Arnold, Douglas (Oral history)

British private served in No 7 Commando in GB and Crete, Greece, 1940-1941; trooper served with L Detachment, Special Air Service Brigade in North Africa, 7/1941-11/1941; prisoner of war in Campo PG 59, Servigliano, Italy, 11/1941-9/1943; escaped and joined Italians Partisans in Italy, 9/1943-9/1944; trooper served with 1st Special Air Service Bde in North West Europe, 1945

REEL 1 Background in Liverpool and Colwyn Bay, GB, 1919-1939: family; education; sight of evacuees arriving at Colwyn Bay, 1939. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn Liverpool Scottish in GB, 1939-1940: reasons for joining unit; stationing at Quorn, 1940; work in officer's mess. Aspects of enlistment and training as private with No 7 Commando in GB, 1940-1941: background to application to join commando; formation of commando; question of attitude towards homosexuality, 1940; pattern of training; voyage from GB to Egypt via South Africa, 1941. Recollections of operations as private with No 7 Commando in Crete, Greece, 5/1941: arrival in Crete and move to Canea; in action against German airborne troops; trek southwards to Spharkia; refusal to surrender to Germans at Spharkia. Aspects of escaping in boat from Crete, Greece to North Africa, 6/1941: acquiring vessel to escape in. REEL 2 Continues: character of ten day voyage from Crete to North Africa; deaths on board; distilling water; landfall in North Africa, 10/6/1941; reaction of nurse to his age in Alexandria, Egypt. Recollections of training and operations with L Detachment, Special Air Service Brigade in North Africa, 7/1941-11/1941: interview by David Stirling in hospital; formation of Special Air Service at Kabrit, Egypt; training at Kabrit including jumping out of moving lorries; parachute training and accidents. REEL 3 Continues: plans for raid on German airfield at Timini, Libya, 11/1941; problems in execution raid; his capture by Italians; equipment carried on raid. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Italy, 1941-1943: story he told his captors; meeting with prisoners of war who he had refused a place on his boat; Italian treatment of prisoners of war move to Campo PG 59, Servigliano. Recollections of escape from Campo PG 59, Servigliano Camp and operations with Italian Partisans in Italy, 9/1943-9/1944: escape from camp, 9/1943; recapture by German paratroopers; his second escape from captivity from Campo PG 59, Servigliano; joining partisan group at Sant'Egidio in Ascoli Piceno; character of his group; poverty in Ascoli Piceno province; stories he told the partisans. REEL 4 Continues: precautions he took against German capture; opinion of bravery of Italian civilians; reasons for keeping out of retaliation against collaborators; rejoining British forces; liberation of Sant'Egidio, 9/1944; effect of rations in Naples, late 1944. Aspects of period in reception centre at Eastham Woods Camp, GB, 1944-1945: Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) entertainment from Sonnie Hale; commandant's reaction to his wanting to go to his sister's house in Eastham Woods; amusing story of arrival at sister's home; return to mother's house at Tal-y-Cafn and meeting his wife. Aspects of operations as trooper with 1st Special Air Service Bde in North West Europe, 1945: rejoining 1st Special Air Service Bde at Aberystwyth; forward observation work for Canadian armoured unit; his attitude towards Germans. Aspects of period as private with 5th Bn Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders in Germany, 1945: reception at unit; billeting in schloss. REEL 5 Continues: relations with Germans in Hamelin and other cities; condition of German civilians in Cuxhaven; prior recollection of sight of Italian refugees in Italy, 1944.