Description
Object description
British civilian canteen assistant with Salvation Army in GB, 1914-1916
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Finchley and St Albans, GB, 1898-1912: family; character of education; hobbies; brothers and sisters. Aspects of period as member with Salvation Army in St Albans, GB, 1912-1914: involvement with Salvation Army and decision to give life to the service of God.
REEL 2 Continues: family involvement with Salvation Army; membership of Salvation Army Scouts; lack of musical ability; apprenticeship at Hertfordshire Press; method of achieving higher rank in Salvation Army Corps; entering college to train to become a Salvation Army officer.
REEL 3 Continues: method of gaining marks as Corps Cadet; lack of entertainment facilities in St Albans; influence on his enthusiastic participation in Salvation Army activities; effects of outbreak of First World War, 8/1914.
REEL 4 Continues: Recollections of period as canteen assistant with Salvation Army in GB, 1914-1916: working in Salvation Army canteens on Epsom Downs; problems with theft; daily duties; use of Salvation Army uniform for working in camps; pay and sleeping arrangements; move to Shorncliffe Camp.
REEL 5 Continues: contrast in behaviour of British and Canadian troops; number of Salvation Army staff at Shorncliffe Camp; standard of food provided by Salvation Army canteens; personal rations; lack of problems obtaining supplies; quality of Salvation Army tea; nervous breakdown suffered after First World War; daily routine.
REEL 6 Continues: working in Salvation Army hostel in Lambeth for troops in transit; number of troops hostel able to accommodate; question of age, responsibility and ethos; degree of religious instruction given to troops in hostel; move to Bulford Camp on Salisbury Plain.
REEL 7 Continues: duties in canteen at Bulford Camp; Salvation Army personnel at camp and relations with army; character of Sunday afternoon Salvation Army meetings; reasons why troops frequented Salvation Army canteens.
REEL 8 Continues: opinion of long term inhabitants of camp; troops' attendance at Sunday afternoon teas and religious meetings; question of Salvation Army canteens selling cigarettes; role in charge of Salvation Army canteen at Rhyl; his attesting for Military Police, 1916.
REEL 9 Continues: Salvation Army officer conscientious objectors; reasons why he attested for military service; lack of contact with Salvation Army personnel in France during military service; story of wearing Salvation Army jumper under his uniform in front line; his comrades attitude to his religious beliefs; role of Salvation Army during First World War.