Handscombe, Albert Edward (Oral history)

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Accepted Non-commercial Use

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Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

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Description

Object description

British private served with Tower Hamlets Rifles, Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) and 9th Bn Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own), 2nd Support Group, 2nd Armoured Div in North Africa, 12/1940-12/1941; trooper served with Special Air Service in North Africa, 12/1941-1/1943; prisoner of war in North Africa, 1/1943-2/1943 and in Dulag Interrogation Centre, Oberursel, Stalag VIII-B, Lamsdorf and Arbeitskommando E 79, Tost, Germany, 2/1943-1/1945

Content description

REEL 1 Recollections of operations as private with Tower Hamlets Rifles, Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) and 9th Bn Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own), 2nd Support Group, 2nd Armoured Div in North Africa, 12/1940-12/1941: arrival in Egypt, 12/1940; duties as wireless operator with headquarters company; effects of German attack on unit at Agheila, Libya; destruction of vehicle he was passenger in by German tank; withdrawal to Tobruk, Libya; work as temporary docker unloading ships at Tobruk, Libya; opinion of Australian troops; evacuation by HMAS Waterhen from Tobruk, Libya to Egypt; reformation of battalion in Egypt, 5/1941; move into defensive box. Recollections of operations as trooper with Special Air Service in North Africa, 12/1941-1/1943: background to joining Special Air Service, 12/1941. REEL 2 Continues: move to Kabrit, Egypt; pattern of training and composition of his section; level of physical fitness; compliment paid to fitness of unit by footballer Billy Wright; sanction of being Returned To Unit (RTU); training in jumping off lorry at 30 mph; injuries to instructors during training; passing out; nature of first operations in desert, summer 1942; operation against Axis supply lines, 11/1942-12/1942; initial success of operations in area around Homs, Libya and how Germans diverted troops to deal with Special Air Service; capture and treatment by German paratroopers, 1/1943. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period as prisoner of war in North Africa, 1/1943-2/1943: disappearance of Jewish members of unit, 1/1943; torpedoing of Axis ship in harbour at Tunis, Tunisia and his rescue, 2/1943; flight in Junkers Ju 52 aircraft from Bizerta, Tunisia to Naples, Italy, 2/1943. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Dulag Luft Interrogation Centre, Oberursel, Stalag VIII-B, Lamsdorf and Arbeitskommando E79, Tost in Germany, 2/1943-1/1945: transfer to Dulag Luft Interrogation Centre, Oberursel, 2/1943; contrast between treatment received from front line and rear echelon troops; in work camps attached to Stalag VIII-B, Lamsdorf, 3/1943-8/1943; use of playing cards to allocate rations; co-operation with guards over food supplies; joining Arbeitskommando E79 building canal in Silesia, 1943; sabotage of canal work and transfer to coal mine. REEL 4 Continues: hospitalisation in Tost, 11/1944; Allied air attacks on Auschwitz III-Monowitz factory complex; German orders to evacuate Tost on approach of Soviet Army, 20/1/1945. Reflections on service with Special Air Service in North Africa, 12/1941-1/1943: memories of David Stirling; attitude to service in Special Air Service.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Wood, Conrad (Recorder)
Handscombe, Albert Edward (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 1996-11-02
Dimensions: whole: Duration 105, Number Of Items 4
Catalogue number: 16909

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Handscombe, Albert Edward (Oral history)

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