Bailey, Arthur (Oral history)

British private and NCO served with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, France, Belgium, Cyprus, Iraq and North Africa, 1939-1942

REEL 1 Background in Low Bitchburn, GB, 1919-1939: family; community grew up in and family haulage firm; education; involvement with Salvation Army band; work in Willington garage; work in family haulage firm; activities with Salvation Army; reasons for joining Territorial Army. Aspects of period as private and NCO with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 4/1939-1/1940: medical at Bishop Auckland; band practice; make-up of band; ceremonials and concerts; officers and NCOs in band; description of drill hall; discipline; marching while playing; mobilisation; stretcher bearer training; reason for transfer to transport; first test in transport; driving proficiency; course taken at Technical School in Chilwell; types of vehicles in battalion; responsibility for Bren carriers; initial commandeering of vehicles and issue of army trucks; reliability of vehicles; number of vehicles in battalion; role in unit; promotion to lance corporal; administration duties; role of motor transport officer; NCOs in motor transport section; spread of drivers through battalion; work of drivers; units in Bishop Auckland; memories of Harry Miller; reactions to start of war; outbreak of war 9/1939. REEL 2 Continues: train journey to Chipping Norton; march through town on arrival; preparations to posting in France; arrival of army vehicles; collection of civilian vehicles; accommodation; sleeping arrangements; latrines; weather conditions; warm water bought and problems from scabies; more on sleeping arrangements; storage of equipment; supply and opinion of rations; washing of utensils; accommodation of officers; relationship with civilians; leisure activities; coping with lack of privacy; importance in section; weapon carried; memories of Lieutenant Lockhart; motor transport sergeant; role in motor transport section including Form 406 inspections; duties with breakdown truck and sleeping arrangements in France; treatment at Tidworth Hospital with scabies; Christmas leave; Salvation Army's attitude to war; importance of religion; attitude towards war; knowledge of Germany; opinion training was along First World War lines; inspections; knowledge of unit history; role in advance party; journey to Cherbourg. Aspects of period as NCO with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in France, 1/1940-5/1940: preparations for arrival of battalion; accommodation in Cherbourg; relationship with civilians; arrival and battalion and posting in Fresnay-sur-Sarthe; sleeping arrangements; winter conditions. REEL 3 Continues: postings in Molliens Vidame and Emerin; duties; collection of petrol; accommodation in Molliens Vidame; relationship with civilians including return in 1944; visits to cafés; opinion of rations; details of pay; visit from King George VI. Aspects of operations as NCO with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in France, 5/1940-6/1940: German invasion and journey into Belgium; aerial attacks on refugees; separation from troops; weather conditions; reception from civilians on return; reactions to retreat; arrival in Arras; location during attack; picking up of retreating troops; journey to and arrival in Boulogne; reason for splitting-up of battalion; chaos on roads; accommodation; activities in Boulogne; action against German tanks; retreat to and scenes in docks; boarding of French naval boat and air attacks on it; position taken on lifeboat; comrades taken prisoner. Aspects of period as NCO with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 6/1940-5/1941: reception on arrival in GB; train journey to Durham; time in Durham drill hall; reactions of civilians; accommodation in cinema; leave; notification of family that he was safe; reactions to situation; reactions of civilians to Dunkirk; return to Rugeley Camp; morale in battalion; commanding officer; knowledge of what had happened in France; leave; equipment situation; posting in Uffculme; reinforcements; losses from motor transport section; story of Salvation Army member recruited as driver. REEL 4 Continues: previous experience of fitters and drivers; activities in Uffculme; knowledge of destination; reactions to serving abroad; embarkation leave; reactions of family to posting abroad; embarkation. Aspects of journey from Gourock, GB, to Port Suez, Egypt, 5/1941-7/1941: reactions on embarkation; description of ship; sleeping arrangements; seasickness; training onboard; contact with band; other units on ship; leisure activities; concerts and dances; shore leave in Durban; journey to Suez Canal; crash of warship's plane and funeral; reading during voyage. Aspects of period in transit through Egypt, 7/1941: disembarkation; climate; contact with civilians; camp at Ismailia; activities with transport; loading of transport onto coaster for journey to Cyprus; knowledge of destination; crew member from Sunderland; repairs to broken down engine. Aspects of period as NCO with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in Cyprus, 7/1941-11/1941: arrival in Famagusta and unloading of transport; transport taken to Cyprus; first impressions of Cyprus; opinion of rations; illness; role in Cyprus; role in battalion; memories of Lieutenant Lockhart; memories of Jimmie Clark; work of transport collecting supplies; relationship with civilians and between Turkish and Greek Cypriots; accommodation; leisure activities; supply of petrol; rations; details of pay; later disposal of beer and cigarette rations; rank; departure of troops from island; period in rear party. Aspects of journey from Cyprus to Iraq, 11/1941: journey to Palestine. REEL 5 Continues: transport collected in Palestine; work creating stores for new transport; treatment for swollen thumb; position and role in convoy on journey into Iraq; presence of fitters; organisation of petrol supply; process of repairing trucks; Divisional Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers attachment; weather conditions and problems with frost in Iraq; adaptability to different vehicles; memories of Paddy Campbell; contact with civilians including burial of waste; recovery points; rations on journey; sleeping arrangements; journey through Baghdad; attitude of civilians. Aspects of period as NCO with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in Iraq, 11/1941-3/1942: condition of roads in Kirkuk; wiring of camp; heating; method of keeping rifles safe at night; sleeping arrangements; terrain; fires in tents; cooking facilities; rum in drinks; rations; journeys to Kirkuk for supplies including contact with civilians and description of Kirkuk; religious importance of area; reorganisation of vehicle supplies; problems with boredom and keeping warm; cleanliness; health of battalion; weather conditions; impressions of civilians; mail; censorship of mail; Christmas 1941; reaction to news of posting in North Africa; problems with rear axles on journey; description of and staff in workshop; leave; journey with unit travelling into desert; search for own unit; sandstorms; arrival with battalion; graves of local troops in desert; acceptance of dangers in fighting area. REEL 6 Continues: Aspects of operations as NCO with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in North Africa, from 3/1942: activities at B Echelon; Stand To; graves on ridge; make-up of B Echelon; accommodation; problems with flies; rations; air activity; guards; water ration; baths; health of battalion; motorcycle races; description of terrain in desert; common problems with vehicles; problems with spares; need to keep transport running; German shelling of box; story of an aerial attack; activity on Sundays; signs of coming Axis assault; fears as Germans surrounded box; breakout from box; reactions during breakout; pass through Italian lines; death of Neil Campbell; more on reactions during breakout; loss of equipment; details of journey to Mersa Matruh; approach of Germans; start of rearguard action; memories of Regiment Sergeant Major Page; move to beach; approach of tanks and anti-tank fire; organisation of transport into columns; removal of sheets from trucks; orders given to drivers; start of journey; demobilising of truck; order to put sergeant stripes on; run from truck; truck found and journey to Alamein lines including attempts to get wounded soldier to an ambulance; arrival at Alamein; reactions once safe; opinion that work kept him going.