Description
Object description
British officer served with 2nd Bn Royal Sussex Regt in India, 1930-1935
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as officer with 2nd Bn Royal Sussex Regt in India, 1930-1935: background to joining army; reasons for volunteering for posting to India; prior knowledge of India; how buying kit in Britain was unnecessary; voyage from GB to India, 1930; initial impressions on arrival in Bombay; hiring bearer; boat trip from Bombay to Karachi; reception in Karachi; description of quarters; servants employed in quarters; trustworthiness of servants; mess servants; organisation of training; sporting activities; differences of training in India and GB including role of army; training for mountain warfare.
REEL 2 Continues: discipline amongst troops; reasons for organisation of sporting activities; degree of co-operation with RAF; internal security duties in Karachi, 1934; mess life; recreational activities; degree of contact between Europeans and Indian civilians; opinion of Anglo-Indians; problems of troops marrying Anglo-Indians; mess guest nights; hygiene precautions; scorpion bite.
REEL 3 Continues: snakes and tree rats; swimming hazards; sailing at Karachi; shooting expeditions in Karachi area; attitude to service at Hyderabad Sind station; social life in Karachi; life of officers' wives at Karachi; presence of number of European civilians in Karachi; contact with European civilians in Karachi; leave and places visited in India; encounter with Indus fisherman.
REEL 4 Continues: organising evacuation of refugees from Quetta to Bombay after earthquake, 1935; friendship with Indian civilians and problems of social contact; diversity of races and peoples in India; visits to towns; sight of Indian prisoners making carpets in prison; attitude to service in India; question of British Army presence in India; awareness of political agitation amongst Indians; opinion of Indian National Congress.
REEL 5 Continues: discouragement of discussions of politics in army; newspapers read; advantages of having Pathan bearer; inter-rank relations; high standard of efficiency of British Army in India.