Description
Object description
British officer served with 22nd Siege Bty Royal Garrison Artillery on Western Front, 1917-1919; attached to Royal Flying Corps as artillery observer, 1918
Content description
REEL 1: Background in Peterborough, 1898-1916: family and musical training; story of father conducting patriotic music in Peterborough town centre at outbreak of war, 8/1914; memory of attacks on German residents and property in Peterborough; effect of war on musical career; joined OTC while organ scholar at Keeble College Oxford. Aspects of training with Royal Artillery in GB, 1916-1917: description of training at Bournemouth and Lydd; reason for joining Royal Artillery; problem of damage to ears from noise of explosions and use of ear-plugs; opinion of training and description of guns used; attitude to military life and discipline; relations with other ranks and question of team work in battery; description of journey from Southampton to camp in Le Havre, France, 9/1917; amusing story of alcoholic major. Recollections of operations with 22nd Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery on Western Front, 1917-1918: posted to 22nd Siege Battery at Verbrandenmolen, Belgium and description of conditions; memory of meeting Commanding Officer; daily routine and use of railway mounted gun; method of range-finding and selection of targets; responsibilities as officer; memory of period before bombardment; question of camouflage and location of gun in railway cutting.
REEL 2 Continues: nature of duties in Forward Observation Post; problem of rats; nature of communications; story of being attached to Royal Flying Corps as artillery observer and nature of duties; memory of dropping Mills bombs over side of plane and firing rifle at targets on ground; story of French officer and prostitute; role as orderly officer in Counter-Battery Staff Office; story of 22nd Siege Battery being overrun and hand-to-hand fighting at Epehy during 2nd Battle of Cambrai, 1918; memory of post-war visit to Epehy; description of firing barrage; further comments on period as observer with Royal Flying Corps; question of accuracy of siege guns and communications; role of counter-batteries; problem of lack of mobility of siege guns; attitude to use of artillery and question of targets; role of 22nd Siege Battery and type of guns used; problem of recoil.
REEL 3 Continues: role with 22nd Siege Battery and description of firing procedure; opinion of staff officers; memory of General Congreve; story of visit by general on Christmas Day, 1917; memory of playing piano in ruined house. Aspects of post-war life and employment: question of adjusting to civilian life and effects of war on musical career; memory of friends killed in war and question of survivor guilt; state of health during war; story of crashing motorcycle; attitude to War Poets and reason for writing own poetry; story of telepathic connection with tutor in Oxford; attitude to shell-shock; description of conditions in Ypres Salient, 1917-1918; opinion of Britten's 'War Requiem'; question of artistic interpretation of horrors of war; memory of taking copy of 'A Shropshire Lad' to front.