Interview with Rendell William Dunn

British private served with 12th Bn Devonshire Regt in GB, 1942-1943; served with 1st Bn Devonshire Regt, 80th Indian Infantry Bde, 20th Indian Infantry Div in India, 1/1944-4/1944; served with 1st Bn Devonshire Regt, 26th Infantry Bde, 36th Infantry Div in Burma and Malaya, 1945

REEL 1 Background in Easton-in-Gordano, GB, 1923-1939: family circumstances; education; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of period as messenger for Auxiliary Fire Service in Weston-super-Mare, GB, 1940-1941: bombing of town; sight of German Air Force daylight raid on Filton. Aspects of enlistment and training with British Army in GB, 1942: call-up for military service, 4/1942; basic training at Dorchester Depot Barracks, Dorchester. Recollections of period as private with 12th Bn Devonshire Regt in GB and Northern Ireland, 1942-1943: reception at unit at Plymouth; exercises and farm work in Northern Ireland; relations with civilians in Northern Ireland; attitude of troops to auxiliary policemen in Northern Ireland. Recollections of period as private with 1st Bn Devonshire Regt, 80th Indian Infantry Bde, 20th Indian Infantry Div in India, 1/1944-2/1944: voyage from GB to India, 11/1943-12/1943; initial impressions of Bombay, 1/1944; jungle training at Bhopal; patrolling at Kanglatongbi; character of jungle training; use of punji bags and pits; relations with Indian civilians; prickly heat problem. Recollections of operations as private with 1st Bn Devonshire Regt, 80th Indian Infantry Bde, 20th Indian Infantry Div at Imphal, India, 3/1944-4/1944: initial experience of Imperial Japanese Army night attack on Crete East, Shenam Saddle, 27/3/1944. REEL 2 Continues: failure to use trip grenades; stealth of Imperial Japanese Army troops; role as bomber; bunker construction; layout of Nippon Hill; re-enforcing 9/12th Bn Frontier Force Rifles on Nippon Hill; use of grenade throwing rifle; opinion of Imperial Japanese Army troops; problems attempting to use Projector Infantry Anti-Tank (PIAT) against Imperial Japanese Army tanks; effectiveness of Japanese tanks; commanding officer's countermanding of orders to fight to last man; withdrawal of battalion; wounding and evacuation, 22/4/1944; story of Private Harry Taylor who survived Imperial Japanese Army troops bayoneting of wounded British personnel. REEL 3 Continues: nature of wounds; closeness of Imperial Japanese Army troops on Crete East.; living conditions in positions; leadership of unit. Recollections of operations as private with 1st Bn Devonshire Regt, 26th Infantry Bde, 36th Infantry Div in Burma, 1945: rejoining battalion; contrast in fighting in Central Burma with that on Shenam Saddle, India; character of Imperial Japanese Army resistance; attitude towards Japanese; problems crossing River Irrawaddy; battalion casualties; contact with Burmese civilians; encounter with Imperial Japanese Army soldier; instance of failure of Imperial Japanese Army light field gun in action; encounters with snakes; attitude to atomic bombing of Japan, 8/1945. Aspects of operations as private with 1st Bn Devonshire Regt, 26th Infantry Bde, 36th Infantry Div during Operation Zipper in Malaya, 8/1945: recieving Combined Operations training near Poona, India; handling of Japanese surrender at Batu Pahat; behaviour of Japanese prisoners of war; Imperial Japanese Army officer's behaviour towards his own troops; attitude to having served with 1st Bn Devonshire Regt in India and Burma during Second World War.