White, Wilfred Scott (Oral history)

British officer cadet trained with Officer Cadet Training Unit in Heysham, GB, 1941-1942; officer served with 9th Bn Durham Light Infantry in North Africa, 1942-1943; POW in Italy, 1943; served with Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1944; served with School of Infantry in GB, 1944-1946

REEL 1 Background in Philadelphia, GB, 1920-1941: area grew up in; family including brother's wounding in Home Guard; father's service in First World War; work of father; money and holidays; closeness of community; interest in cricket; discipline; effects of 1926 General Strike; attendance at church; reasons for not joining scouts; memories of childhood; education including involvement with rugby; school certificate; aim to attend university. REEL 2 Continues: sixth form and grant gained for further education; support from parents; university education in Newcastle; meeting of future wife; signs of approaching war and reactions; details of OTC unit joined; activities in OTC; instructors; uniform; declaration of OTC as compulsory and changes in unit; posting as Cadet Company Sergeant Major; pattern of training; changes to future ambitions; attempts to join navy; graduation; political sympathies among students; attitudes toward Germany and war; reaction of mother to his interest in army; outbreak of war including expectations of immediate fight. REEL 3 Continues: joining of army; work with wireworm survey; driving and story of car accident; reaction of parents to his call-up; date of call-up; morale of civilians; attitude toward him before joining forces. Aspects of period as officer cadet at Officer Cadet Training Unit in Heysham, GB, 1941-1942: organisation of unit and background of cadets; accommodation; sleeping arrangements and storage of kit; role of treatment; memories of instructors; punishments; inoculations; settling in of cadets; story of mistake during gas drill; cleaning of billets; influence of Montgomery on training; heating; latrines and washing facilities. REEL 4 Continues: rations; serving of meals; morning procedures; cleaning and inspection of rifle; drill; weapon training; giving lessons to others; lunch; physical training; evening and night training; tactical exercises; training in commanding a platoon; man management and learning of King's Regulations; memories of padre; supporting arms training including accidents during training; uniform worn; address from instructors; role of fitness training; length of OCTU; reason for request to join Border Regiment; posting with 7th Battalion at Lowestoft. Aspects of period as officer with 7th Bn Border Regt, 1942: arrival with battalion and orders given; duties allotting troops to beach defences; story of sending company football team on draft; granting of embarkation leave; dates of arrival in Lowestoft and embarkation. REEL 5 Continues: coastal defence duties; censorship of mail; stories about censoring mail; details of pay including as POW; items available in camp; smoking of camp money; reaction of parents and girlfriend to posting abroad; importance of mail and details of letters sent to him; reporting to Great Metropolitan Hotel in London and details of draft; activities in London; departure from London; equipment taken and its storage; clothing bought. REEL 6 Continues: train journey to Glasgow. Aspects of journey from Glasgow, GB, to Alexandria, Egypt, 1942: boarding of ship; draft number; details of ship and availability of liquor; accommodation; memories of officers in cabin; leisure activities; reason for being posted as orderly officer; duties as orderly officer; story of Danish submarine; memories of Captain Worrall; rations on ship; details of convoy and disappearance of escort; route taken to Egypt; activities during voyage; entertainments; storms off South Africa; discipline; boat drill; stop at Freetown; duties on ship at Cape Town; relationship with civilians; conditions on ship in Red Sea; disembarkation in Alexandria. Aspects of period as officer at Infantry Base Depot in Egypt, 1942: posting to Infantry Base Depot; story of marches in desert; lectures on boat; first impressions of Egypt and visit to Pyramids; departure with draft; description of camp; discipline; health; inoculations. REEL 7 Continues: journey to Alamein Line and situation in North Africa. Aspects of operations as officer with 9th Bn Durham Light Infantry in North Africa, 8/1942-11/1942: position of division in Alamein Line; arrival in and transfer to battalion; posting in B Company; details of position held; supply of hot meal; visits from NAAFI truck; rations; accommodation; knowledge of wider situation; communications and command post; spread of platoon; make-up of 11 Platoon; state of platoon; details of company commander; layout of platoon; weapons and equipment in battalion; communications; memories of Captain Worrall including description of company headquarters; memories of Platoon Sergeant Jordan; background of troops; story of a soldier trying a organise a strike; relationship with platoon including nickname given and theft of his water; officer's latrine. REEL 8 Continues: details of latrines; water ration and cleanliness; problems from desert sores and yellow jaundice; problems from flies; description of desert; wildlife in North Africa; nights in desert; story of losing bearings at night; work of intelligence officer; methods of navigation; Stand To; cleaning and inspection of weapons; sick parade; lectures; mail; ensuring platoon was fully equipped; chaos created by air activity; officers meetings; news of war; importance of mail; talking to troops without mail; visits from padres. REEL 9 Continues: terrain and positions in no man's land; strength of opposing position; casualties from patrolling; details of reconnaissance and fighting patrols; briefing before a reconnaissance patrol; description of boots issued; equipment carried on patrol including opinion of Thompson sub-machine gun; selection of troops for patrol; activities during day before patrol; briefing of patrol; reactions before and during patrol; formation and movement of advance; reaction on reaching opposing wire; items taken and time at wire; activities and reactions after return; details of Greek Brigade in line; recuperation following patrol; knowledge of coming battle; Montgomery's Orders of the Day and effect on morale. REEL 10 Continues: opinion of Italian troops opposing; plan for a battalion attack against them; arrival and wait on start line; postponement of operation and situation in north of line; orders for move to north; responsibilities of officer; journey north and bath in sea; briefing and plan for Operation Supercharge; date of attack; march to start line; location of platoon in formation; methods of keeping warm; uniform; cutting of wire; issue of cocoa and rum; wait on start line; opening up of barrage; noise during advance; story of Worrall losing hunting horn; distances to German positions and minefield; walk through and clearance of minefield. REEL 11 Continues: fire faced during advance; activities during advance; communications; importance of platoon sergeant; opinion of NCOs; personality of individuals when in contact with opposing troops; visibility during battle; checks on positions of troops; help from hunting horn; concern about proximity to barrage; explosion in front and wounding; reactions following explosion; treatment from stretcher bearer and talk with sergeant; scenes around him; gathering together of wounded; reactions to having been wounded; arrival of ambulances and evacuation to Regimental Aid Post; description of post; treatment from South African nurse; proximity of Regimental Aid Post to battle; other wounded at post; items taken. Aspects of hospitalisation in Egypt, 11/1942-1/1943: evacuation to 15th Scottish Hospital in Cairo; description of hospital; description of wounds and treatment received; opinion of time in hospital; transfer to 15th Scottish Hospital at Geneifa; treatment received and side effects; discipline; story of attempt to leave hospital. REEL 12 Continues: story of cap thrown into nurses quarters; opinion of nurses; severely wounded patients; convalescence in Syria; removal of plaster cast; medical; details of journey to battalion via base depot and situation in North Africa; . Aspects of operations as officer with 9th Bn Durham Light Infantry in North Africa, 1/1943-3/1943: changes in battalion and platoon; training of battalion in Benina; training in capturing forts; description of Mareth Line; problems with approach to line; constant nature of opposing fire; plan of attack on Ksiba Ouest; details of patrol undertaken before attack; plan for battalion's part in attack; role of scorpion tanks; shelling of forming up area; start of advance; description of scorpion tanks; wounding of Captain Worrell and his refusal to evacuate; crossing of wadi; description of human pyramid formed to clear wadi and anti-tank ditch; cutting of wire around fort; movement along communication trench; use of Bren guns; surrender of opposing troops; entrance to fort. REEL 13 Continues: opinion of opposing Italian troops in fort; description of trenches; knock on door and surrender of garrison; sending back of POWs and wounded; scenes around fort; defensive position taken; cutting off of supplies; orders to clear ridge beyond fort; casualties; activities during day; formation for attack on ridge; attempt to take cover in 6th Battalion trenches; state of troops; start of advance; approach to machine gun position and plan of attack; wound picked up during attack on fort; problems from wound; pass through wire into communication trench and bad landing; movement along trench and discovery of dead crew; further movement along trench; advance of German tanks and infantry; reactions to situation; using up of ammunition and grenade thrown; earlier arrival of officers from 6th Battalion and East Yorkshire Regiment; movement up trench and capture. Aspects of period as POW in transit, 3/1943-4/1943: initial treatment and interview with commanding officer; reactions to capture; unit discipline in battle; treatment received at German medical post; location of medical post; evacuation to POW compound; interrogation; train journey trough Tunisia including air activity. REEL 14 Continues: arrival in Tunis and march to old garage; rations; arrival of Guards Officer Mark Bonham Carter and pooling of resources for escape; sleeping arrangements; guards; treatment from guards; concern for parents; march to harbour and boarding of ship; memories of Italians during voyage; latrines; health; talk of taking over ship; arrival in Italy and transfer to camp at Capua. Aspects of period as POW in Italy, 4/1943-9/1943: description of camp; population of huts; rations; contents of Red Cross parcels; bartering with French POWs; washing facilities and latrines; discipline among POWs; news of war; black market; more on discipline; segregation from French; camp cooks; meal time duty; eating of meals; treatment from guards; copying of Italian bugle calls; description of baked pudding made and reaction of Phillip Kindersley; oven made from tin cans by an SAS POW; escape committee; journey to PG 49 at Fontanellato. REEL 15 Continues: former uses of camp; problems with dysentery on journey; arrival in camp; improvements in health; opinion of camp and commandant; organisation of camp; description of camp; description of tunnel dug at PG 49; escape and return of Ron Corroni; details of Opportunities Ltd company run by Canadian airforce officer; details of pay; banking system in camp; alcohol ration; length of time in PG 49; organisation of sports and details of Ron Corroni's escape; sleeping arrangements; tricks played on guards; horse races; concerts; dental work done; health; discipline. REEL 16 Continues: punishments; tension among POWs; news of war and rumours spread by Italians; confusion over direction to head after escape; story of receiving news of Italian capitulation and takeover of camp; preparations to leave camp. Aspects of period in transit through Italy, 9/1943-12/1943: march into countryside and reconnaissance already undertaken; attempts of civilians to gain houseguests and food gathered; decision to leave main group with Ian English and others; difficulties faced; travelling at night; initial problems with terrain; decision to head into Apenines; daily routine and help from civilians and priests; frustration at progress; problems from wounds; communication with civilians; sleeping arrangements; civilian attitude toward Germans; need to keep moving; navigation and asking directions; crossing of rivers and dams; story of crossing one dam including clothes worn; story of help given to a sick soldier. REEL 17 Continues: surrender of Dr Jimmy James with sick soldier; details of lady and Douglas de Gent; travelling at altitude; scenes of battlefields and information gained; planning of route; travelling through day; story of German deserter; problems when close to German lines; story of meat gained cow and near capture; sleeping arrangements; decision to pass through lines on Christmas Eve; position taken on December 23rd and decision to move off; final meal; start of journey to lines; discovery of position on edge of gorge; journey across gorge and muddy field; realisation that Allied guns were behind them; cigarette made from camp money. Aspects of period in transit and on leave, 1943-1944: meeting with British patrol; unit picked up by; scare on journey to British lines; food and cigarettes given; reaction to discovery by patrol; debriefing including refusal to show unit where they had got through; lack of identifying documents; treatment of Gillian; invitations to different units for Christmas; change of clothing and delousing. REEL 18 Continues: second debriefing and questioning of Gillian; contact with Gillian after war; Ian English's book on walk to freedom; voyage to Algiers; description of reception camp for POWs; relationship with Reverend Johnny Johnson; dances; voyage to Liverpool via Malta; passengers on ship including Peter Ustinov; family's knowledge of his safety; length of journey; story of journey home; length of leave; marriage; arrival of kit; leave. Aspects of period as officer with Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1944: posting to training battalion at Morpeth; details of company commander's course taken at Barnard Castle including comparison with OCTU training; new weapons and tanks; demonstrations; working out battles on full scale model; story of contradicting the school solution and resulting posting and promotion. REEL 19 Continues: Aspects of period as instructor at Barnard Castle School of Infantry, GB, 1944-1945: details of camp; backgrounds of pupils and details of first squad; quality of officers; teaching about patrolling; visits from staff officers. Aspects of period as instructor at Llanberis School of Infantry, GB, 1944-1946: opening of school for junior officers; training in mountains; rank before demobilisation; standard of officers and French and Dutch troops at school; fitness; opinion about returning to action; process of demobilisation. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1946: story of gaining work; details of civilian work; contact with different group who escaped from PG 49 and charity set by by them; involvement with charity.