Description
Object description
British alternativist conscientious objector imprisoned in Cinder City Camp, Le Havre and Rouen Hard Labour Camp in France and Winchester Prison in GB, 1916-1918
Content description
REEL 1 Background in GB, 1884-1916: family pacifist viewpoint; personal basis for pacifism; military service tribunal scheme and attitude towards it; employment; attitude of colleagues, family and friends towards pacifism; recreational activities.
REEL 2 Continues: pre-First World War housing in London; personal decision to become a conscientious objector; activities and members of No-Conscription Fellowship; suspected presence of anti-pacifist agent provocateur. Recollections of imprisonment as conscientious objector at Cinder City Camp, Le Havre and Rouen Hard Labour Camp in France, 4/1916-9/1916: arrest and refusal to wear uniform and obey orders, 4/1916; transfer to France.
REEL 3 Continues: treatment at Cinder City Camp at Le Harve; reasons for sending conscientious objectors to France; character of troops in camp; army's attitude towards principle of conscientious objection; field punishment; refusal to recognise military law.
REEL 4 Continues: attending field general military court martial at Boulogne; reaction to hearing imposition of death sentence at court martial; imprisonment in hard labour camp at Rouen; attitude towards discipline and order; character of inmates at Rouen; help conscientious objectors received from GB.
REEL 5 Continues: sentences and treatment of conscientious objectors; publicity surrounding his case on return to GB, 9/1916. Aspects of period as inmate in Winchester Prison in GB, 1916-1918: opinions and conflicts amongst conscientious objectors on accepting Home Office Scheme; work stitching coal sacks; different points of views held by conscientious objectors on conceding to the authorities.
REEL 6 Continues: question of attitude towards GB winning or losing war; attitude to his own decision; friendly behaviour of warder in Winchester Prison; return to civilian employment before the end of war; difficulty of returning to former employment.