00:00 Monte Hennegin [MH] born Edinburgh 1923, grew up South Africa, returned to UK forty years ago, living in Scotland past sixteen years, now aged eighty-two. Describes earliest memory about incident when girl’s body aroused him, mother’s reprimand made him feel guilty: this he believes may have led to his homosexuality.

03:21 Stories about his fascination with man’s body when aged about ten years. Family moved about, first six years in Cape Town, sixth birthday in hospital with scarlet fever, at ten years went to Johannesburg. By thirteen had two friends: Colin and Cunningham with whom he had frequent sex.

06:30 First began to be called ‘queer’ when joined the forces. MH’s school: King Edward Seventh Government School. Memory of prefect he had crush on. 1939 in Cape Town attended technical college, 1940-41 at boarding school, Paarl Boys’ High School, to study harder for matriculation. Story about smoking in garden and having sex in shed, about sexual play in bed with friend Darby on Sunday afternoons: other boys laughed. Halcyon days as said in MH’s poem ‘The Well’. Memory of wrestling with boy on lawn at home. Reflects how highly sexed he was when young but no strong sex drive later in life. Reasons why hardly ever bullied: occasionally bullied for not being sporty, MH responded by looking down his nose at them; was told he was a pansy because wouldn’t fight, so had a fight, and afterwards was left alone.

15:13 Never got involved with girls, not interested. No pressure on MH from other boys. Played accordion from young age, girls loved his playing. About friend Jimmy Adams, grew up in circus, parents trapeze artists, how MH learnt acrobatics, skating and trapeze work from him.

17:37 MH joined up to go to war in 1942, following in father’s footsteps, father ill at time. Describes male nudist beach in Cape Town called Bachelor’s Cove. Story about way he played doctors when small boy. Can’t remember talking about his sexual activity. About nude bathing during war on North African coast.

25:47 Sexuality was more doing than speaking about it. Story about meeting Australian in the mess in the military camp in Cairo: MH was invited to go into Cairo, and was taken to the first completely gay pub he’d ever been in. There he met another Australian, and they looked for hotel room: found they were being watched, so looked for other place. Gay language at time in South Africa was called Egyptian, and in UK was called Polari, popularised by Kenneth Williams and Hugh Paddick.