Description
Object description
British sapper served with Royal Engineers in GB, 1942-1945; witness in Freedom Press sedition trial, 4/1945.
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of period in GB, 1924-1942: family background and childhood in Wanstead, Essex; education; employment; political influences; experiences with British Union of Fascists; awareness of anti-war movement during 1930s; opinion of George Lansbury; attitude towards Spanish Civil War; opinion of anarchist interpretation of history; reaction to outbreak of war, 9/1939; story of call up and drafting into Essex Regt, 1942. Recollections of period as sapper with Royal Engineers in GB, 1942-1945: attitude to army life and discipline; description of training; opinion of army training; influence of Herbert Read and Freedom Press pamphlets on developing anarchist ideas; description of Freedom Press publications; story of being only soldier in unit to subscribe to Freedom Press.
REEL 2 Continues: description of content and issues covered by War Commentary; opinion of Freedom Press journalists and editorial team; story of John Olday's desertion from the Pioneer Corps; extent of desertions during war and post-war amnesty scheme; use of own home as accommodation for deserters; opinion of John Olday's 'Bulletin for Soldiers' pamphlet; story of origins of anarchist movement; differences with Communists over attitude to role of state and war; effect of anarchist beliefs on military service; trade union activities; contacts with Glasgow anarchists; story of persuading Frank Leach not to go on hunger strike in Barlinnie Prison; opinion of Glasgow anarchists' anti-war propaganda; effect of wartime conditions on status of industrial workers; comments on the term 'movement' in relation to anarchism; description of organisation, security and subscriptions; positive effect of war on self-education; opinion of George Orwell's 'Homage to Catalonia'.
REEL 3 Continues: description of wartime publications aimed at the Armed Forces; opinion of propaganda in wartime films; reason for postings to remote areas; story of being posted to Royal Engineers maintenance company at Stromness, Orkney, Scotland, 1944; composition of maintenance company; description of duties at Army School of Hygiene, Aldershot; relations between anarchists and Independent Labour Party, Socialist Party of Great Britain and Trotskyites; attitude to influence of revolutionary ideas during war; relations between anarchists and pacifists groups; story of anarchist conscientious objectors being advised to plead exemption on moral not political grounds; story of split in Peace Pledge Union and role of John Middleton Murray; comparison of anarchist and Marxist attitudes to Hitler and Nazis; effect of Jewish persecution on some pacifists changing stance on war; reasons for liberation of European Jewry not being a British Government war aim.
REEL 4 Continues: attitude of anarchists to concept of patriotism; reason for anarchist opposition to policy of unconditional surrender; comparison of levels of bellicosity during First and Second World Wars; attitude to concept of freedom during Second World War; question of right wing extremists posing greater danger to Government than anarchists; role of Communist Party in industrial disaffection; story of Herbert Morrison banning 'The Daily Worker'; attitude to stance of Communist Party during the war; question of communist domination of National Council for Civil Liberties; relations between communists and anarchists; story of events leading up to period of military detention on Orkney; description of detention camp, inmates and living conditions; returned to military camp at Stromness; search of personal possessions and confiscation of anarchist publications; story of interview with Inspector Whitehead of Special Branch; story of letter sent to Freedom Press bookshop being censored and returned; description of arrest and trial of Freedom Press staff, 3/1945; contacts with police during military service; role of Inspector Whitehead in detaining anarchists.
REEL 5 Continues: reaction to Government's arrest of anarchists; description of Freedom Press trial at the Old Bailey, 4/1945; role as witness for the prosecution; effects of the trial; story of formation of Freedom Press Defence Committee to collect funds and support the defendants; comments on publication of George Orwell's 'Animal Farm', 1945; attitude of Orwell to anarchists; reaction to result of 1945 General Election; impact of Freedom Press trial on life; description of articles written for War Commentary during military service; story of Spanish internees in GB during war; problem of delay in demobilisation.
REEL 6 Continues: Aspects of post-war period in GB: further comments on demobilisation; story of riots in military prisons after war caused by failure to implement amnesty policy; effect of war on liberation, social class and anarchism; changing relationship between violence and anarchism; relations between feminists and anarchists; summary of career; question of experiencing discrimination due to anarchist beliefs; opinion of CND; story of death of brother-in-law Roderick Barry while working in coal mine; summary of anarchist beliefs; opinion of Margaret Thatcher.
