Interview with Ronald Perkin

British officer served with 4/16th Bn Punjab Regt, 7th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div in Eritrea, North Africa and Cyprus, 12/1940-5/1943; served with Training Team in Egypt, 1943; served with 4/16th Bn Punjab Regt, 7th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div in Italy, Palestine and India, 1943-1947; served with 6th Bn Malay Regt, Malaya Command in Federation of Malaya, 1951-1955

REEL 1 Aspects of period as officer cadet with Royal Military College Sandhurst, Camberley, GB, 1938: degree of military service in family; reasons for joining British Army; syllabus; map reading and Tactical Exercises With Troops (TEWTs); military history; method of instruction and discipline; lack of anticipation of war; social activities and formal dining; choice of regiment and joining British Indian Army; assessment. Aspects of period as officer with British Indian Army attached to 1st Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in India, 1939-1940: voyage to India, 8/1939; initial impressions of battalion; conditions in India. Recollections of period as officer with 16th Punjab Regiment in India, 1940: daily routine; emphasis on getting to know troops; duties; character of subedars. REEL 2 Continues: degree of political and religious agitation in regiment; organisation of regiment; problems with Sikh element of regiment; weapons and tactical training; unit transport; life for officers; move to Secunderabad; relations with second in command; reaction to posting to Egypt; in charge of draft of British Indian Army troops on voyage to Egypt. Recollections of operations commanding B Coy, 4/16th Bn Punjab Regt, 7th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div in Eritrea, 12/1940-5/1941: journey from Egypt to Omdurman, Sudan; encounter with railway transport officer; a case of murder in battalion. REEL 3 Continues: character of B Coy; weapons; preparation for campaign in Eritrea; move to Mersa Tacial; advance towards Keren; role of 7th Bde and foreign units attached; behaviour of captured Italian Army officers; method of carrying rations and water on move southwards; rate of march; a lesson in water discipline; use of Indian rations; attack on hill held by Italian forces; advise received from subadar to lead company from front during second attack on hill positions; air activity; behaviour of Italian forces during second attack; attack on Massawa; character of brigade headquarters. REEL 4 Continues: company signals as used in Eritrea; visit to Asmara; effect of fall of Keren. Recollections of operations as officer with 4/16th Bn Punjab Regt, 7th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div in North Africa, 5/1941-4/1942: move to Western Desert, Egypt, 5/1941; nature of the Bagush Box; character of field works and two man trenches; size of box and deployment of company; company headquarters; taking command of Intelligence Section; map and navigation training; routine in the Bagush Box; exploring possibilities of movement through sand sea; problems using caves formerly used by Bedouins; leading lorried brigade advance during Operation Crusader, 11/1941; movement through wire on frontier and into rear of defensive positions; first attack by 1st Bn Royal Sussex Regt. REEL 5 Continues: casualties taken by 1st Bn Royal Sussex Regt and supporting armour; formation of companies for attack during Battle of Omars; character of attack on Axis positions; nature of Axis positions; attempt to resupply mortars using Universal Carrier subsequently abandoned; discovery of dead tank crew in Infantry Mk II Matilda Tank; return to battalion; attempt to bury dead company commander; failure of company night attack against Italian Army positions; treatment of prisoners of war by Italians and Germans; treatment of wounded; troops attitude towards dead comrades; move into Barce, Libya; behaviour of Brigadier Harold Briggs. REEL 6 Continues: encirclement of brigade by Deutsches Afrika Korps at Benghazi, Libya, 1/1942; orders to break out in three columns; orders to navigate 'Brigade' Column; clearing path through minefield; route taken across desert to Tobruk, Libya avoiding German forces, 1/1941; fatigue during journey; orders to become divisional staff officer; nature of escape of battalion from Benghazi, Libya, 1/1941; character of new commanding officer. Aspects of period as officer with 4/16th Bn Punjab Regt, 7th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div in Cyprus, 4/1942-10/1942: deception operations; relations with Greek Cypriots; basing in Nicosia. Recollections of operations as officer with 4/16th Bn Punjab Regt, 7th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div in North Africa, 10/1942-5/1943: return to desert in positions at Ruweisat Ridge, Egypt, 10/1942; patrolling behind Axis lines; incident of excessively keen jemadur on patrol; terrain and positions on Ruweisat Ridge, Egypt; defensive deployment of unit; hospitalisation for malaria. REEL 7 Continues: hearing news of Battle of El Alamein in hospital; character of journey back to battalion; change of commanding officer; visit to neighbouring Australian unit to discuss methods of patrolling; return to battalion on Ruweisat Ridge, Egypt; artillery bombardment prior to Battle of El Alamein, Egypt, 10/1942; motorised advance after Battle of El Alamein, Egypt, 11/1942-12/1942; approach to Mareth Line in Tunisia; attempt to outflank Mareth Line, Tunisia; orders to attack high ground near Wadi Akarit, Tunisia, 6/4/1943. REEL 8 Continues: nature of silent attack led by Gurkha troops; nature of battalion's attack; treatment of young Fascist Italian with machine gun; battalion casualties; Italian forces' attitude towards British Indian Army troops; behaviour of single German soldier on capture position; sending detachment to attack second position; capture of Italian prisoners of war and award of Military Cross; reconnaissance towards feature near Enfidaville, Tunisia; discovery of German held position and cutting of telephone wires; lack of involvement in battalion attack; effects of splinters from multi-barrelled mortar shells; reconnaissance of positions held by guards; narrow escape from artillery shelling; positions in olive grove; battalion casualties to artillery fire. REEL 9 Continues: taking over positions from guards; orders to attack Djebel Tebaga, Tunisia; defences on ridge; preparations for attack and last minute cancellation; transfer of 4th Indian Infantry Div to First Army; move to Medjez-el-Bab, Tunisia; meeting with First Army; fight between First and Eighth Army personnel; plan to attack with armoured support; advance with artillery support; visit by General Kenneth Anderson; deployment of armoured support; nature of Axis positions; sheltering behind and under tanks; visit to Tunis, Tunisia, 5/1943; use of situation reports; meeting with large numbers of Axis troops; forced landing on aircraft flight back to Suez, Egypt. Aspects of period as instructor with training team in Suez Canal, Egypt, 1943: role instructing troops arriving from Malta. REEL 10 Continues: specialised in reconnaissance patrols; length of courses and practical exercises; adaptation of troops to training; nature of training; amphibious assault exercises; orders for brigade to proceed to Sicily, Italy and effects of cancellation of operation. Aspects of period as officer with 4/16th Punjab Regt, 7th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div in Middle East, 1943: rejoining battalion in Alexandria, Egypt; reaction to years of service without leave; move to Tripoli, Lebanon; for training in mountain warfare; move to Haifa, Palestine. Aspects of period as officer with 4/16th Bn Punjab Regt, 7th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div in Italy, 1/1944-2/1944: voyage to landing in Taranto, 1/1944; relations with Italians; crossing river in winter; hospitalisation in Potenza. REEL 11 Continues: refusal to go to convalescent depot and rejoining battalion. Recollections of operations as officer with 4/16th Bn Punjab Regt, 7th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div at Monte Cassino, Italy, 2/1944-5/1944: move westwards into United States Fifth Army area of operations; taking over positions from United States Army troops at Mount Cairo, 2/1944; move through cemetery at night; comment by American commander on prospect of United States Army Air Force attacking Monte Cassino Monastery; character of United States Army positions taken over and location of German forces; improvising fieldworks overlooking Snakeshead Ridge on right; problems of not being able to move in daylight; German forces' defensive behaviour; resupply by mules and collection of rations; incident of ration carrying party becoming lost in German lines; lack of warm clothing; engagement during patrol; calling off of attack on Point 445; Gurkhas to attack Point 445. REEL 12 Continues: results of attack; difficulty of officers visiting forward positions; company casualties; location of positions inside bomb line for Monte Cassino Monastery; problems with snipers; understanding with German forces over unmolested evacuation of casualties; question of military use of Monte Cassino Monastery; role of battalion; problems of battalion positions being accidentally shelled by artillery; nature of new positions with Sikh Coy overlooking Snakeshead Ridge; retirment to The Bowl position; behaviour of new company commander; went forward to check positions; narrow escape from artillery shell. REEL 13 Continues: withdrawal of brigade across River Liri; company strength on leaving Monte Cassino area; physical condition. Recollections of operations as officer with 4/16th Bn Punjab Regt, 7th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div in Italy, 5/1944-7/1944: move to eastern side of Italy; interview with brigadier and question of weariness with action; contact with Italians living in hill village; character of officers who were unable to command; mines near positions; narrow escape from mine; presence of booby traps; appointment to command 'Dogforce'; task and composition of 'Dogforce'; patrol towards Yanks Farm. REEL 14 Continues: attitude of Major Mitford his predecessor; lack of contact with German patrols; lack of racism in field; occasion of orders to advance to contact but no opposition encountered; Italian attitude towards Germans; removal from front line to Southern Italy; problems with civilians in Brindisi. Aspects of period as officer with 4/16th Bn Punjab Regt in Palestine, 1944: move to Palestine; duties guarding petroleum storage; visits to kibbutz; requirements for handling Sikh personnel on Mount Carmel; use of orientation table on Mount Carmel as observation post; degree of threat in Palestine; incident with Palestine Police Force; Very Importance Person (VIP) visitors; move to Jerusalem; removal of commanding officer. Aspects of period as officer with 16th Bn Punjab Regt in India, 1944-1945: reasons for return to India; character of commanding officer; hospitalisation in Quetta. REEL 15 Continues: personal morale; offer to do clandestine work in French Indochina; further hospitalisation; hearing of atomic bombs being dropped on Japan, 8/1945. Aspects of period as student at Staff College, Quetta, Indian, 1946: attitude to posting; behaviour at college; comment by commandant; posting to various staff duties. Recollections of period as officer with 3/16th Bn Punjab Regt in India, 1946-1947: transfer to unit as second in command; parachute training; first jump; problems during training; attitude to parachuting; being informed of forthcoming Partition; rewriting of drills for riot control. REEL 16 Continues: role of magistrate; lack of inter-communal trouble in Peshawar; attitude of Viceroy Commissioned Officers towards Partition; division of battalion on Partition; Independence party at Gymkhana Club in Quetta; how battalion became Punjab Boundary Force; atrocities amongst civilian population; work assembling Pakistanis on Indian side of border; Moslem troops marching out to Pakistan; dealing with Sikh civilians looting house; behaviour of battalion troops; attempts to stop looting; extent of area of responsibility; leaving India. Recollections of operations as officer with 6th Bn Malay Regt in Federation of Malaya, 1951-1955: pattern of military career prior to joining battalion; background to joining battalion. REEL 17 Continues: learning Malay language in Singapore; initial role of camp commandant; posting to battalion as company commander; organisation and strength of company; motivating troops; character of troops; threat from Malayan National Liberation Army insurgents; lack of contact with Malayan National Liberation Army insurgents during jungle operations; pattern of jungle operations and battalion discoveries; use of Iban tracker; air supply, rations and clothing; noise in jungle; failure ambush and subsequent charging of NCO; second operation when sound of chopping wood heard. REEL 18 Continues: outcome of ambush; weapons carried; contact with Federation of Malaya Police and Special Branch and rate of contacts; helicopter operation; number of contacts with Malayan National Liberation Army insurgents; end of contract and refusal of regular commission with Gurkhas; attitude to having served in British Indian Army.