Virr, William (Oral history)

British private served with No 6 Infantry Training Centre in GB, 1941; private served with 70th (Youngs Soldiers) Bn King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in GB, 1941-1943; private served with 6th (Holding) Bn King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in GB, 1943; NCO served with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry in North Africa, Italy, Middle East, Greece and Austria, 1943-1946

REEL 1 Recollections of background Bradford, GB, 1923-1939: family circumstances and community spirit; father's service in 2/6th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment, 1914-1918; question of holidays; street games; education; question of poverty; attending various churches; activities with Bradford Battalion, Boys Brigade including parades, summer camps, question of discipline and use of haversack; work as 'bobbin ligger' at mill, ca 1937, including daily routine, duties refilling spinning machine racks, conditions and types of spinning. REEL 2 Continues: work as 'bobbin ligger' at mill, c1937, including question of safety, loss of pay for lack of punctuality, unpaid holidays and pay; work in weft store of weaving shed of mill, c1938; work in iron foundry, c1938; work as apprentice stone mason, c1938-1939; question of approach of war; recreations; question of approach of war; reactions to outbreak of war, 3/9/1939. Recollections of work as engine cleaner at Aston Loco, Birmingham, GB, 2/1940-8/1941: passing tests as cleaner and work as reserve engine fireman; German air raids. Recollections of service with Local Defence Volunteers and Home Guard in Aston, GB, 6/1940: volunteering; formation of Aston Loco Railway Sheds; nature of training. REEL 3 Continues: kitting out; nature of training, duties and discipline; dealing with German incendiaries dropping on engine sheds; age range; reserved occupation status of railway workers; role defending railway yards; question of relevance of training; reactions to Dunkirk evacuation; propaganda cinema newsreels. Recollections of recruitment into Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, 8/1941: decision to volunteer; difficulty in selecting regiment; necessity of securing permission of railway authorities; parents' reactions; reactions to German bombing. Recollections of conditions of service and lifestyle during period with No 6 Infantry Training Centre, Strensall, GB, 8/1941-12/1941: hut accommodation and bunk beds; kit inspections; cleaning barrack room; question of replacing lost kit; relationship with recruits; old soldier's ruse to extract money from recruits; cleaning kit for inspection; pay and barrack damages. REEL 4 Continues: kitting out with uniform and equipment; cleaning kit and polishing boots for inspection; make and mend days; drill at light infantry pace; gas mask drill; bayonet training; tactical training and fieldcraft; route marches and foot inspections; cleaning rifle; daily routine and food rations. REEL 5 Continues: canteens; question of gambling; visits to Strenshall; disciplinary offences and punishments; lack of contact with officers; presence of Major Samuel Meekosha; weapons training; regimental history; leave; passing out parade. Recollections of period with D Coy, 70th (Young Soldiers) Bn King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry at Grimsby, GB, 1942: complaints from civilians over NCO's swearing; detachment on guard duties to airfield and docks; relationship with officers, NCOs and civilians; sporting activities; guard duties and selection of 'stick man'; winter weather conditions; disbandment, selection for railway operating unit with Royal Engineers and subsequent misdirected posting to another Virr. REEL 6 Continues: Duties as officers' servant during period at High Green Camp, Sheffield. Period with 6th (Holding) Bn King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry at Halt, GB, 1943: preparations for overseas service; reaction to active service; cancellation of draft and extra embarkation leave. Recollections of voyage aboard Franconia to Algiers, Algeria, 4/1943: mess deck conditions; convoy route; duties as messenger during lifeboat drill; reactions to news of posting and issue of Durham Light Infantry cap badges; absence of submarine attacks; sleeping on deck; first impressions on approach to Algiers; issue with khaki drill at transit camp on landing. Recollections of period with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry at in North Africa, 5/1943: initial posting with B Echelon; reaction to Durham Light Infantry style drill; posting to 12 Platoon, B Company at Oued Zarga; victory parade at Tunis; movements; opinion of officers; promotion to lance corporal in charge of Bren gun team; opinion of Bren gun; opinion of PIAT. REEL 7 Continues: opinion of PIAT; use of 2" mortar to lay smoke fields; NCOs; question of effect of Battle of Sedjenane; relationship with other ranks; opinion of officers; move to Bone. Period at Blida, 6/1943-8/1943: mountain training; conditions of service; fly trap in latrines; water supply; desert sores; mepacrine issue; question of sun burn; afternoon break; attitude of German and Italian POWs. Voyage on Landing Craft Infantry and landing at Salerno, Italy, 5/9/1943-9/9/1943: prior landing exercises; prior air raids on Bizerta; break at Sicily; reaction to news of Italian surrender; prior briefing; conditions; method of disembarkation. REEL 8 Continues: situation on landing; reaction to NCOs loss of nerve; Royal Navy support; problem with German machine gun fire covering gap in beach wall; move inland and situation; move into Salerno; German machine gun fire; detachment to guard anti-tank gun; capture of section; story of opening fire on approaching German troops; rejoining company. Operations of Hospital Hill, 119/1943-18/9/1943: orders to defend house if attacked; situation; hearing counter-attack on Germans, 15/9/1943; personal morale and importance of discipline and training; role as lance corporal; section formations; guiding relieving Coldstream Guards; story of close escape from shell; question of reaction to casualties. REEL 9 Continues: Operations to clear Vietri Defile, Italy, 23/9/1943-25/9/1943: night approach march to Point 600 in Corpo di Carvo sector; water parties; passing through Naples. Recollection of operations in Volturno area, Italy, 10/1943: practice with assault boats; crossing river using rope line; occupying defensive positions on embankment; question of responding to German shouts; equipment carried in action; platoon headquarters; casualties; role leading section; Hospitalisation and convalescence with jaundice in Sorrento, 10/1943-11/1943. Recollection of operations in Calabrito Basin, 2/12/1943-3/12/1943: prior rejoining unit and drunken evening at Cessa; move forward and digging slit trenches in basin; German mortar fire and withdrawal into former German trenches; withdrawal to embankment; problem brewing tea; personal morale under mortar fire. REEL 10 Continues: Recollections of operations on Cocoruzzo Spur and Monte Camino, Italy, 5/12/1943-7/12/1944: move up onto Barearse Ridge; promotion to Corporal; discovery of Sergeant Kennedy's corpse on ridge; view of minenwerfers; effects of terrain and increased effect of mortars bursting on rock; composition rations; mule transport; situation and opinion of German troops defensive abilities. Recollection of operation in Garigliano area, 30/1/1944: reports of elderly nature of German POWs; role as reserve platoon; operations during attack on Sioli, 30/1/1944, including story of being trapped in sangar covered by German fixed line machine gun; casualties; isolated situation and withdrawal to rejoin remnants of B Coy; lice problem; treatment of wounded; question of failure of reserve platoon to attack, 30/1/1944; standing patrols; snow; nature of standing, reconnaissance and fighting patrols. REEL 11 Continues: question of role of forward observation officer and artillery support in Calabritto Basin, 2/12/1943-3/12/1943; winter weather conditions; occupation of flooded trenches under German mortar fire in Calabritto Basin, 2/12/1943-3/12/1943; attack of hepatitis; effect of winter weather conditions; supply situation; German use of mountain observation posts and shellfire to deny occupation of other peaks; effects of rocky terrain on impact of shell fire; German defence works; reaction to soldiers losing nerve and question of personal morale; opinion of provost sergeant; rest periods and personal morale on returning to line; question of adequacy of briefing and situation reports; question of front line visits from senior officers; rumours on relief from line. Recollections of period in Middle East, 2/1944-7/1944: reception at Port Said, Egypt; period at El Qassassin Camp; local leave in Cairo including visit to Pyramids and problems with dishonest Egyptian tradesmen. REEL 12 Continues: leave in Cairo including visit to night club and problems with dishonest Egyptian tradesmen; move to Palestine, 3/1944; internal security duties in Tel Aviv; training in Syria; arrival of reinforcement drafts; story of meeting brother. Return to Italy, 7/1944: rumours of return to GB; reactions. Recollections of initial operations against Gothic Line, Italy, 26/8/1944-1944: move into line; terrain; section formations in advance; new drafts reaction to first corpse; German shellfire following occupation of Petriano, 28/9/1944; question of looting; personal morale under German shellfire; story of running into German minefield; prior training in mine clearance. REEL 13 Continues: story of soldier opening fire on Germans attempting to surrender and question of attitude to German POWs; awareness of opposing German divisions; story of capturing German POWs at Il Poggio, 2/9/1944; lift from tanks during advance; story of Italians civilians inadvertently signalling presence to Germans; German POWs. Recollections of operations at Gemmano, Italy, 9/9/1944-14/9/1944: move up road under German shell fire; personal morale; sergeant's loss of nerve; sheltering in cellar under shellfire; corpses; story of soldier accidentally firing rifle during night attack; situation; subsequent battlefield clearance and removal of corpses. Rest periods, 9/1944-10/1944: reinforcement drafts; mobile bath unit; food rations; personal morale; religious services and role of padre; opinion of Major Laurie Stringer. REEL 14 Continues: stories of period on local leave in Rome, 10/1944; view of state of unit on coming out of line to Monetfiori; promotion to sergeant and celebration in sergeants' mess. Recollections of operations in Balzanino Canal sector, Italy, 16/11/1944-17/9/1944: situation; nuisance night patrol toward farmhouses codenamed 'Sleep' and circumstances of capture of two German POWs; different nationalities amongst German troops; initial inexperience of Lieutenant Bradford; breakdown of attack towards 'Sleep', taking cover by destroyed outbuildings, German sniping and retreat along drainage ditch; period drying clothes and amusing incident. Story of receiving leg wounds and evacuation during patrol to find possible crossing for River Cosina, 22/11/1944. REEL 15 Continues: Evacuation, 11/1944: initial medical treatment during evacuation via Regimental Aid Post and Advanced Dressing Station; operation to remove bullet at Casualty Clearing Station. Hospitalisation and convalescence in Italy, 11/1944-4/1945: question of military discipline; medical treatment; daily routine; relationship with patients; notification of parents; recovery; attempts to arrange return to unit; movements between transit camps; circumstances of rejoining unit at Taranto, 4/1945. Recollections of period in Italy, 4 /1945-5/1945: role with advance party to Forli sector; problem with forged currency; celebrations on VE Day, 8/5/1945; reactions to casualties; move into Austria; opinion of Italian partisans. Recollections of period in Austria, 5/1940: signs of German retreat; non-fraternisation ban; assistance for Austrian civilians during patrols to arrest suspected former Nazis; non-fraternisation ban. REEL 16 Continues: confrontation with Yugoslavian partisans in Udinberg area; question of treatment of Croats; move to Bruckle, 25/5/1945; collections of Cossack Kolonoff Brigade in POW Camp and ruse to facilitate their repatriation into Soviet control; relationship with Soviet troops and Austrian civilians; learning to groom and ride confiscated horses; move to Stainz, 23/7/1945; patrols to arrest suspected former Nazis; question of postings to Far East; move with advance party to Vienna, 10/1945; hiding attached German POWs from Soviet checkpoint; bed bug problem in hospital billets; guard duties; GB leave, 11/1945-12/1945; castle billets in Wildon area; Christmas party for Austrian children; acceptance of early demobilisation as railway worker; return to GB, 2/1946. REEL 17 Continues: return to GB, 2/1946. Demobilisation, 2/1946: classification as railway driver due to seniority rules; dispute with Labour Exchange over desire not to return to work in Birmingham and question of recall to army; acceptance of work repairing wagon covers; demob suit; acclimatisation into civilian life. Various aspects of service with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry: story illustrating leadership qualities of Lieutenant Stoddart; case of NCOs attempt at self inflicted wound; importance of humorists; importance of comradeship.