Interview with James Frank Varey

Sound: © IWM (34020)

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If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
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Description

Object description

British schoolchild and student at University of Liverpool in GB, 9/1939-9/1942; private served with General Service Corps in Aberdeen and at No 148 Pre-Officer Cadet Training Unit, Wrotham in GB, 10/1942-12/1942; officer cadet with Indian Army Officer Cadet Training Unit, Bangalore, India, 1943; officer served with 7th Gurkha Rifles Regimental Centre in India, 1943-1944; served with 2/7th Gurkha Rifles, 11th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div in Italy and Greece, 7/1944-8/1945

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Liverpool, GB, 1924-1939: family; education; sporting activities; aptitude for languages; degree of awareness of coming war during late 1930s; issue of gas masks, 1939. Recollections of period as schoolchild in Liverpool, GB, 9/1939-9/1941: evacuation to Bangor, 9/1939-2/1940; return to Liverpool, 2/1940; use of surface air raid shelters; hearing declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; mother's reaction to declaration of Second World War; fire-watching duties; effects of German Air Force parachute landmine landing near family home, 5/1941; arrangement to move relative's home; daily routine during German Air Force bombing raids; nature of rationing. REEL 2 Continues: blackout and ease with which German Air Force bomber aircraft found city; threat of shrapnel falling during German Air Force raids; damage to family home from German Air Force parachute landmine. Aspects of period as student at University of Liverpool, GB, 9/1941-9/1942: obtaining place at university, 9/1941; effects of war on student life; military presence in Liverpool; spirit of Liverpudlians during German Air Force bombing campaign and effect of Prime Minister Winston Churchill's speeches; attitude towards Germans in city; attitude towards military defeats, 1940-1942; belief in eventual British victory; student's attitude towards Second Front. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of enlistment and training with General Service Corps in Aberdeen, GB, 1942: call-up for military service, 1/10/1942; health checks; reception on arrival at barracks; issue of uniform; interview with regards to background; character of recruits; membership of Officer Training Corps prior to call-up; question of problems some recruits had with drill; arms training; ethos behind drill; adjusting to military discipline; inspections; off duty activities. REEL 4 Continues: conditions in Aberdeen. Aspects of period as cadet with No 148 Pre-Officer Training Cadet Unit at Wrotham, GB, 1942: joining course, 11/1942; character of training; talk from Indian Army officer on service with Indian Army; volunteering for Indian Army; pre-embarkation leave, 12/1942; engagement, 12/1942. Aspects of voyage aboard troopship from GB to India via South Africa, 1943: conditions on board troopship in North Atlantic; training on ship; submarine attack on convoy in South Atlantic; ashore in South Africa; initial impressions on arrival in Bombay, India. Aspects of period as officer cadet Indian Army Officer Cadet Training Unit at Bangalore, India, 1943: arrival at Bangalore. REEL 5 Continues: allocation of bearer; daily routine; nature of British Army officer training in India; bicycle drill; hospitalisation and treatment for dysentery; rations; commissioning, 9/1943; syllabus and learning Urdu language; reasons for choice of service with Gurkhas. Recollections of period as officer with 7th Gurkha Rifles Regimental Centre in India, 1943-1944: reasons for lack of Indian officers in Gurkha regiments; composition of Indian Divisions in Italy; numbering of Gurkha regiments; remote location of regimental centre and climate; attitude of Gurkhas towards Indians; recruitment process for Gurkhas. REEL 6 Continues: learning Gurkhali language; use of Tactical Exercises Without Troops (TEWTs); background of British officers; mess life; preference for future service in Middle East rather than Burma; attending battle school; use of Thompson Machine Gun with stock removed during service in Italy. Aspects of journey to join 2/7th Bn Gurkha Rifles in Italy, 1944: attitude to posting to Italy; attitude of Gurkhas to posting to Italy; journey to Italy; provision of mail during movements; censorship of letters. REEL 7 Continues: situation in Italy on arrival, 7/1944; further details of route taken to Italy; in transit camp in Naples; relations with Italian civilians; further details of situation in Italy on arrival; reaction of Gurkhas to European architecture; situation in Rome; hearing of death of brother Lieutenant Philip Varey in Normandy, France, 3/7/1944. Recollections of operations as officer with C Coy, 2/7th Bn Gurkha Rifles, 11th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div in Italy, 7/1944-11/1944: joining unit in reserve prior to attacks on Gothic Line and deception role; taking command of company after wounding of Major Eric 'Birdie' Smith; question of weakness of training of young officers. REEL 8 Continues: question of whether young officers can be trained to command in war situation; contrast between training and actual war situation; problems of 'leading a battle'; reliance on experience of Gurkha troops in early actions; nature of attacks on prepared German forces' positions; nature of German machine gun fire; artillery bombardment prior to attack; role as company commander; communications problems; German forces' defensive tactics; Gurkha attitude towards Germans. REEL 9 Continues: securing German forces' positions on approach to San Marino; attack on German forces' positions on three hills, near San Marino; wounding during attack. Recollections of operations as officer with 2/7th Bn Gurkha Rifles, 11th Indian Infantry Bde, 4th Indian Infantry Div in Greece, 12/1944-8/1945: situation in Greece, 12/1944; use of landing craft to for landings in Greece; strength of Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS) in Patras; Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS) propaganda aimed at Gurkhas; reaction to Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS) attempts to provoke Gurkhas; appearance of Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS) and their weapons; arrival of mail, 25/12/1944; Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS) attack on battalion. REEL 10 Continues: change in role, early 1945; compassionate leave in GB, early 1945; return to Greece, 5/1945; role as battalion intelligence officer; patrolling border between Greece and Yugoslavia; character of commanding officer; hyper-inflation in Greece; situation in Greece, summer 1945; attempts to explain nuclear fission to Gurkhas, 8/1945; return to student life under release scheme, 9/1945; demobilisation process, 1945; attitude to and benefits of military service.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
McDonough, Richard (Recorder)
Varey, James Frank (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2014-01-22
Dimensions: whole: Duration 300, Number Of Items 10
Catalogue number: 34020

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Interview with James Frank Varey

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