Interview with Vincent Kemel Horton

British marine served with Royal Marines with 11th Searchlight Regt, Royal Marines in GB, 1940-1941; served with 1st Royal Marines Group, Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation 1 on Crete, 5/1941-6/1941; prisoner of war on Crete, Greece, 6/1941; escaped and evaded capture on Crete, Greece, 6/1941-12/1942; marine served with 11th Bn Royal Marines during Operation Agreement, the raid on Tobruk, Libya, 13/9/1942-14/9/1942; prisoner of war in Campo PG 51 Bari and Campo PG 60, Colle di Compito in Italy, 1942-1943; marine served with No 48 (Royal Marine) Commando, 4th Special Service Bde in GB and North West Europe, 1943-1944

REEL 1 Background in Benfleet, Bradford and Southend-on-Sea, GB, 1921-1939: family; education; trek with family from Bradford to Essex, summer 1930; employment; work constructing air raid shelters in Chelmsford; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of training as marine with Royal Marines in GB, 1940-1941: reasons for volunteering for Royal Marines, 8/1940; training at Lympstone; role as aircraft spotter in Plymouth, 10/1940; training with 11th Bn Searchlight Regiment, Royal Marines at Deal, 8/1940-9/1940; orders to deal with potential German invaders with Molotov Cocktails; voyage aboard HMT Rangitata from GB to Alexandria, Egypt, 2/1941-4/1941. Recollections of operations as marine with 1st Royal Marine Group, Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation 1 on Crete, Greece, 5/1941-6/1941: voyage from Alexandria, Egypt to Crete, 9/5/1941; allocation to unit in Suda Bay area; shooting of German airborne troops descending by parachute; German forces' attack on Royal Artillery position. REEL 2 Continues: encounter with German prisoner of war; reaction to orders to retreat to Spharkia; trek to Spharkia; waiting in Spharkia as rearguard. Aspects of period as prisoner of war on Crete, Greece, 6/1941: capture by Germans, 1/6/1941; discussion about boxer Max Schmeling with German paratrooper; decision to escape from captivity. Aspects of period as evader on Crete, Greece, 6/1941-12/1941: escape from captivity; aid received from Cretans; evading Germans and stay with Greek Resistance; help received from Greek Orthodox priest; evacuation by Royal Navy, 4/12/1941; posting on return to Egypt. Recollections of operations with 11th Bn Royal Marines during Operation Agreement, the raid on Tobruk, Libya, 13/9/1942-14/9/1942: voyage aboard HMS Zulu to Tobruk, 13/9/1942; problems of landing on rocky coast; attempt to evade capture; capture by Deutsches Afrika Korps. REEL 3 Continues: problems encountered during the landing at Tobruk; Deutsches Afrika Korps soldier's apologies for handing him over to Italian captors. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Campo PG 51 Bari and Campo PG 60, Colle di Compito in Italy, 9/1942-5/1943: voyage from Benghazi, Libya to Bari, working for Italians at Campo PG 51, Bari; transfer to Campo PG 60, Colle di Compito; rations in camp; exchange of prisoners of war via Turkey; return to Egypt, then GB. Period as marine with 48 Commando, Royal Marines in GB, 1943-1944: period of recuperation prior to joining unit at Wrexham; duties as batman-driver; opinion of his Royal Marine officers, 1940-1944. Recollections of operations as marine with No 48 (Royal Marine) Commando, 4th Special Service Bde in Normandy, France, 6/6/1944-15/6/1944: assembling at Southampton for embarkation at Warsash; character of landing on Nan Red Beach at Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, Juno Beach, D-Day, 6/6/1944. REEL 4 Continues: attack on strongpoint, 7/6/1944; move to Ranville area; wounding by mine and loss of legs near Salonelles, 15/6/1944; hospitalisation for wounds in GB, 1944-1945. Reflections on service with Royal Marines: attitude to having served in Royal Marines in Second World War; recapitulation of experiences on Juno Beach, Normandy, France, D-Day, 6/6/1944; contrast between D-Day operation, 6/6/1944 and raid on Tobruk, Libya, 9/1942; interest MI5 showed in him and how he got back from Axis territory twice.