Description
Object description
British civilian worked as sorter and telegraphist with General Post Office in Tewkesbury, GB, 3/1915-9/1916; sapper served as signaller with Signals Section Royal Engineers in GB, 9/1916-1/1917; served with Royal Engineers Signal Service attached to Third Army on Western Front, 1/1917-4/1917; sapper and NCO served with Royal Engineers Signal Service in GB and Ireland, 5/1917-12/1919
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Port Talbot, GB, 1901-1916: lay-offs in steel works; port activity; living conditions; pay in steel works and effect of outbreak of First World War, 4/8/1914; post-war situation including economic changes, attitudes to war time profiteering and attitude to conscientious objectors; increased wartime food production.
REEL 2 Continues: stripping of Margam Woods during First World War. Aspects of period as sorting clerk and telegraphist with General Post Office at Tewkesbury, GB, 3/1915-9/1916: geographical and social contrasts with Port Talbot; postmen with part-time jobs; Tewkesbury Abbey; reaction to First World War; complications of inward and external mail sorting system linked to railways.
REEL 3 Continues: different types of mail delivery round; frequent sorting night shifts and introduction of women sorters; failure of attempt to join Royal Navy due to status as post office telegraphist. Aspects of period with Wireless Section, Royal Engineers at Worcester and Great Malvern, GB, 9/1916-1/1917: selection for duties on trench wireless sets; lectures in wireless set; exercise in erecting and sending messages from mobile wireless set; comparison of crystal and valve wireless sets; ignorance of intended role. Aspects of period as sapper with Royal Engineers Signal Service attached to Third Army at Arras, France, 1/1917-4/1917: planned attack using creeping artillery barrages.
REEL 4 Continues: assignment to accompany first wave of infantry in attack; description of portable British field wireless set and ancillary equipment required; personal equipment. Recollections of operations as sapper with Royal Engineers Signal Service attached to Third Army during Battle of Arras, Western Front, 9/4/1917-28/4/1917: problem of heavy loads carried by wireless team and difficulty crossing No Man's Land during attack, 9/4/1917; muddy conditions; story of deliberately throwing away spurs; personal morale; objective in Hindenburg Line; question of status as first wireless operators to accompany troops during attack; German shrapnel; German prisoner of war; German dugout; erecting aerial.
REEL 5 Continues: success in getting in touch by wireless with directing station; failure of neighbouring infantry units to appreciate possibilities of wireless in comparision to telephone communications and consequent lack of work; snow fall; subsequent recall to base in Arras; confidence in progress of offensive at Arras; wounding in leg by shellfire, 28/4/1917; initial medical treatment, 28/4/1917; electric light railway journey to Arras; conditions in area around Arras; 1/1917-4/1917; sings songs 'When This Wicked War is Over' and 'Fred Karno's Army'.
REEL 6 Continues: trench feet; Salvation Army hostel; question of state of morale and opinion of high command; story of erecting wireless aerial; opinion of staff officers. Aspects of period as sapper with Royal Engineers Signal Service in GB, 4/1917-12/1917: crossing English Channel; reception of hospital train at Leicester; leave in Port Talbot; convalescent course at Thetford; reception from civilians in Worcester; training at Bletchley.
REEL 7 Continues: Recollections of period as sapper and NCO with Royal Engineers Signal Service in Ireland, 1/1918-5/1919: prior cancellation without warning of posting to Western Front; role establishing network of wireless communications to replace sabotaged telephone lines; destruction of shop popular with British troops in Cork; story of insurgents shooting at lorry in Castletown whilst releasing homing pigeons; plentiful food; story of receiving news of Armistice from Eiffel Tower wireless broadcasts and subsequent celebrations, 11/11/1918; question of demobilisation; promotion to acting lance corporal and story of escorting demobilisation draft back to GB.
REEL 8 Continues: rejecting opportunity to join 'Black and Tans'; volunteering to serve in Russia and rejection as ex-General Post Office staff. Aspects of period as civilian in Port Talbot, GB, 1919-1921: demobilisation and return to Port Talbot, GB, 12/1919: background to decision to leave General Post Office; socio-economic situation; reaction to First World War and symbolic nature of election of Ramsey Macdonald as Labour Party Member of Parliament. 1921.