Cooney, Ralph Carson (Oral history)

British officer served with 2nd Bn Royal Scots Fusiliers on Western Front, 1916; served with 4th Bn Heavy Branch Machine Gun Corps on Western Front, 1917; served at Bovington Camp, GB, 1917-1918; served with 14th Bn Tank Corps on Western Front, 1918

REEL 1 Background, 1897-1914: father's career as sailor and in business; education; visit by Kaiser Wilhelm to Sheerness. Effects of war, 1914-1915: explosion of HMS Bulwark, 26/11/1914; absence of anti-war demonstrations; anti-German demonstration; bank moratorium, 8/1914; education; OTC experience; failed attempts to join Royal Naval Air Service and Essex Regt. Recruitment, training and commission with Inns of Court OTC at Temple Gardens, London and Berkhamstead, 6/1915-11/1915. Posting to 3rd Bn Royal Scots Fusiliers at Gourock, 11/1915-7/1916. REEL 2 Continues: story of first visit to officers' mess illustrating attitude of regular officers; training drafts; story of taking Roman Catholic church parade in error; attending hand grenade course on Clapham Common including cricket ball grenade, accident with dog, catapult device and red pepper grenade; meeting Eric Coates and Tim Hay during musketry course; posting on draft to France, 8/7/1916. Aspects of training at Infantry Base Depot at Etaples, 7/1916: trench raids; question of British soldiers' attitude to German troops; lectures in bayonet fighting from Colonel Ronald Campbell; gas precautions and use of PH gas helmet. REEL 3 Continues: nature of 'bullring'. Recollections of operations with 2nd Bn Royal Scots Fusiliers in Somme and Arras areas, 7/1916-11/1918: question of adequacy of training; daily routine and conditions of service in Bethune area; failure of attack in Ligny Thilloy/Le Barque sector, 12/10/1916. Aspects of recruitment and training using Mark I tanks with 10 Coy 4th Bn Heavy Machine Gun Corps at Blangy, Bermicourt and Erin, 11/1916-4/1917: reasons; composition of unit; nature of training; theoretical tactics; use of fascines to cross wide trenches; company commander; technical training; opinion of Martel. REEL 4 Continues: opinions and illustrative stories of Martel. Fuller, Hugh Elles, Elliot Hotblack, Basil Liddle Hart, question of correct use of tanks on Western Front; tank crew members; method of driving, tank armament; signals. REEL 5 Continues: story of amusing pigeon message received during battle; problems with ground conditions on Vimy Ridge, 4/1917; problems in driving and controlling tanks; difficulties in communicating within tank; German armour piercing bullets. Recollections of tank attack on Vimy Ridge during Battle of Arras, 4/1917: question of briefing; view of official photographer in German front line; getting bogged down in mud and question of correct use of tanks; German anti-tank methods and effect of bullets; conditions in tank. Recollections of tank attack on Bullecourt during Battle of Arras, 3/5/1917: getting out of tank to try and guide tank across difficult terrain; shell hit; question of loss of contact with infantry; story of officer shooting retreating British soldiers to restore discipline; wound; question of correct use of tanks. REEL 6 Continues: Aspects of period on staff of Tank Corps Headquarters at Bovington and Gunnery School at Lulworth, 7/1917-8/1918. Recollections of operations with 14th Bn Tank Corps on Western Front, 8/1918-11/1918: improved methods of using tanks; successful attack in command of section of tanks in Somme area, 8/8/1918; German air attack on British cavalry attempting to exploit breakthrough; question of German tanks; piecemeal operations against German strongpoints and subsequent role in finding and retrieving section tanks and crews, 10/8/1918; cause of casualties; question of battlefield psychology of tank crews; co-operation with infantry; ad hoc nature of use of tanks, 10/8/1918.