Interview with Reginald Biffin

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Description

Object description

British marine served with 2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regt, Royal Marines, No 1 Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation in GB and Crete, Greece, 1/1940-5/1941; prisoner of war on Crete and Dulag 183, Salonika, Greece, Stalag III-D, Rudow, Reserve Lazaret 119 Neuköllen, Berlin, Oflag VII-C/Z, Tittmoning and Marlag und Milag Nord, Westertimke, Germany, 5/1941-1/1945; repatriated from Germany to GB via Switzerland, 1/1945

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Highbridge, GB, 1917-1939: family; education; employment; effects of father's military service in First World War. Recollections of period as marine with 2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regt, Royal Marines, No 1 Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation in GB, 1940-1941: background to call-up to Royal Marines at Yeovil, 1/1940; NCO instructors; basic training; training as gun layer on Ordnance QF 3.7 Inch Anti-Aircraft Gun; live firing at Towyn; move to Lympstone; period in gun emplacement at Staddon Heights above Plymouth. REEL 2 Continues: train journey to Dover, 7/1940; setting up Ordnance QF 3 Inch Anti-Aircraft Gun emplacement at Crete Road near Folkestone; sight of aerial activity over RAF Hawkinge; removal of predictor for open sights on guns, 8/1940; rate of fire; daily activity during Battle of Britain; German Air Force Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive-bomber attacks; weekend leaves and sight of bombing of London; German Air Force bombing of train during return from leave. REEL 3 Continues: anti-aircraft work at RAF Hawkinge, 7/1940-11/1940; move to Lympstone, 11/1940; kitting out with tropical kit at Portsmouth. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT City of Canterbury from GB to South Africa 1/1941: embarkation at Gourock; German submarine scare in North Atlantic; ashore in Durban, South Africa. Recollections of operations as marine with 2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regt, Royal Marines, No 1 Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation on Crete, Greece, 1941: move to Crete after two week period in Egypt; problems with ship on route to Crete; sight of lone Royal Air Force aircraft attacking formation of German Air Force aircraft; activities on gun site near Suda Bay; loss of personal kit in bombing; sight of German airborne forces landing, 20/5/1941; destruction of gun; casualties; retreat southwards. REEL 4 Continues: reasons for throwing bodies down wells; opinion of Australian Imperial Forces personnel; formation of rearguard; discovery that last ship had sailed and arrival of German forces; German Air Force strafing of beach after surrender. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Greece, 5/1941-7/1941: march back to Suda Bay; transfer to Athens; move to Dulag 183, Salonika; physical condition on arrival at Dulag 183, Salonika. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Germany, 7/1941-1/1945: nature of train journey from Greece to Germany; arrival at Stalag III-D Rudow, Berlin; conditions in Stalag III-D; treatment by Germans; hospitalisation in Reserve Lazaret 119 Neuköllen, Berlin; physical condition and German treatment of Soviet prisoners of war; duration of hospitalisation. REEL 5 Continues: fellow inmates in Reserve Lazaret 119 Neuköllen; removal on discharge to Stalag III-D, Rudow; story of supplementing rations from farmer; duties as batman in Oflag VII-C/Z, Tittmoning; camp entertainments; involvement in escape; removal to Marlag und Milag Nord, Westertimke. Aspects of repatriation to GB, 1944-1945: move into repatriation camp, 1944; repatriation journey to Switzerland, 1/1945; contrast in conditions on board American and British hospital ships; hospitalisation in Southport, GB; return to civilian life.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Baker, Lindsay (Recorder)
Biffin, Reginald (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2004-04-15
Dimensions: whole: Duration 150, Number Of Items 5
Catalogue number: 26983

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Interview with Reginald Biffin

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