Description
Object description
British NCO serves as machine gunner with 9th Bn Royal Fusiliers in GB and on Western Front, 1914-1918
Content description
REEL 1: Background in Bristol and Hayes, 1893-1914: education and religion; story of losing fruit picking job; work at wallpaper factory, 1907; work at British Electric, 1907-1914; Boy Scouts activities; father's military service; story of dissuasion by parents from attempt to join Royal Navy, 1909; football activities; effects of arrival of gramophone factory in Hayes.
REEL 2 Continues: effects of arrival of gramophone factory in Hayes; reaction to outbreak of war, 4/8/1914. Background to recruitment to D Coy 9th Bn Royal Fusiliers at Hounslow Barracks, 9/1914: reaction to outbreak of war, 4/8/1914: mother's reaction; reasons; preconceptions of nature of war; story of German's attempt to join British Army; reactions of family and friends; drill. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and training during periods at Colchester Barracks, Shorncliffe Camp and Aldershot, 9/1914-5/1915: refusal of promotion to lance corporal; opinion of sergeant major; fatigues; food rations; reaction to discipline; lectures on role of officers and regimental history.
REEL 3 Continues: question of pride in unit and relationship with other units; veterans' stories of Western Front; route marches; rifle training, question of relevance of bayonet training; tactical training; question of relevance of training; move to Folkestone, 11/1914; tents; hotel billets; move to Aldershot, 2/1915; weight of kit; acting as baggage guard during march; gambling on cards; swimming; football activities.
REEL 4 Continues: concert parties; visits to Aldershot; Vickers machine gun training including volunteering, role of team members and firing techniques; Webley revolver training; relationship with other ranks, NCOs and officers; cross country run; story of death of officer in France; inspection by George V; leave; replacement of colonel prior to overseas posting. Journey out to Armentieres, France, 5/1915: difficulties unloading horses at Le Havre.
REEL 5 Continues: visit to coffee shop; train journey; extra weight of blanket; inspection by Kitchener; route march; relationship with US volunteer James Hall and recites his 9th Royal Fusiliers song. Aspects of period in Armentieres sector, 5/1915-9/1915: situation; German shellfire behind lines; first period in front line attached to regular unit. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine in Loos, Vermelles and Hulloch sectors, Bethune area, 10/1915-5/1916, and generally on Western Front, 1915-1918: problem with delousing powder; nature of trenches; dugouts; use of Vickers machine gun; ration parties; food rations.
REEL 6 Continues: food rations; cooking arrangements and story of close escape from German sniper whilst foraging for wood; food rations; water supply; stories of rum ration; question of replacement of equipment and uniform; latrines; shaving; food rations; problems with lice, rats and flies; story of soldier's pet mouse; corpses.
REEL 7 Continues: effects of wet and cold weather; state of health; stand to; personal management of meals and question of using emergency rations; daytime duties; conversations; story of accidentally destroying pole used by carrying parties; sentry duties; German trench mortars; use of fixed rifles; working parties assisting in mining operations in Arras area, 1917; working and carrying parties; question of patrols and raids; British and German shellfire.
REEL 8 Continues: close escape from German shell and resulting casualties; story of soldier stealing platoon's rations; question of stealing from corpses; stories of close escapes from German shells; German sniping; question of targets for Vickers machine gun; hand grenades; German gas shells; personal morale; cases of shell shock; question of self inflicted wounds; story of German POW; attitude to German troops; situation; German indirect machine gun fire.
REEL 9 Continues: situation on moving into front line; use of Vickers machine gun; wet conditions; dugouts; rat problem; trench raids; Christmas celebrations; German mine explosion and supporting trench mortar bombardment, 3/1916; relationship with 11th Bn Middlesex Regt. Aspects of operations in Somme area, 7/1916-11/1916: prior preparatory training on mock battleground; initial reserve role; question of formation of machine gun company; relationship with Lieutenant Van Someran and story of him firing Vickers machine gun at German machine gun; inspection by George V; situation on moving into line at Ovillers, 3/7/1916.
REEL 10 Continues: German gas shell bombardment; story of close escape from shell fire whilst carrying stretcher; attack on Ovillers, 7/7/1916, including personal morale, removal of Vickers machine gun team from attack troops and state of unit on return; story of underage soldier; role of Vickers machine gun team; status as machine gunners; relationship with NCOs and officers; situation; view of aerial warfare. Recollections of Battle of Arras, 4/1917: preparatory working parties; efforts to supplement food rations; working parties assisting in mining operations; story of accompanying officer in identifying possible Vickers machine gun positions; success of attack, 9/4/1917.
REEL 11 Continues: accompanying battalion headquarters during advance; situation; snow; detonation of German mines beneath their own front lines; movements; personal morale; nature of German dugouts; rest periods; stealing to supplement food rations; dangers from charcoal fumes. Recollections of Battle of Cambrai, 11/1917: attack following tank; isolated Vickers machine gun position; story of role in repelling German counter-attack and question of abandonment by rest of team; further German counter-attack and falling back to new position; close escape from German sniper; situation; relief by Gloucestershire Regt.
REEL 12 Continues: congratulations on performance during German counter-attack; machine gun position in relation to unit; subsequent relationship with rest of machine gun team; story of stretcher bearer awarded DCM and his subsequent loss of nerve; attitude to role as machine gunner and effects of fire. Recollections of German offensive in Somme area, 3/1918: switch to Lewis gun; firing on advancing German troops; orders to shoot troops from Norfolk Regt if they retreated; abandonment by rest of team; withdrawal; promotion to lance corporal. Recollections of operations in Somme area, 10/1918-11/1918: acting as Colonel Van Someran's orderly/runner; story of capture of group of German POWs; difficulty in persuading troops from C Coy to advance; duties as runner; subsequent award of Military Medal story of reconnaissance patrol with Van Someran, 10/1918.
REEL 13 Continues: story of reconnaissance patrol with Van Someran in No Man's Land, 10/1918; stories of guiding battalion and ration party into line; promotion to corporal; role as battalion gas NCO and gas precautions; effects of drinking water polluted by mustard gas. Periods in Rouen hospital and Trouville convalescent camp, 10/1918-11/1918: question of medical treatment; story of group of soldiers refusal to obey order; working parties; return to unit. Reaction to news of Armistice, 11/11/1918. Recollections of attack, 5/1917: prior period in detached machine gun post and German shellfire.
REEL 14 Continues: consolidation of positions; stopping attempted retirement; story of German sniper shot attempting to surrender; officer casualties. Visit from Prince of Wales during period salvaging battlefield equipment, 1918. Demobilisation whilst on leave, 1919. Post-war career: recruitment to Army Reserve, 1922-1925; return to work at British Electric; trade union membership; question of effects of war service.