Description
Object description
British officer served with 12th Bn Royal Fusiliers in GB, 1914-1916; served with 26th Bn Royal Fusiliers on Western Front and in Italy and Germany, 1916-1919
Content description
REEL 1: Background in London, 1893-1914: education; employment; family; memory of Boer War; activities with Boys' Brigade; memory of outbreak of war, 8/1914; story of enlistment with Royal Fusiliers and rise from private to 2nd Lieutenant in one week. Aspects of training with 12th Bn Royal Fusiliers in GB, 1914-1916: description of training at Oxford University colleges; story of £50 grant to purchase kit and uniform; attitude to training and question of physical fitness; description of basic training at Shoreham and Bisley including weapons training; story of traffic accident and transfer to 26th Bn Royal Fusiliers; attitude to being in Royal Fusiliers; question of relations between officers and other ranks; memory of incident with Military Police in Italy; story of posting to France and role in formation of first Trench Mortar Bty, 1916.
REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of operations with 26th Bn Royal Fusiliers on Western Front, 1916-1917: description of trench mortar and range; story of dud shell landing in ammunition dump; description of role in operations in Flers, France, 1916; memory of tanks; problem of wet weather and lack of cover; story of being wounded in shoulder and opinion of medical treatment in France and GB; description of conditions in Ploegstreet, Ypres area, Belgium; story of role as company CO in attack at Basseville Beke, 20/Sep/1917; casualties; problem of shortage of supplies of rations and ammunition.
REEL 3 Continues: description of damage caused to uniform and equipment by shrapnel; memory of Captain Dewet; question of mental and physical state after attack; amusing story of batman; reaction to award of Military Cross for attack at Basseville Beke and question of medal award for batman; story of batman Sturgis; story of appointment as Adjutant with 26th Bn Royal Fusiliers and opinion of CO; description of period on Belgian coast; opinion of conditions in trenches; story of journey to Italy, 8/1917. Recollections of operations with 26th Bn Royal Fusiliers in Italy, 9/1917- 6/1918: description of march into line on Piave River and nature of front, 1/Sep/1917; problem of snow and ice and difficulties in transporting supplies by road; story of finding ford over River Piave.
REEL 4 Continues: military situation and problem of severe winter conditions. Recollections of operations with 26th Bn Royal Fusiliers on Western Front and in Germany, 1918-1919: reaction to death of Colonel; amusing story of Brigadier; question of staff officers visiting front line; attitude to fear; story of role as prisoner's friend in court martial of deserter and attitude to shell shock cases; story of organising firing party for execution; question of punishments; problem of low morale; story of involvement in court martial of drunken officer.
REEL 5 Continues: end of story of court martial and opinion of Captain Cassells; memory of Armistice, 11/1918; story of refusing regular commission and returning to 26th Bn as Adjutant; posted to Cologne, Germany and demobilization. Reflections on period of military service and attitude to war. Story of withdrawal from Passchendaele Ridge and blowing up of gates at Zillebeke, 1918. Reaction to death of friends and problem of conveying reality of war.