Description
Object description
British private served with 12th (Service) Bn Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regt), 54th Bde, 18th (Eastern) Div in GB and on Western Front, 8/1914-12/1915
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of enlistment and training with 12th (Service) Battalion, Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regt) at Colchester, GB, 8/1914-5/1915: reasons for enlistment and initial rejection; uniform and kitting out; meeting wounded soldiers; question of physical fitness of older recruits; use of Martini Henry Rifle; use of No 15 'Cricket Ball' Hand Grenade
REEL 2 Continues: use of No 1 'Fishtail' Hand Grenade; hand grenade accident; morning routine; rations; bayonet training; visits to Colchester; playing billiards.
REEL 3 Continues: route march in stages to Codford and inspection by King George V at Stonehenge, 5/1915. Aspects of period as private with 12th (Service) Battalion, Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regt) in France, 7/1915: voyage aboard PS La Marguerite from GB to France, 7/1915; warning against venereal disease and sight of venereal disease patients undergoing treatment; train journey; sandbag protection for Amiens Cathedral; reception from French civilians.
REEL 4 Continues: Recollections of operations as private with 12th (Service) Battalion, Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regt), 54th Bde, 18th (Eastern Div) in Carnoy sector, Somme, France, 7/1915-12/1915: changing landscape during approach to front line; sniping boxes; Virgin Mary statue at Albert; state of trenches and necessary repairs; mine warfare activity including description of mines, method of digging, listening for German mining activity, question of shoring and preparations for detonation of G18 Mine.
REEL 5 Continues: preparations for and effects of detonation of G18 Mine; preparation and erection of barbed wire trestles; wire cutting parties clearing lanes through German wire prior to planned raids; listening post construction and duty.
REEL 6 Continues: listening post duty; ration parties; story of discovering lice during visit to latrines and effects of use of chloride of lime in attempt to kill them; fatigue; effects of winter weather; German shellfire and Minenwerfer fire.
REEL 7 Continues: narrow escape from unexploded shell and reprimand for subsequently moving it; rifle grenades; rations; story of baths whilst out of line.
REEL 8 Continues: story of shaving in line; question of washing; officer's inspection; question of use of periscope and story illustrating risk of German sniping; rat problem including story of rat feeding on French corpse; story of being wounded during raid on German lines in Fricourt sector, 14/12/1915.