Johnson, Ken (Oral history)

Australian NCO and officer served with 2/11th Bn Australian Imperial Force in Australia, Middle East, North Africa and Greece, 1939-1941; POW in Greece and German, 1941-1945

REEL 1 Background in West Leederville, Australia, 1920-1939: family; education; civilian work; effects of depression; knowledge of First World War and Japan; memories of childhood; attitude to Britain and events in Europe; listening to radio; opinion of nationality; education; awareness of 1936 Berlin Olympics; expansion of Australian armed forces; joining of militia; sports; reactions to Munich Agreement; outbreak of war and subsequent events; joining of 2/11th Battalion; reactions of self and sister to situation; process of joining Australian Imperial Force. REEL 2 Continues: stories of troops failing medical; militia troops not joining; question of propaganda; commitment to army. Aspects of period as NCO and officer with 2/11th Bn Australian Imperial Force in Australia, 1939-1940: posting to Northam Camp; promotions to staff sergeant; officer training and commission; accommodation and activities of unit at Rottnest; stores at Northam Camp; equipment shortages; journey to Greta; activities of unit at Northam Camp; equipment situation in Greta; details of voyages to and from Sydney including periods of leave; period in Rutherford Camp; details of Greta Camp; knowledge of war in Europe; preparations for posting abroad; leave including exercises and relationship with civilians; reactions on embarkation. Aspects of period in transit from Fremantle, Australia, to Port Tewfik, Egypt, aboard HMT Nevassa, 4/1940-5/1940: details of ship; accommodation and conditions for troops; opinion of rations; send-off on embarkation; population of convoy; wait in harbour; reactions to situation. REEL 3 Continues: details of ship; training undertaken during voyage; knowledge of destination; leisure activities; atmosphere onboard; conditions and activities for troops; details of shore leave at Colombo; events during stop in Aden harbour; disembarkation at Port Tewfik; stop at El Kantara; scenes in Egypt; Italian entrance into war and subsequent events; departure for Gaza; details of camp at El Kantara; train journey to Gaza. Aspects of period as officer with 2/11th Bn Australian Imperial Force in Middle East, 5/1940-1/1941: details of camp and Gaza including attitude to possibility of death; relationship with civilians; details of exercises; leave in Jerusalem; posting to and situation in Egypt; leave in Alexandria; opinion of situation; impressions of Alexandria; leave in Cairo; relationship with civilians. REEL 4 Continues: attitude to approaching action. Aspects of operations as officer with 2/11th Bn Australian Imperial Force in North Africa, 1/1941-2/1941: involvement of unit in action at Bardia; events leading up to battle including journey to start-line; tank support including communications with crew; details of reconnaissance patrol; actions of Italian artillery; news of involvement at Bardia; reactions to situation and mobilisation for action; story of facing fire for first time; opposition faced; casualties and reactions to them; firing of weapons; details of advance including POWs taken; establishment of POW compound; clothing worn; attitude to situation; scenes in Bardia; knowledge of importance of Bardia and Tobruk; reflections on involvement at Bardia; other units at Bardia; journey to Tobruk and positions dug on perimeter; first day at Tobruk; story of reconnaissance patrol led including action faced and journey back to lines; details of attack on Italian lines and advance to harbour; opinion of battalion activities; reactions to casualties. REEL 5 Continues: journey to and arrival at Derna airfield; discussion of plan for attack; formation of battalion; details of advance including casualties and story of air raid; attack made on Derna airfield; repelling of Italian counter-attack; thoughts during action and further details of attack; dealing with troops cracking under pressure; activities after battle; further details of Italian counter-attack; advance into Derna; activities of unit in town including initial accommodation; vehicles and other items captured from Italian Army; relationship with civilians; details of journey to and capture of Benghazi. Aspects of period as officer with 2/11th Bn Australian Imperial Force in Middle East, 2/1941-4/1941: relief from British unit and withdrawal to Tocra; activities of unit; accommodation; contact with British troops; visit from Prime Minister Robert Menzies including reaction of troops; visits to Benghazi; posting and activities in Ain el Gazala; posting to mortar platoon; story of letter delivered to brigade major in Alexandria; leisure activities in Alexandria. REEL 6 Continues: leisure activities in Alexandria including details of brothels and warnings received about VD; news of war; uses of time during war; details of officers mess during course in Palestine; reunion with battalion at Amariyah; voyage to Greece including story of football match against and social activities with 2/28th Battalion; morale; make-up of convoy; knowledge of situation in Greece. Aspects of operations as officer with 2/11th Bn Australian Imperial Force in Greece, 4/1941-6/1941: activities following disembarkation at Piraeus; opinion of Winston Churchill; movement north to Kalabaka; items left in positions dug during withdrawal; knowledge of situation; air activity during withdrawal; morale; wider situation; details of message from General Blamey; action faced at Brallos Pass; details of withdrawal to Megara; disabling of vehicles; news of embarkation; boarding of ship; description of voyage to Crete including air raids and reactions to situation. REEL 7 Continues: arrival in Suda Bay and movement inland; defensive positions dug; problems with boots; equipment carried; preparations for expected parachute landings at Georgioupolis; discussion of Australian command on Crete; morale; march to Retimo; positions taken up and activities of unit; relationship with civilians; details of Allied forces on Crete; briefings about approaching battle; discussion of aerial invasion; description of defensive positions including success of camouflage; scenes of German paratrooper landings, 20/5/1941; weapons carried by paratroopers; details of attacks made on aircraft and paratroopers; story of wounded paratrooper; medical facilities; details of temporary ceasefire; POWs captured; situation around Retimo. REEL 8 Continues: German air activity; problems with scrub fire; journey to rear echelon in evening; evacuation and medical treatment; details of action against German paratroopers; story of elderly civilian; interview with commanding officer; subsequent action against Germans including wounding and medical treatment received; description of and scenes in Regimental Aid Post; German communications with aircraft including tricks played with cards carried by German troops; knowledge of wider situation including question of evacuation; reactions to situation; arrival of German troops. Aspects of period as POW in Greece, 6/1941-8/1941: evacuation of German wounded; movement to school; story of German guard reported to officer; fates of other Allied troops on Crete; reactions to being captured including possibility of escape; knowledge of wider situation. REEL 9 Continues: treatment during journey to Athens; period in hospital; attitude to situation; items available from civilians including pay; leisure activities; details of fellow patients; movement around Athens; attitude to situation; accommodation; use of telescope; voyage to Salonica including onboard plan to hijack ship and morale; reunion with Corporal Young and clothing situation; knowledge of war. Aspects of period as POW in transit, 8/1945: boarding of train; rations; stop in Zagreb; family's knowledge of his being taken POW; latrines; story of argument with German NCO; gaining of trousers; route taken; scenes during journey; movement of POWs. Aspects of period as POW in Germany, 8/1941-5/1945: reception on arrival at Stalag VIII B; issue of clothes; camp population; organisation in camp; morale; story of airman captured in 9/1939; standard of turnout; sports. REEL 10 Continues: journey to Oflag VI B; population of camp; processing on arrival; ongoing relationship with fellow POWs; organisation of camp; tricks played on guards during roll calls; memories of Douglas Bader; details and bribery of guards; responsibilities of POW officers; further details of tricks played on guards during roll calls; details of tunnel dug; story of an escape from camp; German searches for tunnels; casualties from digging; punishments for escapees; clothing store; activities and attitude of guards; stories of making alcohol; methods of relieving boredom including details of concert parties; winter conditions and sleeping arrangements; source of fuel and bill received; later return to camp; accommodation; senior officers in camp including memories of Major-General Victor Fortune; relationship with German guards; posting to and description of Oflag VII B. REEL 11 Continues: news of war; details of camp radio including movement between camps; separation from senior officers; change in attitude of guards; details and issue of Red Cross parcels; items made from contents of parcels; concert parties and sports; gambling; involvement in black market including cigarettes and mail from home; education in camp; costs of items in camp; details of pay and camp money including items bought and mail sent home; role in gambling; involvement in assisting escape attempts; discussion of escapes from working parties; possibility of escape during 1945 march; camp library and theatre; walking and sports. REEL 12 Continues: opinion of time as POW; roll calls; escapes; relationship with fellow POWs; journey to Oflag VII B; details of camp; sports; knowledge of war; contribution made to fighter plane fund; story of visit from Gestapo; hiding of illicit items; details of tunnel dug for escape including methods of removing and dispersing spoil from tunnels; activities of escapees; story of near naked sunbathing; knowledge of war; lessons learned as POW; story of loner POW; attitude to situation; activities during walks out of camp; burial of British and Russian POWs; treatment of Russian POWs including help from Allied POWs; rumours of treatment of French POWs. REEL 13 Continues: news of war and changes in relationship with guards including cigarettes; start of march from Oflag VII B; attack from Allied aircraft; transport of possessions; problems with boots; help received from German guard; departure from column; contact with civilians; events on arrival at Stalag VII A; distances travelled during march; aircraft recognition signs made; description of Stalag VII A; takeover of camp organisation; period in camp and liberation from US Army; events during visits out of camp; visit from General Patton; activities during wait for departure including reason for delay and night in flats; flight to and activities in Rheims; flight to GB. Aspects of period as officer with Australian Imperial Force in GB, 5/1945-7/1945: reception on arrival; processing in Aylesbury including reaction to seeing women; train journey to Eastbourne including stop in London. REEL 14 Continues: accommodation, rations and organisation; leisure activities; story of visit to Aberdeen; relationship with civilians; duties taken on; opinion on issue of pay; help given to troops missing drafts; leisure activities and memories of Brigadier Peter Campbell; rations; train journey to Liverpool. Aspects of voyage from Liverpool, GB, to Australia aboard the RMS Mauretania, 1945: story of volunteer bag carrier and stowaway including subsequent inquiry; duties during voyage; stop at Wellington; issue of pay and AWOL period at Sydney; story of arrival at Sydney; reactions on arrival; visit from medical officer in Sydney. REEL 15 Continues: duties during voyage to Fremantle including treatment from army and civilians after return; arrival and disembarkation at Fremantle; processing in camp; leave; period in convalescence camp; demobilisation; initial promotions after enlisting; story of visit to convent; rations on Nevassa; story of avoiding church parades in Palestine; story of first reconnaissance patrol at Tobruk; relationship with padre including burial of casualties at Derna airfield, involvement in black market while POW, story of padre's batman; story of exercise in Egypt; accommodation at Tocra and story of missing ammunition. Aspects of period as civilian in Australia from 1945: story of return to civilian work including problems settling down; contact with army colleagues; reflections on service; dealing with troops suffering from nerves; troops settling into civilian life including help given to those with problems. REEL 16 Continues: ongoing relationship with troops; education; clothing situation; reflections on Second World War; decision to not rejoin army during Korean War; story of soldier who did rejoin army; civilian work; story of POW course; reflections on period as POW; contact with fellow POWs.