Description
Object description
British private served with 16th Bn, West Yorkshire Regt in GB, Egypt and Western Front, 1914-1918
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in Bradford, Yorks 1897-1914: education; work at wool mill and coal merchants; reasons for enlistment underage. Periods with C Coy, with 16th Bn, West Yorkshire Regt at Bradford, Skipton Camp, Ripon Camp and Fovant Camps, 9//1914-12/1915: conditions of service; story of officers giving wrong command given during drill; route march to Ripon Camp; rifle training; issue of tropical kit. Voyage aboard Empress of Britain to Port Said, Egypt, 12/1915: question of submarine threat; collision with French ship; conditions. Recollections of period in Suez Canal area, 12/1915-3/1916: initial camp at Port Said.
REEL 2 Continues: duties guarding canal installations; foot injury; food rations and water supply; canal traffic. Journey to Somme area, France, 3/1916: acting as boat guard during voyage aboard Mineapolis; German POWs; train journey; reactions. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine in Somme area, France, 3/1916-7/1916: nature of trenches; personal kit; food rations, water supply; story illustrating importance of rum ration.
REEL 3 Continues: personal hygiene and lice problem; quiet nature of sector prior to British offensive; view of aerial combats; sentry duty; working and carrying parties when in reserve lines; state of unit morale. Recollections of attack on Serre, 1/7/1916: prior preparations and working parties; German shell fire on move into front line, 30/6/1916; receiving wrist shrapnel wound; state of British trench; failure of attack; artillery identification tin triangles; state of trenches; evacuation as walking wounded. Medical treatment and background to evacuation to GB, 7/1916. Period in GB, ca 7/1916-12/1916: hospitalisation and convalescence.
REEL 4 Continues: question of 'Blighty' wound; medical assessment; leave; question of civilian awareness of conditions and casualties of Western Front; reactions to re-training in Cambois Camp. 12/1916; return to unit. Period on Western Front, 12/1916-5/1917: muddy conditions and nature of trenches in Hebuterne sector, Somme area; mass burial party; move to Arras area, ca 5/1917; situation; trench mortars and hand grenades; role with Lewis gun team; story of deserting post to hunt for extra rations at Hebuterne.
REEL 5 Period as orderly room clerk at Ambleteuse rest camp, ca 5/1917-9/1917: organisation of camp; recreations; return to unit and its subsequent disbandment. Various aspects of periods with Entrenching Bn and 1st Bn, West Yorkshire Regt on Western Front, 1917-1918: role preparing reserve defence lines in Bethune area; minimal contacts with French civilians; ground conditions and outpost front line in Ypres area; false alarm of German night attack in Oppy Wood; story of being blinded by German gas shells in rear areas; evacuation and recovery of sight during hospitalisation in Calais; rejoining unit; opinion of US troops; story of being wounded in head by German sniper, ca 8/1918.
REEL 6 Continues: story of being wounded in head by German sniper, ca 8/1918; evacuation to GB. Hospitalisation and convalescence in London, ca 8/1918-2/1919: question of visits from family; seriousness of wound; recreations; Armistice, 11/11/1918; state of wounds; special diet; recreations; discharge as unfit for service. Post-war career: disability pension and acceptance of lump sum; question of effects of wounds; reaction to award of medals and honourable discharge badge; story of treatment of man discharged as wounded; difficulties in securing work and reactions to consequent period of unemployment, ca 1919-1923; work as tailor and in wool trade; question of effects of war service.