Interview with George Edward Stephens

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Description

Object description

British fusilier served with 2nd Bn Lancashire Fusiliers, 11th Infantry Bde, 78th Infantry Div in North Africa, Italy and Austria, 1943-1947

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Ilchester, GB, 1923-1942: family; childhood; education; employment with carpenter; reason for being named George Edward. Aspects of enlistment and training with British Army in GB, 1942: reason for volunteering; amusing story of sergeant; accommodation in Cowley Barracks, Oxford; inoculations; basic training; drill; weapons training; gas training; posting to 2nd Bn Hampshire Regiment at Basingstoke; sporting activities; volunteering for Parachute Regiment. Aspects of period with 2nd Bn Lancashire Fusiliers, 11th Infantry Bde, 78th Infantry Div in GB, 10/1942-11/1942: transfer to battalion at Aldershot Garrison. REEL 2 Continues: move to Greenock and issue with tropical kit; attitude to overseas service; prior recollection of German Air Force raid on Ilchester; voyage from GB to Algiers, French Algiers, 11/1942. Aspects of operations as fusilier with 2nd Bn Lancashire Fusiliers, 11th Infantry Bde, 78th Infantry Div in North Africa, 11/1942-5/1943: organisation of battalion; mortars; weapons; role as assault troop battalion; comparison of Waffen-SS and German Army troops; battalion role in operations leading to fall of Tunis, Tunisia, 5/1943; memories of visit to Carthage, Tunisia; story of officer and booby-trap; living conditions; climate; rations; casualties; German prisoners of war in Tunisia, 5/1943; period of hospitalisation with dysentery, 6/1943; rejoining battalion, 6/1943. Aspects of operations as fusilier with 2nd Bn Lancashire Fusiliers, 11th Infantry Bde, 78th Infantry Div on Sicily, Italy, 7/1943-8/1943: voyage from Tunisia to Catania, Sicily, 7/1943; action against Waffen-SS troops on Mount Etna. REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of operations as fusilier with 2nd Bn Lancashire Fusiliers, 11th Infantry Bde, 78th Infantry Div in Italy, 9/1943-4/1945: amphibious landing at Taranto; nature of terrain; duties as company runner; rest period; transport by truck to Monte Cassino area; opinion of 2nd New Zealand Infantry Div troops; action in cemetery near River Rapido; reason for replacement of company commander Major Pritchard; location of battalion on hillside; story of Gurkha and kukri; sight of German airborne troops sunbathing and singing in front of Monte Cassino Monastery; story of guiding ration party; use of Sikhs troops as porters; story of being relieved by reconnaissance company; presence of Salvation Army canteen. REEL 4 Continues: role in consolidating bridgehead at Caserta; story of destroying German tanks; memories of Frank Jefferson VC; death of stretcher-bearer; surrender of Monte Cassino Monastery, 17/5/1944-18/5/1944; shell shock case; attitude to danger; description of crossing River Sangro; problem of mine field; role as leading company; story of shooting of two Royal Artillery officers who failed to give password; wounding of commanding officer. REEL 5 Continues: nature of action on mountain; problem of being snowed in and cold weather and need to shelter in house; New Year's Eve celebrations, 31/12/1944; description of action in Po Valley, 4/1945; crossing River Po and advance to Austria. Aspects of operations with 2nd Bn Lancashire Fusiliers, 11th Infantry Bde, 78th Infantry Div in Austria, 5/1945-3/1947: story of taking Nazi flag from Hitler Youth members in Eisentratten; interrogation of civilians; relations with civilians; duties as commanding officer's batman; story of children's sleigh; posting to Vienna; accommodation; story of champagne; battalion's role leading parade; daily life in Vienna; story of fight with Soviets who served with German forces; use of unarmed combat; prior recollection of bayonet attack on railway station. REEL 6 Continues: home leave; memories of Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI); role escorting Italian prisoners of war to Udine, Italy; posting to Wolfsberg; treatment for skin problem; opinion of Italian and German prisoners of war; question of continued service in British Army; farewell celebrations, 1947; return to GB and demobilisation at Aldershot Garrison, 3/1947; civilian employment. Reflections on military service: memories of medical officer and chaplains. REEL 7 Continues: story of meeting General Harold Alexander; incident with Corps of Military Police in Cairo, Egypt and subsequent punishment; parading for General Bernard Montgomery; story of deserter at Monte Cassino; opinion of American forces; incident of stealing food from United States Army troops; opinion of 2nd New Zealand Infantry Div troops; attitude to pay; story of shooting of Italian civilians; description of shrapnel wounds; memories of former comrades.

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)
Stephens, George Edward (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2003-06-04
Dimensions: whole: Duration 210, Number Of Items 7
Catalogue number: 24630

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Interview with George Edward Stephens

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