Ellison, Robert (Oral history)

British private served with Cheshire Regt in GB, 1942; private served with Durham Light Infantry Depot in GB, 1942-1943: served with 14th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1943; served with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry in North Africa and Italy, 1943; served with 419 Field Security Unit in Italy and Austria, 1945-1946

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Birtley and Chester-le-Street area, GB, 1923-1942: effects of death of father in colliery accident, 1928; family circumstances, mother's re-marriage and various house moves; death of father in colliery accident, 1928; father's military service; education; recreations; Boy Scouts' activities; recreations; work as grocer's delivery boy, 1937-1941; work for railways, 1941-1942. REEL 2 Continues: work as number taker and van driver with railways, 1941-1942; delayed conscription; reaction to outbreak of war, 3/9/1939, including brother volunteering for RAF and trench digging trench for neighbour; relationship with locally billeted soldiers; question of possible nature of war; German bombing raids, ca 1941; reaction to evacuation of Dunkirk; duties as volunteer bicycle messenger with Air Raid Precautions Unit at South Pelaw and fire watching at Central Station; family air raid shelter and close escape from bomb; release from work during air raids. Recollections of conscription, 17/9/1942: reactions; delayed conscription due to work on railways and consequent early release, 1945. Recollections of conditions of service, daily routine and lifestyle during training with Cheshire Regt at Dale Barracks, Chester, GB, 9/1942-11/1942: journey and reception; kitting out; suicide attempt of illiterate recruit; question of bullying. REEL 3 Continues: origins of recruits; barrack accommodation; preparing for kit inspections; question of minor thefts of kit; barrack room damages; relationship with NCOs; vaccinations; morning routine; breakfast and food rations; drill; pay; rifle and tactical training; method of cleaning and inspecting newly issued Ross rifles. REEL 4 Continues: bayonet cleaning; rifle drill and training; story of recruit shooting cow near rifle range; Bren gun training; introduction to Maxim machine gun; hand grenade training; gas mask training; cross countries; route marches including equipment carried, foot inspections and question of recruits dropping out; sick parade; introduction to PIAT; food rations; lectures including VD warnings; recruits use of telephones; blancoing and cleaning kit; visits into Chester; relationship with civilians and impact of US troops; lack of regimental badges. REEL 5 Continues: cross country runs; question of punishments; question of recreations; assault course; relationship with NCOs; theft of civilian clothes; passing out parade and winning prize platoon award; question of posting. Recollections of conditions of service and daily routine during period with No 4 Infantry Training Centre, Durham Light Infantry Brancepeth Castle, GB, 11/1942-1/1943: reception; hut accommodation; draft of former policemen; training as driver on 15cwt lorries; demobilisation of former policemen; stove heating; charge as AWOL on being caught unofficially extending local leave visits to Chester-le-Street; relationship with NCOs; marching at light infantry pace; origins of other ranks; training as driver on 15cwt lorries; question of contact with officers; tactical training. REEL 6 Continues: morning routine; fitness and tactical training; weapons training including PIAT, Sten gun and mortars; question of aircraft recognition; question of history of unit; cold weather and stove heating; passing course as driver; lorry maintenance routine; convoy discipline and night driving; awareness of vehicle loads; river crossing training; extra pay after passing weapons course; punishment for disrupting cross country run; fatigues; guard duties including 'stick' system, role of regimental police and challenges. REEL 7 Continues: home leave. Recollections of period with 14th Bn, Durham Light Infantry at Hornsea, GB, 1/1943-5/1943: advanced driving course with Motor Transport Section; tactical training including combined operations in lake and live ammunition firing and role of Motor Transport Section; role of A and B Echelons; distribution and role of unit vehicles; billets; posting to Demonstration Platoon, A Company; reinforcement role of unit; digging slit trenches; tactical demonstrations; role of Bren gun team; opinion of Bren gun and question of stoppages; officers; soldier's suicide; effect of German air raids on Hull; souvenir from crashed German aircraft. REEL 8 Continues: embarkation leave including orders to return early, personal morale and decision to postpone marriage; issue of tropical kit. Voyage with draft to Algiers, Algeria, 5/1943: accompanying officers; delayed lone sailing due to engine problem; rough weather and seasickness; messdeck conditions; recreations; role as mess orderly; first impressions of Algeria; VD warnings. Journey via transit camp to Blida, 6/1943. Recollections of period with 18 Platoon, D Coy, 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry at Blida, 6/1943-8/1943: reception; state of unit; wounded soldiers returned to unit; second hand reports of prior actions; opinion of various officers and NCOs. REEL 9 Continues: mountain training; recreations; relationship with Algerian civilians; guard duties; water supply; canteen. Recollections of period at Bizerta, Tunisia, 8/1943-9/1943: conditions during voyage from Algiers; cleaning ship and temporary loss of kitbags on disembarkation; reduced food rations; German air raids; concert with Bob Hope; question of contact with US troops; training with Landing Ships Infantry; rumours and ignorance of planned landing area; beach landing training; visit from Major General Hawkesworth; mail service and theft of cigarettes. Recollections of voyage aboard LSI to Salerno, Italy, 9/1943: equipment and food rations carried; announcement of Italian surrender; rough sea and landing of parties of troops at Sicily; members of section; question of prior briefing. REEL 10 Landing at Green Beach, Salerno, Italy, 9/9/1943: casualties from German land mines; confused situation; move inland to orchard; corpses; personal morale. Initial operations in Salerno area, 9/9/1943-11/9/1943: move inland; situation; defensive positions in irrigation ditches on hill; situation; foraging for food; food rations; water supply and use of water purification tablets; situation; naval support bombardments. Recollections of period on Pimple, Hospital Hill, Italy, 11/9/1943-19/9/1943: German sniper operating from Hospital; terrain and nature of fighting; guiding up reinforcement draft on ration party; story of German stealing water truck; occupying forward post and role of forward observation officer in directing shellfire on to German positions; story of sergeant killing German sniper; relief and subsequent temporary over-run of forward post during German attack, 15/9/1943; German POWs; stand to; nature of fighting including close escape from German shell and question of evacuation of wounded. REEL 11 Continues: patrols; story of soldier's reaction to news of death of brother during German attack, 15/9/1943; question of orders to open fire; personal morale; story of close escape from German sniper whilst brewing tea; situation during German attack, 15/9/1943; corpses; evacuation of wounded; effects of fatigue; ration parties; composition rations; question of drink; casualties; opinion of draft from Welsh Regiment including Company Sergeant Major May. Recollections of operations on La Crocella Spur, Corpa di Carva sector, Italy, 23/9/1943-25/9/1943: situation; story of cleaning rifles, surrender of German officer and souvenir Luger; meeting Lieutenant Ronnie Sherlaw in Corpa di Cava; terrain and situation; relationship with Italian civilians; absence of opposition; prior briefing; German booby traps; German tanks destroyed by shellfire; single file formation during advance. REEL 12 Continues: Period based at Villa Litorno, Italy, 10/1943: story of cook being slightly wounded by German shell; story of meeting Colonel Johnny Preston; effect of casualties; account of being ambushed by German patrol whilst providing infantry screen for Royal Engineers building bridge across, Regi Legni Canal at Castel Volturno, 9/10/1943; realisation of casualties on return to billets; question of subsequent investigation into causes of ambush; rum ration. Account of operations on crossing of River Volturno, 11/10/1943: positions in crater; German nebelwerfer fire; fixed lines German machine gun fire during crossing in assault boats; desertion of some soldiers from boat drifting downstream; move across field to take up reserve positions along dyke behind sunken road; clearance of German pillbox; and story death of Private Isaac Todd when his Thompson sub-machine gun jammed German counter-attack and its subsequent disposal; opinion of German weapons including nebelwerfer and hand grenades; terrain. REEL 13 Continues: German shellfire; success of Lieutenant Russell Collins in knocking out German pillbox; subsequent acceptance of provisional promotion to corporal; question of Germna counter-attacks; question of tank support; state of morale of reinforcement drafts. Rest period at Casaluce, 10/1943: recreations; attitude to soldiers who lost their nerve; food rations. Recollections of operations in Teano River area, Italy, 25/10/1943-29/10/1943: flooded slit trenches; lack of experience and morale of reinforcement drafts; blast injuries from German shell during attack on machine gun post and rescue by Private Jack Clatworthy; question of status as corporal section leader. Period in US hospital at Phillipeville, Tunisia, 11/1943: medical treatment for battle fatigue; tea for British soldiers; temporary award of US wound decoration; question of nightmares; conditions; delay in letters via US and question of having been reported killed; examination by psychiatrists; medical grading as B1. REEL 14 Continues: Move to Maison Caree transit camp Algeria: question of US and British attitudes to wounded; lack of duties. Period as driver with various headquarters units in North Africa, 1944-1945. Period as driver with 419 Field Security Unit in Italy, Yugoslavia and Austria, 1945-1946: role dealing with refugees; searching for fascists; view of repatriation of Cossack troops; involvement in intelligence work and driving Professor Alan Catley in Trieste area; story of interrogating Austrian believed to be Hitler; situation in Udine and Trieste; disbanding partisan forces; searching for artefacts stolen by Germans; news of early demobilisation and return to GB, 3/1946. Demob suit issued on demobilisation, 4/1946. Various aspects of of war service.