Plowman. George Belfitt (Oral history)

British officer served with 1st Derbyshire Yeomanry in Algeria and Italy, 1943-1945

REEL 1 Aspects of period as civilian living in Spalding, 1921- 1941: family; education; expectations of coming war, late 1930s; employment in family business; political views on Italy; interest in military history; formation of Spalding Local Defence Volunteers, 1940; guard duties with Spalding Home Guard; importance of security; tactical importance of rivers in eastern counties. Aspects of enlistment and training as trooper with 54 Training Regt, Royal Armoured Corps at Tidworth, 2/1941-9/1941: swearing oath at Grantham; reporting for basic training at Tidworth; issue of uniform; character of officers and NCOs; adjusting to army life; preparations for barrack room inspections; opinion of rations and use of White Hart at Andover; character of training and instruction; royal visit; physical training. REEL 2 Continues: inoculations; army boxing; daily routine; role of potential officer cadets after passing out parade; attending command board. Aspects of period as trooper with Inns of Court Regt in GB, 9/1941-6/1942: formation of squadron as part of 9th Armoured Div at Raunds; character of unit and it's equipment; wireless training; hazards of driving armoured cars on exercise; characteristics of Humber Armoured Car; maintenance of armoured cars including attending manufacturers course in Birmingham; character of billets; memories of troop officers; discipline in unit; training conducted by officers and role of troop sergeant. REEL 3 Continues: character of large scale exercises; feeding arrangements and visits home; issue of 19 Radio Sets; range of effective signals; question of quality of training with unit; issue of smoking in action and open turrets; question of development of combat wisdom; move to Wimpole Hall; pre OCTU course at Blackdown. Aspects of period as officer cadet at Royal Military College, Sandhurst, 8/1942-1/1943: incident which occurred during drill; intakes; syllabus of training; occasion when his tank threw a track in disused quarry during exercise; discovering of theft of money and its outcome. REEL 4 Continues: conversation with Brigadier Harold Prior-Palmer about Derbyshire Yeomanry; reasons for choosing Derbyshire Yeomanry; adapting from armoured cars to tanks; opinion of the Crusader tank; level of tactical training at Sandhurst; pattern of training; regimental selection board; brief period with Northamptonshire Yeomanry; reception on arrival at unit; exercise with unit; accommodation at Ogbourne St George. Voyage from GB to Algeria, 1942: boat drill; conditions for other ranks. Aspects of period on draft in Algeria, 1943: role as baggage officer; initial impressions of Algeria; move by train to Maison Carre; loss of NCOs on route. REEL 5 Continues: Recollections of period as officer with Derbyshire Yeomanry in Tunisia and Algeria, 1943-1944: joining unit at Tally-ho Corner on Goubellat Plain; condition of vehicles; return to Corps Delivery Squadron; organisation of squadron; question of dispute of which unit entered Tunis first; pattern of training; character of squadron officers; role of Captain Leslie; relations with French civilians; battlefield tour; visit to US camp; in tented accommodation; start of conversion from armoured cars to tanks. REEL 6 Continues: role as rear link officer with squadron headquarters; role of headquarters squadron; decision to convert armoured car regiments to armoured reconnaissance regiments; use of modified Stuart tanks; tactics used on contact with opposing forces; contrast in using 75mm gun and two pounder guns; training with 75mm; armament of modified Stuarts; importance of good drivers; posting to A Sqdn; character of divisional exercise Light Blue, 2/1944; transfer from 4 Troop to 2 Troop; relations with troop sergeant in 4 Troop; reception of new officers in unit. REEL 7 Continues: character of troop sergeant in 2 Troop; role of troop sergeant; crew selection; case of battle fatigue; unit morale on leaving Algeria, 3/1944; unit discipline; degree of awareness of general war situation. Aspects of period as commander of 2 Troop, A Sqdn, 1st Derbyshire Yeomanry, 6th Armoured Div in Italy, 1944: character of crossing from Algeria to Italy, 3/1944; impressions of Naples and the state of it's populace, 3/1944; setting up camp on approaches to Monte Cassino; weather conditions at camp; troop training and preparations for action; relations with Italian civilians; skill and technical expertise of unit members. REEL 8 Continues: tanks confined to roads south of Rome. Recollections of operations as commander of 2 Troop, A Sqdn, 1st Derbyshire Yeomanry, 6th Armoured Div in Monte Cassino area, 4/1944-5/1944: view of terrain from Monte Trochio; impressions of General Alexander; terrain around Monte Cassino; nature of terrain in Liri Valley; advance to and crossing River Rapido; reconnaissance role during first day of offensive against Gustav Line; terrain and sight of dead Indian troops; character of reconnaissance patrol on foot; unit casualties during attack on German strongpoint; rate of advance early in offensive; harbouring at night; elements of regimental group; commanding officer's behaviour under shell- fire. REEL 9 Continues: distance between troops; visit to French Canadian headquarters on third day of battle; capture of German POWs; advance to Aquino; character of Adolf Hitler Line; sight of Germans during foot reconnaissance of Aquino; frequency of reports to squadron; German rapid reinforcement of Aquino and length of time taken to capture town; interview with General Keighley and decoration; question of priority given to his reconnaissance report about Aquino; lack of artillery fire support at Aquino. REEL 10 Continues: effect of lack of training in all arms tactics; conduct of troop 'O' groups; degree of sleep available; sleeping arrangements; activities during periods in reserve; reliability of Stuart and Sherman tanks; incident when Stuart broke down in action. Recollections of operations as commander of 2 Troop, A Sqdn, 1st Derbyshire Yeomanry, 6th Armoured Div in Italy, 1944: character of advance after fall of Gustav Line; use of mountain road; friend wounded in encounter with German Tiger tank; conditions on mountain road; rate of movement; Royal Engineers method of dealing with blown bridges; lack of German defences in mountains; increase in German defensive activity north of Monte Rotundo; scale and effect of German delaying tactics; loss to shell-fire of bedding. REEL 11 Continues: terrain on approach to Arezzo; dealing with German delaying tactics; role of unit providing flank guard, reconnaissance and screening; crossing River Arno at ford and loss of track to German box mine, 21/7/1944; German tactics in Prato Manio area; case of mutilation of Italian civilian by Germans; question of value of intelligence gained from Italian civilians; encounter with German motorcyclist; narrow escape from German anti-tank fire across River Arno; German demolitions cleared during night; daily rate of advance; threat from booby traps and mines; tank recovery system. REEL 12 Continues: reserve of armoured vehicles; initial sight of Florence; meeting with patrol with 10th Indian Div; opinion of Indian reconnaissance skills; use of voice codes for wireless transmissions; method of giving and receiving daily orders; troop 'O' group; use of tactical signs; organisation of logistic support in harbours; sleeping arrangements; character of periods in reserve; sleep and performance; incident of food poisoning at Perugia; problems with flies; reaction to news of D-Day and not being allowed to enter Rome. REEL 13 Continues: accidental attack by aircraft on column; move to foothills of Apennine Mountains; change in weather conditions; limited scope for armoured reconnaissance in poor weather conditions, autumn 1944; withdrawal to Florence for winter quarters, 10/1944; troop leaders' course attended; postal arrangements; role of unit acting as infantry; personal weapons; attitude of troops to performing infantry role and acting as stretcher bearers; reaction to having to report to Pesaro, c3/1945; regime at Pesaro; character of training in Lombardy; limitation of tanks in Italy. REEL 14 Continues: story of recovering Stuart under fire; question of effects of fear increasing with operational experience; increase in cautiousness towards war's end; lack of psychological casualties; character of regular soldiers in unit; start of 8th Army offensive, spring 1945; reasons for his being held in reserve; slow advance due to terrain; bombardment prior to start of operation; rapid advance to Udine; character of victory celebrations, 5/1945. Recollections of period as officer with 1st Derbyshire Yeomanry during Occupation of Austria, 1945: reasons for entering Austria rapidly; state of Italian refugees; deployment in Austria; night in tank surrounded by Yugoslavian Partisans; impressions of Slovene minority. REEL 15 Continues: rest and recreation; exchanging tanks for Greyhound Armoured Cars; role patrolling around River Drava; ethnic groups who had served with German Army in area; withdrawal of Yugoslavian Partisans; occupation duties north of Klagenfurt; shortage of food amongst Austrian civilians in Klagenfurt; fraternisation ban not very effective; degree of information available about demobilisation; reorganisation of unit for service in Middle East; integration of officers and men into unit; tour of Italy; signing on for an extra six months; appointment as second in command of headquarters squadron and regimental sports officer. Aspects of period as officer with 1st Derbyshire Yeomanry in Egypt and Libya, 1945-1946: move to Kassassin; impressions of GB when of leave. REEL 16 Continues: role of unit in Egypt; situation in Egypt; move to Cyrenaica; taking command of A Sqdn; rapid turnover of personnel in unit; move to Tripolitania; deployment of unit; accommodation in old Italian barracks; visits to police stations, local civilians and caves; proposed role during civil unrest. Aspects of demobilisation and return to civilian life, from 1946: demobilisation leave, 2/1946; reasons for leaving army; readjusting to civilian life; value of military service.