Brown, John Willins (Oral history)

British fusilier served with 4th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers in GB, 1939-1940; fusilier served with 4th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers (50th Reconnaissance Regt) in France, Belgium, GB, Cyprus, Lebanon and North Africa, 1940-1942; POW in North Africa, Italy and Germany, 1942-1945

REEL 1 Background in Walbottle, GB, 1912-1939: family; move to Warbottle; family home; education; father's service during First World War; leisure activities; plans upon leaving school; details of work in Coronation Colliery; reasons for leaving pit; work as bus conductor including details of pay; knowledge of events in Europe; reason for joining Territorial Army; learning to drive; process of joining Territorials at Newburn-upon-Tyne. Aspects of period as fusilier with 4th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers in GB, 1939-1940: training received on drill nights; summer camp at Glaisdale; posting in Headquarters Company; mobilisation at Fenham Barracks; conversion of battalion to armoured car unit; details and description of Daimler armoured scout cars; driving test; driving of scout cars; reliability and armour of scout cars; top speed; use of scout cars. Aspects of period as fusilier with 4th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers in France, 1/1940-5/1940: postings at Le Mans and La Bassée; relationship with civilians. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period as fusilier with 4th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers (50th Reconnaissance Regt) in France, 5/1940-6/1940: reconnaissance role in Belgium including formation of unit; advance to meet Germans at Arras; position taken on crossroads; arrival of British tank; changing of position with corporal; approach of German tank and destruction of corporal's car; withdrawal from position; retreat to coast; refugees on road; air activity; further details of retreat to Dunkirk including loss of armoured car; scenes on beach at Dunkirk; cover taken in cellars; boats on channel; organisation of evacuation; morale; scrounging of rations; movement along and state of mole; morale; voyage to Dover. Aspects of period as fusilier with 4th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers (50th Reconnaissance Regt) in GB, 6/1940-6/1941: reception on arrival; reunion with battalion at Newburn; naming of unit; details and opinion of new scout cars; posting and accommodation at Shepton Mallet; posting abroad; coastal defence duties. Aspects of journey from Newport, GB, to Port Tewfik, Egypt, aboard the Arundel Castle, 1941: details of ship; reason for stopping at Durban; relationship with civilians; coping with climate. Aspects of period as fusilier with 4th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers (50th Reconnaissance Regt) in Middle East, 1941-1942: first impressions of Egypt. REEL 3 Continues: activities in Egypt; arrival in Famagusta harbour; work undertaken by unit and posting in 50th Division; journey to Lebanon and posting in Baalbek; return to Haifa; journey to Knightsbridge. Aspects of operations as fusilier with 4th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers (50th Reconnaissance Regt) in North Africa, 1942: description of Knightsbridge; positions taken in Gazala Box; defences in box; memories of and role with commanding officer; Axis breakthrough and attack; anti-tank activities of Northumberland Hussars; activities with medical officer; combining of boxes and surrender of last box. Aspects of period as POW in North Africa, 6/1942-10/1942: initial treatment from Germans and Italians; water ration; trade of ring for water; physical state; details of journey along coast including rations and morale; description of and routine at Camp Benito; voyage to Naples. Aspects of period as POW in Italy, 10/1942-9/1943: description of PG 53; sleeping arrangements; cookhouse duties; treatment from Italians; activities in camp; disappearance of guards; POWs attempting escape and arrival of Germans; conditions on journey to Mühlberg. Aspects of period as POW in Germany, 9/1943-3/1945: arrival at Stalag IV B; contents of Red Cross parcels; bartering with cigarettes. REEL 4 Continues: organisation of Stalag VIII B in Lamsdorf; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; rations; ranks having to work; details of working party at oil refinery; organisation of working party Arbeitskommando E3 at Blechammer; working day; further details of work; relationship with German colleague; overcoming language barrier; entertainments; Red Cross parcels; discussion on escapes; Allied air raids and cover taken; work on roads with Jewish prisoners; activities on free Sundays; opinion of time as POW; Russian shelling of camp; protection from canal; preparations to leave and climate; American bombing of neighbouring camp. Aspects of period as POW in transit, 3/1945-4/1945: sledge built for journey; details of march; fear of Russians; breaks during day; story of POW shot by guard; cover taken at nights and physical state; rations; period doing salvage work; relief from Americans; selection for journey to GB. REEL 5 Continues: reaction to being relieved; activities following relief; rations during march; state of airfield taken to; accommodation; flight to Brussels and to GB; reactions on VE Day celebrations; leave; demobilisation; civilian work; effects of war.