Interview with Albert Ernest Scriven

British private served with Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) in London, GB, 1933-1939; private served with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 139th Infantry Bde, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in GB, North Africa, Italy and Greece, 1940-1945

REEL 1 Background in Islington, London, GB, 1913-1933: Imperial German Army Air Service bombing of house during First World War; father's service in Royal Flying Corps and his return home; father's civilian employment; education; employment in gramophone factory and printers; family and family home. Aspects of period as private with Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) in London, GB, 1933-1939: joining Territorial Army, 1933; battalions of Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) in London; time spent with drum section of band; reason for not signing up as regular soldier; enjoyment of time spent in Territorial Army; learning drill; rifle drill and training; later story of officers riding horses in Kent; opinion of later return of Cossacks who had served with German forces and their horses to Soviet Union; standard of turnout; differences between Royal Fusilier (City of London Regiment) and Durham Light Infantry marches; parade at Wembley Stadium; employment with printing firm and later London Transport; declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of period as private with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 139th Infantry Bde, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in GB, 1940-1942: accommodation on arrival at battalion; reaction to posting to battalion; relations with troops from North East of England; attitude towards promotion; story of soldiers killed in first action and family in Dunfermline; posting in D Coy; friends in company and memories of NCOs. REEL 2 Continues: issue of uniform; story of a night exercise; drill; reason for not taking promotion; memories of Bill Rivers; nickname given to him by Geordies; discipline; comparison of uniform during and prior to Second World War; relations with civilians; accommodation of family in Bonnyrigg; rations; route marches; short arm inspection; opinion of officers; memories of signals officer Captain George Harris; ease of adaptation to signals platoon; proficiency with Morse Code; story of being fired on while using the heliograph; later story of problems with wireless set at Sedjenane, Tunisia; opinion of Lee-Enfield Rifle; other weapons trained with; attending machine gun course whilst serving with Territorial Army, pre-war; preference for being a signalman rather than a infantryman; postings in East Sussex; embarkation at Liverpool. Recollections of operations as private with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 139th Infantry Bde, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in North Africa, 1942-1943: initial impressions of Algiers, French Algeria; belt inscribed with camps and positions posted to; nature of Battle of Sedjenane, Tunisia; battalion casualties. REEL 3 Continues: failure of wireless set at Sedjenane, Tunisia; reaction during and after first action; later shell shock suffered at Salerno, Italy; sergeant-major killed on landing at Salerno, Italy; memories of chaplain; battalion members taken prisoners of war at Sedjenane, Tunisia; results of Battle at Sedjenane, Tunisia; later battles in Tunisia; reaction as North African campaign went on; victory parade in Tunis, Tunisia, 5/1945; battalion casualties on Twin Tits, Tunisia; mules used in Italy; shooting of pigs; mail; contact with civilians including Arab shot dead by an officer; under fire from civilians in Tunisia; casualties. Aspects of operations as private with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 139th Infantry Bde, 46th Infantry Div at Salerno, Italy, 9/1943: evacuation with shell shock from Salerno to North Africa; landing at Salerno, 9/1943; events at Hospital Hill, Salerno, 9/1943; battalion casualties at Salerno, 9/1943; description of Hospital Hill, Salerno; treatment in North Africa for shell shock; role of signallers in action; wireless sets used; prior recollection of singing of German Army troops at Sedjenane, Tunisia; actions of battalion officer who won an award; reactions during first close encounter with German Army troops; opinion of German Army troops. REEL 4 Continues: memories of Italian Army troops; opinion of German Army troops; places visited with battalion; opinion of civilians in Egypt; memories of Privates Leslie Brown, Ronald Elliott and Walter Webberley; post-war reunions attended; comradeship among signallers; reinforcements; memories of Private John Osbourne; playing cricket; troops serving with battalion following mutiny; opinion of treatment received for shell shock; period in Palestine. Aspects of operations as private with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 139th Infantry Bde, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in Greece, 1944-1945: problems with civilians in Greece; battalion members taken prisoners of war taken by Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS); opinion of Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS); relations with Greek civilians. Aspects of operations as private with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 139th Infantry Bde, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in Italy, 1944: morale; brief desertion with United States Army deserters and reason for leaving United States Army deserters to return to battalion. REEL 5 Continues: welcome received from commanding officer on return to duties; story of message taken to commanding officer; memories of Sergeant Arthur Mattin and Company Sergeant-Major George Gates; memories of Regimental Sergeant-Major Edward Thomasson; rations; relations with Italian civilians; presence of Private Tony Sacco's grandmother at Cassino; German forces use of mines and description of mines; communications; contact with press; artillery and air support; prior recollections of aircraft lookout in Tunisia; German Air Force activity in Italy; story of United States Army troops running from German tanks. Aspects of period as private with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 139th Infantry Bde, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in North Africa, 1942-1943: story of United States Army troops killed in Algiers, French Algeria; story of Company Sergeant-Major George Gates outside brothel; troops opinion of Algiers, French Algeria; story of journalist with venereal disease; venereal disease precautions. REEL 6 Continues: battalion members lost in North African Campaign; reaction to being a survivor; pride in regiment; NCO who shot his tigger finger off in GB; attitude to self-inflicted wounds. Aspects of period as private with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 139th Infantry Bde, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in Greece, 1944-1945: activities in Greece; visits from senior officers at Christmas, 12/1944; opinion of Anthony Eden; morale of battalion and recreational activities. Aspects of operations as private with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 139th Infantry Bde, 46th (North Midland) Infantry Div in Italy, 1945: opinions of return to Italy; training and return to front line; VE Day, 8/5/1945; move to Austria; return to GB and process of demobilisation. Post-war life and employment: problems settling back into civilian life, 1946; enjoyment of military lifestyle; reasons for not wanting promotion; pay; wife employment during Second World War; reception from family upon arrival home; leisure activities; return to civilian work; period on Army Reserve; talking with people about experiences of Second World War.