Johnson, Reginald Hilary Joseph (Oral history)

British private served with 1/4th Bn Norfolk Regt in GB and at Gallipoli, 1914-1915; served with 6th Bn Tank Corps on Western Front, 1917-1918

REEL 1: Recollections of background in Norwich, 1894-1914: education; work in family wholesale business; postwar work as insurance agent and commercial traveller. Recruitment to C Coy, 1/4 Bn Norfolk Regt at Norwich Drill Hall, 11/1914. Recollections of periods at Mile End Asylum, Colchester, Bury St Edmunds and Watford, 11/1914-7/1915: conditions of service; training including drill and bayonet drill; relationship with officers, NCOs and other ranks; dental treatment; billets at Watford. REEL 2 Continues: story of turning out guard using ventriloquism. Recollection of voyage on Aquitania to Mudros, Lemnos, Greece, 31/7/1915-6/8/1915: conditions; ignorance of destination. Recollections of landing and initial period at Suvla, Gallipoli, Turkey, 11/8/1915: situation; advance in extended order to establish positions north of Sulajik, 12/8/1915; confused situation; shortage of food and water rations; sniping; development of quite sector conditions. REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine in Kiretch Tepe sector and at Suvla, 8/1915-11/1915: situation; dugout; story of being shelled whilst crossing open space to visit Anzac canteen; food rations; fly and lice problems; water supply brought up by mules from dump; sketch book diary; letter contact with GB; attack of dysentery, reporting sick and evacuation to Lemnos, 11/1915; reaction to leaving Gallipoli; importance of religion. Evacuation on Aquitania to GB, 11/1915. REEL 4 Continues: Evacuation on Aquitania to GB, 11/1915. Recollections of period in Selly Oak School Hospital, Birmingham, 1915-1916: surprise at female bus conductor; practical jokes on nurses; visitors. Periods at Thorpe Norfolk War Hospital and Sherringham Convalescent Camp, 1916: conjuring tricks; brother's comedy act. Posting to 1/4th Bn Headquarters at Wendover, 1916. Background to volunteering to join Heavy Branch Machine Gun Company, 12/1916: dislike of home service officer commanding unit; ignorance of nature of Heavy Branch Machine Gun Corps. Recollections of training on Mark IV tanks at Bovington Tank Training School, 1916-1917: method of starting tank engines; degree of knowledge of tanks; duties of tank crew members. REEL 5 Continues: training in all functions of tank crew; machine gun and six pounder training; driving and gear changing training; role of tank commander; tank obstacles; conditions in tank; question of communicating with aircraft; method of crossing trenches; methods of unditching tanks using spuds and beams; question of co-operating with infantry; greasing moving parts. Recollections of period as Mark IV and Whippet gunner with F Bn (later 6th Bn) Heavy Branch Machine Gun Corps, Tank Corps on Western Front, 1917-1918: story of tracks and six pounder being entangled in barbed wire in Arras area; view using tank periscope. REEL 6 Continues: view using tank periscope; tactics in action; relationship with infantry; effects of shell and small arms fire on tanks; ground conditions; knocked out tanks; personal morale; crew member's nervous breakdown; pulling sledge with refill petrol supplies; method of driving Whippet; review of events, 1918; opinion of Whippet; conjuring act for concert parties; playing in band and story of accompanying silent film shows; relationship with French civilians; estaminet visits; cleaning tank tracks; necessity of camouflaging tanks; explosion of railway ammunition trucks; method of camouflage. REEL 7 Continues: situation, 10/1918; Armistice celebrations using Verey lights at Quivey, 11/11/1918. Demobilisation, 4/1919. Period of unemployment prior to working as insurance agent.