Description
Object description
British private served with 10th Bn Devonshire Regt on Western Front and in Salonika, Greece, 1915-1919
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of operations with 10th Bn Devonshire Regt in Salonika, Greece, 1915-1919: story of being frozen stiff; description of landscape; growing vegetables and nickname of 'gardeners of Salonika'; various memories of civilian employment as coal miner; story of leave in Salonika; opinion of rations.
REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of civilian life and employment as coal miner.
REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of training with 10th Bn Devonshire Regt in GB: story of enlistment with Somerset Light Infantry, 8/1914; formed into platoons; transferred to 10th Bn Devonshire Regt; description of tented camp; weather conditions; reason for volunteering; memory of recruiting meeting; basic training; posted to France, 9/1915; description of voyage to France. Aspects of operations with 10th Bn Devonshire Regt on Western Front, 1915: posted to Amiens area; moved into line at Cappy. Somme area; story of delivering rations; problem of rats; in reserve during Battle of Loos, 1915; posted to Marseilles; description of voyage to Salonika, Greece, 1915. Aspects of operations with 10th Bn Devonshire Regt in Salonika, Greece, 1915-1919: disembarkation; conditions in tented camp; problem of lice; daily routine and duties in Lake Dorian area; terrain; casualties; description of attack on Bulgarian positions with Dorset Yeomanry; story of decapitated horse and receiving news of war ending; description of journey to GB and home leave; story of soldier shot for not having rifle and problem of losing own rifle.
REEL 4 Continues: problem of contracting malaria and medical treatment in Malta, 1916; memory of finding boxes of German helmets; description of Field Punishment No 1; story of soldier with shell shock; reported to Raglan Barracks, Devonport, GB and demobilisation, 1919; back pay; medals; gratuity pay for five years service; attitude to receiving walking stick as present from villagers of East Harptree, Somerset; memories of period of operations with 10th Bn Devonshire Regt in Russia, 1919; comradeship; story of death of friend; memories of period in hospital in Malta, 1916; story of having teeth extracted.