Description
Object description
British commando officer held as POW in Italy, 1941-1942; served as signal officer with 2nd Parachute Bde, 1st Airborne Div during Operation Market Garden, Arnhem, Netherlands, 9/1944; escaped from German captivity in Arnhem, 9/1944.
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of period as POW in Italy, 1941-1942: story of first escape from Camp 78 at Sulmona and recapture, 12/1941; story of second escape from Camp 78 and journey back to GB, 5/1942. Aspects of operations as signal officer with 2nd Parachute Bde, 1st Airborne Div during Operation Market Garden, Arnhem, Netherlands, 9/1944: story of promotion to major, posting to North Africa and engagement, 1943; description of jumping from Douglas Dakota and comparison to Whitley bomber; question of not carrying reserve parachute; opinion of 'Boy' Browning; morale and pride in belonging to elite unit; change in attitude to use of paratroopers during war; opinion of CO Eric Down; attitude to use of paratroopers as light infantry brigade; description of preparations for Operation Market Garden; organisation of British and US forces; strategic plan; problem of 1st Airborne Div not having sufficient aircraft; opinion of planning and problem of gathering intelligence; question of airborne forces losing element of surprise.
REEL 2 Continues: description of departure on Dakota; role as signal officer; opinion of radios; problem of missing dropping zone and loss of contact with own brigade; joined 1st Bn Parachute Regt and reached harbour; problem of lack of troops and ammunition; story of hiding in house used by Germans as machine gun post; description of swimming across Rhine to rendezvous point on railway bridge; story of falling into German slit trench; further description of leaving airfield in GB on Dakota and people on ground waving at aircraft; description of flight across North Sea; fired on by anti-aircraft battery; number of aircraft and flight plan; description of dropping zone; story of moving to rendezvous point in wood; morale following landing; question of underestimating strength of German troops. Aspects of period in Holland, 9/1944: story of being captured and taken to house at Arnhem guarded by SS company; description of creating hiding place in concealed cupboard behind wall; story of listening to interrogations of Allied POWs through wall; problem of lack of food and water; story of escaping from house after 14 days and sheltering with Dutch family in Velp; description of journey back to GB; reaction to being reported missing believed dead; further comments on listening to interrogations; method of urinating while hidden in cupboard.
REEL 3 Continues: method of sleeping in cupboard; opinion of German airborne assault on Crete; story of marriage. Recollections by wife Evie Deane-Drummond: courtship and marriage; civilian life and employment in London; reaction to news of Operation Market Garden and husband being reported missing; story of receiving parcel of personal effects.