Burnett, Alexander (Oral history)

British NCO served with 4th Bn Royal Scots Fusiliers in GB, Gallipoli, Egypt, Palestine and on Western Front, 1914-1918

REEL 1: Background in Kilmarnock, Scotland, 1897-1914. Recruitment and training with H, later A Coy, 4th Bn Royal Scots Fusiliers, 1/1914-8/1914. Mobilisation on outbreak of war and initial period at Kilmarnock, 8/1914-9/1914: conditions of service; underage status; parents' reaction; ignorance of nature of war; relationship with other ranks; lifestyle; soldier's success in marksmanship competition. Recollections of period at Stirling, 9/1914-5/1915: conditions of service; drill and route marches; relationship with civilian population; rifle and tactical training. REEL 2 Continues: question of adequacy of training; relationship with officers and NCOs. Recollections of voyage out on Mauritania to Mudros, Lemnos, Greece, 5/1915: suicide of provost sergeant; embarkation leave; send off; conditions; guarding purser's office; false U-Boat alarms due to Phosphorescence and question of U-Boat threat; period in Mudros harbour. Recollections of landing from HMS Viper at W Beach, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey, 6/6/1915: ignorance of destination and effects of shrapnel; move inland. REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine in front line between Krithia Nullah and Kereves Dere, 6/1915-1/1916: corpses; sniped officer; initially confused situation, 6/1915; use of periscopes; mining operations; food rations; night sentry duty; promotion to lance corporal following severe casualties during failed attack across No Man's Land between Achi Baba Nullah and Kereves Dere, 12/7/1915; rest period, 7/1915. REEL 4 Continues: question of reinforcements; concert parties; nature of trenches; problems with signal wires in communication trenches; food rations; latrines; rubbish disposal; fly and lice problems; corpses; hot weather; dysentery attack and temporary loss of sight; constipation; jaundice attack; role as lance corporal in charge of section and relationship with other ranks; sentry rota. REEL 5 Continues: letter and parcel contact with GB; shellfire; story of British shells dropping short; sniping; hand grenades; story of soldier attempting to mislead doctor; receiving slight wound from hand grenade; making jam tin hand grenades; accidents when using cricket ball hand grenades with catapult launcher and award of VC to Private David Lauder; Indian and French troops; special friends; conditions during rest periods including continuation of shell fire threat, dugouts, ration parties, playing cards and visits to Greek canteen; effects of cold weather conditions; view of preparations for evacuation; evacuation with No 13 party from V Beach, 8/1/1916. REEL 6 Continues: Period at Lemnos, 1/1916. Recreations during period at Abbassia Barracks, Cairo, Egypt, 1/1916-2/1916. Various aspects of operations in Sinai and Palestine, 3/1916-4/1918. Voyage to Marseilles, France, 4/1918: U-Boat threat; bad weather. Aspects of operations on Western Front, 5/1918-11/1918: story of relieving 4th Bn Royal Fusiliers; attacks to straighten line in Tank Trench sector for which Burnett was awarded DCM at Riencourt-les-Cagnicont, Arras area, 1/9/1918; comparison of Gallipoli and Western Front conditions; effects of mustard gas. REEL 7 Continues: effects of mustard gas. Various aspects of period in Sinai and Palestine, 1916-1918: first impressions; orange groves; date trees; water supply and guards placed over water.