Description
Object description
British officer served with 2nd Bn West Yorkshire Regt (Prince of Wales's Own), 9th Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div in Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea, 1940-1941
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of period as officer with 2nd Bn West Yorkshire Regt (Prince of Wales's Own) in Sudan, 1940: background to joining West Yorkshire Regt (Prince of Wales's Own), 1/1940; journey to Sudan; impressions of Egypt and Sudan; pre-war Officer Training Corps training and expectations; reception on joining battalion at Khartoum; shortage of subalterns and reliance on experienced NCOs; strength of battalion and absorption of reservists; adjusting to platoon; effects of Italian declaration of war, 6/1940; attending intelligence course in Cairo, Egypt; establishment of outposts around Khartoum; lifestyle in Khartoum; policing the brothel quarter in Khartoum. Recollections of operations as officer with 2nd Bn West Yorkshire Regt, 9th Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div in Sudan, 1940-1941: move to Gedaref; relations with Sudanese.
REEL 2 Continues: preparations of defences at Gedaref; weapons training; daily routine and rations; contact with shot down crew of Italian Air Force reconnaissance aircraft; return to Khartoum; working hours; joining 5th Indian Infantry Div; detachment to outpost on River Atbara; a false alarm; 40 mile route march; fate of Private Kirby; maintenance of discipline; relationship with senior officers; roads and terrain on River Atbara; patrolling forward of positions.
REEL 3 Continues: resupply; technique of route marching; relations with Indian troops; range work; journey to Gallabat; nature of positions at Gallabat; plan to counter-attack; standing and night patrols; Italian preparations for withdrawal; probing Italian positions with Reconnaissance Platoon and being fired on; troops' behaviour under fire; withdrawal from contact with Italian post; Italian air and artillery activity; artillery support; plan for mobile column to pursue retreating Italian forces.
REEL 4 Continues: plans to ambush Italian troops in retreat; advance and withdrawal. Aspects of operations as officer with 2nd Bn West Yorkshire Regt (Prince of Wales's Own), 9th Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div in Ethiopia and Eritrea, 1941: terrain near Metemma, Ethiopia; planning conference; composition of mobile column; Italian withdrawal; close pursuit prevented by presence of mines; clearing of mines; conditions of Italian camps; Italian Air Force attack on column; ambush on road to Gondar, Ethiopia; wounding by shell fragment; medical evacuation to Gallabat, Sudan; medical treatment in Gedaref, Sudan; recovery; aims of pursuit into Eritrea.
REEL 5 Continues: nature of Italian ambush position; duration of ambush; character of Italian Eritrean prisoners of war; attending signal course after wounding; battalion signalling; conditions of battalion on his re-joining after campaign; relations with Italian civilians in Asmara, Eritrea after end of campaign; lessons learnt from campaign.