Colley, John (IWM interview)

British driver served with Royal Army Service Corps in GB and Libya, 1948-1950

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Wandsworth and Balham, London, 1930-1948: family background and social circumstances; education; issue of gas masks and Anderson shelter; father's call up as territorial with Royal Artillery; false air raid alarm on outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; closure of school, 9/1939; decision not to be evacuated; food rationing; following progress of war and reactions to Dunkirk evacuation, 6/1940; story of German strafing attack on soldiers playing football in St George's Park; view of aerial dogfights; use of Anderson shelter; nature of underground air raid shelter in St George's Park; close escapes from bombs and damage to house during German air raid; bombing in Wandsworth area; visit to father in army camp; bomb in Garrett Lane; extinguishing incendiary; blackout; visits to anti-aircraft batteries and collecting shrapnel; personal morale; close escape from German bomb; casualties; question of German bombing targets; visit to scene of bombing at Balham Tube Station; father's overseas service with RA, 1941-1943. REEL 2 Continues: disrupted education; mother's work in laundry; increased rationing and black market activities; story of father being shell shocked and reported missing during fighting at Anzio, Italy, 1943; sporadic nature of German air raids; work as apprentice fitter making war materials at light engineering factory, 1944-1945, including woman workers and accidents; recreations; activities with Army Cadet Force, 1943-1945, including uniform and training; stories of close escapes from V1s. REEL 3 Continues: question of V2s; civilian morale; move to Balham; VE Day celebrations, 8/5/1945; work as driver's mate with battery factory, 1945-1948; call up procedure and acceptance for Royal Army Service Corps, 1948. Recollections of period on basic training with RASC Depot, Oudenaade Barracks, Aldershot, 1/1948: reception; kitting out; drill;' PT. Period at Houndstone Camp, Yeovil, 1948: driving training on 3-ton lorry; guard duty; rifle and Sten gun training; gas chamber training; lorry maintenance training; preparing for kit and room inspections; reaction to army discipline; relationship with recruits and story of getting drunk on cider in Yeovil; relationship with instructors; passing driving test. Period on minimal duties at Thetford, 1948. Voyage with draft aboard Cheshire to Benghazi, Libya, 1948: hammocks; conditions; question of seasickness; visits to Malta. REEL 4 Recollections of service as driver with No. 1 Coy, RASC, White Barracks, Benghazi, Libya 1948-1950: first impressions; bugle calls; driving Dodge tipper lorries to collect earth for officers' gardens; duties driving 3-ton lorries; food rations; collecting sewage tins from latrines; story of arrest by Libyan police after accident with donkey; story of black market activities; selling stores and fuel to Libyan civilians; story of taking troops into Benghazi; attachment as corporal to 806 (German) Coy, RASC including composition of ex-Afrika Corps personnel, learning German and role driving 10-ton diesel lorry; war debris in Western Desert; convoy driving; water supply; background to promotion and duties as corporal; reaction to extension of national service by 6 months; visits to Tobruk and danger from minefields; relationship with Libyan civilians; guard duties and threat of Libyans stealing; driving ambulances; relationship with ORs, NCOS and officers. REEL 5 Voyage aboard Empire Pride to Liverpool, GB, 1950: period waiting at Tobruk; conditions; story of success in smuggling cigarettes through customs. Demobilisation procedure, 1950. Post-service career: question of career and promotion prospects in army; career as driver; acclimatisation to civilian lifestyle; call up as 'Z' reservist to Colchester, ca 1951, including reactions, minimal training, driving Austin lorry and background to decision not to volunteer for Korean service.