Banfield, Eldred Porter (Oral history)

British private and NCO trained with Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry Regimental Depot, Victoria Barracks, Bodmin, GB, 9/1939-11/1939; officer cadet trained with No 168 Officer Cadet Training Unit at Aldershot, GB, 11/1939-3/1940; officer served with 2nd Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry and Anti-Tank Section 10th Infantry Brigade in France and Belgium, 3/1940-6/1940; served with 2nd Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, 10th Infantry Bde, 4th Infantry Div in GB, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt and Italy, 6/1940-6/1944

REEL 1 Recollections of enlistment and training as private with Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Regimental Depot, Victoria Barracks, Bodmin, GB, 9/1939-11/1939: family involvement in First World War; advise on joining first draft of militia; attitude towards enlistment; registration and interview; preference for service with British Army; level of personal fitness; call-up to depot for military service; attitude towards military training; financial situation; issue of uniform and boots; attitude of fellow recruits; weapons training; degree of field training; application for officer training; signals training. Recollections of period as officer cadet with No 168 Officer Cadet Training Unit at Aldershot, GB, 11/1939-3/1940: platoon training and character of NCO instructors and officers; Returned To Unit (RTU) process. REEL 2 Continues: motor transport training; scale and nature of tactical training; route marches; use of Tactical Exercises Without Troops (TEWTs); value of officer training; question of employment of tactics in France and North Africa. Recollections of operations as officer with 2nd Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry and with Anti-Tank Section, 10th Infantry Bde, 4th Infantry Div in France and Belgium, 3/1940-6/1940: background to posting to battalion in France, 3/1940; journey to Le Harve; initial impressions of France; train journey to Lille, France; joining A Coy at Wattrelos, France; billeting in factory; reaction to discovery of condoms during kit inspection; deployment and state of battalion including morale; reception from troops; allocation of batman; fate of his senior corporal REEL 3 Continues: posting to Anti-Tank Section, 10th Infantry Bde; court martial for withdrawing from unsupported position on River Escaut, Belgium; German invasion and advance in convoy to Louvain, Belgium, 10/5/1940; taking up position on River Escaut, Belgium; death of platoon commander and his decision to withdraw; reaction of brigadier at brigade headquarters to his withdrawal; move to Louvain, Belgium; troops' shooting at German pilot baling out of aircraft; withdrawal to River Scheldt, Belgium; positions taken up on River Scheldt, Belgium. REEL 4 Continues: move to position in pillbox at Veurnes, Belgium inside Dunkirk Perimeter; terrain and pillbox; German Air Force attacks during withdrawal to position; use of despatch rider; fatigue; reception on arrival back in Dover, GB; withdrawal from pillbox position along beach to East Mole at Dunkirk. France; description of East Mole at Dunkirk, France; voyage on destroyer to GB, 6/1940; train from Dover to South Wales, GB. Recollections of period as officer with 2nd Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, 10th Infantry Bde, 4th Infantry Div in GB, 6/1940-2/1943: condition of battalion; conduct of Field General Court Martial; coastal defence duties near Selsey Bill, summer 1940; character of commanding officer; memories of Lieutenant Colonel Roy Urquhart; motor movement exercises. REEL 5 Continues: method of liaising with artillery; developments in training, 1940-1942; opinion of Generals Bernard Montgomery and Harold Alexander; visit by Prime Minister Winston Churchill; description of long distance march from Catterick Camp to Dumfries; amphibious training in Scotland including landing at Troon; physical difficulties of landing operations including state of feet; scale of amphibious exercises; accommodation; rumour of operation in Soviet Union; NCO who was often Absence Without Official Leave (AWOL); attachment to young soldiers battalion in New Forest. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Orion from GB to Algeria, 2/1943: orders for embarkation for North Africa; course of convoy. REEL 6 Continues: briefing. Aspects of period as officer with 2nd Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, 10th Infantry Bde, 4th Infantry Div in GB, 6/1940-2/1943: promotion to captain; duties as second in command of company; attending Company Commander's Course at Petworth; R Coy and its function; training casualties. Recollections of operations as officer with 2nd Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, 10th Infantry Bde, 4th Infantry Div in French Algeria and Tunisia, 2/1943-5/1943: initial impressions of Algiers, French Algeria; move to Souk Ahras, French Algeria; duties guarding officer prisoner; mountain exercise at Souk Ahra, French Algerias; off duties activities; movement by Landing Craft Infantry (LCI) from Bougie to Bône, French Algeria; taking command of B Company at Snake Ridge, Tunisia; effect of airburst shelling; terrain on Snake Ridge, Tunisia; sight of tank battle; patrolling; description of attack on Massicault, Tunisia, 6/5/1943. REEL 7 Continues: prior recollection of withdrawal with Anti-Tank Section, 10th Infantry Bde in Belgium and France, 1940; night attack at Massicault during advance to Tunis, Tunisia, 6/5/1943; tank support; deployment of surrounding units; company and platoon formations; artillery barrage and pace of attack; problems with cactus hedges; timing of attack and reading of account of attack at Massicault, Tunisia, 6/5/1943; sight of dead Germans in defensive positions; night in shepherds' shelter; speed of advance. REEL 8 Continues: nature of advance; move to Cape Bon, Tunisia including accidental attack by American aircraft; collection of Axis prisoners of war Cape Bon, Tunisia; victory parade in Tunis, Tunisia, 20/5/1943; character of Axis prisoners of war; acquisition of Mercedes staff car; leave in Tunis, Tunisia. Aspects of period as officer with 2nd Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, 10th Infantry Bde, 4th Infantry Div in North Africa, 6/1943-2/1944: drafts from battalion and move to Bougie, Algeria; hospitalisation with jaundice; move to Egypt; physical training in Algeria; secret move to Suez, Egypt; arrival in camp at Kabrit, Egypt, 12/1943; assault training on Bitter Lakes, Egypt. REEL 9 Continues: character of training areas around Kabrit, Egypt; training in Sinai Desert, Egypt; absorption of reinforcements; exercises; physical health; use of sangars in desert; lack of knowledge of future postings; degree of contact with Egyptian civilians; recreational activities in Algeria and Egypt; dangers of gambling; troops' games. Recollections of operations as officer with 2nd Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, 10th Infantry Bde, 4th Infantry Div in Italy, 2/1944-6/1944: move to Italy, 2/1944; presiding over court martial and previous experiences; arrival in Naples; taking up defensive positions on River Garigliano; German shelling of positions; 'bomb happy' officer. REEL 10 Continues: symptoms experienced by 'bomb happy' NCO; how officer's batman discovered symptoms of 'bomb happy' officer; question of it being easier for officers to be brave than other ranks; relations with his own batman; difficult positions on Monte Ornito; description of other difficult positions on Monte Cairo; weather on Monte Ornito; a case of self-inflicted wound; the Y list system; shelter on Monte Ornito; cooking rations; patrols and observation posts; German positions on Monte Ornito; battalion frontage and layout of sangar; supporting artillery; communications; location of battalion headquarters; view from Monte Ornito; visits to platoon and observation posts; use of mortars; sight of bombing of Monte Cassino; relief at night; move to Monte Cairo; how French officers treated North African colonial troops. REEL 11 Continues: terrain and positions on Monte Cairo; question of strength of opposing German troops; reasons for lack of activity on Monte Cairo and duration of period in line; further details of terrain and positions; use of American rations; move to positions near Cassino Railway Station; night reconnaissance patrols to River Rapido; assault boats and fatal accident during training with them in GB; crossing River Rapido; impressions of the German positions at Monte Cassino Monastery; artillery support for attack on Point 63; attack on Point 63; German mines and booby traps; move through Rome to Perugia area; stall of attack on Lake Trasimeno, 6/1944; his shooting by sniper whilst observing objective. REEL 12 Continues: attack continuing onto objective; location of stalled forward companies; nature of German opposition; formation of company for attack; ad hoc nature of attack; attending Officer (O) group prior to attack.