; relationship with US troops, 1943. Period in Middle East, 2/1944-7/1944: flight out in Dakotas; story of being stoned during leave in Cairo, Egypt. REEL 8 Continues: story of being stoned and recreations during leave in Cairo; move to Tel Aviv, Palestine; recreations; lorry journey across Sinai Desert; visit to Damascus; bartering with cigarettes; training at Er Rama. Various aspects of period in Italy, 7/1944-12/1945: reputation of 46th Div; situation; ignorance of D Day landings. Period in Athens, Greece, 12/1944-4/1945: activities of ELAS insurgents and nature of fighting; close escape from sniper; ELAS use of Greek women and children; opinion of Gurkha troops. strategic situation. Recollections of period in Austria, 5/1945-3/1946: joint Allied control of Allies in Vienna; move to Wildon; role supervising disarming of German troops; relationship with Soviet troops in Vienna; prior contact with Yugoslavian partisans. REEL 9 Continues: prior contact with Yugoslavian partisans; relationship with Austrian civilians; routine duties; performances with band; effects of war service; casualties; administrative role with POWs; return to GB. Demobilisation, 3/1946. Question of effects of war service: difficulty in acclimatising to civilian life; importance of comradeship; patriotic beliefs.