Interview with John Gowan

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Accepted Non-commercial Use

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Sound: © IWM (20254)

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
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Description

Object description

British private served with 56th Reconnaissance Regt, 78th Infantry Div in GB, North Africa, Italy and Austria, 1942-1946

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Kingston upon Hull, GB, 1922-1939: family; education. Aspects of period as civilian living in Kingston upon Hull, GB, 1939-1941: adaptations made to domestic Anderson Shelter; memories of German Air Force attacks, 1940-1941; public morale; membership of Home Guard; improvised road blocks; German Air Force bombing of his place of employment; employment with Blackburn Aircraft Ltd at Brough. Aspects of enlistment and training with 15 Troop, C Sqdn, 56th Reconnaissance Regt in GB, 1942: call-up for military service, late 1941; start of training at Chadacre, 1/1942; characteristics of Humber Armoured Car; relations with officers; bombed state of York Railway Station, York, 1942. REEL 2 Continues: story of being placed on charge for being late back from embarkation leave. Recollections of operations as trooper with 15 Troop, C Sqdn, 56th Reconnaissance Regt, 78th Infantry Div in French Algeria and Tunisia, 1942-1943: voyage from GB to French Algeria; landings near Algiers, French Algeria, 8/11/1942; destruction of his Universal Carrier by German Air Force during advance from Algiers, French Algeria; German Air Force air superiority; reasons for unit not wearing helmets; loss of unit vehicles on advance to Tunis, Tunisia, 11/1942-12/1942; attempt to hold line at Kasserine Pass, Tunisia, 2/1943; patrol work in Tunisia, 1943; commanding officer's orders relating to air attack; potential danger when First and Eighth Armies met; relations between First and Eighth Armies; items liberated from Hermann Göring Divisional supplies; incidents of Germans releasing prisoners of war; memories of German surrender in Tunis, Tunisia. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of operations as trooper with 15 Troop, C Sqdn, 56th Reconnaissance Regt, 78th Infantry Div in Sicily, Italy, 7/1943: nature of landings on Sicily; move to Adrano; incident when his armoured car was blown up by German anti-tank gun and return to Allied lines; malaria problem at Patti. Aspects of operations as trooper with 15 Troop, C Sqdn, 56th Reconnaissance Regt in Italy, 1944-1945: landings at Taranto; German defence of Monte Cassino area; second bout of malaria, 1944; importance of returning to own unit after sickness or wounding; recovery period in Cairo, Egypt; return to Italy and further hospitalisation. Recollections of period with 56th Reconnaissance Regt, 78th Infantry Div in Austria, 1945-1946: sight of Cossacks of SS Cossack Cavalry Corps, XV who had fought for Germans; relations with Austrians. REEL 4 Continues: social life in Vienna and relations with Soviet Army occupation troops; transfer to North Irish Horse in Germany; release from military service; attitude to having served with 78th Infantry Div in Second World War.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Wood, Conrad (Recorder)
Gowan, John (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2000-03-02
Dimensions: whole: Duration 100, Number Of Items 4
Catalogue number: 20254

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Interview with John Gowan

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