Interview with Robert John Walker-Brown

British officer served with 2nd Bn Highland Light Infantry, 10th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div and 5th Indian Infantry Div in North Africa and East Africa, 1941-1942; POW in Italy 1942-1943; escaped and evaded capture in Italy, 1943; served with 2nd Special Air Service during Operation Hardy, France, 19/8/1944-19/9/1944 and Opeation Galia, Italy, 27/12/1944-20/2/1945

REEL 1 Background in Dallas, GB, 1919-1939: family; education. Recollections of operations as officer with 5 Platoon, B Coy, 2nd Bn Highland Light Infantry10th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div and 5th Indian Infantry Div in North Africa and Eritrea, 1940-1942: posting to battalion after commissioning in Egypt, 1940; period as Mersa Matruh, Egypt; equipment and composition of his platoon; behaviour of Italian prisoners of war in Western Desert, Egypt, 1940-1941; brigade move to 5th Indian Infantry Div in East Africa; attack at Keren, Eritrea, 1941; return to 4th Indian Infantry Div in Western Desert, Egypt; role as brigade navigator on Gazala Line, Libya, 6/1942; leading 10th Indian Infantry Bde through minefield gap; wounding by German artillery airburst. Aspects of capture and period as prisoner of war in North Africa, 1942: capture by Deutsches Afrika Korps after wounding, 5/6/1942; second wounding by British artillery fire; theft of his silver cigarette case; medical treatment for wounds; transfer from Derna, Libya to Italy. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Italy, 1942-1943: attitude of Italian civilians towards prisoners of war at Lucca; conditions in former nunnery at Campo PG 202, Lucca; operation for his wound; beneficial effect of maggots on his wound; move to Campo PG 21 at Chieti. REEL 2 Continues: living conditions in Campo PG 21 at Chieti; descriptions of building escape tunnel; attitude of Allies to prisoner of war escaping in Italy, 1942-1943; German take over of Campo PG 21, Chieti, 9/1943; escape using tunnel from German custody at Campo PG 21, Chieti, 10/1943. Aspects of period evading capture in Italy, 1943: attempt to reach Allied lines; recapture by German airborne troops; liberation by 5th (Huntingdonshire) Bn Northamptonshire Regt and reaction of 4th Infantry Div to his report of German dispositions; background to later recruitment to 2nd Special Air Service. REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of operations as officer with 2nd Special Air Service Regt during Operation Hardy in France, 19/8/1944-19/9/1944: parachute drop with reinforcement troop east of Rennes; landing in Forest of Châtillon; attack on Germans at Châtillon-sur-Seine; ambush on German military vehicles on Route Nationale 74; extrication of unit from ambush; loss of officer in United States Army Air Force airstrike; co-operation with Office of Strategic Services (OSS) group; attack on Langres; use of civilian car as mortar vehicle; briefing Free French Forces about German forces in Langres; question of how force should have been used. Recollections of operations as troop commander with 3 Sqdn, 2nd Special Air Service Regt during Operation Galia in Italy, 27/12/1944-20/2/1945: objective of unit, 12/1944; problems with parachute landing. REEL 4 Continues: destruction of large number of German military vehicles; advance towards Pontremoli; ambush on German Army horsed artillery; fate of unit's equipment; evading Axis search and destroy operation; information gleaned from German prisoners of war; re-supply of unit; state of Italian population; extrication of force; capture of German Army officer; threat of Hitler order to execute special forces. Aspects of period as officer with Malay Regiment in Federation of Malaya, 1948-1952: opinion of Malay soldiers in jungle warfare; attack on Hill 761 in Pahang. Aspects of service with British Army, 1952-1956: pattern of service, 1952-1956; calling off of 21st Special Air Service Regt operation during Operation Musketeer, Suez, Egypt, 11/1956; role with 22nd Special Air Service Regt; prior recollection of role with Jungle Warfare School, Kota Tinggi, Federation of Malaya including ambush on Malayan National Liberation Army insurgents with student patrol, 1949.