Walton, Frederick Leonard “Fred” (Oral history)

British trooper and NCO served with 7th Royal Tank Regt in GB, France and North Africa, 1937-1942; POW in North Africa, Italy and Germany, 1942-1945

REEL 1 Aspects of period as POW in North Africa, 1942: story of capture at Tobruk, 1942; sorting of POWs including visit from Field Marshal Erwin Rommel; handover to Italian troops; journey to Tripoli; details of camp and living conditions; rations; water supply; talks by POWs; cigarettes; voyage to Naples. Aspects of period as POW in Italy, 1942- 1943: reception on arrival; details of camps; sleeping arrangements; problems with lice; entertainments; issue and use of Red Cross parcels; initial period after Italian capitulation; arrival of German guards; conditions during train journey to Germany including delousing en route. Aspects of period as POW in Germany, 1943-1945: arrival at Stalag IV B; journey to Leipzig; details of work loading meat including physical state and relationship with civilian colleague; theft of items; bribery of guards; details of air raid warnings and shelter taken; removal of unexploded bombs; entertainments; disappearance of friend; memories of Alfred Bookheim; work delivering ice blocks; protection of paperwork during air raids; bombing of factory and changes to work; injuries suffered and medical treatment received; medical staff; memories of fellow POW; night time activities; visits to tip in Espenhain. REEL 2 Continues: Red Cross parcels and mail; replacement of false teeth and details of pay; days off; story of visit from Gestapo; final roll call; march east and sounds of fighting; march west and liberation by US Army; return to Leipzig; treatment from Americans; memories of Dutchman; details of journey to GB via Rheims; period in Wycombe; return home in Selby and reception on arrival; news received about former POW friends; POW leave and medical; posting in Crawley; process of demobilisation. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1946: problems settling into civilian life and jobs worked; opinion of post-war Britain. Background in Rotherham and Selby, GB, 1916-1937: civilian work; father's service, desertion and death during First World War; remarriage of mother; education; details of Selby; methods of helping family with money; civilian work after war. REEL 3 Continues: civilian work with Rowntree's; effects of depression in Selby; awareness of events in Europe and possibility of war during 1930s; background to joining army; joining of Royal Artillery at Fulford Barracks; reasons for later switching to Royal Tank Regiment; reaction of mother; separation from friend Walton joined with. Aspects of period as trooper and NCO with Royal Tank Corps Depot and 7th Royal Tank Regt in GB, 9/1937-1940: pattern of training at Bovington and Lulworth; change of posting from Farnborough to Catterick; opinion of training; exercises at Catterick; army education; leisure activities; memories of Regiment Sergeant Major at Bovington; rations; vehicles used in schemes; tanks in regiment; outbreak of war; opinion of campaign in France, 1940; morale after return; leave and re-equipment. REEL 4 Continues: voyage to North Africa. Aspects of operations as NCO with 7th Royal Tank Regt in North Africa, 1940-1942: accommodation in Cairo; health problems; accommodation at Tobruk; opinion of Matilda tanks including story of visit to Tank Museum; supply and opinion of rations; voyage to Tobruk; story of air raid on arrival; water supply; supplies from NAAFI; cleanliness; problems with flies; events leading to capture; weapon carried; morale. Aspects of period as POW in North Africa and Italy, 1942-1943: behaviour after capture; story of seeing Field Marshal Erwin Rommel; handover to Italian troops and journey to Tripoli; treatment from German guards; knowledge of war; events after Italian capitulation; family's knowledge of his being taken POW; leisure activities in Italian POW Camps including description of race day and café; relationship with guards; story of suicide; story of money hidden in uniform. Aspects of period as POW in Germany, 1943-1945: details of pay in Germany. REEL 5 Continues: possibility of escape including clothing worn; contact with and treatment of Russian POWs; disappearance of Russians after liberation; contact with American POWs; reflections on posting in Leipzig; relationship with civilians including local British woman; gaining eggs from female Russian prisoners; description of Leipzig; reasons for decision to volunteer for work; story of horse meat; call for Eastern Front volunteers; knowledge of German and Italian languages; story of POWs having relationships with Belgian workers; reflections on period as POW; opinion of compensation received; opinion of events leading to capture; knowledge of war's progress; treatment from German guards; attitude to Germans; opinion of German and Italian troops. REEL 6 Continues: attitude to war; mental effects of service; story of shelling during evacuation from Dunkirk; details of voyage to North Africa; opinion of support given to servicemen since Second World War; pension received by mother from army.