Description
Object description
British marine served with 'S' Searchlight Bty, Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation in GB, Egypt and Crete, 1940-1941; POW in Germany, 1941- 1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Bristol and Plymouth GB, 1918-1939: family; education; employment; story of meeting wife in Plymouth. Aspects of enlistment and training as marine with 'S' Searchlight Bty, Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation at Yeovil, GB, 1940: call up to Yeovil; origins of marines; pattern of basic training; treatment during basic training; how his squad adjusted to military service; standard of Royal Marine recruits; move to Lympstone. Aspects of period as marine with 'S' Searchlight Bty, Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation in GB, 1940-1941: move to Deal.
REEL 2 Continues: coastal defence duties at Ringwold, summer 1940; relations with officers; move to Plymouth; on detachment in Plymouth area; move to Southend on Sea; opinion of Bren Gun. Aspects of voyage from GB to South Africa aboard SS Rangitata, 1/1940: embarking at Gourock; duties on board; conditions on board; ashore in Durban; reaction to apartheid; embarking on Costa Rica for voyage to Egypt. Recollections of operations as marine with 'S' Searchlight Bty, Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation on Crete, 1941: firing on German aircraft during voyage to Crete.
REEL 3 Continues: question of knowledge of where Crete was; disembarkation on Crete; purpose of Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation; fate of searchlight and allocation to infantry role; expectation of German amphibious landing; start of German airborne landings; fixing bayonets to flush out German paratroopers; sight of dead Royal Artillery men in slit trenches at gun site; taking up positions at gun site; retreat over mountains; captured by Germans and subsequent treatment at Sparkia. Aspects of period as POW in Greece, 1941: his physical condition on capture; march northwards across Crete; German captors.
REEL 4 Continues: memories of eccentric Royal Marine officer; transfer to Pireaus; conditions in camp and POW morale; removal by train to Germany. Recollections of period as POW in Germany, 1941-1945: arrival in French camp at Mulberg; German treatment of Russian POWs; work parties; nature of work in Heidelberg; working conditions in summer and winter; clothing worn; initial de-lousing and uniform issue in Mulberg, 1941; camp friendships; POW with psychological problems.
REEL 5 Continues: relations and contact with German civilians; contact with home; knowledge of progress of war; treatment by guards; German guard who spoke fluent English; Christmas celebrations; supplies of alcohol; entertainment in French camp at Christmas.
REEL 6 Continues: incident of potential homosexuality; aiding POW with haemorrhoids; how German left camp, 1945; arrival of Russians; commandeering lorry to drive back to Allied lines; arrival at US lines; staying night in German civilian house; drive to Nuremberg; return to GB via Brussels; arrival in GB and return to family home; effects of wartime service; demobilisation and return to civilian life.