John Cotter was an Officer with the Army Film Unit in Gibraltar in 1942. He recollects Dunkirk before being commissioned and posted to Gibraltar. In his account, he speaks of operations in The Public Relations Unit in Fortress HQ, refers to Governor Lord Gort and use of Mulls in Gibraltar. He talks about the concerts on top of the Rock, the excavation of the Caves and Tunnels, along with siege practice and the extension of the runway due to aircraft crashing off the end into the water. He also describes the assembly of Supermarine Spitfires before being flown to Malta. Cotter describes a recce of North African coast. He describes the routine and how life was rather boring. He talks about the REME workshop under The Rock, visits to Spain in the early days to watch bullfights, and driving Ford trucks to PoW camps to deliver food to British prisoners in internment camps.
Copyright Imperial War Museum: (Ser 201 / IWM 003953R01)
AUDIO
Click or tap the triangle icon to play
IWMReel 1 (27 mins 41secs)