Newell, Aubrey John 'Nobby (Oral history)

British NCO served with 45 Commando, Royal Marines in GB and North West Europe, 1943-1944; POW in Germany, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Background in High Wycombe, 1923-1939: family; education; employment. Period as civilian living in High Wycombe, 1939-1942: carpentry work he did; US Air Force presence in area; membership of High Wycombe Home Guard; reasons for not wanting to go into a young soldiers' battalion; father's military service in First World War. Enlistment and training with Royal Marines in GB, 1942: call-up, 21/3/1942; training at Lympstone; German 'Baedeker' air raid on Exeter, 4/1942; field training on Hayling Island; consequences of declining to become Royal Marine engineers; memories of Captain O'Leary. Period with 5th Bn Royal Marines in GB, 1942-1943: drafting to unit; reception at Carmarthen; Exercise Berwyn in Black Mountains; boat training at Inverary. REEL 2 Continues: retribution taken against enthusiastic officer; move to Hursley Camp, near Winchester; training at Hayling Island and Burley. Aspects of period as NCO with 45 Commando in GB, 1943-1944: volunteering for commando, 8/1943; move to Hilsea Barracks at Cosham; stag- hunting in Scotland; snipers' course at Lee-on-Solent; commando training at Achnacarry; march to Spean Bridge; his billet in Eastbourne, early 1944; landing craft work at Loch Sunnart; character of voyage in St George's Channel; arrival in Liverpool after storm. REEL 3 Continues: use of Japanese death-lock in training; landing exercises in West Sussex; use of bergen rucksacks; exercises on River Arun; memories of Lord Lovat and King George VI; story of effect of alcohol on marine; in holding camp run by American troops, 5/1944; postponement of D-Day landings at Warsash. Recollections of operations with 45 Commando, Royal Marines in Normandy, 6/6/1944-10/6/1944: character of landing on Sword Beach, D-Day, 6/6/1944; advance to Pegasus Bridge, Salonelles an Ouistreham, 6/6/1944; orders to avoid Merville Bty; orders to clear Franqueville Plage; effect of fire on German counter-attack at Merville; wounding of officer at Franqueville Plage; how he became separated from comrades at Merville. Recollections of period as POW in France and Germany, 1944-1945: capture by Germans, 10/6/1944. REEL 4 Continues: move to Merville Battery; German precautions against POW escape; conditions in captivity in Normandy; attitude of towards German captors; in old school at Pont L'Eveque; period in Frontstalag 153, 6/1944; treatment of POWs in Paris; period in Frontstalag 194 at Chalons-sur-Marne, 1/7/1944; failure of German officer to get POWs to join Free Corps; rail journey from France into Germany; arrival at Marlag Nord; conditions in Marlag Nord; preparations for forced march to Stettin; his avoiding of going on this march. Aspects of liberation and return to GB, 1945: liberation of camp, 5/1945; looting around camp; revenge taken against German guard; liberation of German pig; flight to GB. REEL 5 Continues: return of ex-POWs to Eastney Barracks; processing of ex-POWs in GB; return to High Wycombe, 5/1945; problems of Royal Marines in handling returned POWs at Havant; jobs he undertook on return to duty; his last weeks in Royal Marines. Memories of sniper work he did in Royal Marines.