Cornell, William (Oral history)

British private served with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1939-1940; served with 10th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1940- 1941; served with 50th Traffic Control Coy Corps of Military Police in GB, 1941- 1943; served with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in India and Burma, 1943- 1945; served with 2nd Bn Duke of Wellington's Regt in India, 1945-1946

REEL 1 Background in Ferryhill Station, GB, 1921-1939: area grew up in; family and family home; clothing and memories of childhood; death of father and exemption of brother from army; closeness of community; education; reasons behind decision to leave school; work as apprentice bricklayer including details of pay; leisure activities; attendance at chapel; time in cubs and scouts; signs of approaching war; issue of gas masks; stories heard from First World War; reasons for joining Territorial Army including reluctance of father; public attitude towards Territorial Army. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period as private with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 2/1939-1/1940: process of joining; meetings and unit at Spennymoor; weapons training; description of drill hall; background of troops; drills needed for attendance at camp; learning of drill; route marches; attitude of civilians; discipline; uniform issued; NCOs in company; gas precautions and training; ages allowed in Territorial Army; church parades; mobilisation; make-up of battalion and company; period confined to drill hall; change in training; reactions to outbreak of war; reaction of parents to war; issue of battle dress and use of service dress; sleeping arrangements; equipment; supply of meals; rations; change in civilian attitudes; accommodation in South Shields; improvements from first days; reasons for posting to 10th Battalion. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period as private with 10th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1/1940- 8/1941: sleeping arrangements; pattern of training; leisure activities; air raid; hospitalisation with hernia; reason for posting as batman; hated of post; opinion of officer served; return to platoon; posting to Dawlish Warren after Dunkirk; request to rejoin 6th Battalion; role on beaches; arrest of German spy; accommodation; guard duties; opinion of chances against an invasion; posting in Okehampton; air activity; equipment situation; role and posting as infantryman; opinion of Lee Enfield and P17 rifles; leisure activities including story of visit to Plymouth; punishments for ill discipline; guard duties; method of keeping crease in trousers; cleaning of webbing; fire piquet; leave; leisure activities; pattern of training; fire and movement; battle drill; manoeuvres; enjoyment of time in country; length of time in Devon; death of father; motorcycle issued and posting to motorcycle platoon; posting to Traffic Control Company at Salisbury. REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period as private with 50th Traffic Control Coy Corps of Military Police in GB, 1941-1943: traffic on roads; make-up and duties of unit; training received; posting as group dispatch rider; duties including places sent and impressions of General Alexander; types of messages; motorcycle ridden; uniform worn; maintenance of vehicles; dangers of work; placing of name on draft; news of posting to a Durham Light Infantry battalion; expectation of posting to middle east; medical; posting to Brancepeth Camp; opinion of time at Brancepeth; issue of khaki drill; accommodation in Durham; train journey to Greenock; details of ship knowledge of destination. Aspects of journey from Greenock, GB, to Bombay, India, aboard the Multaan, 1943: disembarkation; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; seasickness; duties; physical training; boat drill; enjoyment of voyage; contact with officers; inspections; contact with crew; out of bounds areas; opinion of rations; canteen; saltwater soap; leisure activities and knowledge of destination; presence of convoy commodore; route taken. REEL 5 Continues: army attitude to gambling; situation in North Africa; entrance into and voyage through Mediterranean; weapons on boat; stop in Port Said harbour; voyage through Suez Canal; climate and change into khaki dress; water ration; sleeping on deck; stop in Aden; news of destination and posting with 2nd Battalion including reaction to news; more on journey through Mediterranean; smell of India; weapons training; population of ship; fitness training; knowledge of Japanese and situation in Burma; arrival in Bombay. Aspects of period as private in India, 1943: first impressions of India; conditions on train journey to Deolali; description of camp; length of journey; story of hospitalisation; joining of 2nd Battalion at Ahmednagar; rations; leisure activities; civilian attitude to British rule; civilian workers in camp including treatment received from troops; contact with women; route marches; story of ingrown toe nail and dodging of route march. REEL 6 Continues: uniform and equipment issued; inoculations; pattern of training; opinion of training; length of time at Deolali; journey to Ahmednagar. Aspects of period as private with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in India, 1943-1944: reaction to being in battalion; welcome from battalion; previous actions in Burma and stories heard about Japanese; description of camp; opinion of rations; unit posted in; officers in company; invasion training; make-up of section and platoon; weapons in section; opinion of sten gun; arrival of PIAT; make-up of company; brigade and division; spread and make-up of brigade; water and use of purification tablets; malaria precautions; latrines; washing facilities; problems with wildlife; checks on bedding; health in India; standard of turnout; sports; opinion of Indian troops and drivers; details of mail including importance and censorship; beer and cigarettes; items received in parcels. REEL 7 Continues: invasion training; lectures on Russians; jungle training in Belgaum; description of defensive boxes; movement through jungle; setting-up of camp and meals; use and importance of mules; role in box; problems with baboons; stories of events while wandering off on own; noise in jungle; problems digging in; knowledge of edible plants; supply of rations; latrines; breaks during marches; dealing with wet conditions; weight; methods of keeping hydrated; salt tablets; medical checks; length of train journey to Dimapur; stops during journey; patrols sent out ahead of train; truck journey into Assam and gunshots heard; reactions to situation; terrain; patrols sent out during journey through Assam; story of fear felt during one such patrol. REEL 8 Continues: Aspects of operations with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in India, 4/1944: terrain and scenes on roads during approach to Kohima; knowledge of destination; mortaring of trucks; march through jungle and reactions to seeing first dead bodies; end of day; equipment and ammunition carried; iron ration and field dressing; passing over of artillery; exit from jungle; positions dug; proximity to Garrison Hill; night in position; story of soldier who blew his toes off; background of troops; opinion and memories of Company Sergeant Major Robertson and his platoon officer; movement onto Garrison Hill and state of positions occupied; story of Japanese troops seen while on guard; relief of Royal West Kents and reactions; time in and description of trenches; guard duties and sleeping arrangements; approach of Japanese troops; talk with Corporal Breden and action taken; scenes and smells in area; actions of B Company on first hill occupied; work of A Company following action; sights and smells in destroyed bunker; Stand To; description of trench on Garrison Hill; renewing camouflage over trench; sleeping arrangements; conditions for officers. REEL 9 Continues: supply of rations; move closer to Japanese positions; thoughts of coming battle; briefing; forming up and advance; death of Corporal Breden; reactions to and acceptance of situation; description of battle; explosion of ammunition dump; scenes of wounded; opinion of Japanese skill with mortars; orders to carry on; attack on Japanese positions; explosion and journey through air; cover taken; damage to water bottle and description of wounds; application of field dressing; thoughts and events during wait for help; approach of Private Hunter; treatment given and evacuation; processing at dressing station; reactions of wounded; walk down hill; earlier story of Japanese soldier shot; reaction to shooting someone. Aspects of hospitalisation in India, 4/1944-7/1944: arrival at bottom of hill; ambulances arriving with ammunition; evacuation to Dimapur; length of stay and treatment received; talk with reporter; staff and opinion of treatment; discipline; evacuation to Gauhati and description of hospital; journey to convalescence camp at Shillong; description of camp; activities; thoughts during convalescence. REEL 10 Continues: opinion of staff; climate; opinion of rations; activities; length of stay and of time away from battalion; journey to battalion at Milestone 86. Aspects of period with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in India, 1944: state of battalion; friends lost; description of camp; accommodation; sleeping arrangements; wildlife; officers; reinforcements; leisure activities; reactions to being the Forgotten Army; mail; visit from high ranking officers; entertainments; importance of relaxation; attitude toward Japanese troops; pain in groin during training. Aspects of hospitalisation in India, 1944-1945: with hernia; evacuation to Gohaki including lack of discipline onboard Douglas Dakotas; air activity at Kohima; reaction during bombing; stay in Gauhati hospital; length of hospitalisation; desperation to rejoin battalion; wait for battalion to come to Calcutta. Aspects of journey from Calcutta, India, to Rangoon, Burma, aboard the Dilwara, 1945: rumours of return home; march through Calcutta and boarding of Dilwara; news of operation in Rangoon; reaction to news; leisure time on islands; death of Lieutenant Connolly; replacement officer; briefings about assault. REEL 11 Continues: thoughts on arrival in river; boarding of landing craft; weapons carried; voyage up estuary on alert; change in plan; arrival in Rangoon and opposition faced; disembarkation. Aspects of period with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in Burma, 1945: reception from civilians; organisation of march out of Rangoon; arrival at Mingaladon Aerodrome; role on airfield; story of damaged Douglas Dakota; state of barracks; duties; POWs seen; contact with Indian National Army; opinion of and contact with Indian troops; ovens built to bake bread; start and details of LIAP scheme; lottery for places; size of group. Aspects of leave in GB, 1945: voyage from Rangoon to Calcutta; officer accompanying troops; reaction to leave; flight to Poona and problems with aeroplane; visit into Poona; flight to and over Karachi; use of camels in Karachi; flight over Baghdad to Habbaniyah and stop in Bahrain; details of stop-offs; route from Habbaniyah to Kent; reaction on arrival in GB; uniform issued. REEL 12 Continues: reception on arrival home including request that mother not be told he had been wounded; situation in Burma; end of war with Japan; query as to point of return to India; differences in return journey to Burma. Aspects of period with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in Burma, 1945: cancellation of action in Malaya; rumour of posting in Japan; talk with friends on return; flag sewn onto uniform; state of battalion; demobilisation number; vote in 1945 election; posting to Duke of Wellington's Regiment. Aspects of period as private with 2nd Bn Duke of Wellington's Regiment in India, 1945-1946: opinion of and reception from unit; complaint made about treatment and talk with padre; posting in and duties with Pioneer Platoon; arrival in Bombay. Aspects of journey from Bombay, India, to Southampton, GB, aboard the Dominion Monarch, 1946: details of ship; route taken; population of ship; captain's attempt to break record; activities onboard; story of Japanese revolver; journey through Suez Canal; arrival in Southampton; process of demobilisation in York including final pay and medals received; uniform pieces kept including description of bush hat; memories of Lieutenant Connolly; friends surviving war.