Holness, John Marsh (Oral history)

British civilian during Hull GB, 1940-1941; guardsman served with 3rd Bn Coldstream Guards in North Africa, 1942; NCO served as clerk with Central Mediterranean Training Centre, Benevento and Army School of Mechanics, Padua, Italy, 1943-1945

REEL 1 Background in Hull, 1920-1939: family and education; employment. Reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Recollections of Hull Blitz, 1940-1941: German Air Force attacks on West Hull; public morale; construction of family air raid shelter. Volunteering for army, 12/1940 and call up, 3/1941 including reasons he went into Guards and not Military Police. Period of training with Guards in GB, 1941-1942: basic training in Guards Depot, Caterham, spring 1941; reaction to Guards discipline; playing rugby for depot against Welsh Guards, Pirbright, 1941; German Air Force attacks on Caterham, 1941; field training and signal course, Pirbright, 1941; drafting to 3rd Bn Coldstream Guards, 12/1941. REEL 2 Continues: reaction to having to leave his family on Christmas Eve, 1941; arrival at Regents Park Barracks, 25/12/1941; marching of draft to Marylebone Station, 12/1941; train journey to Glasgow. Voyage from GB to North Africa aboard Louis Pasteur, early 1942: conditions aboard ship; practising morse; threat of Japanese submarines and race to get into Port Tewfik, Egypt. Recollections of period with 3rd Bn Coldstream Guards in North Africa, 1942: move to base depot, Geneifa, Suez Canal Zone; arrival in Fort Capuzzo, 2/1942; conditions on arrival; joining unit in Tobruk, 2/1942; nature and composition of battalion; digging in on Tobruk perimeter. REEL 3 Continues: role as gun-layer in anti-tank platoon; skirmishing with Germans on Tobruk perimeter ca 3/1942; move to Buq Buq for re-equipping ca 4/1942; creating a parade ground, Buq Buq; inspection by Lord Guildford and brief visit from King of Greece, ca 5/1942; nature of Halfaya Pass. Recollections of operations with 3rd Bn Coldstream Guards in Knightsbridge box, 5/1942-6/1942: return to Tobruk-Gazala area, ca 5/1942; digging in The Cauldron, Knightsbridge box, ca 5/1942; mining three sides of box; training on 6 pounder anti-tank gun; return to unit during German attack on Bir Hakheim; nature of rations issued; effect of German shelling turning Knightsbridge box into 'a cauldron'; ineffectiveness of 2 pounder against German tanks; use of sticky bombs against German tanks; orders to receive delivery of 6 pounders, ca 6/1942. REEL 4 Continues: delivery of 6 pounders; knocking out of Italian tank spotting for German artillery with first shot ca 6/1942; prolonged action in 'The Cauldron'; orders to evacuate Knightsbridge box, 13/6/1942; German shell hit on dug out in which he was wounded, 13/6/1942. Period of medical treatment for wounds in Libya and Egypt, 1942: removal by ambulance, 13/6/1942; actions of Corporal Burke; nature of wounds; treatment as one of walking wounded; removal to casualty clearing station, Sidi Barrani and then to Tobruk; treatment received in Tobruk; evacuation of Tobruk hospital to Mersa Matruh, 6/1942. REEL 5 Continues: move to train to Cairo; treatment received in 15th Scottish General Hospital in Egypt; letters from fiancee; reaction to issue of hospital uniform; recreations. Period of convalescence in El Arish hospital, Palestine, 1942: evacuation of hospital to El Arish; re-union with section sergeant in Ben Hur Station, Qantara; story of what had happen to section sergeant; medical treatment on arm; discharge from convalescent camp. Period in Guards base depot, Geneifa, Egypt, 1942-1943: role as mess waiter in officer's mess; impression of Italian POWs; role in quartermaster's store. REEL 6 Continues: appearance before personnel selection board, early 1943; posting to Italy, 1943. Voyage from Egypt to Italy aboard SS Batory, 1943. Recollections of period as pay corporal with Central Mediterranean Training Centre, Benevento, Italy, 1943: arrival in Taranto; weather conditions; train journey to Naples; impression of Naples; arrival in Benevento; exploring Fascist headquarters; establishment of centre; bomb damage and threat of typhoid; methods employed to encourage savings for war effort; promotion to sergeant; revival of civilian life; reaction to arrival of Italian Cremona Division. REEL 7 Continues: closure of centre as front moved north. Period with as sergeant clerk in Italy, 1944-1945: move to Army School of Mechanics, Padua, 1944: journey from Benevento to Padua via Pontine marshes and Appenines; establishment in Padua, 1944; working off PYTHON and LIAP and reaction to comrades having leave in GB; plundering of army buffet by local civilians, Bologna, 1945. Journey from Italy to GB, 1945-1946. REEL 8 Continues: nature of train journey from Milan to Calais, 1/1/1946; attitude of British authorities to Axis weapons being brought back to GB; reaction to being back in GB, 1/1946. Journey from Waterloo Station to Brookwood, 1/1946. Period with Guards Depot, Pirbright, GB, 1946: reception and adjutant's parade; reaction to having to 'bull up' for commanding officer's orders instead of making way home to Hull, 1/1946; homecoming; refusal to stay on in Coldstream Guards; administrative duties, 1946. REEL 9 Continues: fire service arrangements; attitude to those who had not seen active service; role in suppression of prisoner's riot in Military Detention Centre, Aldershot, spring 1946; administrative duties as army fire officer, 1946; period of time wasting whilst awaiting demobilisation in Windsor; demob procedure in Guildford, 1946. Attitude to having served in Second World War and Coldstream Guards. Question of comradeship formed during Second World War. Relations between Italian civilians and British troops in Italy, 1943-1945. Nature of Union Jack Club in Waterloo during Second World War