Description
Object description
British private served with 1/4th Bn Essex Regt in Egypt, North Africa, Syria and Italy, 1942-1944; POW in Italy and in Stalag 317, Markt-Pongau, Austria, 1944-1945
Content description
REEL 1: Background in London, GB, 1921-1939: family; education; employment; training with Territorial Army; sporting and recreational activities; called up for military service, 1/Sep/1939. Aspects of training with 2/4th Bn Essex Regt in GB, 9/1939-6/1942: basic training; attitude to military life and discipline; duties as mess orderly; opinion of rations; morale; relations with local civilians; billets; description of voyage aboard troopship Queen Elizabeth to Port Tewfik, Egypt, 6/1942. Aspects of operations with 1/4th Bn Essex Regt in Egypt, North Africa and Syria, 7/1942-9/1943: joined 1/4th Bn at Ruweisat Ridge, El Alamein, 6/1942; first impressions of Egypt; living conditions; terrain and disposition of forces; climate; problem of flies and desert sores.
REEL 2 Continues: memories of leave in Cairo; relations with Egyptian civilians; description of preliminary artillery barrage; moved to Miteria Ridge; role in operations during Battle of El Alamein, 10-11/1942; duties as platoon runner; attitude to Germans; opinion of Rommel and Montgomery; relations with Commonwealth forces; role in operations at Mareth Line, 11/1942; minefields; memories of Christmas, 1942; summary of movements; further comments on duties as platoon runner; communication with family; memories of Tunis; role in operations at Enfidaville; terrain; casualties; comparison of rifle and Thompson sub-machine gun.
REEL 3 Continues: posted to Taranto area, Italy, 11/1943. Aspects of operations with 1/4th Bn Essex Regt in Italy, 9/1943-3/1944: German patrols; relations with Italian civilians; story of Italian women; moved to Cassino sector, 2/1944; first site of Monte Cassino monastery; weather conditions; accommodation and rations; location of German troops in monastery; opinion of Freyberg's strategy; German bombing of Cassino; story of being wounded by grenade and captured by Germans during attack on Monte Cassino, 19/Mar/1944. Aspects of period as POW in Italy, 3-5/1944: medical treatment by Germans in ruins of monastery; story of meeting with German General von Senger und Etterlin,
REEL 4 Continues: description of wounds; fate of other members of platoon; taken to field hospital at Arce; opinion of treatment; relations with German wounded; problem of skin graft on hand; further medical treatment in Mantova Hospital and POW hospital, Spittal, Austria, 4-5/1944. Aspects of period as POW in Stalag 317, Markt-Pongau, Austria, 5/1944-5/1945: food; story of Russians taking over camp; liberated by Americans, 5/1945; description of camp and inmates; organisation of camp; memories of listening to BBC news on hidden radios; problem of lice in blankets; accommodation; daily routine; roll call; opinion of treatment by guards; weight loss; Red Cross parcels; potato ration; bartering with guards; treatment of Russian POWs; morale; recreational activities; attitude to escape.
REEL 5 Continues: story of liberation by Americans and return to GB, 5/1945. Aspects of period in GB, 5/1945-12/1946: disinfected with DDT on arrival; debriefing session; demobilised, 12/1946; problem of loss of use of left hand; story of taking typing and short-hand course. Post-war life and employment in GB: opinion of Churchill; attitude to Germans; question of qualifying for disability pension; sporting activities; opinion of officers; opinion of Montgomery. Reflections on period of wartime service.
