Description
Object description
British civilian conscientious objector in GB, 9/1939-1/1941; private served with Non-Combatant Corps in GB, 1941; sapper served with 19th Bomb Disposal Coy, Royal Engineers in GB, 1941-1943; parachute medical orderly served with 224th Parachute Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, 6th Airborne Div in GB and Normandy, 1943-1944; prisoner of war and medical orderly in Rennes Military Hospital, Rennes, France, 7/1944-8/1944; served with 224th Parachute Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, 6th Airborne Div in North West Europe and Palestine, 1944-1946
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Stoke Newington, London, GB, 1916-1939: family; education; development of social awareness; attitude to activities with school Officer Training Corps; religious beliefs and connections with Baptist Church; awareness of anti-war movement during 1930s; effect of the Spanish Civil War on political stance; attitude to the British Union of Fascists; description of Donald Soper's weekly meetings on Tower Hill; main influences on anti-war stance; story of signing the Peace Pledge and joining the Peace Pledge Union; activities with Peace Pledge Union, including selling 'Peace News'; comparison of anti-war movement in the 1930s and current Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND); question of being open to different ideas and beliefs.
REEL 2 Continues: humanitarian basis of pacifist beliefs; influence of Mahatma Gandhi; nature of own 'activist' pacifism; membership of Independent Labour Party; opinion of politician Jimmy Maxton; activities with anti-war movement; employment as office boy; activities with local Peace Pledge Union; importance of public meetings during 1930s; reasons for considering joining the British Union of Fascists; description of British Union of Fascists meetings and level of support in East End of London; reaction to events in Europe during 1930s; attitude to effectiveness of civil disobedience.
REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period as conscientious objector in GB, 9/1939-1/1941: reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; employment with tyre manufacturer in Dorking; attitude of work colleagues to pacifist beliefs; comparison of treatment of conscientious objectors in First and Second World Wars; registering as a conscientious objector; attitude to preparing for Tribunal; reaction of family and friends to stance as conscientious objector; attending Tribunal in Reading, 3/1940; nature of case for exemption; attitude to verdict of Tribunal and possible imprisonment; resigning from employment and move to London.
REEL 4 Continues: attending Appeal Tribunal; reaction to verdict and classification as non-combatant status; attitude to contributing to war effort; question of understanding own motives. Aspects of period as private with Non-Combatant Corps in GB, 1941: attitude to being in Non-Combatant Corps; opinion of military life and discipline; daily routine and duties at Bulford Camp; importance of support from other conscientious objectors; method of recruitment into Pioneer Corps; attitude of regular soldiers and civilians to conscientious objectors; relations with other conscientious objectors; opinion of Army Bureau of Current Affairs; contacts with anti-war movement during Second World War.
REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of period as sapper with 19th Bomb Disposal Coy, Royal Engineers in Bedford, GB, 1941-1943: reasons for volunteering for bomb disposal, summer 1941; attitude to danger of work; nature of training and other duties; nature of bomb disposal work in Bedford area; question of compromising pacifist beliefs; story of being put on a charge; relations between conscientious objectors and Royal Engineers; attitude of media to conscientious objectors; story of football match between conscientious objectors and Royal Engineers, 1943; opinion of self-image as conscientious objector; attitude to being called a 'conchie'; accommodation in Bedford; interest in classical music; attitude to bomb disposal work with the Royal Engineers; story of conscientious objectors being encouraged to join the Royal Army Medical Corps as parachute medical orderlies.
REEL 6 Continues: Recollections of period as parachute medical orderly with 224th Parachute Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, 6th Airborne Div in GB, 1943-1944: reasons for volunteering to join the Parachute Field Ambulance, autumn 1943; basic training at Airborne Forces Regimental Depot, Hardwick Hall; reason for conscientious objector component in Parachute Field Ambulance units; parachute training at No 1 Parachute Training School, RAF at RAF Ringway; attitude to danger; attending parachute packing course; medical training and parachute drops with medical supplies; opinion of training and selection process; organisation of 224th Parachute Field Ambulance; attitude to serving with military unit; story of conscientious objectors refusing to be armed; question of conscientious objectors not being treated differently to combatants.
REEL 7 Continues: relations between officers and men in 6th Airborne Div and 224th Parachute Field Ambulance; role of Army Bureau of Current Affairs; training at Broadwell Camp for Operation Tonga, the airborne landings in Normandy, France; secrecy and censorship regulations; use of models of drop zone and maps; opinion of planning and preparations; briefings; special training for night drop; opinion of Royal Air Force air crews; reaction to postponement of D-Day, 4/6/1944-5/6/1944. Recollections of operations as parachute medical orderly with 224th Parachute Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, 6th Airborne Div in Normandy, France, 6/1944: nature of combined air and sea landings; description of clothing and medical equipment carried; night flight aboard Doulas Dakota to Normandy, night, 5/6/1944-6/6/1944; awareness of historic importance of D-Day and danger of mission; attitude to participating in major military operation as conscientious objector.
REEL 8 Continues: approach to coast and parachute drop, Normandy, D-Day, 6/6/1944; problem of missing drop zone; movements and rendezvous with other members of unit; receiving friendly reception at local French farmhouse; problem of confusion and achieving objectives; moved to Varaville; duties as stretcher-bearer and medical orderly; capture by German Army troops whilst bringing in a casualty; attitude of German forces towards Red Cross symbol; impartial treatment of German and civilian casualties; attitude towards Germans; description of medical centre at Le Mesnil; unit casualties and successful capture of main objective. Recollections of period as prisoner of war and medical orderly in Rennes Military Hospital, Rennes, France, 7/1944-8/1944: second capture by German Army troops whilst bringing in a casualty; instance of contravening order not to carry armed men on Red Cross vehicles.
REEL 9 Continues: attitude of Germans towards Allied invasion and Soviet Union; journey in German Army staff car to medical facilities at Bagnoles-de-L'Orne; nature of medical duties; problem of working with German forces; journey to prisoner of Rennes Military Hospital; description of hospital, patients and French medical team; French nurses smuggling in food for prisoners of war; opinion of security and guards; roll calls; discipline in hospital; problem of shortage of medical supplies.
REEL 10 Continues: opinion of role of Dr Eugène Marquis and French staff in hospital; problem of professional jealousies; opinion of French nurses; description of patients and hospital routine; misuse of bidets by British prisoners of war; nature of military activity in Rennes area; attitude of local civilians to Allied air raids; liberation of hospital by United States Army troops, 1944; liberation celebrations in Rennes; transfer of patients from prisoner of war hospital to tented United States Army Medical Corps hospital; story of repatriation; attitude towards work in Rennes Military Hospital; reaction to death of friends. Aspects of operations as medical orderly with 224th Parachute Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, 6th Airborne Div in the Ardennes, Belgium, 12/1944-1/1945: experiences and reason for withdrawal of unit to GB, 1/1945.
REEL 11 Continues: Aspects of period as parachute medical orderly with 224th Parachute Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps in GB, 1/1945-3/1945: training and preparations for Operation Varsity, the airborne drop over River Rhine, Germany; opinion of training and comparison with Operation Tonga; briefings; description of airborne forces and gliders; public speculation about possible landings; opinion of Operation Market Garden; airborne forces formation; morale. Aspects of operations as medical orderly with 224th Parachute Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, 6th Airborne Div in Germany, 3/1945-5/1945: parachute drop into wooded area during Operation Varsity; problem of men being caught in trees; nature of German resistance; casualties; story of conscientious objector Private Paul Lenton being awarded Military Medal for rescuing wounded under fire; nature of gliders landing and crashes; plasma and blood supplies; evacuation of serious casualties to rear; advancing from River Rhine over North German Plain; nature of German resistance; sight of refugees and prisoner of war; ruined nature of Minden.
REEL 12 Continues: meeting with Soviet Army on the River Elbe; relations with Soviet military personnel; concerts being arranged for British Army troops; attitude of Germans towards Soviets; story of incident involving British Army officer; opinion of effects of war on human behaviour; description of VE Day celebrations, 8/5/1945; reason for 6th Airborne Div being rapidly withdrawn to GB. Aspects of period as parachute medical orderly with 224th Parachute Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, 6th Airborne Div in GB, 5/1945-8/1945: conducting jungle training for intended deployment to Singapore, Malaya; reaction to dropping of atomic bombs on Japan, 8/1945; reason for refusing to carry weapon; further comments on German attitude to Red Cross symbol. Aspects of operations as medical orderly with 224th Parachute Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, 6th Airborne Div in Palestine, 1945-1946: role in policing duties; political situation in Palestine; story of group of 224th Parachute Field Ambulance veterans writing book about experiences entitled 'Red Cross Devils'.
REEL 13 Continues: Reflections on period as conscientious objector and military service: reaction to Private Paul Lenton's accepting Military Medal; reason for not applying for service medals; attitude to treatment of conscientious objectors during war; opinion of role of conscientious objectors in Parachute Field Ambulance units; question of change in public attitude towards conscientious objectors; opinion of media coverage of Parachute Field Ambulance units during Normandy Campaign; attitude to patriotism; importance of group support during war; relations with other conscientious objectors.
REEL 14 Continues: question of social class and pacifism; psychological and physical effects of wartime experiences; nature of duties with No 19 Bomb Disposal Coy, Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal and 224th Parachute Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps; attitude to term pacifist; effect of learning about concentration camps on anti-war stance; attitude to use of terrorism and violence to achieve political aims.
REEL 15 Continues: opinion of Jewish/Arab conflict whilst serving in Palestine, 1945-1946; attitude to post-war improvements and Labour Party victory in General Election, 7/1945; question of social reforms resulting from war; opinion of unsympathetic feelings towards Germany after defeat; attitude of British Army towards Soviets; comparison of treatment of conscientious objectors and German Jewish refugees by British Government; opinion of Tribunal system for conscientious objectors; reason for entering the teaching profession; activities with current peace movement; opinion of Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
