Description
Object description
British private served with 1st Bn Essex Regt in GB, Palestine and Egypt, 1934-1940; served with 1st Bn Essex Regt, 10th Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div in Sudan and Eritrea, 1940-1941
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of enlistment and training with Essex Regt in GB, 1933-1934: background to enlistment; choice of regiment; induction; training; reasons for initial disciplinary problems; family reaction to his joining army. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn Essex Regt in GB, 1934-1938: posting to battalion at Pembroke Dock; adjusting to army life; role as cook to the officer's mess; move to Catterick Camp; reaction to orders for overseas service in Palestine. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn Essex Regt in Palestine, 1938-1939: voyage to Palestine; attitude towards service in Palestine; relations with Jews and Arabs; dealing with riots and banditry; incident with bandit on Christmas Eve, 24/12/1938; insurgent attacks on pipeline; internment compound at Mount Tabor. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn Essex Regt in Egypt, 1939-1940: prior recollection of policing duties during Saarbrucken Plebiscite in Germany, 1/1935 and expectation of coming war; question of Italian threat; duties in Egypt.
REEL 2 Continues: unit preparations on Italian entry into war, 6/1940; activities during expedition to Iraq and move to Tobruk, Libya, 1941. Recollections of operations as private with 1st Bn Essex Regt, 10th Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div in Sudan, 1940-1941: journey to River Atbara; life in positions on River Atbara; duties as cook in sergeant's mess; news of Italian entry into war, 6/1940; Italian Air Force raid; advance to Gallabat; patrol in Elephant Grass; drink bought from despatch rider; Italian incendiary raid; nature of patrolling including range of vision; attack on fort at Gallabat.
REEL 3 Continues: sight of Royal Air Force aircraft being shot down; delivery of rations to fort at Gallabat; use of petrol strove for cooking; losses during attack on fort; importance of water; state of morale in fort; construction of fort; preparations for breakfast; approach to fort; panic caused by suspected Italian gas attack; battalion advance on foot; reasons for rationing of water; battalion relieved by 2nd Bn West Yorkshire Regt (Prince of Wales's); Italian prisoners of war. Aspects of operations as private with 1st Bn Essex Regt, 10th Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div in Eritrea, 1941: rate of movement during advance; overnight stops; strafing by Italian Air Force fighters; digging in; effect of terrain on transport; impressions of civilians and troops; the road to Addis Ababa; contracting malaria and sickness in battalion.
REEL 4 Continues: withdrawal; adjustment to active service conditions; absorption of men from 2nd Battalion; effect on morale of suicide at Gallabat, Sudan; state of battalion morale; degree of awareness of war situation; mail; lessons learnt from campaign; importance of cold tea.