Redfern, Arthur John (Oral history)

British officer served with 2/6th Bn East Surrey Regt in GB and France, 1939-1940; served with 9th Gurkha Rifles in India 1941-1943; served with 1/9th Gurkha Rifles in Italy and Greece, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Background in Uttoxeter and Richmond, 1918-1939: family; education; background to joining Territorial Army, 1939. Aspects of period with 2/6th Bn in GB and France, 1939-1940: mobilisation, 8/1939; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; move to France, 3/1940; billeting and training in Le Harve area. Recollections of operations as officer with 7 Platoon, A Coy, 2/6th East Surrey Regt in France, 5/1940-6/1940: orders to join 1st Armoured Bde; degree of equipment available; quality of men; taking up positions at Le Treport; withdrawal to Dieppe; sight of German Air Force attacking Red Cross ships; move to Rouen; shortage of ammunition; positions at Aumale; start of action at Aumale. REEL 2 Continues: his argument with French officer who countermanded his orders to attack; opening fire against German attack; his refusal to surrender to Germans; petering out of German attack on his position; his decision to withdraw; accidental clash with British troops. Recollections of wounding and evacuation to GB, 6/1940: wounding in the leg by grenade; encounter with French troops; discovery that German armoured troops had got behind his troops; move to hospital at Evreux; medical treatment received; embarking on hospital ship Shropshire at St Nazaire; arrival in Southampton; recovery from Wounds. Period as officer with 2/6th East Surrey Regt in GB, 1940: re-joining unit for airfield defence. REEL 3 Continues: story of persuading RAF officer not to use army fire-bombs on raid on Germany; unit's joining 3rd Div at Henley on Thames; hearing of award of Military Cross and Mentioned in Despatches; mishaps with gas bombs at Bedford; posting away from unit to Indian Army. Aspects of voyage from GB to India aboard Strathaird, 1941: character of men under his control; method of handling his draft; impression of Queen Mary. Aspects of period as officer with 9th Gurkha Training Centre at Dehra Dun, 1941- 1943: reception from Indian Army officer at Dehra Dun prior to posting to 9th Gurkha Rifles; handling Gurkha recruits; suicides amongst lower caste recruits; orders to umpire exercise in central India; memories of meeting with Orde Wingate. REEL 4 Continues: his attachment to 13th Bn King's Liverpool Regt assigned to First Chindit Expedition; contracting dysentery; recuperating at Mussoorie; posting to 1/9th Gurkha Rifles in Egypt. Recollections of operations as company commander of B Coy with 1/9th Gurkha Rifles, 5th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Div in Italy, 1944: arrival in Taranto; move into front-line at Osugna; capture of patrol from 4th Bn Royal Sussex Regt; reaction to sight of Monte Cassino; finding lucky charm; refusal of US drivers to transport Gurkhas; mortaring of unit; contracting pneumonia and recovery at Caserta and Barletta; ash which showered Bari from Mount Vesuvius. REEL 5 Continues: return to unit; his audience with the Pope; motivation of the Gurkha soldier; role commanding Reserve Platoon; question of encounter with Montgomery; type of cigarettes preferred by Gurkhas. Recollections of operations as officer with 1/9th Gurkha Rifles in Greece, 1944-1945: role as battalion liaison officer; reconnaissance at Piraeus; restoring utilities in Piraeus; move to Volos at time of armistice with ELAS; aid ELAS received from civilians; Gurkha house clearance in Piraeus; opinion of GOC's countermanding order; sight of ELAS troops marching to Trikkola; arrangements for released British POWs; treatment of POWs by ELAS. REEL 6 Continues: move to Albanian- Yugoslavian-Greek border; problems with malaria; reasons for need for troops on border; fate of US soldier with relatives in Albanian at hands of thieves; story of ignoring Yugoslavian Partisan; move to Veria; meeting with his future wife in Veria; arrangements for plebiscite on return of King of Greece; attempted interference of Greek Army in plebiscite; characteristics of Greek Democracy after 1945.