Description
Object description
British NCO served with 282 Bty 88 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regt Royal Artillery in GB and North Africa, 1939-1942; POW in North Africa, Italy and Germany, 1942-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in London, GB, 1917-1938: family; education; civilian work. Aspects of period as gunner and NCO with 53 and 88 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regts Royal Artillery in GB, 1938-1941: joining of Territorial Army, 10/1938; awareness of events in Europe; pattern and opinion of training; voyage to North Africa. Aspects of operations as NCO with 282 Bty 88 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regt Royal Artillery in North Africa, 1941- 1942: early activities in Egypt; situation in Tobruk; rations; possibility of leave; role in unit; application for commission including opinion of officers; story of capture, 6/1942. Aspects of period as POW in North Africa, Italy and Germany, 1942-1945: march to German lines; transfer to Italian control and Benghazi; hospitalisation with dysentery; wife's knowledge of his being taken POW; journey to Italy; reception in Naples; description of camp in Bari; train journey to Germany; treatment of British and Russian POWs; period in Stalag XI-B near Fallingbostal; details of march west; reunion with British Army; flight to GB via Brussels; period at rest camp in Horsham; mail while POW; contents of Red Cross parcels; rations in German POW Camps.
REEL 2 Continues: leave; problems settling into life in GB; period as provost marshal at Auxiliary Territorial Service camp in Dalkeith; living conditions and organisation of POW Camps; details of escapes from camp including involvement in tunnel dug; discovery of tunnel; rations and leisure activities; description of role as newsreader; relationship with guards in Germany and Italy; story of an escapee; organisation of camp; discipline including punishment for thieves; homosexuality among POWs; morale and health; rank within camp; leisure activities; attitude to Germans; reaction at end of war; rations in Italy and Germany including division of bread; contents of Red Cross parcels; physical state on release; issue and use of cigarettes; details of Crown and Anchor games.
REEL 3 Continues: relationship with Italian guards; organisation among POWs; issue of Red Cross parcels; details of American Red Cross parcels; bribery of German guards; fresh rations; hunger and conversations about food; evening activities in hut including homemade candles. Aspects of operations as NCO with 282 Bty 88 Heavy Anti- Aircraft Regt Royal Artillery in North Africa, 1941-1942: water supply and ration in desert; opinion of officers; duties as sergeant; background of troops and units served alongside; problems with communication; details of pay; NAAFI in Tobruk; beer rations; contact with civilians; sandstorms; details of guns issued to battery; aiming of guns; opinion of German 88mm gun; loss of hearing; opinion of British equipment in North Africa; opinion of training received; details of artillery barrages; description and use of porcupine procedure; firing of gun including as anti-tank weapon.
REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period as gunner and NCO with 282 Bty 88 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regts Royal Artillery in GB, 1939-1941: guns used during The Blitz and in training; comparison of British and German guns; firing of gun during air raids in London; leave; rest periods in North Africa; use of rifles; pattern of training. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1946: reflections on war service; physical and mental effects of service including gaining of pension; reflections on Second World War; story of German officer during wait for Douglas Dakota flight.
