McArdle, Henry (Oral history)

British private served with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB and North Africa, 1942-1943; POW in Italy and Germany, 1943-1945

REEL 1 Background in Blackhill, GB, 1919-1942: family; money; education; leisure activities and community; involvement with church; drinking; details of civilian work; leisure activities as teenager; details of pay; clothing; story of wrecking brother's bicycle; move into new house; father's garden; effects of 1926 General Strike; membership of the Gloops Club; sledging; joining of Home Guard; officers in unit; drilling with brooms; story of shooting practice. REEL 2 Continues: uniform issued; mother's involvement with unit; instructors in Home Guard; drill; bren gun demonstration; rifle training; fire watching duties; attitude of civilians; size of unit; erection of tank traps; guard duties; soldiers stationed in Consett; relationship with Irish soldiers; outbreak of war; reactions to start of war; brothers in key work; air raids; shelter in garden; anti-aircraft guns; scenes during air raids; civilian attitude to war; reactions to Dunkirk; rationing; black market and internment of local Italians; belief was a key worker; medical at Durham; posting at Shorncliffe Barracks; request to join RAF. Aspects of period as private with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1/1942-12/1942: reaction to posting; journey to Kent; reaction of parents to call-up; reception on arrival; first meal in army; sleeping arrangements; uniform issued; inoculations; accommodation; storage of equipment; NCOs in hut; cleaning of bed space; washing facilities; latrines; reactions and attitude to new life; local conscientious objector; inoculations. REEL 3 Continues: learning of drill; route marches including issue of rifle and bayonet and rifle drill; foot inspections; bayonet practice; drilling by numbers; physical training; cleaning of boots; story of charge for not cleaning boots properly; method of keeping crease in trousers; cleaning of buttons and badges; kit inspections; cleaning of rifle; memories of Sergeant Major Pearson; death of Sergeant Forsyth; obstacle courses; replacement of lost items; horseplay among troops; visits to Folkestone; relationship with civilians; posting in C Company; field training; air raids; settling into army; mail; posting in Winchelsea; relationship with civilians and Salvation Army; story of mortar bomb fired over church; NCOs in C Company; gas training; leisure activities; breakfast and display of timetable; accommodation; weapons training; exercises; locations guarded; guard duties; air activity; beach patrols; visits to Dover; wearing of forage cap; defences on beach; opinion of training; leave; reactions to posting abroad; send-off on return to battalion. REEL 4 Continues: preparation for embarkation; memories of officers and NCOs; opinion of battalion. Aspects of journey from Liverpool, GB, to Algiers, Algeria, 12/1942-1/1943: reaction on embarkation; sleeping arrangements; convoy; seasickness; supply of meals; leisure activities; rations; briefing on destination and opposition; enjoyment of journey; life jackets; opinion of hammocks; discipline. Aspects of operations as private with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry in North Africa, 1/1943-2/1943: reception on arrival in Algiers; march to and details of transit camp; impressions of Algiers; issue of Tommy Cookers; British and American rations; preparations for frontline; reactions to posting at front; journey to position at Green Hill; description of positions; description of slit trenches dug; weather; rum ration; details of guards and patrols; opinion of battalion's role; reaction to shellfire; supply of rations; latrines; freedom of movement during day; air activity; advance for attack; exchange of fire with Germans; details of surrender; C Company casualties; discussion of attack; reaction of troops to start of battle; reactions and sounds during action; shooting of troops with rifles and reaction; details of advance; action and surrender; questions over advance. REEL 5 Continues: weapon carried into attack. . Aspects of period as POW in transit, 2/1943-3/1943: march to German lines carrying ammunition; reaction to capture; march to railway yard; rations; march to Bizerte; stops on journey; attitude of guards; handover to Italians; accommodation and rations; boarding of and conditions on ship; bartering for food; opinion of treatment; arrival in Palermo; journey through Palermo. Aspects of period as POW in Italy, 3/1943-9/1943: delousing; work on hills; treatment from guards; journey to PG 53; improvements in situation; description of camp; sleeping arrangements; entertainments; mail; informing family of situation; rations; parcels received; defences around camp; weather; collection of labels and poems; sports; opinion of guards; medical facilities; camp discipline; camp defences; shortening of trousers; problems with lice; roll calls; help received from veteran POWs; items made from Red Cross parcels; camp band; reaction to Italian capitulation; conditions on train journey to Germany. Aspects of period as POW in Germany, 9/1943- 5/1945: arrival at Stalag 4B; delousing; markings on clothes; weather; reunion with cousin; homesickness; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; placement on working party at Lauchammer; accommodation; latrines; details of training and work as turner; working week; rations; story of Red Cross parcels issued as punishment; POW beaten to death; details of guards and camp commandant; relationship with guards; march to work; treatment of Russian POWs; memories of camp commandant Herr Cuno; football competition; air activity; attempted escapes; wire and sentry boxes around camp; reactions to increased Allied air activity. REEL 6 Continues: discipline; stealing among POWs and memories of Ray Smith; punishment; mail; free time in camp; searches of accommodation; heating; further details of work; Red Cross investigation; civilian colleagues; bartering; loss of weight; medical checks; visit to hospital; visits from Red Cross; details of pay; German punishments; clothing sent by army and mother; news of war from Germans; arguments among POWs; approach and arrival of Russians; march away from camp with Russians; Germans hung from trees; time in Mühlberg and rations; arrival of Red Cross; march to Riesa with US Army; treatment from Americans; accommodation; looting of shops; end of war; wait for flight to GB; march along decorated roads; wait for American trucks in rain; truck drivers; drive to Halle; division into groups; accommodation; rations; activities in Halle; flight to Brussels including airsickness; time in Brussels including debriefing; flight to GB and posting to Worthing; medical and hospitalisation; reaction. Aspects of hospitalisation in GB, 5/1945-1947: walks in grounds; routine and discipline; journey to Midhurst. REEL 7 Continues: tests and posting to Woolwich Sanatorium; journey to Woolwich; activities and details of hospital including visits from civilians; visit a from soldier; relationship with Benny Lynch; visit from parents; transfer to Wolsingham Sanatorium; treatment and operation; length of stay; visits to Wolsingham; clothing; relationship with civilians; visits to TB clinic; demobilisation. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1947: pension until started work; fight with British Legion for pension; settling into civilian life; civilian work; contact with Old Comrades Association; opinion of time in army.