Description
Object description
British private served with Royal Army Ordnance Corps in GB and Egypt, 1939-1941; private served with Long Range Desert Group in North Africa and Greece, 1941-1943; POW in Germany, 1943-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Patricroft, Lancs, GB, 1919-1939: family; education; civilian work; story of joining army. Aspects of period as private with Royal Army Ordnance Corps in GB and Egypt, 9/1939-11/1941: processing in Hilsea; hospitalisation including treatment for dermatitis; interview with commanding officer on return; course attended in Isleworth; period attached to 10th Battalion Cameronian Highlanders and training given to unit; coastal defence duties; story of gaining truck for travel to lunch; posting attached to Officers Cadet Training Unit in Pwllheli; relationship with commanding officer and story of problems fixing a truck's speed at 30mph; posting overseas; marriage; posting in Tel-el-Kebir; background to posting to Long Range Desert Group. Aspects of operations as private with Long Range Desert Group in North Africa, 11/1941-1943: joining of unit in Mersa Matruh; making and use of petrol bombs including description of roadblocks; signs warning of ambushes; summary of period with Long Range Desert Group.
REEL 2 Continues: impressions on joining unit; journey to base and withdrawal; periods at Jalo and Sewa including story of dates; journey to Kufra; terrain; work and memories of Major Ralph Bagnold including washing in desert; organisation of unit; setting up of emergency dumps; story of Moore's March; navigation; work of survey section; determination among fitters; story of repairs made to a truck; possibility of being returned to unit; story of soldier dismantled truck; atmosphere in unit; success of repair work; use of plaited string for fan belts; organisation of spares; story of problems changing a tyre; details of sand tyre; reflections on W8 Waikaha in Imperial War Museum.
REEL 3 Continues: involvement with re-enactment group; air activity; details of sand mats and their use to signal Allied aircraft; receiving fire from Allied aircraft; method of defending against attacks from aircraft; question of use of covers on trucks including wearing of keffiyeh; German hospital; details of trucks used; leave; journeys through desert; problems with petrol tins; plan for patrol at Tobruk including role of unit; details of terrain covered en route to Tobruk; story of accident involving vehicle with Guards in; evacuation of injured Guardsman by plane including amendments made to plane to make this possible; later appearance of story on This Is Your Life; failure of attack on Tobruk; medical staff; informality between ranks; growing of beards; use of water rations; description of condenser in vehicle radiators invented by Major Ralph Bagnold.
REEL 4 Continues: evacuation of wounded; number of casualties in desert and on Leros; problems with operation on Leros; question of fear in desert; story of patrol to Hon oasis including inspections of opposition vehicles and accident from mine; details of Light Aid Detachment; story of attachment to New Zealand unit; rations including rum; memories of comrade known as The General including story of visit to NAAFI canteen at 51st (Highland) Division camp; story of visit to Alexandria; details of water carried in trucks; story of transporting Randolph Churchill; sleeping arrangements and cold at night; clothing worn during day and condition of skin in sun; weapons carried; communications.
REEL 5 Continues: navigation training received; contact with civilians; Italian long range desert work; details of desert terrain including view that desert belonged to them; sandstorms; wildlife in different parts of desert; hospitalisation with malaria including story of ship seen upon waking up; relationship with and role of Special Air Service; story of rescuing early Special Air Service patrol; later support given to Special Air Service; membership of Special Air Service Association; discussion of work with Special Air Service; emergency stores remaining in desert; story of surrounding a mirage; attempt to shoot Planet Venus from Leros; black mark discipline system; story of prank with weapons.
REEL 6 Continues: subsequent interview with commanding officer; reaction to possibility of being returned to unit; relationship among troops including organisation of unit and reorganisation following Leros; details of involvement with association; selection for Long Range Desert Group; details of Kufra and Sewa; learning to swim; swimmers in family; attempt to track down and memories of brother including mail.
REEL 7 Continues: period in Syria. Aspects of operations as private with Long Range Desert Group in Greece, 1943: role on Leros; naval activity; location on Leros; German air landing including anti-aircraft fire; resistance against German invasion; attempt of submarines to rescue troops; running out of rations; call from German boat for surrender; troops responding to call. Aspects of period as POW in transit, 1943-1945: voyage to Piraeus; period in warehouse including rations and latrines; train journey north; hospitalisation with dysentery in Skopje and story of bartering with fellow POW on train; story of German patient; Christmas 1943; rumour of war's end. Aspects of period as POW in Germany, 1944-1945: arrival in camp at Muhlburg-on-Elbe; bombing of nearby Dresden; clearance of rubble in Dresden; exemption from work; contact with civilians; conduct of American POWs including details of rations and relationship with Russian POWs.
REEL 8 Continues: attitude toward Germans; opinion of Egyptian anti-aircraft units; opinion of Italian troops; description of camp; radios and news of war; relief from Russian troops; release of Russian POWs and Russian scorched earth policy; shooting of bad guards including example of one known as The Killer; opinion of and relationship with guards; exercise in camps; weight and fitness when released; rations scavenged from area; closing of camp; news of the disappearance of diplomats; escape from camp; walk to Allied lines; first contact with US troops; story of night in farmhouse; crossing of Elbe; processing in American camp; issue of kit; rations; night in camp; flight to GB; interview on arrival and telephone call made to wife. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1945: journey to meet wife.
REEL 9 Continues: reception on return; scams for gaining ration coupons and tools; civilian work; mail sent home during war; wife's knowledge of his capture; role of escapes from camp; buying first home and previous accommodation including help from British Legion; medical facilities in camp including inoculations; knowledge of war during period in North Africa; praise for and pride in work of Long Raid Desert Group; reflections on Second World War; civilian work and life before war.
REEL 10 Continues: details of account with Co-Op; food and poverty during childhood; friendship with current neighbours.
