Description
Object description
British sapper served as fitter with 250th Field Coy, Royal Engineers attached to X Force in France, 9/1939-5/1940; served with 250th Field Coy, Royal Engineers, 42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Div in France and Belgium, 5/1940
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn Cambrdgeshire Regt at Cambridge, GB, 1928-1938: role in transport section; training; avoidance of route marching. Aspects of period as fitter with 250th Field Coy, Royal Engineers at Cambridge, GB, 1938-1939: expectation of war service; state of unit; officers recruitment from Cambridge University Officer Training Corps; work with horses; uniform; lack of gas training; mobilisation, 9/1939. Recollections of period as fitter with 250th Field Coy, Royal Engineers attached to X Force in France, 9/1939-5/1940: journey from GB to Rosult; accommodation in school; rations; pay; estaminets; repairing vehicles; company transport; relations with French civilians; route marches; Entertainment National Service Association (ENSA) concerts; voluntary services; morale. Recollections of operations as sapper with 250th Field Coy, Royal Engineers, 42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Div in France and Belgium, 5/1940: advance into Belgium; rumours; movements; collection of materials for construction of pillboxes; leave; prior recollection of Christmas celebrations, 25/12/1939; obstruction of roads by rubble; repairs to transport and buildings; German Air Force attacks and destruction of transport.
REEL 2 Continues: response to German Air Force attacks; march to coast; bivouacs; shortage of food and ammunition; situation on arrival at Bray-Dunes, 5/1940; occupation of empty houses; dispersal of unit; construction of jetty; rescue of soldiers from sea; German Air Force attacks; orders to evacuate; difficulty in obtaining food; question of control of embarkation; use of small boats; question of anti-aircraft defences; German Air Force attack during crossing of English Channel; reception at Dover, GB; train journey; reconstitution of unit; recovery from effects of campaign; leave.