Description
Object description
British gunner served with 101 Light Anti-Aircraft and Anti-Tank Regt, Royal Artillery in GB and France, 1939-1940; POW in France and Germany, 1940-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in various places, GB, 1918-1939: education in Muswell Hill and Folkestone including family holidays in Deal; removal of tonsils; family; education in Felsted including story of beating; civilian work; call-up and previous military experience. Aspects of period as gunner with 101 Light Anti-Aircraft and Anti-Tank Regt Royal Artillery in GB, 8/1939-5/1940: posting to Thames Haven; details of guns; creation of gun emplacement; postings around GB; theft of cardboard cut-out from pub including subsequent arrest and trial; changes in unit since joining as Territorial; pattern of training; story of German seaplanes; story of pet goose; first raising of barrage balloons; reactions on outbreak of war and relationship with civilians; comradeship; discipline; reason for posting to France. Aspects of operations as gunner with 101 Light Anti-Aircraft and Anti-Tank Regt Royal Artillery in France, 5/1940-6/1940: scenes during Junkers Ju-87 Stuka raids; story of attack on convoy and wounding; scenes of refugees; medical treatment received; continuation of journey toward coast and capture.
REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period as POW in France and Germany, 6/1940-1945: talk with German soldier; journey to hospital in Rouen; accommodation; problems with lice; visits from Salvation Army; medical treatment; discipline and visits from local women; march to camp and return to hospital; questions from Germans about religion; march to Trier and second return to hospital; medical treatment and description of wounds; population of camp at Rouen; treatment from guards; conditions during train journey to Stalag VIII B at Lamsdorf; reactions to situation; details of guards; accommodation; fuel for heating; accommodation and details of POWs awaiting repatriation; collection of food for rabbits kept in camp; story of POW with frostbite; screams from amputees in Rouen; story of operation without anaesthetic; treatment received following Dieppe Raid; delousing; period of quarantine following typhus outbreak; description of lighter made from shell case; capture of moles and use of skin; problems with leg and penis including details of circumcision; details of rations; contact with women.
REEL 3 Continues: memories of parents; service of father with Royal Artillery during First World War; changes to unit, 1936- 1939; uniform worn before war; pattern of training; loss of Bofor guns; journey to Oflag III C; accommodation after re-numbering to Stalag 383; leisure activities; advantages of treatment received following Dieppe Raid; entertainments and sports; climate; method of dealing with muddy ground; details of pool; education available in camp; rations; details of Red Cross parcels; fuel for heating; story of protest in form of manic behaviour; details of alcohol brewed; description of blowers and mouse traps made; details of march toward Austria with Waffen-SS; disappearance of guards; revenge taken on civilians; arrival of US troops; return to GB; details of mail sent and received; memories of fellow POWs including learning to play bridge; telegram sent on return to GB; reunion with family; physical state; hospitalisation in Roehampton including details of fellow patients.
REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period as civilian from 1945: civilian work; involvement in sports; discovery of and medical treatment for tuberculosis, 1948; period at sanatorium in Midhurst including continuing medical treatment; story of letters written to Daily Telegraph including response; civilian work including building-up of printing firm; leisure activities; dentistry course undertaken; work as magistrate; meeting of wife and marriage, 1955; family including quitting smoking; background to divorce, 1980; details of second marriage.
REEL 5 Continues: problems with kidney; reflections on life; reading of extracts from mail sent to mother during period as POW.
REEL 6 Continues: reading of extracts from mail sent to mother during period as POW including Christmas 1944.