Interview with Harry Lionel Corfield

British NCO served with 1st Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's), 38th (Irish) Infantry Bde, 6th Armoured Div in North Africa, 11/1942-5/1943; served with 1st Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's), 38th (Irish) Bde, 78th Infantry Div in Italy, 10/1943-10/1944; prisoner of war in Dulag 339, Mantua, Italy and Stalag VII-A, Moosburg, Germany, 10/1944-5/1945

REEL 1 Background in Aston, Birmingham, GB, 1920-1940: family; education; childhood and living conditions; sporting activities; employment. Aspects of enlistment and training as private with 1st Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in GB and Northern Ireland, 1940-1941: attitude to being called up for military service, 4/1940; reporting to Fulwood Barracks, Preston; posting to battalion at Ballykinlar Camp, Ballykinlar, Northern Ireland; attitude to military life and discipline; basic training: exercises and route marches; location of Ballykinlar Camp; reaction of parents to enlistment. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 210th Independent Infantry Bde (Home) and 38th (Irish) Infantry Bde, 1st Infantry Div in GB, 1941-1942: posting to Rye; coastal defence duties at Camber Sands; opinion of NCOs; disciplinary offences and punishments; posting to Cumnock; description of assault course and firing trench mortar. Aspects of voyage from Liverpool, GB to Bougie, French Algeria, 11/1942; embarkation at Liverpool, 11/1942. REEL 2 Continues: accommodation aboard ship; stopover in Gibraltar; disembarkation at Bougie, French Algeria. Aspects of operations as NCO with A Coy, 1st Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's), 38th (Irish) Infantry Bde, 6th Armoured Div in North Africa, 11/1942-5/1943: memories of Christmas, 25/12/1942; story of patrol being ambushed by German forces; description of attack against German positions; battalion deployment on Grandstand Hill, Tunisia, 4/1943; daily routine; latrines; problem of heavy rain flooding trenches; opinion of officers; German night attacks on Grandstand Hill, Tunisia, 4/1943; attitude to killing; rations; story of death of soldier in trench; rest period; opinion of Arabs; role in operations at Djebel al Mahdi and Djebel Tanngoucha, Tunisia, 4/1943; reaction to death of comrade; memories of commanding officer Lieutenant-Colonel John Coldwell-Horsfall; role in operations at Longstop Hill, Tunisia, 4/1943. REEL 3 Continues: story of injuring arm in accident, 5/1943; medical treatment at hospital in Algiers, French Algeria. Recollections of operations as NCO with 1st Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's), 38th (Irish) Infantry Bde, 78th Infantry Div in Italy, 10/1943-10/1944: landing at Taranto, 10/1943; rejoining battalion at Termoli, 10/1943; story of German Army ambush and death of officers; story of rescuing wounded soldier from minefield; problem of booby-traps; description of capturing ridge in River Sangro area; prisoners; shelling by German 88mm Gun; story of German attack on barn; opinion of Germans and weapons; problem of cold weather and snow; moved to Monte Cassino area; description of Monte Cassino Monastery from position on Monte Castellone; story of accidental shooting of Italian boy; opinion of bombing of Monte Cassino Monastery; crossing River Rapido; story of taking photographs of dead Germans; memories of seeing Polish forces raising flag over Monte Cassino Monastery. REEL 4 Continues: role in operations at Lake Trasimeno; story of finding buried box of jewels; leave in Cairo, Egypt; description of night attack on Monte Spaduro, 19/10/1944; capture by German forces, 10/1944. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Dulag 339, Mantua, Italy, 1944: transfer to camp at Mantua; opinion of rations and accommodation; description of journey in cattle truck to Germany. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Stalag VII-A, Moosburg, Germany, 1944-1945: opinion of rations and accommodation; multi-national character of camp; bartering with guards; story of being caught by commandant bartering goods; story of stealing potatoes; opinion of treatment; relations with other nationalities; daily routine; amusing story of guard dog and latrine; problem of lack of food; sleeping arrangements; duties on working parties including clearing bomb damage; attitude of German civilians towards prisoners of war. REEL 5 Continues: description of Jewish concentration camp inmates and visit to concentration camp; memories of Christmas celebrations, 12/1944; story of liberation by United States Army troops, 5/1945; return to GB. Aspects of period in GB and Germany, 1945-1946: leave; reception on return and attitude of civilians; posting to 4th Bn Loyal Regt in Bielefeld, Germany; guard duties; story of initial demobilisation in Brussels, Belgium; period as dog handler in camp in Calais, France; question of remaining in British Army; return to Barnsley, GB for completion of demobilisation, 1946; problem of adjustment to civilian life. Reflections on military service during Second World War: psychological effects of war service; post-war employment; story of shell shock case; story of being Mentioned in Dispatches; opinion of officers; story relating to chaplain; religious beliefs; opinion of training; deserters; opinion of American forces; importance of comradeship.