Description
Object description
British private served with 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1939; served with 11th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, France and Iceland, 1939-1944
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Browns Buildings, GB, 1919-1939: area grew up in; family; memories of childhood; education; football; religion and discipline; clothing; allotment; community; details of civilian work; reason for joining Territorial Army. Aspects of period as private with 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 4/1939-9/1939: details of unit; uniform issued; details of drill; memories of Lieutenant Brewis; weapon training; route marches; gas training; trench digging; bayonet drill; mobilisation; family reaction to mobilisation; war service of brothers; joining of 11th Battalion. Aspects of period as private with 11th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 9/1939-4/1940: posting in A Company at Birtley; reaction to transfer; settling in of recruits; memories of Captain Telford. Aspects of period as private with 11th Bn Durham Light Infantry in France, 4/1940- 5/1940: equipment situation; accommodation; story of arrival in town; conditions in accommodation; work on aerodrome in Nuncq; German invasion and departure; opinion of chances against Germans; sound of minenwerfers.
REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of operations as private with 11th Bn Durham Light Infantry in France, 5/1940-6/1940: march to Dunkirk; rations; details of group he was in; scenes at Dunkirk; boarding of ship; handing in of rifle. Aspects of period as private with 11th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1940-1941: reception and journey to Chepstow; talk from officer on arrival; issue of new uniform; leave; posting in Plymouth; reinforcements; role on coast; equipment situation; relationship with civilians; morale of battalion; air activity; issue of winter clothing; voyage to Iceland. Aspects of period as private with 11th Bn Durham Light Infantry in Iceland, 1941-1942- : reception on arrival; later relationship with civilians; accommodation; conditions; ; winter conditions; death of troops after stealing alcohol; exercises; reason for going to Iceland; football; visit of Winston Churchill; relationships between troops and civilian women; opinion of posting; keeping warm; washing facilities and latrines; contact with relieving American troops. Aspects of period as private with 11th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1942-1944: mountain training. Aspects of period as operations with 11th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1944: action at Rauray including reaction to shelling; disbandment of battalion.