Interview with Charles Carrington

British civilian messenger boy with Auxiliary Fire Service in Derby, GB, 1939-1941; rifleman served with 11th (Queen's Westminsters) Bn King's Royal Rifle Corps, 23rd Armoured Bde in Greece, 10/1944-8/1945; NCO served with 2nd Bn King's Royal Rifle Corps in Libya and Palestine, 1945-1947

REEL 1 Background in Derby, GB, 1924-1939: family; education; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of period as messenger boy with Auxiliary Fire Service in Derby, GB, 1939-1941: role with Auxiliary Fire Service; reasons why few German Air Force bombs fell on Derby; effects of smoke screen; effectiveness of Derby's civil defences; experiences with 13th (Derby & Borough) Bn Derbyshire Home Guard; attitude to being in Reserved Occupation. Aspects of enlistment and training with King's Royal Rifle Corps in GB, 1942-1943: enlistment, 1942; reasons for joining regiment; drilling; move to Strensall Barracks, York; problems with vertigo during assault course; driving training at York. REEL 2 Continues: rivalry between guardsmen and riflemen; contracting blood poisoning, 6/1944. Aspects of period with 111th (Queen's Westminsters) Bn King's Royal Rifle Corps, 23rd Armoured Bde in Egypt, 1944: story of beating up of military prison guards by comrade during voyage aboard HMT Monarch of Bermuda from GB to Egypt; acclimatising to climate; reception on arrival with battalion at Mena; embarking on board HMS Black Prince at Alexandria, Egypt, 10/1944. Recollections of operations as private with 13 Platoon, D Coy, 11th (Queen's Westminsters) Bn King's Royal Rifle Corps, 23rd Armoured Bde in Greece, 10/1944-8/1945: loss of battalion transport on route to Piraeus, 10/1944; greeting received from Greek partisan; obtaining alcohol and cigars; move to Amfissa; mix-up over Greek word for paraffin; taunting of British forces by Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS); shots fired at convoy on route to Thebes; destruction of stores at Thebes; occupation of Royal Palace at Athens; story of patrol on Arditos, Athens and extrication from hillside. REEL 3 Continues: operations in 'Little Stalingrad' area of Athens; dispersing of Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS) insurgents at bayonet point; Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS)'s abandoning of arms in Athens; attitude towards Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS); character of 'Little Stalingrad' area of Athens; method of clearing house; occasions when he fired Bren Gun; reluctance to fire on living target; comrade who deserted, 1/1945; preference for Lewis Gun over Bren Gun; snowball fight; despatch riding duties; teasing Hellenic Army troops with demonstration platoon; brushes with Corps of Military Police; work training Hellenic Army troops; discipline in Hellenic Army. REEL 4 Continues: encounter with swordfish; farewell party given to troops being transferred to Far East, 1945. Aspects of period as NCO with 2nd King's Royal Rifle Corps in Libya, 1945-1946: background to transfer to battalion; move to Tripoli; trouble between Arabs, Jews and Italians in Tripoli; effect on battalion member of hearing bagpipes from neighbouring Scottish unit; hideous sight of drunken Scottish genitalia on mess night. Aspects of operations as NCO with 3 Platoon, A Coy, 2nd King's Royal Rifle Corps, Palestine Command in Palestine, 1946-1947: move to Rehovot near Jaffa; collusion of level crossing keeper with Zionist gangs; enforcing curfew after Irgun Zvai Leum insurgents hanged British Intelligence Corps Sergeants Clifford Martin and Mervyn Paice, 7/1947; role as platoon commander; occasion when it was discovered a Palestine Police Force policeman gave information to Zionist insurgents; vehicle chases with insurgents; attitude towards serving with King's Royal Rifle Corps. REEL 5 Continues: amusing story of comrade who was a burglar by profession.