Painting, Thomas Henry (Oral history)

British NCO served with 1st Bn King's Royal Rifle Corps in Egypt, GB and on Western Front, 1909-1914; POW in Germany, 1914-1915; escaped via Denmark to GB, 1915

REEL 1: Background: employment in various capacities with London and North Western Railway in Midlands, 1899-1906: interest in Boer War, 1899-1901; father's career with railway. Recollection of enlistment with King's Royal Rifle Corps, 1907: parents' reaction. Story of fight with recruit during training at King's Royal Rifle Corps Depot, Winchester, 8/1906-11/1906. Aspects of period with 3rd Bn King's Royal Rifle Corps at Salamanca Barracks, Aldershot, 11/1906-1/1907: conditions of service; Christmas celebrations, 25/12/1906. Voyage aboard Sicilia to Alxandria, Egypt, 2/1907: conditions; exchange of garrison troops at Crete. Recollections of period with H Coy, 1st Bn King's Royal Rifle Corps in Egypt, 2/1907-2/1909: joining part of unit at Ras el Tin Camp, Alexandria. REEL 2 Continues: tent accommodation; swimming activities; reunification of unit in Kasr el Nir Barracks, Cairo; situation as part of Army of Occupation; relationship with British civilian tourists; sandstorms; relationship with Egyptian civilians. desert trek during course as mounted infantry including fatal accident, story of falling into Nile and horses used. REEL 3 Continues: state of health; bed bugs; story of officer's servant's dog found in barrack room during day. Aspects of period at Portsmouth , 2/1909-2/1912: recreations; lining streets of during Edward VII's funeral in London, 20/5/1910. Aspects of period as lance corporal at King's Royal Rifle Corps Depot, Winchester, 1912-1913. Aspects of period with B Coy, 1st Bn King's Royal Rifle Corps at Salamanca Barracks, Aldershot, 1913-1914: participation in funeral procession of Field Marshal Lord Wolsley; question of approach and length of war with Germany; mobilisation and arrival of reservists, 8/1914. Journey to Rouen, France, 12/8/1914-13/8/1914. Initial movements, 13/8/1914-21/8/1914: reception from French; learning French phrases; march to Mons, 21/8/1914. Recollections of operations in Mons area, 21/8/1914-23/8/1914: march to take up positions at Givry, German success in locating and shelling 70th Bty Royal Field Artillery using of aerial reconnaissance; beginning of retreat. REEL 4 Continues: Recollections of events during retreat from Mons, 8/1914: route; view of French troops; food rations; acting as rearguard in rotation. Recollections of operations during Battle of Marne, 10/9/1914: successful attack advancing in sections of B and C Coys on German positions at Hautesvesnes, capture and evacuation of German POWs; rain storm; fire and movement tactics in advance in section; rate of rifle fire. Recollections of operations in Aisne, 14/9/1914-13/10/1914: attack in Soupir sector, 14/9/1914, including close escape from German machine gun fire whilst acting as company range finder, successful attack by Private George Wilson on machine gun for which he was awarded VC; relief and retirement to support positions. REEL 5 Continues: relief and retirement to support positions; subsequent problem over loss of range finder; collection of wounded and burial of dead; casualties from German shellfire in Verneuil sector; nature of trenches; story of German shell bursting amongst group of men and minor shrapnel wounds received. Move to Ypres area, 10/1914. Aspects of operations in Ypres area, 20/10/1914-2/11/1914: initial movements and actions in support role; casualty from stray bullet; NCO's close escape; attack on Passchendaele, 27/10/1914. REEL 6 Continues: attack on Passchendaele, 27/10/1914; makeshift dugout; role as platoon commander; rum ration; effects of German shellfire, 31/10/1914; story of visiting company commander's headquarters; story of providing story illustrating response of two soldiers to death of friend during exchange of rifle fire; situation and state of unit on being moved into line in Gheluvelt sector; circumstances of being captured following German breakthrough, 2/11/1914. Initial period as POW, 11/1914: story of coming under British shrapnel shellfire; personal morale. REEL 7 Continues: retention of pay book; reaction to German casualties; move to Lille; reactions to German accusation of using dum dum bullets; train journey to Gustrow; attitude of French civilians during move to Lille; train journey to Gustrow; refugees during retreat from Mons, 8/1914. Recollections of conditions during period at Gustrow POW camp, Germany, 11/1914: kitting out; tent accommodation; food; latrines; mixed nationalities; separation of officers and other ranks; early contact with GB; theft of tobacco; tent accommodation; assistance from German NCO who had lived in GB. REEL 8 Continues: assistance from German NCO who had lived in GB; working parties creating mounds of earth at camp entrance; rejection by Irish POWs of invitation from Sir Roger Casement to join Irish Brigade fighting for Germans; move into hut accommodation, 1/1915; lice problem; burial services; visiting friend in camp hospital; question of roll call; punishment of British POW for writing home complaining about food; story of being hit by German guard. Recollections of period in Tinglev camp, 2/1915-7/1915: incomplete nature of camp on arrival; administration based on huts; relationship with German officers. REEL 9 Continues: raid on German food store; cold weather and story of lending clothes to men who subsequently died; work parties; improving conditions with warmer weather; forming band using impromptu instruments; collapse of German seating area during performance of play; band concerts and redistribution of entrance charges; question of planning for escape and importance of establishing geographical location; boxing bout; storing food for possible escape. Aspects of period at Kaltenkirchen Camp, Germany, 7/1915-8/1915: reception. REEL 10 Continues: wet weather; story illustrating British POWs' state of morale; boxing match with French POW; sketching map during train journey to Osterterp. Period at Osterterp Camp, Germany, 8/1915-11/1915: layout of camp; working parties; story of dispute and beating from German NCO during working party digging drainage channels; period of solitary confinement. REEL 11 Continues: period of solitary confinement; relationship with German NCO; failure of attempt to cut through barbed wire using file; escape with working party attending to camp acetylene lights, 11/1915. Recollections of journey to Denmark, 11/1915: meeting other escapees at rendezvous travelling at night; success in evading German frontier sentries. REEL 12 Continues: Danish signs; visit to hotel and arrest by Danish authorities at Gedstedbro; washing; escort; discovery of frost-bitten foot during bath and subsequent recovery in Ribe hospital; relationship with Danish civilians; question of motivation for escape and subsequent award of Military Medal 1919; story of British POW working on German farm; Danish decision to repatriate them as civilians; question of alarm being raised on escape; reads letter illustrating Danish civilians attitude to escaped Allied POWs. REEL 13 Continues: relationship with Danish civilians; journey to Copenhagen; issue of passport and documentation; voyage aboard Zito to Newcastle upon Tyne and reception in Newcastle, 12/1915: story of being given white feather for not wearing Derby armband; refusal of Railway Transport officer to advance Painting money; train journey to Winchester including overnight stay in Salvation Army hostel. Aspects of period in King's Royal Rifle Corps Depot Camp, Winchester, 12/1915-1/ 1916: disciplinary problem for leaving camp to visit donor of POW food parcels; interview with Lieutenant General Sir William Pitcairn Campbell at Southern Command, Salisbury. REEL 14 Continues: interview with Pitcairn Campbell at Southern Command, Salisbury; death of mother and family situation; interview with press; problems with foot; marriage by special licence. Posting as musketry instructor with 5th Bn King's Royal Rifle Corps, 1/1916: story of trial and acquittal of conscientious objector; motivation for escape; opinion of POW welfare activities.