Description
Object description
British NCO served with 2nd Bn Prince of Wales's Volunteers (South Lancashire Regt) and 2nd Bn South Lancashire Regt (The Prince of Wales's Volunteers) in India, 1934-1940
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as NCO with 2nd Bn Prince of Wales's Volunteers (South Lancashire Regt) and 2nd Bn South Lancashire Regt (The Prince of Wales's Volunteers) in India, 1934-1940: reaction to posting to India, 1934; life for married troops in India; outline of daily routine; passing through Suez Canal aboard SS Tuscania, 1934; information from army prior to posting to India; high incidence of leprosy amongst Indian population in Allahabad; description of uniform worn; change in army instructions regarding wearing of solar topee; voyage aboard SS Tuscania from GB to India, 1934; arrival in Bombay.
REEL 2 Continues: organisation of holiday camp at Ranikhet; nature of brothel area in Bombay; reasons for establishment of regimental brothel in Quetta; organisation and eventual closure of regimental brothel in Quetta; clear up work after earthquake in Quetta, 5/1935; Gurkha execution of looting tribesmen in Quetta; Indian thieves; petty pilfering by servants.
REEL 3 Continues: mountain warfare training; procedure for piqueting hillsides on North West Frontier; difficulties of operating in mountainous terrain; need to operate in force on North West Frontier; accuracy of tribesmen's sniping; difficulties of mountain warfare; description of Afridi tribesmen; awareness of situation in Europe; annual training programme; mechanisation of unit, 1939.
REEL 4 Continues: variety of training in India; reasons for high quality of NCOs in India; training with Indian Army; character of officers in Indian Army; degree of contact with Indian troops; military train travel in India; description of troop train journey from Quetta to Bombay including organisation of feeding arrangements, station restaurants and facilities for army families; posting to Bombay.
REEL 5 Continues: description of mass military marriages in Bombay; internal security duties in Bombay; frequency of riots; procedures for riot control; question of who initiated riots in Bombay; arrest of Germans in Bombay on outbreak of Second World War and their internment at Deolali, 9/1939; his promotion to new rank of Warrant Officer Class III introduced in 1938.
REEL 6 Continues: introduction of prohibition for civilian population by Government of India, 8/1939 and lack of effect on military personnel; degree of social contact with civilians; existance of racial segregation; discouragement of mixed marriages by army; opinion of Mahatma Gandhi; benefits of British rule in India; hazardous return voyage of army families from India to GB, 1940; story of HMAS Australia being mistakenly challenged by British forces at Bombay, 9/1939.