Description
Object description
British officer served with Ammunition Column, 1st Siege Bty, Royal Garrison Artillery in GB and on Western Front, 9/1914-2/1915; served with 2nd and 59th Siege Btys, Royal Garrison Artillery on Western Front, 2/1915-11/1915; served as adjutant with Royal Garrison Artillery Training Depot, Cooden Camp, Bexhill-on-Sea, GB, 12/1915-8/1916; commanded 135th Siege Bty, Royal Garrison Artillery on Western Front, 1/1917-11/1918; commanded 9th Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery, Changi Fire Command in Singapore, Malaya, 1941-1942; prisoner of war in Changi and River Vallery Road Camps, Singapore, Malaya, 2/1942-8/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Portsmouth, 1893-1912: family; education; training with Officer Training Corps at Eastbourne College. Aspects of enlistment and training as officer cadet with Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, GB, 1913-1914: enlistment in Royal Artillery, 1/1913; description of training at Royal Military Academy, Woolwich; commissioning into Royal Garrison Artillery, 7/1914. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Garrison Artillery in GB, 1914: role of Royal Garrison Artillery battery at Picklecombe Fort, Plymouth; outbreak of First World War, 4/8/1914; battery's role as examination battery for civilian ships approaching Plymouth, 1914. Recollections of period as officer with Ammunition Column, 1st Siege Bty, Royal Garrison Artillery in GB and on Western Front, 9/1914-2/1915: posting to Ammunition Column on joining battery, 9/1914; composition and function of siege battery and ammunition column; question of training; preparations for service in France including provision of saddlery, horses and water carts; question of number of siege batteries; journey from GB to France; location of 1st Siege Bde at Soissons, France.
REEL 2 Continues: daily routine and duties of Ammunition Column; move to Armentieres, France; role in charge of wagons; problem of obtaining coal for steam wagons. Recollections of operations as officer with 2nd and 59th Siege Btys, Royal Garrison Artillery on Western Front, 2/1915-11/1915: posting to 2nd Siege Bty and preparations for Battle of Neuve Chappelle, 3/1915; manning observation post at Port Arthur, Neuve Chappelle, France; description of signals and communications systems; location of 2nd Siege Bty; description of opening artillery bombardment; method of cutting wire with different types of shell; protection of observation post; sight of British Army troops advancing into Neuve Chappelle along La Bassée road, France and nature of Imperial German Army opposition.
REEL 3 Continues: Scottish troops killed by Imperial German Army at Neuve Chappelle, France; posting to 59th Siege Battery; battery's role at Aubers Ridge, France during Battle of Festhubert, 5/1915; casualties and death of friends; opinion of staff arrangements and organisation; duties in observation post during Battle of Loos, 9/1915; role of 59th Siege Bty in bombardment; slight wounding after a tea party; nature of wounds.
REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period as adjutant as Royal Garrison Artillery Training Depot, Cooden Camp, Bexhill-on-Sea, GB, 12/1915-8/1916: role as adjutant at training depot' training new recruits and formation of siege batteries; question of discipline and punishment. Recollections of operations as battery commander with 135th Siege Bty, Royal Garrison Artillery on Western Front, 1/1917-11/1918: joining as commander of siege battery at Combles, France; composition of battery; attack on and capture of high ground at Bouchavesnes-Bergen, Somme, France, 1/1917; operations around Bouchavesnes-Bergen, Rancourt, Moislains and Combles, Somme, France.
REEL 5 Continues: further details of operations in area around Moislains, France; problem of bad weather affecting accuracy of firing; battery role during Battle of Arras, 4/1917; movement and relocation of 135th Siege Bty into Arras, France; exposed observation post; battery movements during Battle of Arras; casualties; question of air reconnaissance; problem of mustard gas and effects of gas on gun crews; story of battery holding position at southern end of Vimy Ridge, France during German offensive, 3/1918; question of mechanisation of battery; problem of moving guns in bad weather; bombardment and advance from Gentelles Wood, France, summer 1918.
REEL 6 Continues: celebrating news of Armistice, 11/11/1918; return to GB, 8/1919; relations within battery and opinion of former miners; opinion of General Staff and senior commanders; opinion of rations; question of ammunition supplies; attitude to cases of shell shock; opinion of Canadian and Australian troop; question of leave and rest periods; reflections on military service; development of the siege battery and improvement in air-to-ground communications during First World War.
REEL 7 Continues: Recollections of operations commanding 9th Coast Regt, Royal Artillery, Changi Fire Command in Singapore, Malaya, 1941-1942: role in command of range-finding experimental installation on Isle of Wight, GB, 1939-1941; posting to Singapore to command 9th Coast Regt, Royal Artillery, Changi Fire Command; description of Singapore and nature of coastal defences; role of Changi Fire Command and location of coastal batteries; nature of Japanese intellgience network; question of effectiveness of coastal defences on Singapore and ability to fire guns; use of mobile field batteries to defend north of Singapore; Japanese air supremacy; Japanese invasion of Singapore; opinion of lack of resources allocated to defence of Singapore; role of coastal batteries during Japanese invasion; British and Australian opposition to Japanese and problem of lack of training.
REEL 8 Continues: opinion of Indian Army; Japanese invasion and advance into Singapore; problem of range of guns in coastal batteries; communications system; story of destroying guns and conversion of 9th Coast Regt, Royal Artillery and Changi Fire Command into infantry; description of surrender, 15/2/1942; reaction to surrender and question of morale; opinion of conduct of Japanese forces; march to Changi and memories of men singing on march.
REEL 9 Continues: Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Changi and River Valley Road Camps, Singapore, Malaya, 2/1942-8/1945: organisation of Changi Camp; accommodation; security and camp hierarchy; transfer to River Valley Road Camp, 5/1942; accommodation; sleeping arrangements; sanitary facilities; nature of clothing and footwear; barefoot running exercise organised by Japanese to prove men did not need boots; opinion of rations; amusing story of Australian prisoners of war and rice ration; problem of weight loss; catering facilities; question of pay; hospital treatment for gallstone; memories of Dr Julian Taylor.
REEL 10 Continues: conditions in Changi and River Valley Road Camps; state of mens' health; medical facilities and dental treatment; comparison of Japanese treatment of officers and other ranks; execution of three men by firing squad after escape attempt; attitude towards Japanese; Japanese separation of officers and other ranks; amusing story of Australian prisoners of war and Buddhist priests; presence of illicit wireless sets in camps; three British officers caught with wireless set and nature of punishment.
REEL 11 Continues: nature of work done by prisoners of war and question of fitness of men to work; question of sabotage while working; opinion of Australians; social and sporting activities; question of celebrating Christmas; opinion of chaplains and religious services; educational classes and lectures; Japanese indoctrination and propaganda; relations between different nationalities; comparison of Italians and Austrians; story of wearing First World War Italian medal; prior recollection of award of Distinguished Service Order in 1917; communication with home; memories of hearing of end of Second World War and of dropping of atomic bomb on Japan, 8/1945; reaction of Japanese guards to end of Second World War, 8/1945; attempt to trace wife and daughter after release and assistance received from Lord Louis and Lady Edwina Mountbatten.
REEL 12 Continues: attitude to dropping of atomic bombs on Japan, 8/1945; psychological and physical condition at end of captivity; surrender of Japanese forces, 8/1945; amusing story of butter; arrival in Colombo, Ceylon and meeting son. Reflections on service during First and Second World Wars: attitude towards Germans and Japanese; reflections on period as prisoner of war; comparison of role of artillery and infantry; opinion of Bernard Montgomery; relations between artillery and signals; story of Indian cavalry regiment damaging signal wires on Western Front during First World War.
