Interview with Harry Higton

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Description

Object description

British private and NCO served with 2/5th Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt), 139th Infantry Bde, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in GB and France, 10/1939-7/1940; served with 1/5th Bn Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt), 25th and 55th Infantry Bdes, 49th (West Riding) and 18th Infantry Divs in GB, 1940-1941; served with 5th Bn Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt), 139th Infantry Bde, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in GB, French Algeria and Tunisia, 2/1942-3/1943; prisoner of war in Campo PG 66 Capua and PG 53, Sforzacosta, Italy, 3/1943-9/1943, Stalag IV-B, Mühlberg, Stalag IV-B/H, Jacobstal and Stalag XII-B, Fallingbostel in Germany, 10/1943-4/1945

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Ilkeston, GB, 1919-1939: family; daily life and living conditions; education; sporting activities; employment in iron foundry at Stanton-on-the-Wolds; recreational activities; awareness of international situation; pay; memories of declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of enlistment and training with Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) Regimental Depot, Normanton Barracks, Derby, GB, 9/1939-10/1939: receiving call-up papers, 9/1939; medical examination; induction at Normanton Barracks, Derby; accommodation; impressions of fellow recruits; opinion of rations. REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of training as private and NCO with 2/5th Bn Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt), 139th Infantry Bde, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in GB, 10/1939-4/1940: issue of kit; drill; rifle training; types of weapons used; aiming and firing positions; bayonet training; training with grenades and Bren Gun; physical training; gas training; opinion of instructors; kit inspection; polishing boots; creases in trousers. REEL 3 Continues: leave; pay; posted to Eggington Hall for further training as NCO, 11/1939; field training; loading and firing trench mortar; role with three man trench mortar team; range; accuracy; daily routine; route marches; tactical exercises; digging trenches; first aid training; weather conditions; promotion to corporal; posting to Market Harborough, 12/1939-4/1940; duties; accommodation; corporals' mess. Recollections of operations as NCO with 2/5th Bn Sherwood Foresters Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt), 139th Infantry Bde, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in France, 4/1940-6/1940: move to Boulogne, 4/1940; daily routine and duties. REEL 4 Continues: move to Éveraux near Paris; sight of refugees, 5/1940-6/1940; problem of German Air Force attacks; role supporting of 1/5th Bn Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt); morale; preparations for evacuation; conditions on evacuation beach near Saint-Nazaire; organisation of evacuation. Aspects of sinking of HMT Lancastria off Saint-Nazaire, France, 17/6/1940: embarkation aboard HMT Lancastria; conditions on board troopship; rations; accommodation; German Air Force attack on troopship and escape from sinking vessel; conditions in sea; question of personal morale; question of German Air Force machine gunning of survivors in water; problem of oil on water and danger of fire; rescue by French rowing boat. REEL 5 Continues: hearing men singing aboard HMT Lancastria as it went down. Aspects of period as NCO with 1/5th Bn Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt), 25th and 55th Infantry Bdes, 49th (West Riding) and 18th Infantry Divs in GB, 1940-1941: billeting in Sheffield on return to GB; posting to battalion at Drayton; daily routine and training; drill; re-equipping of battalion and issue of American rifles; visit by King George VI, 1941; coastal defence duties at Cromer and Romney; nature of defences; field training; attending course at Weapons Training School in Western Command; nature of training and types of weapons; amusing story of Spigot Mortar demonstration; loading and firing Spigot Mortar; grenades; tactical training; role as instructor to Home Guard; opinion of Home Guard; wounding by ricochet on firing range. REEL 6 Continues: description of wound and medical treatment; move to Lincoln. Aspects of period as NCO with 5th Bn Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt), 139th Infantry Bde, 46th Infantry Div in GB, 2/1942-12/1942: posting to battalion at Folkestone; role as sergeant instructor; tactical exercises on beach; opinion of officers; attitude to training conscripts; sergeants' mess; opinion of other NCOs; daily routine and duties; battle training in Scotland; posting to Aldershot Garrison. REEL 7 Continues: Recollections of operations as NCO with 5th Bn Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt), 139th Infantry Bde, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in French Algeria and Tunisia, 1/1943-3/1943: voyage from Liverpool, GB to Algiers, French Algeria, 12/1942-1/1943; docking at Algiers, French Algeria; initial impressions of Algiers, French Algeria, 1/1943; move to transit camp; orange groves; accommodation; walking in Atlas Mountains; opinion of Arabs; move into mountains and description of conditions in slit trenches on reverse slope at Green Hill, Tunisia; field of fire; death of officer; attitude to being under fire; daily routine; opinion of rations; alcohol; compo rations; duties as sergeant; sight of German positions; air activity; patrols; presence of Italian Army troops in area; consolidation of positions. REEL 8 Continues: deployment in positions in Green Hill sector, Tunisia; German forces attack, 3/3/1943; story of being surrounded and captured; question of treatment by German captors; effect of Ordnance QF 25 Pounder Field Gun shells. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Campo PG 66, Capua and Campo PG 53, Sforzacosta, Italy, 3/1943-9/1943: description of conditions Italian prisoner of war camps including opinion of rations and accommodation; journey to camp Campo PG 66, Capua, 3/1943; accommodation and conditions in camp; sleeping arrangements; mixture of prisoner of war nationalities; organisation of hutted accommodation; opinion of rations; daily routine; recreational activities including use of library; Red Cross parcels; washing clothes. REEL 9 Continues: method of dealing with bedbugs and flies; delousing powder; washing facilities; head shaving; relations with camp guards; rations; state of health; physical exercise; journey to Campo PG 53, Sforzacosta, 6/1943; description of camp and accommodation; living conditions; sporting activities including football; recreational activities; question of escape; Germans taking over running of camp, 9/1943; medical facilities. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Stalag IV-B, Mühlberg, Stalag IV-B/H, Jacobstal and Stalag XII-B, Fallingbostel, Germany, 10/1943-4/1945: train journey from Italy to Germany; rations; arrival at Stalag IV-B, Mühlberg, 10/1943; reception; conditions in camp; problem of cold; hutted accommodation; washing facilities; method of boiling water. REEL 10 Continues: use of illicit radio; method of constructing carbide lamps; dried milk; opinion of rations; Red Cross parcels; construction of swimming pool; hut inspection; relations with guards and question of bartering; story of weight training; camp theatre and entertainments; morale; attitude to captivity; story of being moved for punishment to Stalag IV-B/H, Jacobstal, 12/1943. REEL 11 Continues: description of regime in Stalag IV-B/H, Jacobstal; nationalities present in camp; story of building heater; amusing story of song 'My Heart is Breaking' being adopted as camp anthem; recreational activities; daily routine and nature of work; German treatment of Soviet prisoners of war; punishments; move back to Stalag IV-B, Mühlberg, 1944; story of meeting cousin; problem of food shortages; list of books read in camp; question of keeping diary; memories of Indian and African prisoner of war friends; move to Stalag XII-B, Fallingbostel, 9/1944; description of camp; South African prisoners of war; amusing story of blankets. REEL 12 Continues: story of leaving and returning to camp, 4/1945; loss of personal possessions; problem of obtaining water supplies. Aspects of period as NCO with British Army in GB, 1945-1946: flight in Royal Air Force Avro Lancaster from Germany to GB, 1945; physical condition; problem of weight loss and eating; leave; back pay; role as corporal instructor at camp at Blackpool; effects of period of captivity; attitude to German prisoners of war; recreational activities; demobilisation, 1946; post-war life and employment.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Hart, Peter M (Recorder)
Higton, Harry (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 1998-11-30
Dimensions: whole: Duration 350, Number Of Items 12
Catalogue number: 18618

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Interview with Harry Higton

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