Through their eyes: Perspectives from World War Two

September is a significant month when remembering the Second World War. Just over 85 years ago, the 1^st of September 1939 marked the beginning of WW2 and the 2^nd of September 1945 marked its end. This September, our blog focuses on the Second World War as we share with you a glimpse into our archives to parts of the war that you may not have seen or heard before. By focusing on three Argyll soldiers – who served at different times, in different locations, and had different experiences – this blog shows the war from the perspective of men who served in it.

Private Alex Snaddon

Private Alex Snaddon, 8^th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, kept a diary during the Second World War which is now cared for by the museum archive team. This diary details information on different battles that Snaddon fought in which, not only gives us valuable information on events during WW2, but also provides us with a small understanding of the soldier’s experiences of these events. The diary also details Snaddon’s capture in Italy in August 1943 and his experience as a prisoner of war (POW) until his release at the end of May 1945.

Snaddon’s diary details the Battle of Longstop Hill, also known as the Capture of Longstop Hill, which took place between the 21^st and 23^rd of April 1943 in Tunisia. The German forces controlled Longstop Hill, which blocked the Allied advances on Tunis. The Allies had to take the hill as there was no way around it and Snaddon explains that this was, “…one of the biggest battles we’ve encountered”. This battle brought a lot of fatalities, for instance Snaddon’s Battalion lost three quarters of their men and, “…out of our Coy we are now left with 3 men”. Snaddon described the battle site as, “…littered with wounded and dead”. He also writes that, “We were leading Coy, and believe me it was just plain suicide.” Snaddon survived the Battle of Longstop Hill and explains that his Battalion are now holding the hill from counter-attack. Despite the victory, Snaddon’s diary reveals that there was no water for the soldiers and that he is, “…choking for it”. Private Snaddon was later taken Prisoner of War but was later realised in 1945 and did survive the war.

Private Alexander Begg

Private Alexander Begg, 7^th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, was killed in action at the Battle of El Alamein on the 24^th of October 1942. The museum archive contains photographs and documents of Begg, including a notification of death, a royal sympathy note, a war office burial confirmation and campaign medal record. We believe, Begg was from Perth and first joined the Black Watch before being transferred to the Argylls at some point. In the photograph below, Begg is wearing the Black Watch cap badge.

When a British soldier was killed, quite often they were buried near where they died instead of being returned home. This was due to a policy of non-repatriation of Commonwealth war casualties which ensured soldiers were buried in dedicated military cemeteries near the battle sites of their death. This policy was put in place to ensure the equal treatment of all soldiers, regardless of rank, and as a way for honouring the fallen as they died and are buried together. It was also due to the huge scale of loss during both World Wars that would have made it hard to return every soldiers body as resources to complete this was not available during the wars. Below is a picture of the war office burial confirmation that was sent to Begg’s family to inform them where he was buried. Begg was buried in El Alamein Military Cemetery, Egypt, Plot 26, Row F, Grave number 26.

Begg’s family also received a Royal note of sympathy from King George VI as shown below. Since Begg died before he could receive his due awards, they were instead sent to his family with his medal card. Begg’s medals were not opened by his mother, and they have remained this way to this day, as they are still inside the unopened box that they were given to his mother in.

Private Ronald Cubis

The museum holds a set of five letters written by Private Ronald Cubis, D Coy, 7th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. The letters were written to his mother and father from the 9th to the 30^th of August 1944 and cover his transfer from the Essex Regiment to the Argylls, his wounding, amputation of his leg, and subsequent recovery in hospital.

Whilst in France, somewhere south of Caen, Cubis transferred into the Argylls from the Essex Regiment. Cubis explains in his letter that, “…the past week has been the most terrifying one of my life, and I am lucky and thank god that I am alive and well”. He also says that, “Since being over here, I have seen much suffering and death and realise even more than before how terrible this war is”. He also notes that he is grateful that the fighting is not in England where his family are. In the second letter that our museum archives hold, Cubis tells his parents that he was “wounded the other day in an attack by machine gun fire which unfortunately has meant having my right leg off up to the knee”. Despite this, his letter is written quite positively as he is grateful to be alive and recovering despite the amputation of his leg. This letter was written by the Welfare Officer as Cubis was too weak to write it himself due to the injury but he explains that he hopes to be strong enough to write himself by the end of the week.

In another letter, Cubis talks about how journey back to England. He explains that he came back from France on a plane, “…which was certainly an experience”. There were about 18 of us on stretchers of course, in the plane, which was an American twin engine transport”. Cubis explains to his parents what it was like for him as he looked out the window of the plane, saying it as, “…very strange yet beautiful like looking at a huge model with traffic looking like small black blobs”. He also explains that the Red Cross in England have been good to him as the nurses at St Johns gave him, “…sweets, fruit, cakes, sandwiches, drinks, and almost everything we wanted”. He ends the letter asking his parents to write to him and states, “Don’t worry I will soon be well again and walking when I can have a false leg.”

This blog has taken a look at the archived items of three Argyll soldiers that served during World War Two to show different experiences of the war. Without this archival material, we would not have the first-hand insight into the Battle of Longstop Hill from Snaddon’s diary, or the knowledge about where Begg is buried, nor the insight into the experience of Cubis’s transfer and injury during the war. Archives are so important for preserving the past and thus for remembering events. If you have any items at home relating the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders that you would like to donate or share with the museum, then we are happy to safeguard it in our archives. You can contact us on: museum@argylls.co.uk.

Written by Caitlin Stewart, Digital Content Volunteer.