Chamberlain, Alwyn "Nev (Oral history)

British driver served with Royal Army Service Corps in GB, 1940-1941; served with 9th Light Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps in Middle East and North Africa, 1941-1942; POW in North Africa, Italy and Germany, 1942-1945; driver served with Royal Army Service Corps in GB, 1945-1946

REEL 1 Background in Kirkby Malzeard and Leeds, GB, 1918-1940: family and details of Kirkby Malzeard; education; civilian work including with sister in Leeds; work of school friends; further details of civilian work; registration for army service and medical; advice from father; reactions to Munich Agreement; British Union of Fascists visit to Kirkby Malzeard; reason for joining Royal Army Service Corps. Aspects of period as driver with Royal Army Service Corps in GB, 8/1940-1/1941: arrival in and summary of period at Sheffield; filling of paliasse; first morning in army; learning to drive; pattern of training; opinion of rations; discipline; story of interview with commanding officer; leisure activities; details of pay; vehicles in unit; weapons training; postings in England; morale. REEL 2 Continues: digging of air raid shelters; accommodation; story of round trip to Gourock; second journey to Gourock; posting to 9th Light Field Ambulance; make-up of unit; duties. Aspects of journey from Gourock, GB, to Port Tewfik, Egypt, aboard the Cameronia, 1941: details of ship; activities during time in Durban; journey to and disembarkation at Port Tewfik. Aspects of period as driver with 9th Light Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps in Middle East and North Africa, 1941-1942: journey to Palestine; issue of transport at Karkur; routine maintenance; duties; arrival of medical staff and ambulances; exercises; contact with civilians; leave in Beirut; duties collecting wounded including details of ambulance; disposal of petrol cans; evacuation of Italian POWs; opinion of Italian troops; contact with German POWs; description of British petrol tins. REEL 3 Continues: problems with flies; precautions taken against mosquitoes; details of water; rations; booby traps; problems with sunburn; memories of Sergeant Major Rhodes; standard of turnout; story of punishment received in Syria; breakdown truck; movement around Middle East; story of problem with truck; duties when driving cookhouse wagon; story of rations tin round-up; story of burned sugar; air activity; taking cover from air attacks; evacuation of wounded during battles; posting in Syria; cricket match at Mafraq and contact with Commonwealth troops; memories of Captain Gotlieb; relationship with Indian troops; experiences of being under fire and casualties; mail; knowledge of war and withdrawal from Knightsbridge to Tobruk; opinion of Rommel and British Generals; opinion of British war effort; opinion of Jerry can; use of British petrol tins; members of unit captured. REEL 4 Continues: driving in desert; story of meeting Long Range Desert Group; responsibilities of officers; contact with Royal Army Medical Corps staff; story of almost walking into minefield outside Tobruk; memories of unit colonels; withdrawal to Tobruk; period outside Tobruk; description of Knightsbridge area; withdrawal from Knightsbridge to Tobruk; swimming at Tobruk harbour as POW; period in Tobruk including rations; fall of Tobruk and capture; destruction of vehicles; reactions to situation. Aspects of period as POW in North Africa, 1942: memories of capturing German officer; march out of Tobruk; rations; guards; confusion among POWs; accommodation; activities; fellow POWs; treatment from Germans and Italians; period in camp at Benghazi; tickets issued for ships and swapping among POWs; sinking of other ship. Aspects of period as POW in PG70, Italy, 1942-1943: reception on arrival in Brindisi. REEL 5 Continues: details of camp PG70 including processing on arrival and initial conditions; arrival and description of beds; organisation of POWs and rations; supply of rations; cleaning of utensils; cooking of food; roll calls; discipline and stealing among POWs; problems with lice; mail sent home; parents knowledge of his capture; activities during day; clothing situation in Germany; lessons and talks given by POWs; background of POWs; camp radio; population of camp; celebrating good news; bartering with guards; arrival and regularity of Red Cross parcels; issue of Red Cross parcels and complaints made by Sergeant Major Rhodes; hospitalisation with jaundice; medical treatment available; provenance and contents of Red Cross parcels; swapping of items in parcel; memories of Eric Dickinson; relationship with Alfie Granger; storage of Red Cross parcels; story of POW caught stealing and punishment given; gambling; memories of Padre Thompson; Christmas 1942; memories of Italian Padre; work in camp; population of camp; photographs taken in camp. REEL 6 Continues: Totopoly; health; sports; arrival of German guards; opinion of German takeover; journey to Germany. Aspects of period as POW in Germany, 1943-1945: problems during time at Stalag IV B; journey to Bad Schmiedeberg; details of town; arrival in camp; details of work undertaken; story of chocolate given to boss and extra rations gained in return; relationship with civilians; relationship from fellow POWs; latrines; details of pay and Red Cross parcels; memories of guard; freedom of movement and Russian POWs; details of work undertaken by POWs in Bad Schmiedeberg; memories of fellow POWs; German reaction to air raids; story of being strafed by aircraft; working day; rations. REEL 7 Continues: football; relationship with guard; visits from officers; contact with Gestapo; location of Bad Schmiedeberg; collection of rations; details of pay; memories of Lance Corporal "Dickie" Dunster; arguments among POWs; photograph taken in Bad Schmiedeberg and memories of POWs in it; relationship with boss; learning of German. REEL 8 Continues: clothing situation; French POWs in village; escape attempts in Italy; escape talk in Germany; morale; news of D-Day; war banter with Germans; change in attitude of Germans as war progressed; conditions in Italy; news from German newspapers; memories of guard; entertainment with accordion; gambling; dartboard made; talk among POWs; contact with civilians; details of work; working week and Sunday activities; story of being strafed by aircraft; air raids in area; other details of area; medical facilities; cigarettes sent from Leeds; smokers among POWs; relationship with German employers; mail including censorship; story of trip to cinema. REEL 9 Continues: German fear of Russians; packing up and departure from camp; POWs left behind; details of march. Aspects of period following liberation in Europe and GB, 1945: meeting with American troops and rations given; crossing of river; flights to Louvain and Northholt; reception on arrival; issue of pay and ration; home leave; separation from fellow POWs; posting in Yeovil; physical state; reception on arrival home; continuation of business during his absence and after war. Aspects of period as driver with Royal Army Service Corps in GB, 1945- 1946: brief reunion with Alfie Granger; medical; duties after posting to Darlington; accommodation; posting in Newcastle; story of refusing telephone duties; demobilisation in York; civilians attempting to buy demobilisation suits. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1946: reaction to end of service; memories of Alfie Granger. REEL 10 Continues: reason for not staying in army; enjoyment of army life; problems settling into civilian life; fellow POWs seen since war; memories of German employer; issue of POW identity disc; details of camp mug; memories of Alfie Granger; story of escorting an interpreter to Haifa; reason for preferring ambulances over lorries; details of ambulances; story of off- loading petrol on tank crews; story of meeting a German POW in parents house; opinion of Germans.