Ruttledge, David (Oral history)

British cadet at Royal Military College, Sandhurst, GB, 1937-1939; officer served with 2nd Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in GB, France and Belgium, 1939-1940; served with Depot, 6th and 4th Bns Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in GB, 1940-1942; served with 1st Bn Dorsetshire Regt in Egypt and Sicily, 1943; served with 2nd Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in Italy, 1943-1944; POW in Stalag VII A, Moosburg in Germany, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Background in India and GB, 1918-1937: family's civil service and medical background in India; family; reasons for removal from India to GB; education and retirement of father to GB, 1929; sporting interests; decision of his father that he should join army; family circumstances; degree of political awareness. Recollections of period as cadet at Royal Military College, Sandhurst, 1937-1939: arrival at Sandhurst; sergeant instructors; syllabus. REEL 2 Continues: opinion of tactical training; physical training; facilities at Sandhurst; expectations of conduct of future war; opinion of French Army; reasons for not joining Gurkha regiment and choosing Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry; formal dinner at regiment; duration of course and passing out. Recollections of period as second lieutenant with 2nd Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in GB, 1/1939- 8/1939: joining unit at Shorncliffe Camp, 1/1939; taking charge of cross country running; messing arrangements; orderly officer duties; depletion of unit with drafts to India; move to London, 4/1939. REEL 3 Continues: reception on arrival at unit; impressions of his batman; induction period; relations between officers and other ranks; role of company sergeant-major; origins and characteristics of platoon; support for running team and training; move to Tower of London for ceremonial duties; emphasis on drill; accommodation in Tower of London; arrival of new officers; move to Chelsea Barracks; first guard duties at Buckingham Palace; guard duties at Bank of England; degree of threat to Bank of England. Recollections of period as second lieutenant with 2nd Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, 4th Div in GB and France, 1939-1940: mobilisation, 8/1939; training dockers in use of gas masks. REEL 4 Continues: appointment as battalion intelligence officer; concern over field security; sketching; chain of command; concentration of 4th Div at Aldershot, 9/1939; use of motorcycle as personnel transport; introduction of battledress; arrival in Cherbourg; arrival in French village. REEL 5 Continues: unit move to Franco- Belgian border; short tour in Maginot Line in Metz area; patrolling activity; brigading of battle patrols and intelligence sections in Halstroff; opinion of deployment of unit; character of German raid on isolated platoon of C company; adjacent platoon unable to respond and discrediting of concept of platoon sergeant-major; character of former French positions; French artillery support; positions on Franco-Belgian border; visits to Vimy Ridge; field security duties; French liaison officer; relations with French civilians; leave to see parents in Paris, 10/5/1940. REEL 6 Continues: Recollections of operations as second lieutenant with 2nd Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in France and Belgian, 5/1940-6/1940: 3rd Div passing through division into Belgium; advance into Belgium; German pilot killed by Belgian civilians; contact with Germans on Escaut Canal; transporting intelligence officer of Middlesex Regt to Montgomery's headquarters; impressions of Montgomery; behaviour of commanding officer and role of adjutant; role finding brigade to get leave for battalion to withdraw; wounding crossing open ground to unit headquarters; rescue by Geoffrey Pine-Coffin of Carrier platoon; evacuation to La Panne; evacuation from Dunkirk to Dover, 1/6/1940. REEL 7 Continues: Period as second lieutenant with Depot, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry and 6th Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry on coastal defence duties, GB, 8/1940-10/1940: posting to depot after hospitialisation; coastal defence duties in Cornwall; story of paddling out to challenge Admiralty coastal patrol; cleaning up after sapper stepped on mine; billeting in farmhouse with London evacuees; transfer to 6th Bn; mortar positions on cliffs. Aspects of period as adjutant captain with 4th Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in GB, 10/1940-11/1942: posting to unit at Selby; character of unit; behaviour of regular reservists; relations with civilians; mobile exercises; attitude to move to coastal defence duties; role as adjutant. REEL 8 Continues: character of commanding officer Colonel Max Haring; volunteering for overseas service and voyage from GB to Egypt via South Africa. Recollections of operations as captain with 1st Bn Dorsetshire Regt in Egypt and Sicily, 5/1943-7/1943: posting to unit in Egypt; trained for 'scramble landing' and scaling sea wall. REEL 9 Continues: opinion of training for invasion of Sicily; relationship with his platoon; rehearsal landing over beaches at Aquaba; embarkation at Alexandria; voyage from Alexandria to Sicily; equipment carried and use of plimsolls; character of landings; unit objectives; wounding in leg in alleyway; evacuation to LCA. Period of hospitalisation in Malta, 8/1943-9/1943: nature of wound. REEL 10 Continues: complications with wound and surgeon's article in The Lancet; witnessing last German Air Force raid on Malta; presence of burnt Canadian officer of Calgary Horse in ward; return to 2nd Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in Bougie, Algeria. Recollections of operations as captain with 2nd Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in Italy, 1943-1944: night march and shelling during deployment in Gavigliano bridgehead; Colonel Musson's style of command; resupply and patrol activity; handling of casualties; use of mules for hayboxes. REEL 11 Continues: quarters on Mount Ornito; action at Montevacci; artillery support; deployment in Monte Cassino area; crossing River Rapido on Sherman tanks of 17/21st Lancers; impressions of German POWs of Herman Goering Div; O group for attack on The Incontio; character of attack on The Incontio; situation inside the monastery; terrain behind the monstery. REEL 12 Continues: taking command of A Coy for River Ronco action; approach march to Bertinoro; character of attack on Bertinoro; plans for night attack over River Ronco; character of night attack over River Ronco; exchange of fire with Germans from riverbank; crossing River Ronco and loss of PIAT; collecting 11 Platoon from riverbank; attacking building on ridge; fate of platoon officers; German armoured counter attack on bridgehead; capture by Germans and move through own defensive fire. REEL 13 Continues: meeting with German divisional commander and move to transit camp in Padua. Aspects of period as POW at Stalag VII A, Moosburg in Germany, 10/1944-5/1945: reaction to being made POW; train journey to camp and circumstances of Captain John Spencer's escape; rations and improvised cookers; German guards' morale; generosity of US POWs; arrival of Russians POWs; question of escape; use of camp library; liberation by Americans and General Patton; return flight to GB; rehabilitation leave; sight of German jet aircraft in camp; eventual posting to unit in Greece.