Interview with Harold Clement Wilmshurst

British NCO served with 5th Bn Royal Sussex Regt, 133rd Infantry Bde, 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Div in GB, France, Belgium and Egypt, 9/1939-12/1942; served with 4/5th Bn Royal Sussex Regt, 27th Indian Infantry Bde, 6th Indian Infantry Div in Iraq and Iran, 1943-1945

REEL 1 Background in Jarvis Brook, GB, 1919-1939: family; education; enlistment in C Coy, 5th Bn (Cinque Ports), Royal Sussex Regt of the Territorial Army, 4/1939; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 9/1939. Recollections of operations as private with 14 Platoon, C Coy, 5th Bn Royal Sussex Regt, 133rd Infantry Bde, 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Div in France and Belgium, 4/1940-6/1940: move to Saint-Pol-sur-Mer, France, 4/1940; character of hundred mile march; move into Belgium; withdrawal from River Escaut, Belgium; escape from encirclement around Lille, France area; under German Air Force attack at Mont des Chats, France; evacuation from Dunkirk, France; in action at farmhouse near Lille, France; loss of his rifle within Dunkirk Perimeter; scene on Bray-Dunes, France; helping evacuate wounded from East Mole, Dunkirk, France. Recollections of period as private with C Coy, 5th Bn Royal Sussex Regt, 133rd Infantry Bde, 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Div in GB, 1940-1942: reforming battalion at Leominister and Oxford; role as regimental policeman; reception from civilians in Thorne/Moorends area; use of commandeered civilian vehicles. REEL 2 Continues: nature of thirty mile route march, summer 1940; billeting at Moorends; reaction of civilians in Moorends/Thorne to battalion leaving area, 10/1940; methods of supplementing rations during coastal defence duties at Normans Bay; German Air Force attack on train at Edenbridge; anti-aircraft position in tunnel at Oxted; evening at Dover Hippodrome during German artillery shelling; damage in Dover from German artillery shelling; coastal duties at Deal; opinion of commanding officer Lieutenant-Colonel Morgan; coastal defence duties at Ramsgate; military activity in Ramsgate area; how his use of rifle butt on commando ended training exercise; coastal defence at Pegwell Bay; move to Canterbury area; setting fougasse traps for potential German invaders; move to Maidstone; Major-General Bernard Montgomery's training regime for division; injury received in battle training at Kenley. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of voyage aboard USS Santa Rosa from GB to Egypt, 5/1942-6/1942: problems encountered collecting rations in rough weather; health problems encountered and ablutions available; reception at Cape Town, South Africa, 5/1942. Recollections of operations as NCO with C Coy, 5th Bn Royal Sussex Regt, 133rd Infantry Bde, 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Div in Egypt, 6/1942-12/1942: arrival at Suez, 29/7/1942; nature of conditions at Kutatba Camp; move to Alam Halfa, 7/1942; problems of digging in; in action at Alam Halfa, 7/1942. REEL 4 Continues: capture of German prisoner of war at Alam Halfa; conversion of unit to lorried infantry; role of unit at during Battle of El Alamein, night 27/10/1942; nature of fighting at El Alamein; hand wound received during battle of El Alamein, 11/1942; narrow escape from artillery fire; capture of Italian prisoners of war and fish supplies; story of flooded blankets at Mersa Matruh, 11/1942; role as runner for company headquarters; problems with sandflies at Sidi Bishr, Alexandria; contracting jaundice, 12/1942; formation of 4/5th Bn Royal Sussex Regt. Recollections of period as NCO with 4/5th Bn Royal Sussex Regt, 27th Indian Infantry Bde, 6th Indian Infantry Div, Persia and Iraq (PAI Force) in Iran and Iraq, 1943-1945: move to Iran. REEL 5 Continues: living conditions at Kemanshah, Iran; role of Persia and Iraq (PAI Force); living conditions including threats from insects and reptiles; type of alcohol supplied; memories of comrades; problems with EP/IP tents; attending course at Sarafand, Palestine; road accident he had on route for leave to Beirut, Lebanon; leave camp at Karind; guarding communications in Tehran, Iran; 1944; impressions of Soviet Army troops in Tehran; German influence in Iran; relaxations in Iran. REEL 6 Continues: searching villages for army blankets; use of charcoal irons; relations with civilians in Iran; training at Khanaqin, Iraq; mountain training in Lebanon including disarming mutinous Greek troops, 1944; return to Iran. Aspects of operations as NCO with 4/5th Bn Royal Sussex Regt in Palestine, 1945-1946: role guarding oil depot and clashes with Jewish insurgents at Haifa, 1/1946; relations with Palestine Police Force; degree of fatigue in Palestine; eagerness for demobilisation; demobilisation in GB, 1946; question of physical and psychological after effects of military service in Second World War.