O'Brien, Thomas Joseph (Oral history)

British NCO served with 15th Field Park Coy, Royal Engineers in France and Belgium, 1939-1940; officer served with 233 Field Coy, Royal Engineers in Middle East and North Africa, 1941-1942; POW in Italy, 1943-1944; escaped and joined Italian Partisans in Italy, 2/1944-6/1944

REEL 1 Background in Karachi, India and GB, 1915-1939: family; education; reasons for return to GB. Recollections of operations as NCO with 15th Field Park Coy, Royal Engineers in France and Belgium, 1939-1940: role building Gort Line near Douai; move to Brussels in Belgium after 10/5/1940; arrival at Dunkirk, 29/5/1940; embarking aboard paddle steamer and German shellfire hit; physical condition during evacuation; firing at German reconnaissance aircraft in Belgium, 5/1940; sight of bombed British convoy at Dunkirk, 29/5/1940; group of qualified Royal Engineers evacuated at Dunkirk; return to GB. Recollections of period as officer with 233 Field Coy, Royal Engineers, 69th Bde, 50th Div in Middle East, 1941-1942: joining unit after commissioning, 1941; composition of brigade; voyage from GB to Egypt via Cape Town aboard Duchess of Bedford, 5/1941-6/1941. REEL 2 Continues: move from Egypt to Cyprus, c7/1941; construction of defences in Cyprus; reaction to swapping vehicles with 5th Indian Div; reasons for move to Iraq c12/1941; reaction to hearing of bombing of Pearl Harbor, 12/1941; relieving Australian troops in Syria, c1/1942. Recollections of operations as officer with 233 Field Coy, Royal Engineers, 69th Bde, 50th Div in Western Desert, 1942: move to Gazala Line, 22/2/1942; relieving sappers from 4th Indian Div; fortify 'boxes' in Gazala Line; effect of German Air Force raids; use of 'Jock Columns', spring 1942; capture of Italian POWs on St Patrick's Day raid; character of withdrawal from Gazala Line, c14/6/1942; reaction to surrender of Tobruk, 6/1942. REEL 3 Continues: later discussions with South African POWs about fall of Tobruk, 6/1942; decision of which store to deny Germans at Sidi Barrani, 26/6/1942; job destroying food stores at Sidi Barrani, 27/6/1942; guiding 10th Indian Div through minefield gap east of Mersa Matruh; wrecking of vehicle during retreat. Aspects of capture and period as POW in Italy, 1942-1944: capture by Germans, 30/6/1942; treatment of POWs by Germans, 7/1942; flight to Italy from Bengahazi. REEL 4 Continues: effect of music on POW morale; move to Chieti POW camp; outbreak of jaundice at Chieti, late 1942; POW diet; disappearance of guards on collapse of Italy, 9/1943; problems of POWs making a decision about what to do, 9/1943; senior British officer's orders to remain at Chieti; readiness of escape tunnel at Chieti; arrival of Germans c21/9/1943; move of POWs to Sulmona Camp, 24/9/1943; reason for discarding of his insignia; hiding in roof of hut at Sulmona Camp, 29/9/1943-6/10/1943; escape from Sulmona Camp, 6/10/1943; attempt to reach Allied lines; aid from Italian civilians. REEL 5 Continues: recapture by Germans near River Sangro, 22/11/1943; second escape from Bissingano Camp near Spoleto, 6/1/1944-7/1/1944. Recollections of period with Italian Partisans in Umbria, Italy, 2/1944-6/1944: joining partisan unit under Sergio Forte; partisan explosive store; advice he gave to partisans about using explosive; demolition of hydro-electric station at Preci, 1/5/1944; Yugoslavian Communist Partisan unit which operated in area; memories of Sergio Forte and his fate, 14/6/1944; effect of Yugoslav Partisans attacks on Herman Goering Div; air supply drops in Fiano area; role of Sam Derry in sending money to escaped POWs; abortive supply drop, 4/1944.