Interview with Cyril Henry Brock

British private served with 2nd Bn Gloucester Regt in GB, 11/1941-5/1942; private and NCO served as driver with 1/4th Bn Essex Regt, 5th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div in North Africa, Italy and Greece, 6/1942-5/1945

REEL 1 Background in Grovesend and Tytherington, GB, 1922-1941: family; education, employment; aircraft crash in area. Aspects of period as private with 2nd Bn Gloucester Regt in GB, 11/1941-5/1942: journey to Gloucester; battalion NCOs; issue of kit; pattern of training; going Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL) from church parades; opinion of training; move to Woodhall Spa; weapons training; transfer to 1/4th Bn Essex Regt, 5/1942; embarkation leave, 5/1942; opinion of posting to 1/4th Bn Essex Regt, 5/1942. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Queen Mary from Greenock, GB, to Port Said, Egypt, 5/1942-6/1942: embarkation; conditions on board, including duties, rations, daily routine, seasickness, population of ship and recreational activities; escort on leaving Durban, South Africa; knowledge of destination; relations with troopship's crew. Recollections of operations as private with 1/4th Bn Essex Regt, 5th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div in North Africa, 1942-1943: climate; duties as driver on petrol convoys including cover taken from German Air Force Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive-bomber attacks; opinion of tank crews; opinion of General Bernard Montgomery; further details of petrol convoys; problems with sand and heat; contact with New Zealand Army anti-aircraft crews. REEL 2 Continues: relations with Australian Imperial Force troops; surrender of German forces in Tunisia, 5/1943; liberation of wine; memories of Gurkhas; opinion of Italian Army troops; period in Cairo, Egypt and invasion training. Aspects of operations as driver with 1/4th Bn Essex Regt, 5th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div in Italy, 10/1943-12/1944: voyage to and landing at Taranto; climate; items taken on truck; scenes of fighting; delivery of rations at Monte Cassino; activities of front line troops; collection of stranded troops; later return to Monte Cassino; advance north; state of German prisoners of war; problem with using tanks in Italy; reliability of supplies; state of Milan; relations with civilians; invasion training. Aspects of period as NCO with 1/4th Bn Essex Regt, 5th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div in Greece, 12/1944-5/1945: landing at Piraeus, 12/1944; artillery shelling and reconnaissance to find location where firing coming from; relations with civilians and postings in Greece; distribution of Red Cross parcels; degree of contact with Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS); facilities in accommodation; relations with civilians; opinion of posting; journey to GB; VE Day celebrations, 8/5/1945; question of posting in India. REEL 3 Continues: Reflections on military service: period prior to demobilisation at in Colchester Garrison, GB, 1946; demobilisation; description of journey home; items of kit kept from military service; prior recollections of of visit to Vatican City, including meeting with Pope Pius XII, 1944; importance of religion; memories of chaplain; memories of Private Rolf Nathan; promotions; return to civilian employment, 1946; attitude towards military service.