Buried Battles & Veterans' Voices | The North West Frontier - Europe & Africa

Buried Battles & Veterans' Voices

The North West Frontier - Europe & Africa

Until India obtained independence and was partitioned in 1947, it was one of the most heavily garrisoned parts of the British Empire and was a regular posting for British regiments. The regular battalions of both Surrey regiments spent many years on tours of duty in the Raj. Although India was generally peaceful, the mountainous North West Frontier Province, bordering Afghanistan, saw many uprisings by the Pashtun (or Pathan) tribes and was considered a place where men could engage in some 'real' soldiering in very difficult terrain. In 1935, too, the town of Quetta, was wrecked by a devastating earthquake, and the 1^st Battalion, the Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey), helped in the aftermath.

Major Toby Taylor (1)

Toby Taylor, 1^st Battalion, the East Surrey Regiment, recalls the backwardness of the British Army in 1940 and the spectacular but useless French border defences.

Major Toby Taylor (2)

Toby Taylor, 1^st Battalion, the East Surrey Regiment, recalls the chaotic retreat to Dunkirk, 1940.

Major Toby Taylor (3)

Toby Taylor, 1^st Battalion, the East Surrey Regiment, recollects landing on the North African coast in November 1941.

Major Toby Taylor (4)

Toby Taylor, 1st Battalion, the East Surrey Regiment, recalls the desperate advance through Italy, butterfly spotting around Cassino and British army rations, 1944.

Douglas Mitchell (1)

Doug Mitchell, 1/5^th Battalion, the Queen's Royal Regiment, remembers a gruelling route march and coming under fire in France, 1940.

Douglas Mitchell (2)

Doug Mitchell, 1/5^th Battalion, the Queen's Royal Regiment, remembers getting by in the North African desert.

Private Stan Blay (1)

Stan Blay, 2/6^th and 2/7^th Battalions, the Queen's Royal Regiment, recollects a wet landing on the Italian coast, 1943.

Private Stan Blay (2)

Stan Blay, 2/6^th and 2/7^th Battalions, the Queen's Royal Regiment, remembers running into German tanks in Italy in 1943.

Sergeant Jim Jeffery

Jim Jeffery, 2/5^th Battalion, the Queen's Royal Regiment, remembers the horror of the fighting around Anzio, 1944.

Private Graham Swain

Graham Swain, 2/7^th Battalion, the Queen's Royal Regiment, remembers Anzio and the desperate struggle to keep communications open in Italy.

Private Eric Reeves (1)

Eric Reeves, 1/5^th Battalion, the Queen's Royal Regiment, remembers the high spirits and confidence of victory when war was declared.

Private Eric Reeves (2)

Eric Reeves, 1/5^th Battalion, the Queen's Royal Regiment, remembers how, as a returning prisoner of war, the war ended for him.

Sergeant Noel Matthews (1)

Noel Matthews, 1/5^th Battalion, the Queen's Royal Regiment, remembers the chaos of the Dunkirk evacuation, 1940.

Sergeant Noel Matthews (2)

Noel Matthews, 1/5^th Battalion, the Queen's Royal Regiment, remembers the gruelling conditions in the North African desert.

Sergeant Noel Matthews (3)

Noel Matthews, 1/5^th Battalion, the Queen's Royal Regiment, remembers a night patrol during the advance through the occupied Netherlands at the end of the war.