Bains, Lawrence (Oral history)

British NCO signaller served with Middlesex Yeomanry attached to Headquarters, 107 Field Regt, <South Notts Hussars>, Royal Field Artillery in GB, Palestine and North Africa, 1939-1942; POW in North Africa and Italy, 1942-1943; escape and evasion in Italy, 1943-1944

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Hornsea, London, 1920-1939: family background and social circumstances; education; attending business school, 1936; work as clerk with insurance company, 1936-1939; Baptist church activities; awareness of approach of war. Recollections of service as signaller with F Troop, 2 Sqdn, Middlesex Yeomanry, Duke of York's Barracks, Chelsea and Wanstead, 1/1939-12/1939: background to recruitment; kitting out; status as yeomanry; drill night training including cavalry drill and learning Morse code; attending voluntary camp attached to Life Guards at Combermere Barracks, Winchester, including reactions to cleaning stables and learning to ride; origins of recruits and reactions to swearing; teetotalism; attending annual camp, 8/1939, including kit inspections, operating No 9 wireless set, laying telephone lines and semaphore flags. REEL 2 Continues: attending annual camp, 8/1939, including use of 8cwt vans, TEWTS and question of effectiveness of training; reactions to songs and prevalence of swearing; relationship with ORs , NCOs and officers; call up, 1/9/1939; billets in Chelsea; reactions to outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; detachment to set up communications centre in Wanstead, 10/1939-12/1939; recall to Duke of York Barracks, 12/1939. Period as signal troop attached to Headquarters, 107 (South Notts Hussars> Field Regt, Royal Horse Artillery in Retford area, 12/1939-1/1940: relationship with ORs including reactions to swearing; food rations and investigation into stealing by cooks; Christmas leave, 25/12/1939; vaccinations. Journey to Haifa, Palestine, 1/1940: Channel crossing; status as young soldier; train journey across France; voyage aboard troopship. Period in Palestine, 1/1940-6/1940: first impressions; rejoining Middlesex Yeomanry at Nathaniyah, story of inability to repair wireless; recreations; local leave and ignorance o political situation. REEL 3 Continues; reattachment to SNH; train journey to Egypt. Period in Mersa Matruh, 6/1940-1/1941: digging defensive positions and concrete signals post; slit trenches; Italian high level bombing raids; nature of dugouts and success in withstanding direct hit by bomb; sailing activities; situation and success of Wavell offensive, 12/1940; leave in Cairo, 12/1940. Period in Suez Canal area, 1/1941-4/1941: opinion of Nos 11 and 9 wireless sets; failing wireless examination and posting as electrician; role running petrol battery charger and repairing wireless sets; studying wireless manuals; status as Royal Corps of Signals personnel. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine in Tobruk, Libya, 4/1941-12/1941: drive from Egypt; reception; role as electrician based at Regimental Headquarters; signals system; escarpment dugouts; desert climate and effects of sandstorms. REEL 4 Continues: food rations; prior abandonment of teetotalism; water supply; sea bathing; flies; latrines; state of health and desert sores; desert faunae; importance of cleanliness; morning routine; repairing telephone exchange; story of repairing No 9 wireless set; operating battery charger; studying wireless manuals; debates in cave; Stuka raids; RAF presence; importance of Royal Navy convoys; background to failure of German tank attacks; personal and unit morale; memories of Medical Orderly Harry Day and Sergeant Ray Ells. REEL 5 Continues: breakout, 11/1941; role on promotion to lance corporal. Period in Canal Zone, Egypt, 12/1941-5/1942. Recollections of operations during Battle of Knightsbridge, Gazala area, Libya, 27/5/1942-6/6/1942: story of repairing No 9 wireless in observation post vehicle of 520 Bty; movements prior to taking up position near reference points Barrels 180 and 100, 5/6/1942; question of role of Major Robert Daniell in command of 'box' and situation 5/6/1944; nature of 425 Bty gun positions; success in holding back German tank attack, 5/6/1944; situation overnight, 5/6/1944-6/6/1944; ammunition shortage; personal minimal role in slit trench; question of death of Colonel William Seeley; question of actions of Major Robert Daniell; approach of German tanks and reactions to surrender; collecting kit from lorry; collection of prisoners. REEL 6 Period as prisoner in North Africa, 6/1942-8/1942: question of escape; march to west; attitude of German guards; journey by lorry and story illustrating German attitude to Italian personnel; nature of transit camps; handover to Italian guards and thefts from prisoners; food and water; diarrhoea and latrines; movements; question of escape; inadequate discipline; tent accommodation; letter from Lieutenant Pidsley to parents; lorry journey to Tripoli. Voyage aboard coal ship to Naples, Italy, 8/1942: conditions; personal morale; story illustrating relationship between German and Italian military personnel. Train journey to Marche province, 10/192. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine in Camp PG 53, Sforzacopia, 10/1942-8/1943: layout and nature of camp; accommodation in former factory buildings; uniform; roll calls. REEL 7 Continues: food; issue of Red Cross parcels; cigarette ration and use in bartering for food; use of curry powder; camp money and buying vegetables; ersatz coffee; loss of weight; fatalities amongst prisoners; issue of boots; sewing repairs; usage of tin cans; educational classes; church activities; work in camp library; securing English-Italian dictionary to learn Italian; walking round camp perimeter; question of sport; prior period in Capua Transit Camp, 9/1942-10/1942, including presence of SNH prisoners and bagpipe player; minimal contact with Italian guards and their occasional patrols of camp; necessity of standing to attention for Italian commandant. REEL 8 Continues: punishment cell; question of medical facilities; funerals; role of British senior NCO; reactions to news of invasion of Sicily, 7/943; advantages for defence in Italy; background to preparations for escape, 7/1943-9/1943; absence of stealing; personal morale and reactions to news of progress of war; question of escape plans; reduction in Italian guards; reactions to instruction not to escape following Italian surrender, 9/1943; escape through gates on departure of Italian guards, 15/9/1943. Recollections of initial period following escape, 9/1943: kit and food carried; walking and lift from Italian horse and cart; moving cross-country towards Urbisaglia; state of health; prior letter and parcel contact with GB in PG 53. REEL 9 Continues: hospitality of Italian civilians during overnight stop in farm barn; close escape from German troops on main road; assistance from Italian student Franco Cecchi; first pasta meal. Period concealed in home of Rozzi family at Paso, Colmurano area, 9/1943-1/1944: ruse to deflect attention on arrival; nature of cottage; discovery by local Italian civilians, 1/1944; question of discovery by Italian Fascists; story of close escape from German troops; break up of evaders into small groups; learning Italian and development of latent stammer; peasant lifestyle; poverty of Rossi family; question of personal appearance; assistance from Cecchi family; wine harvest; repairing wireless and BBC news; concealment in haystack during searches; hiding place constructed in cottage; increasing rumours of searches and decision to join Italian partisans in mountains. REEL 10 Continues: effect of snow; move towards San Ginesio. Period in San Ginesio sector, 1/1944: stay at farm at Santa Croce; eating polenda; move to hill farm. Period based with Lucarelli family at Cerrete, 1/1944-6/1944: nature of farm and surrounding country; meeting other escaped prisoners; parties with Italian civilians; recommencement of German searches following spring thaw; hiding in mountains using increasing knowledge of local terrain; story of visit by escaped SNH prisoners and subsequent recapture; independent attitude; hospitality of Italian civilians; background to anti-clerical and anti-German attitude of Italian civilians. REEL 11 Continues: presence of Yugoslavian royalist refugees in Cerette; parochial attitude of Italian peasants; buying revolver; story of Italians breaking into government grain store at Colmuramo; story of prisoner injuring hand and assistance of Italian doctor; assisting with farm work; drinking wine; rumours of Royal Navy collecting prisoners off Adriatic coast; visit to Saninesio and situation following German retreat; story of dispute with Italian partisans; story of arrival of British troops; gratitude to Italian civilians for assistance in evasion; methods employed in evading German troops during searches. REEL 12 Continues: rejoining British forces, 6/1944; reactions to leaving Italian friends. Period in Italy, 6/1944-8/1944: kiting out; hitching to Naples; story of letter to family arriving on mother's birthday, 7/1944; period in transit camp; work as accountant in officers' club. Voyage back to GB, 8/1944: route; story of confusion over rank. Period on return to GB, 8/1944-4/1946: initial reception camp; attitude to military discipline; reception on leave; downgrading medical grade due to nervous condition caused by POW experiences; period with Pay Corps, Leeds, 9/1944-4/1946; demobilisation, 4/1946. Post-war career: decision to abandon career as insurance clerk; attending business training school; various jobs; career as insurance broker and various business projects; successful local government and political career as Conservative politician; question of effects of POW experiences.