Interview with Alexander Gray

British private served with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 139th Infantry Bde, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in GB, North Africa, Italy, Middle East, Greece and Austria, 7/1940-5/1945

REEL 1 Background in Coaltown of Wemyss, Leighton Buzzard and Bedlington, GB, 1918-1940: family; education; General Strike 1926; community; employment in colliery and details of pay; reactional activities; move to Leighton Buzzard; employment and accommodation; move to Bedlington; problems with accent; reasons for moving to Southern England; signs of approaching war; volunteered for Royal Navy and reason for not joining. Aspects of enlistment and training as private with Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment Regimental Depot, Kempston Barracks, Bedford in GB, 1/1940- 7/1940: receiving call-up papers; move to Bedfordshire; medical examination; discipline; accommodation; visits into Bedford; rations; civilian billets; morning procedures; weapons training; background of recruits; kit inspections; drill; contact with officers; route marches; field craft; memories of Private Wyndham 'Jimmy' James; bayonet training; news received of campaign in France and Belgium; opinion of training. REEL 2 Continues: decision to take signals course; aptitude test; other destinations of recruits; setting up field telephone; training in semaphore and Morse Code and use of heliograph; tests at end of course; opinion of training; leave; details of pay; evening activities; memories of Corporal Gilmore; role on exercises; opinion he would be posted to France; decision to become a batman. Recollections of period as private with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 139th Infantry Bde, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in GB, 7/1940-1/1942: background to posting with draft to battalion in Scotland and degree of knowledge of Durham Light Infantry, 7/1940; conditions and arrival in camp; instruction on Light Infantry pace; duties as batman; relations with officers; activities of other troops; accommodation; split of battalion between Dalkeith and Musselburgh; training given to troops; social activities; background of troops; relations with comrades; special training; duties with Lieutenant Girling in Folkestone; accommodation in Dalkeith; memories of Vic Rogers. REEL 3 Continues: ability of officers to cope with conditions; opinion that battalion did not settle until move to Kent; leisure activities in Dalkeith; reasons for not going for promotion; discipline; accommodation in Dunfermline; officers' mess; adapting to Light Infantry pace and new arms drill; move to Folkestone; signals duties in Great Yarmouth; training at Folkestone; joining of signals platoon; description of No 18 Wireless Set; schemes and route marches; troops in signals platoon; story of Lieutenant Girling's mosquito bites; mixing with comrades after their promotion; care of feet; opinion of route marches; marching songs; memories of battalion NCOs; accommodation at Thetford; duties on airfields; brigade exercises; visit of Major-General Bernard Montgomery; visit to brigade signals at Reigate; speeding in Aldershot; training for work as despatch rider and motorcycles ridden; maintenance of motorcycles; despatch riders in signals platoon. REEL 4 Continues: role of despatch rider on schemes; liaison with other units; transportation of officers; messages delivered; problems encountered delivering messages; route marches; vehicles in signals platoon; use of No 18 Wireless Sets in GB; weapon carried in truck; posting at Shorncliffe Camp; standard of turnout; memories of Intelligence Officer Jack Koffman; air activity over coast of Southern England; accommodation at Rye and Great Yarmouth; routine; driving at night; participation in scheme at Aldershot; social activities; relations with civilians in Rye; apple picking in Kent; knowledge of overseas posting; opinions of equipment in signals platoon; company signallers; equipment received during overseas service; discussion of training; digging of slit trenches; help with movement of transport; length of journey to Liverpool; discipline; reaction to oversea posting and rumours of destination; story of later receiving lecture on venereal disease on troopship. REEL 5 Continues: inspection of battalion by King George VI at Camberley. Aspects of voyage from Liverpool, GB, to Algiers, French Algeria, 12/1942-1/1943: loading of ship; ration supply; sleeping arrangements; seasickness; reasons for volunteering for duties on board ship; accommodation; daily routine; malaria precautions; officers and NCOs on board; celebration of Christmas in British Army; anxiety aboard prospect of submarine attacks; initial impressions of Algiers, French Algeria. Aspects of operations as private with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 139th Infantry Bde, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in North Africa, 1/1943-5/1943: journey to camp at Maison Carrée, French Algeria; contact with civilians; visits in Algiers, French Algeria; use of Compo Rations; absence of bread; journey to front line at Sedjenane, Tunisia; opinion of organisation; digging of slit trench; activity in first weeks in positions at Sedjenane, Tunisia; story of bicycle accident; conditions on front line; stand-to; issue of rifle; German Air Force Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive-bomber attacks; noise from frogs; patrols; opinion of commandos and French Army troops; position of signals platoon; reaction of troops to German Air Force Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive-bomber attacks and artillery fire; state of troops; writing of letters; presence of civilian boy selling goods to troops. REEL 6 Continues: experiences during the Battle of Sedjenane, Tunisia, 2/1943-3/1943; realisation of divisional losses; opinion that battle taught British forces a lesson; terrain; confusion during battle; reaction to situation following battle; aerial activity; artillery support; reorganisation of battalion following Battle of Sedjenane, Tunisia; size of battalion following battle; reinforcements; opinion of the problems faced during Battle of Sedjenane, Tunisia; losses in signal platoon; reinforcements; morale; opinion of German forces' troops and weapons; death of Harry Simms; wearing of helmet; problems with dust when driving and terrain; motorcycles allocated to battalion; German Air Force Junkers Ju-87 Stuka dive-bomber attacks at Sedjenane, Tunisia, 2/1943-3/1943; dealing with air attacks whilst driving; artillery fire on roads; spreading of news; memories of Regimental Sergeant-Major Harrison Thomasson; memories of Captains Gordon Harris and Arthur Pearson; handling of motorcycle; opinions of revolver and Thompson Machine Gun. REEL 7 Continues: memories of Captain Robin; effect on battalion of personnel posted missing; story of troops killed at Hammamet. Aspects of period as private with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 139th Infantry Bde, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in Tunisia, 5/1943-9/1943: parade in Tunis, Tunisia, 5/1943; sight of mass of German prisoners of war; visit of Prime Minster Winston Churchill and Anthony Eden at Hammamet; training and schemes in Bizerte, Tunisia; issue of new clothing and equipment; rumours of next destination; capitulation of Italian forces, 9/1943; boarding of landing ship tank; issue of American rations on voyage; number of troops on an boarding of landing ship tank; reaction to Italian capitulation. Recollections of operations as private with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 139th Infantry Bde, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in Italy, 9/1943-3/1944: landing at Salerno, 8/9/1943; role on beaches at Salerno; accommodation; naval support; story of a journey between beach and battalion headquarters; nature of German artillery fire on Salerno; rumours of withdrawal; description of slit trench; rations; aerial activity; activities of signal platoon; work of runners; sniper damage to motorcycle; coping with artillery fire; arrival in Naples; dealing with mines and artillery shells; question of raising of dust. REEL 8 Continues: problems with nerves; move through Naples; battalion's role in mountains; relations with Italian civilians; crossing of River Volturno; construction of bridges made by Royal Engineers; accidental bombing of unit by United States Army Air Force aircraft; fatigue and sleeping arrangements; nature of weather conditions; visit to Naples to purchase Christmas cards; reaction to battalion members getting awards. Aspects of period as private with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 139th Infantry Bde, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in Middle East, 3/1944-6/1944: voyage from Naples, Italy to Port Said, Egypt, 3/1944 including rumours of return to GB; move into camp at Qassasin, Egypt; training; visits to Damascus, French Syria and Dead Sea, Palestine; contact with civilians; Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI) rations; souvenir shopping; time spent in Tel Aviv, Palestine; training; issue of tropical dress; reinforcements and unit identity; mail; nature of German radio broadcasts; leave in Cairo, Egypt; comradeship within signal platoon; police work in Tel Aviv, Palestine; visit to see brother in Italy; swimming; precautions taken against malaria. REEL 9 Continues: mosquito nets; protection against flies whilst driving; reaction to departure of Lieutenant-Colonel John Preston; memories of Private Joe Cooley; return to Italy. Recollections of operations as private with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 139th Infantry Bde, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in Italy, 7/1944-12/1944: location of battalion actions; morale in battalion; quality of German troops and trail of destruction; Soviet personnel met in Italy; nature of fighting at Gemmano and fatigue of troops; protection against artillery shelling; artillery counter-fire; communications; shell shock amongst troops and aid given to those suffering from it; fear that he would be next and military attitude towards shell shock; Allied use of Ordnance 25 Pounder Field Gun; nature of terrain in Italy; receiving news from campaign in France; discussion of Italy Campaign after D-Day landings; journey to Greece. Aspects of operations as private with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 139th Infantry Bde, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in Greece, 12/1944-4/1945: nature of fighting in Greece; accommodation at Phaleron; briefing at B Echelon on situation in Greece; deployment of battalion companies; reception from Greek civilians; first taste of champagne in Athens; relief of battalion; visit of Anthony Eden; sporting and recreational activities; battalion morale; degree of contact with Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS); return to Italy. Aspects of operations as private with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 139th Infantry Bde, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in Italy, 4/1945-5/1945: issue of new uniform; reaction to return to Italy, 7/4/1945. Aspects of period as private with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 139th Infantry Bde, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in Austria, 1945-1946: move to Austria, 5/1945; disarming Yugoslav Partisans en route. REEL 10 Continues: VE Day celebrations, 8/5/1945; further details of disarming Yugoslav Partisans; presence of Russian personnel who had fought with Germans; duties guarding prisoners of war; disarming of Russian military personnel; acquisition of horses and staff car; accommodation and relations with Austrian civilians in Brückl; later visit to area; activities in Austria; leave programme to GB; story of Private Richard 'Dickie' Cragg's return home; memories of chaplain; posting to Wildon; lifts given to a sergeant visiting girlfriend; nature of armband worn; relieving Soviet Army troops in Vienna; leave in GB; battalion activities whilst away on leave; wait in Graz for demobilisation; reaction to disbanding of battalion; time spent at ski school; parade in Vienna; cross-country race; black market; disbandment of the battalion; duties; journey to Aldershot Garrison in GB; reaction of troops to demobilisation; pride in battalion; process of demobilisation; back pay; leave. Post-war life and employment: employment as lorry driver; end of job at start of Nationalisation. REEL 11 Continues: work on lorries in brickyard; work on lorries in private firm; opinion of Nationalisation; employment in Volvo garage; retirement; reason for never buying a motorcycle; reaction to General Election result, 7/1945; recommendation received from commanding officer; keeping in touch with wartime comrades; attitude to war experiences and life since.