Glassbrook, John Verrier (Oral history)

British trooper served with 13/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own) in GB, 1939; served with 1st Lothian and Border, Saar Force in France, 1940; prisoner of war in Lager Heuberg, Stalag XXI-A, Schildberg, Arbeitskommando E442, Neudorf, Stalag VIII-D, Teschen and Arbeitskommando E535, Milowice, Germany, 1940-1945

REEL 1 Background in Englefield Green and Egham, GB, 1919-1939: family; education; employment. Aspects of period as trooper with 13/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own) in GB, 1939-1940: reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; tank driving training; other driving duties. Recollections of operations as trooper with 1st Lothian and Border, Saar Force in France, 1940: move to France, 1/1940; transfer to unit at Metz; reconnaissance work in no-man's land in front of Maginot Line; impressions of Maginot Line and French Army; retreat westwards from Maginot Line on German attack, 10/5/1940; duties driving Albion BY1 Lorry, 5/1940; attitude of regulars towards Territorial Army; German Air Force attacks on refugees; halt for week in River Somme valley; move to Saint-Valery-en-Caux; wounding at Saint-Valery-en-Caux, 6/1940; behaviour of first German captors at Saint-Valery-en-Caux, 6/1940; medical treatment by Waffen-SS doctor at Saint-Valery-en-Caux, 6/1940. REEL 2 Continues: story of how he nearly shot Colonel Charles de Gaulle on River Somme, 6/1940; removal to Tournai Citadel, Belgium. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Germany, 1940-1945: journey to Hemer; treatment received by Germans; on work party repairing vehicles in Strasbourg and sabotage of brakes on truck resulting in death of German; removal to punishment camp at Lager Heuberg and behaviour of guards; conditions in Lager Heuberg; removal of British prisoners of war from Lager Heuberg to Villingen-Schwenningen; medical treatment for frostbite and psoriasis at Villingen-Schwenningen; removal to Stalag XXI-A, Schildberg; conditions during trench digging work party; hospitalisation at Stalag XXI-A Schildberg and how he became a batman; farm work at Arbeitskommando E442 at Neudorf. REEL 3 Continues: sabotage efforts during farm work; move to Stalag VIII-D, Teschen; Polish Resistance attack on Germans at Teschen; coal mining work in Milwitz Coal Mine at Arbeitskommando E535, Milowice including near accident in pit cage; conflict with Italians in Milwitz Coal Mine; march away from advancing Soviet Army, 1945; sickness during march away from camp; sight of deliberate driving of artillery limbers through column of Jewish prisoners by Waffen-SS; foraging for food; attempt by Germans to recruit prisoners of war to fight Soviets; train journey from Saxony to Regensburg, 2/1945; death of prisoners of war during United States Army Air Force bombing at Regensburg; delivery of Red Cross parcels; encounter with General George S Patton on liberation by United States Army; impressions of Americans; journey back to GB. REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of return to GB and reflections on period of captivity: comment from bus conductor; condition he was in on return to GB; reasons for not being sent to Burma; appearance before pensions board; effects of captivity; attitude towards Germans.