Plowright, Phil (Oral history)

British private and NCO served with 70th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in GB, 1940-1943; NCO served with 2/5th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in North Africa, Italy, Middle East; Greece and Austria, 1943-1946; served with 2nd Bn Loyal North Lancashire Regt in Austria, 1946

REEL 1 Background in Ruddington, GB, 1922-1940: family; memories of childhood; education; involvement with football and cricket; sport in Ruddington; civilian work; building of air raid shelter in 1938; activities with Boys Brigade; details of gymnasium classes; outbreak of war; memories of Albert Mack; initial attempt to join up and reasons for wanting to join army; formation and joining of Local Defence Volunteers; opinion of Sergeant Frank Foss; drill hall; uniform; training received and rifle issued; details and opinion of patrols; activities during winter; opinion of Captain Teager and Sergeant Foss including father's service in First World War; civilian work during war; joining of army including medical; reason for wanting to join army; choice of service; posting with 70th Battalion. REEL 2 Continues: return to work and arrival of posting papers. Aspects of period as private and NCO with 70th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in GB, 8/1940-3/1943: posting in Nottingham; accommodation; location of training; details of unit; relationship with fellow recruits including forced washing of recruit and sleeping arrangements; bullying; rations; opinion of rations; morning procedures; kit and billet inspections; changes to drill from Boys Brigade and LDV; involvement in football and memories of Warnie Cresswell; physical training; working day; details of stick guard duties; visits to NAAFI and YMCA; details of pay; playing of piano including with Company Quarter Master Sergeant Gibson in Bulwell; posting with battalion headquarters at Bestwood Lodge; accommodation; details of Guards course attended in London; memories of Regiment Sergeant Major Brittain; promotions up to lance sergeant; reception in sergeants mess in Regent's Park; further memories and opinion of Regiment Sergeant Major Brittain; further details of course; story of parade with Regiment Sergeant Major Brittain. REEL 3 Continues: cleaning of equipment and boots; bombing of Camden Town; reaction to bombing; length of course; opinion of reason for being selected as potential officer; learning to fire rifle; opinion of what made a good shot; building up to Lee Enfield; posting to course with The Artists' Rifles at Bisley; rifle practice in hut; cleaning of rifle; zeroing of rifle; use of rifle; stripping of bren gun; stoppages; opinion and firing of bren gun; training with and firing of Thompson Submachine Gun; opinion of Thompson Submachine Gun; details of other machine guns trained with; bayonet training. REEL 4 Continues: throwing of 38 mills bomb; opinion of mills bomb; description and opinion of Bakelite grenade; details of smoke grenade; details and firing of 2" mortar; opinion of Boyes anti-tank rifle; firing of PIAT; training with and opinion of Smith and Wesson .45 revolver; learning to teach about weapons; lessons given; details of Army School of Physical Training course taken at York; story of examination; physical training instructors met; return to Bestwood Lodge and posting as cadre instructor; details of first cadre course; involvement of officers with course; memories of Wally Binch and concert party formed; dances; formation of battalion; promotion to full sergeant; opinion of fellow sergeants; visits to mess; treatment from and memories of senior sergeants; posting to Lincolnshire; activities of battalion. REEL 5 Continues: spread of battalion; pattern of training; story of an exercise with the Home Guard at Appleby-Frodingham Steel Company; fire and movement; details of exercises; guard duties; changes in unit; posting at and details of RAF Manby; training of RAF Regiment troops; return to unit and duties at Elsham Wolds; story of missing important tannoy announcement; story of firing at Messerschmitt; accommodation at Kessingland; anti-aircraft position manned; route march to Thetford and exercise with tanks; football; story of air raid; bombing of Yarmouth; duties as guard commander on country house in Norfolk including rumours concerning American officers at house; interview with commanding officer; football; knee injury and missing of draft to Malaya; reaction to missing draft; later reunion with Sam Barlow. REEL 6 Continues: details of draft; date of embarkation. Aspects of period in transit from Liverpool, GB, to North Africa, 2/1943-3/1943: route taken to meet convoy; details of ship; conditions onboard and sleeping arrangements; seasickness; washing facilities; story of starting to smoke a pipe; dropping of depth charges and attacks on convoy; lifejacket worn and concerns for safety; boat drill; accommodation; leisure activities; uniform worn; duties during voyage; knowledge of destination; arrival in Algiers; first impressions of North Africa; march to camp and change into khaki dress; scenes during march through; opinion on destination of posting; precautions taken against malaria; selection for posting to 2/5th Battalion; prisoners taken to North Africa; joining of battalion. Aspects of operations as NCO with 2/5th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in North Africa, 3/1943-c5/1943: posting to C Company; senior NCOs and platoon officer; posting in 14 Platoon and impressions of troops; acceptance from older troops; uniform worn; equipment stored at B Echelon; weapon and ammunition carried; journey to frontline; reactions on arrival at Green Hill; details of positions; digging and size of slit trenches; reactions to situation; terrain; movement out of positions. REEL 7 Continues: memories of period at Sedjenane; guarding of German POWs; memories of German counterattack; details of haversack rations; method of making cocoa; weather conditions; burial of casualties; civilian robbing of graves; guarding of German POW compound; story of POW hit with rifle butt. Aspects of period as NCO with 2/5th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in North Africa, c5/1943-9/1943: posting to Algeria; settling in and details of reinforcements; rumours of move to GB; relationship with Wally Binch and details of concert parties; singing in North Africa; cleaning out of cattle trucks; details of training in Atlas Mountains; standard of turnout; washing facilities; health; stories from train journey to Bizerte; positions dug above Bizerte harbour; activities in harbour; scenes from air raids; falling shrapnel; invasion training including description of landing craft; story of civilian selling grapes. REEL 8 Continues: story of nurses arriving on beach; voyage to Salerno. Aspects of operations as NCO with 2/5th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in Italy, 9/1943-2/1944: disembarkation and opposition faced; movement onto beach; memories of Private Harry Briggs; problems with one platoon member; health of platoon; fellow NCOs in platoon; interest taken in troops; scenes on beach and opposition faced; movement inland; problems with 38 radio set; German artillery gun hidden in railway tunnel; details of German positions and skirmishes including supporting arms and casualties; concert at Caserta; story of asking civilian to mend roof; organisation and memories of concert parties; crossing of River Volturno including suspicion on Lieutenant Morris; opinion of Lieutenant Glover; position taken on Mount Camino; fire faced from Mount Cassino; cover taken; types of patrol; details of observation post duties. REEL 9 Continues: role and make-up of patrols; preparations for patrols; details of reconnaissance patrols and terrain including reason for not firing on German patrols; passwords for returning to line; signs of an approaching German counter-attack; details of fighting patrols at Cassino; memories of Lance Corporal Albert Fallows; charge and court martial of Lance Corporal Albert Fallows; visit of troops to Albert Fallows in Taranto Detention Centre; symptoms and diagnosis of yellow jaundice; period of hospitalisation; morale; posting in B Company on return; opinion of Sergeant Johnny Booth and Herbert Littlewood; details of action that Herbert Littlewood won the Military Medal for; officers in B Company; memories of platoon troops; shelling and activities faced at Monte Camino; supply and details of compo rations; collection of water; casualties; description of air bursts; story of relief and withdrawal from positions at Monte Camino; rest position taken in orchard; shelling during breakfast. REEL 10 Continues: journey to Naples and rumours of destination; journey to Egypt. Aspects of period as NCO with 2/5th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in Middle East, 2/1944-7/1944: spread and accommodation of battalion; role of posting; visits to Cairo and Giza; places visited and leisure activities in Palestine; journey into Syria; visit to Damascus; details of exercises and training given to ex anti-aircraft troops; details of German minefields; memories of anti- aircraft officers; mortar and anti-tank fire practice; story of snow on Mount Hermon and of Gordon Moore selling a gun; posting in El Rama; problems with scorpions; journey to Italy. Aspects of operations as NCO with 2/5th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in Italy, 7/1944-12/1944: posting at Foggia; story of inspection from King George VI; reactions to parade; journey to front; reactions on return to Italy; description of German positions on Gothic Line; approach of a two platoon attack on a farmhouse; German realisation of their presence and firing up of Tiger tank; actions of "Scouse" Jones; surrender of remaining Germans; memories of "Scouse" Jones; actions of Corporal Stephenson in capturing a position; opinion of reason for his actions. REEL 11 Continues: description of situation at Montevecchio; plan of attack; story of an Italian partisan; advance into Montevecchio; scenes on arrival in town; disappearance of Italian partisan; opposition faced during advance; organisation of German withdrawals; quality of opposition; knowledge of San Marino; discovery of German invasion of San Marino; O Group attack on German positions including civilians found sheltering in cave; crossing of a riverbed and withdrawal; second crossing and consolidation; scenes from house; rifle- grenade attack from Germans; activities of Joe Dudley; surrender of Germans; story of rifle sections being tricked and taken prisoner; background of reinforcements; story of playing church organ; regularity of incidents; street fighting training; details of street fighting in Salerno; advance under a creeping barrage; story of wounding from mortar shrapnel; reactions to loss of sight; evacuation and return of sight; health problems; visit from padre and story of pipe catching fire. REEL 12 Continues: return to line and posting to B Company; use of experience; advance on farmhouse at Cesano; German POWs taken; reactions before actions; story of being sick before an attack; story of attack on villa with and wounding of Lieutenant Greenwood; withdrawal and information given to company headquarters; artillery attack on villa; German and civilian casualties; later visit to Lieutenant Greenwood in hospital; opinion of Lieutenant Greenwood; story of Private Moss's actions during a counter attack; troops disappearing at times of action; call for mortar smoke before wounding of Lieutenant Greenwood; signs of battle weariness; opinion of battle weary troops; story of Lieutenant Morris getting wounded; death of transport officer "Pongo" Pockson; talk among troops of blighty wounds; story of being caught in a minefield. REEL 13 Continues: method of exiting the minefield including reaction to being in a minefield; consolidation of positions; problems from change in weather conditions; methods of keeping dry; supply and monotony of rations; health problems; morale and activities during rest periods; leave in Rome including collection and selling of souvenirs; concert parties; news of withdrawal from line; journey to Taranto; reaction to posting in Greece; voyage to Greece. Aspects of period as NCO with 2/5th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in Greece, 12/1944-4/1945: unloading of kit bags on arrival; posting in and location of Vouliagmeni; activities in area; situation in Greece; role of battalion; searches for weapons; accommodation; details of battalion sports meeting including events won; training before brigade sports meeting; success at brigade sports meeting in Athens; opinion of posting; story of Italian café owner; relationship with civilians; visit to Athens; reaction on return to Italy. Aspects of period as NCO with 2/5th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in Italy, 4/1944-5/1944: time in Taranto; memories of Albert Fallows. REEL 14 Continues: arrival in battle areas; VE Day celebrations; reactions to end of war; start of journey into Austria; interview with Colonel Welshman; details of trip to Milan to buy instruments. Aspects of period as NCO with 2/5th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in Austria, 5/1945-2/1946: return to battalion; advance into Judenburg; details of concert parties and performers; dates around Austria; reaction to party getting broken up; relationship with civilians; duties; visits to swimming pool; story of posting to and being excused from guard duties; posting in Spielfeld; story of Regiment Sergeant Major at a dance in Liebnitz; rounding up of and relationship with Cossacks; fate of Cossack troops; use of horses; skiing including attendance at ski school; disbandment of battalion; friends who had been demobilised. Aspects of period as NCO with 2nd Bn Loyal North Lancashire Regt in Austria, 2/1946-10/1946: posting in Bad Radkersburg; Russian memorial; duties as Company Quarter Master Sergeant; posting in Vienna; leisure activities including joining of orchestra; involvement with sports day in Graz; old comrades met in Spielfeld; details of border guard duties. REEL 15 Continues: story of Harry Bennett shooting a statue; posting in Leibnitz; news of and reaction to demobilisation; deferral of demobilisation; posting and sergeants mess in Klein St Paul; train journey to GB including reception in Switzerland; process of demobilisation in Aldershot. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1946: reasons for not wanting to return to old job and for going into agriculture; training from Ministry of Agriculture; details of civilian work; effects on life of army service; physical state on leaving army.