Chalk, Harry (Oral history)

British private served with 2nd Bn, Essex Regt in GB and Middle East, 1939-1941

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Southend on Sea, 1922-1938: family background and social circumstances; education; work as tiler's labourer, 1935-1937. Period as gunner with 175 Coast Bty, Royal Artillery, York Raod, Southend on Sea, 6/1937-9/1938: background to recruitment; kitting out; gun drill on 6" and 9" guns; annual camp on 9.2" guns at Needles Bty, Isle of Whyte. Recollections of basic training with Gallipoli Squad, Essex Regt Depot, Warley Barracks, Brentwood, 9/1938-2/1939: background to recruitment; kitting out; barrack room; preparations for kit inspections; food rations; PT; education classes; drill; weapons training including rifle, bayonet, hand grenades, Bren gun and Lewis gun; Aldershot Tattoo; relationship with recruits and instructors. REEL 2 Continues: relationship with instructors; coal fatigues; canteen; call up of reservists during 1938 crisis. Recollections of period with 2nd Bn, Essex Regt, Warley Barracks, Brentwood, 2/1939-6/1939: reception; memories of officers and senior NCOs; guard duty; continuation training; boxing activities; issue of battledress uniform; draft to 1st Bn, ER. Voyage aboard Somersetshire to Port Said, Egypt, 8/1939. Recollections of periods with D Coy, 1st Bn, ER at Moascar and Port Said, ca 8/1939-1/1940: Egyptian servants; daily routine; lorry patrols along Suez Canal; move to Port Said, 8/1939; warehouse billet; role guarding docks; recreations in Royal Navy club; drinking habits; outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; memories of HMS Thetis; attack of malaria and hospitalisation during unit move to Sudan. Period in hospital at Abbassia Barracks, Cairo, 1/1940-3/1940. REEL 3 Recollections of operations with D Coy, 1st Bn, ER in Sudan and Eritrea, 4/1940-1/1941: voyage along Nile to Khartoum; rejoining unit at Atbara; climate; role guarding Atbara bridge; effects of Italy joining war, 6/1940; aerial propaganda leaflets; high level Italian air raid, 7/1940; story of attack on Kassala on Eritrean border, 9/8/1940, including casualties, covering machine gun fire from Sudan Defence Force during retreat and personal morale; situation; move to Abyssinian border; visit by Sir Anthony Eden; capture of Fort Galabat, Abyssinia, 5/11/1940; Italian shell fire; relief by Indian units; patrols; move to Khartoum; hospitalisation with malaria. Period at Haifa, Palestine, 1/1941-5/1941: journey to rejoin unit; situation; railway escort duty; reputation of ER with Arab insurgents; barrack accommodation; patrols; recreations; pay; route march to Jericho. Recollections of operations in Iraq, 5/1941-9/1941: situation; lorry journey and meeting Sir John Glubb; move to relieve Habbanniyah; ground strafing by German aircraft; skirmishes at Ramadi and Fallujah. REEL 4 Continues: first impressions of Baghdad; slit trenches; acting as guard of honour during raising of flag at British embassy. Recollections of operations in Syria, 6/1941-9/1941: successful attack on French forces at Palymra Fort; surrender of French Foreign Legion; review by General Henri de Gaulle at Dier et Sour; local leave in Beirut, Lebanon; visit to Djebel Druse tribesmen in Damascan hills; period in Damascus Barracks. Recollections of operations in Tobruk, Libya, 9/1941-10/1941: story of meeting Australian troops; voyage aboard HMS Jaguar to Tobruk harbour and German air raid on arrival; situation; taking over former Italian concrete trenches; Stuka raids; German shell fire; Polish troops; night patrols including weapons carried and lack of briefing; dugouts; food rations; water supply; sandstorms; rat, lice and fly problems; prickly heat; latrines; night patrols; German fighting patrol; slight shrapnel wound and treatment in hospital caves; memories of Jewish soldiers in platoon; attack on El Duda escarpment during breakout operations, 11/1941, including casualties caused by RAF aircraft and counter-attack by German tanks. INTERVIEW CLOSED DUE TO DETERIORATING HEALTH OF INFORMANT