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John Rintoul — 15th June, 2005
Q. What do you remember about the war?

A. I remember this sergeant was doing all this bawling, all this was taking place on our first few days, marching up and down with him making all this noise, it was difficult to hear our own sergeant giving the command ‘about turn’ you know. After this attempt at marching it was getting near to cocoa time, that was a good time, we took cocoa at 11.00 o’clock and this was a welcome break after our cocoa break we were told we were now going to have visual training on the rampards, did you see Alloa and District Roundabout? Well, the sergeant set up a ground gun on a small stand, this was if you were looking at the enemy, and you had to point the ground gun in the direction if he said ’12 o’clock’ he pointed to straight ahead and that was 12, ok? Then he said ‘3 o’clock’ and it went on like this, ok? But I think he was getting tired himself because he said ‘I think that will do’. First of all he said if you point the gun straight ahead that will be 12 o’clock, the next one was to point it to three. We were all doing quite well. We were then told to take ourselves over to the dining hall for lunch after we had been there for an hour or so, you know. Then they said ‘after breakfast, get your PT kit out and an instructor will take you for a few miles running along the road below the Castle’. Well, we were jogging along the road next to a field with cows in it, these cows started running too, perhaps they thought we were also cows! What a laugh it was. We made our way back to the Castle and showers. Some of the lads were out of breath, others of us played football for local teams at home and that helped us quite a bit. So, on to tomorrow — marching with our rivals. After being shown how to handle it first of all, you didn’t know how to hold it or anything like that, the next morning, washing, shaving, off for breakfast, which was enjoyed by most, when I saw some of them turning up their noses at the meal, we wondered if they had been dining too long at the Golden Lion! As time goes by, they will look back when things get tough and say to themselves ‘oh, for the meals at the Castle again’. Well, breakfast over and out on parade, to be taught sloping arms. We really got quite accomplished at the exercise with our rifles, this time without background noises from the companies and no trouble this time hearing the commands from our own sergeant. It was time for cocoa again. We were taken to the miniature range, to try and put up a good show. Well, it wasn’t that, I’m afraid. We would need lots more practice. We were getting quite a kick back when it went off and this was sore the next day. So I thought we would need a few more sessions at that sort of exercise. So, we washed our hands and went back to the dining hall again. All at once we were given instructions on bed making. After use in the morning, we were shown how to fold the blankets, put them on the bed again, and no other way would be acceptable, so pay attention and do it right the sergeant said. The room will be inspected later, so tidy up your kit and anything left lying about put under your bed or in your wardrope tidily, not just flung in. Your sergeant and an officer will be coming round to inspect your room, your bed made up and your blankets not folded correctly as you have been instructed, you will be told to practice and practice to get it right for the next inspection in a day or two. Well, in a week or two, all things we were taught and didn’t do so well then, were beginning to fall into place. After a few weeks of doing everything we had been taught, we were getting most things right and our sergeant was very pleased with what we had achieved so far in such a short time. We clubbed together hurridly, and bought a little, this is when we got news that we were likely to be moving on, we didn’t have any time there at all really, just two months. Our time at the Castle was coming to an abrupt end as there were rumours of war. Sure enough after breakfast, we were told to get our kit ready as we were going to Tillicoultry. Have you been to Tillicoultry? And billeted in the Oak Mill down by the burnside. No transport I’m afraid, we were told we were marching to Tillicoultry. So, on arrival, everything was very basic and a change from the Castle. No running hot water for washing and shaving in the morning. I think that this was intentional — a hardening up process. After a short time there in Tillicoultry, once again orders to prepare for a move out and we were sent to an area near Dumbarton to guard oil installations. Then back to the Castle later. One morning we were told we were going to England, to a town called Borden. After a few days there, we moved to Aldershot because that’s the main place and did some field tactics. We weren’t there long enough to learn very much, war had already been declared, we were told we were going to France then via Southampton.

Q. Did you get to talk to your family at this time?

A. No, no — I’m glad I went home that night to see them, you know, or I would never have seen them later, well, I didn’t see them later until after 5 years — after the prison camp. Anyway, I’ll come to that. The boat was loaded, we moved out to deeper water until morning then we were on our way. On arrival there, we were transported to a village where we were fixed up with accommodation. We were given a fine welcome — we actually thought we were their savours. We were in this village for weeks and we got on well with the locals and the weather was lovely. It was a village of tears when they were informed that we were moving back. Next morning we moved out of the village and on to the French/German border on the edge of a wood. It was an outpost with sandbags built all round about it, you know? We split up into sections of six, taking turns of lookout. The black watch was in previously and said before they left ‘you might be hearing from Gerry soon’ (the Germans) as we were out on patrol last night and disturbed them — I know what that would be. Sure enough, later when the black watch had gone, Gerry fired a shell which landed short of the post, but shrapnel hit a tree next to us and took a slice out of the tree. Another yard or two and it would have been us.

Q. Was that the first time you had been fired at?

A. Yes, it was the first time we were under fire. We didn’t think they were going to be like that. We were only there having a lookout. Anyway, we didn’t do anything about that of course. We just kept looking to see and get information if they were making any move or anything. Anyway, I don’t remember how long I was there, but we were taken back down the line again. Our officers had been given orders from the High Command which was read out, Gerry was on the move by this time. Armoured division, Rommell, and us with our rifles, waiting for them. Anyway, this was the order that was read out. It was ‘you will hold this position, you will either be killed, wounded or made a prisoner of war.’ We were expected to hold back the might of the German armoured division with only our rifles — what good was that, fighting against tanks? The plan was to hold the Germans back to allow thousands of the British troops to escape by boat from Dunkirk. We had no chance of winning and we were eventually overrun, we couldn’t be anything else. So, this chap came down, a German, waiving a white flag. Jokingly, I said ‘do you think the Germans are giving up?’ Anyway, it was the opposite way about. I don’t know how we kept going, we hadn’t eaten for days before the Germans captured us, and it was days on the march before we were taken to a field and given something and then we were back on the road, marching again. We didn’t have watches to know what time it was or what day it was or anything, but after marching for some time, someone said ‘that looks like a river over there, about a mile further on’. The lad was right, it was a river, and there were quite a few little boats sailing there, little yachts, we thought we were going on a boat, but all we saw were barges transporting rubbish — they were filthy. My army pal heard someone say the people on the little boats were having a picnic — it was Holland. They said ‘wait here’ and I said I would go and see if I could get us a few sandwiches if they were willing to give us them. They were giving them out — that was the idea. The barge starting moving as he was stepping over — the barges were all lined up — there were about a dozen of them — and he had to step over each one to get to the one with the sandwiches. So, on his way back, we had already been lifted anchor, it being the first one out, you see, so, when he came back, we weren’t there, so that was the last I saw of him for about 40 years because when I came home I asked about him and they said he had gone to America. It must have been much later than that, because I thought I had nothing else to do but go and visit him in America.

Q. Did you see him again?

A. Yes, he got in touch with me. He had gone to England first to play football and then had gone to America. His name was Buist, Jimmy Buist. He played for Dundee first of all, then he went to Stirling Albion up at the old Forthbank. He said he had changed a bit since those days. I think he played for Deal after that.

Q. Is that your Argyll badge in the cabinet?

A. Yes, and that’s the bunnet for keeping your shoulders dry.

Q. So, was Jimmy local then?

A. He was from Falkirk. He died three years ago. It was a heart attack.

Q. Tell me about the prison camps?

A. In the prison camp, if your number was called, you were allocated a certain job. I was working in a sugar beat factory. I thought we would have been alright for some sugar for the coffee, but it wasn’t that kind of sugar, it was sugar for another process. It eventually was sugar, but not what I thought it was going to be. I was working as I said, unloading railway wagons filled with coke and various other jobs. We worked for a 12 hour day during the week and an 18 hour one at the weekend. The overtime was great! Payed double time at the weekends! So, anyway, we didn’t get a big meal, just a piece of sausage and three potatoes which hadn’t been properly washed. I thought I was lucky one day, I had an extra potato but it turned out to be a stone! It had just got lost in the process. Anyway, I got that on my plate, and it nearly broke the plate! So much for hygiene, stalegs, working cards, that’s what they called them, were run much the same way insomuchas if they called out your name and number you were allocated a job to do. In the morning you were called out on parade to be counted. If they counted correctly and the total was ok, no escapes overnight, that wasn’t too bad, we weren’t able to run. After a roll call, we had to listen for our prisoner of wall number, my number was 717, I still remember that. I’ll give you an example, one of the jobs that you didn’t know about until you arrived at it. Someone was having a bungalow built, not one of the prisoners, one of the big shots — this was in Germany. Two of the lads and your truly were sent to dig the trench for where the pipes were going to go, it was quite a bit. It was a nice change of job, rather than be sent down to the railway yards again. We didn’t manage to finish the drain digging so we got another day to complete the job, ending in the afternoon. The boss on the job was quite pleased with what we had done. We were nearly three years captured by now, and were all wondering how much longer we were to stay in captivity. Well, one morning about six of us had our numbers called out and the rest were dismissed. We were told we were being moved to another camp and were sent back to our billet to collect our belongings. We were put on a lorry and taken to our destination — quite a journey it was this time, to Bavaria., but it was worth it. It was a big difference. The camp we entered was Offlag Seven D, it was for officers of the flag and we were sent to be their orderlies. Life started to get better from then on, with regular meals and exercise if you cared. Next morning, we went to the officer in charge of the orderlies who directed us to the room where we were to work. A few of us in the room were from our old regiment. The senior officer in the room told me what I was expected to do — sweep out and collect rations from the cookhouse, that was all. I would just like to mention a few other officers there — they were the 51st Highland Division and interested in Scottish country dancing and they had a dancing class in one of the empty billets. At one of these sessions, one of the officers, called Jimmy Atkinson from Alloa, helped devise a dance and it was called the Reel of the 51st Division. It was enjoyed by the dancers and to this day in many a programme, this dance is enjoyed. My wife was a Scottish Country Dance teacher and taught her pupils this dance and many others. I sometimes saw the Scottish dancers make their way over to the class eventually with dancing shoes in their hands — they must have got them sent from home. I would like to mention that my wife taught me at the class how to dance it and I like doing it occasionally at the dances, not many. There were rumours going around that Americans were pushing ahead by this time. Next morning being counted we were told ‘get kit ready, we’re moving out’. They were wanting to move further away from where we were to keep the Americans from coming.

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