Pinkerton, George Eustace (Oral history)

British medical officer served with No 205 Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps in GB, 2/1942-9/1942; served with No 141 Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps in Iran, 11/1942-2/1943; medical officer served with 1st Bn King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, 15th Infantry Bde, 5th Infantry Div in Iran, Egypt and Italy, 2/1943-4/1944; served with No 164 Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, 5th Infantry Div in Italy, Palestine and North West Europe, 4/1944-5/1945

REEL 1 Background in Mottingham, GB, 1916-1939: family; education; signs of approaching war; marriage. Aspects of period as medical student in GB, 1939-1942: medical training, including treatment of German Air Force bombing casualties; German Air Force air raids at Claybury Hospital, Redbridge; reaction to work and expectations of military service; staff in hospitals; final examinations; memories of teachers including Donald Hunter; introduction of new drug M&B 693 and antibiotics; end of medical training and continuing work at Claybury Hospital, Redbridge. Aspects of enlistment and training as medical officer with Royal Army Medical Corps at No 1 Training Depot, Royal Army Medical Corps, Mychett Barracks, Aldershot Garrison, GB, 1/1942-2/1942: medical and call-up for military; purchase of uniform; journey to Aldershot Garrison; description of No 1 Training Depot; drill; help from Officer Training Corps; role of training; accommodation; background of recruits; reaction to military service; treatment from NCO instructors. Aspects of period as officer with No 205 Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps in GB, 2/1942-9/1942: posting in Truro; accommodation; composition of No 205 Field Ambulance; pattern of training; story or riding motorcycle; periods acting as locum; reconnaissance walks along coast; composition and role of a Regimental Aid Post; reaction to being in position of command; relations with medical staff; accommodation arranged for wife; attending tropical medical course at The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in London; knowledge of posting abroad; embarkation leave; reaction to overseas posting. REEL 2 Continues: journey to Leeds and onto to Glasgow. Recollections of voyage aboard SS Nea Hellas and HMT Nieuw Amsterdam from Glasgow, GB to Suez, Egypt via South Africa, 9/1942-10/1942: voyage along River Clyde; knowledge of destination; passengers on ship; description of SS Nea Hellas; boat drill; accommodation and activities on board; period in harbour at Freetown, Sierra Leone; route taken to South Africa; albatross and flying fish; arrival in Cape Town, South Africa; accommodation in Simonstown, South Africa; relations with South African civilians; impressions of South Africa; boarding of HMT Nieuw Amsterdam; reason for not needing an escort; rolling of ship; arrival in Port Suez, Egypt. Aspects of journey from Egypt to Iran, 10/1942-11/1942: decription of Royal Army Medical Corps Base Depot in Cairo, Egypt; story of being allocated posting in Iraq; train journey to Damascus, French Syria; stay in Damascus, French Syria; bus journey to Baghdad, Iraq; presence of Corps of Military Police; welcome on arrival at base depot in Baghdad, Iraq; posting to Iran; journey to Qum, Iran. Aspects of period as officer with No 141 Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps in Iran, 11/1942-2/1943: details of Qum; accommodation; contact with civilians; duties with malaria patients; background of patients; supply of rations; treatment for malaria; casualties. Aspects of period as medical officer with 1st Bn King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, 15th Infantry Bde, 5th Infantry Div in Iran, 2/1943-5/1943: joining battalion as medical officer, 2/1943; relations with troops; war history of regiment; respect for and background of troops; sick parade and routine duties; memories of NCOs and batman; settling into battalion; bugle signalling. REEL 3 Continues: common ailments; treatment of desert sores; physical and pyschological health of battalion; terrain; role of battalion in Qum. Aspects of period as medical officer with 1st Bn King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in Egypt, 5/1943-7/1943: reason for posting to Kabrit and subsequent journey; accommodation; invasion training; knowledge of destination; war news; exercise in Aqaba, Transjordan, including use of Bangalore Torpedo; relations with officers; composition of battalion tactical headquarters; contact with commanding officer. Aspects of voyage from Suez, Egypt, to Sicily, Italy, 7/1943: boarding of troopship; swimming at Port Said, Egypt; news of destination; pamphlet and money issued; joining forces with American and Canadian forces; first sight of Mount Etna; air support; German Air Force raid on Syracuse; condition of sea; boarding of landing craft; seasickness; approach to shore including sight of airborne troops in water. Aspects of operations as medical officer with 1st Bn King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, 15th Infantry Bde, 5th Infantry Div on Sicily, Italy, 7/1943-9/1944: arrival and journey to correct beach; briefings for invasion; reaction to first action and having to leave airborne troops in water; nature of opposition faced; story of wounded Italian Army soldier; march inland to Cassibile; contact with Italian civilians; reunion with transport; German Air Force raid on Syracuse; scenes on water; naval bombardment support; reaction to German Air Force bombing of hospital ship; action witnessed in Augusta; nature of end objective; story of German Air Force raid at Priolo Gargallo; nature of Battle of the Gorge. REEL 4 Continues: withdrawal with chaplain Wilfred Hill; treatment and evacuation of casualties; memories of chaplain Wilfred Hill; coping with casualties; role of chaplain and troops' opinion of him; march through gorge; use of artillery support; acquisition of motorcycle and sidecar; period on River Simeto; nature of Regimental Aid Post; advance to Taormina; difficulties of terrain; retreat of Germans to Italy; opinion of General Bernard Montgomery; rest period. Recollections of operations as medical officer with 1st Bn King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, 15th Infantry Bde, 5th Infantry Div in Italy, 9/1943-4/1944: crossing of Straits of Messina and landing at Reggio di Calabria; reception from Italian civilians; terrain in mountains; fitness of troops; communications; villages surrendering to quartermaster; amphibious operation; nature of advance to meet up with United States Fifth Army; pass through mountains; hospitalisation with jaundice; treatment received; story from journey on hospital train to Bari; convalescence in Taormina, Sicily. REEL 5 Continues: sights witnessed harbour on return to Bari; journey to unit with New Zealand Army troops; arrival in Lanciano; visit with friend; story relating to 28th (Maori) Bn; Christmas, 25/12/1943; aerial activity; joining United States Fifth Army and crossing of River Garigliano; rest period; period with battle school near Salerno; smoke cloud emitting from Mount Vesuvius. Aspects of period as officer with No 164 Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, 5th Infantry Div in Italy, 4/1944-7/1944: knowledge of unit and changes in role; duties; description of a No 164 Field Ambulance; attachment to and composition of 5th Infantry Div. Aspects of period as medical officer with No 164 Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, 5th Infantry Div in Palestine, 7/1944-1/1945: reasons for move to Palestine; posting in Haifa; accommodation; work on archaeological site; recreational activities. Aspects of period as officer with No 164 Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, 5th Infantry Div in North West Europe, 3/1945-5/1945: journey to Brussels, Belgium; arrival in Ghent, Belgium; prior reaction to D-Day landings, 6/6/1944; reformation of unit at Ghent, Belgium; aerial activity and opinion the war was coming to an end; route of advance in to Germany; posting in Wismar, Germany; reaction to Allied bombing witnessed in Germany; crossing River Rhine, Germany. REEL 6 Continues: reason for withdrawal to Brunswick, Germany; German populace's fear of Soviet Army troops; living conditions for German civilians; reaction to Displaced Persons; news of concentration camps; accommodation in Brunswick, Germany. Aspects of period as medical officer with Royal Army Medical Corps in Germany, 1945-1946: duties, including demobilisation medicals; duties as temporary Deputy Assistant Director of Medical Services; offer of career with Royal Army Medical Corps; preparations for posting in Far East and reaction to end of war with Japan, 15/8/1945; role of medicals given; contact with British prisoners of war from Europe and Far East; demobilisation group; reason for wanting to leave British Army; journey to GB; process of demobilisation and return to medical career, 1946. Reflections on period as medical officer with Royal Army Medical Corps, 1942-1945: award of Military Cross; opinion of medal awards; weapon carried and occasion of using it; use of leather jerkin issued in Italy; black market; perks of time spent with Royal Army Service Corps; reconnaissance along River Garigliano, Italy; contact with United States Army and British Indian Army troops; memories of Australian surgeon; details of Indian Field Surgical Unit in Iran; opinion of German Army troops; change in attitude toward German Army following discovery of Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp, Germany, 4/1945. REEL 7 Continues: end of Second World War and celebration parade in Lübeck, Germany, 5/1945; relations with chaplain; memories of an ambulance driver; use of mules; cases of self-inflicted wounds; treatment and symptoms of shell shock; relations between officers and Other Ranks; opinion of medical treatment received; process of demobilisation; concern about restarting relationship with wife; gratuity and television set bought; question of treatment of war veterans in GB; settling into civilian life; admiration for British Army; story of soldier who shot cook in Iran; discipline of troops; physical and psychological effects of war; disappearance of pre-war friends; discussion about Displaced Persons; memories of Sue Ryder.