Description
Object description
British air mechanic served on telephone exchange at Headquarters, 9th Wing, RFC\RAF on Western Front, 1917-1918
Content description
REEL 1 Background in North Shields, 1897-1916: family history; living conditions; work as shop errand boy; attending night classes; work for Post Office, ca 1911-1916, including military style drill as telegraph boy, pay, winning prize for smartness, training as apprentice telephone engineer supplemented by night classes due to poor standards of knowledge displayed by existing staff, passing City and Guilds examinations, work repairing telephones, post war career and use of ex-servicemen in Post Office; issue of special arm band under Derby Scheme and delay in conscription due to restricted occupation, 1916; effects of war on work as telephone engineer; effects of Zeppelin raids; air raid precautions.
REEL 2 Continues: newspaper reports of air raids; food rationing and question of black market; reactions to conscription under Derby Scheme as 2nd Class Air Mechanic with Royal Flying Corps, 12/1916-1/1917. Aspects of initial training at Farnborough and Halton, 12/1916-2/1917: kitting out; introduction to army discipline; reputation of RFC and awareness of conditions on Western Front; drill; route marches and effects of speed set by front right hand man; recreations; hut accommodation. Recollections of conditions of service and lifestyle as telephone switchboard operator with Headquarters, 9th Wing, RFC, 2/1917-12/1918: journey out to Fienvillers, France; reaction to posting; role of 9th Wing in countering Richtofen's 'Flying Circus'.
REEL 3 Continues: use of Fienvillers Chateau as HQ, 2/1917-5/1917; separation of headquarters from squadron bases; switchboard duties in signal office and recording of daily squadron reports for collation at HQ; signallers' switchboard rota system; responsibility of Royal Engineers for maintenance of telephone lines; daily routine; introduction of Fullerphone system; recreations; sleeping arrangements and 'winning' materials for bed from stores; makeshift heating in signal office; sympathetic reaction to kleptomaniac; food rations; smoking habits; water supply.
REEL 4 Continues: water supply; relationship with French civilians; latrines; washing facilities; lice problem; question of rat problem; question of latrine discipline; question of VD problem; reactions to activities of homosexual French interpreter; relationship with French civilians; recreations; parcels and letter contact with GB; period of leave in GB, 12/1917, including question of civilian fears for servicemen relatives, journey back to GB.
REEL 5 Continues: period of leave in GB, 12/1917, including journey back to GB; movement of 9th Wing to 'trouble spots' along front; advantage of young pilots; arrival of new pilots; composition of 56 Sqdn and reactions to receiving reports that Albert Ball was missing, 7/5/1917; role completing forms recording pilots combat reports; movements; period at Boisingham, 5/1917-2/1918; failure of message sent by Fullerphone to reach squadron on escort duty and consequences; preparing makeshift weather reports; second hand reports of night flights to drop agents over line; view of infantry after forced march; transport arrangements; evacuation of headquarters by lorry and lack of communications during retreat, ca 3/1918-4/1918; establishment of headquarters at Hesdin Chateau.
REEL 6 Continues: relationship with French civilians at Hesdin; headquarters at Hesdin Chateau; relationship and between ORs, NCOs and officers; second hand stories from squadrons; hobby making souvenirs from battlefield debris; opinion of Trenchard; question of religious observance; work of photographic unit and its intelligence value; security problems caused by induction on telephone lines; wireless operators and equipment.
REEL 7 Continues: question of use of Fullerphone; common Post Office background of signallers; methods of using telephone exchange; news of negotiations with Germany, 13/10/1918; nature of duties; reads official notification of Armistice Day, 11/11/1918;. Recollections of leave in GB, 12/1918: journey back; background to successful application for early demobilisation due to mutiny amongst returning leave troops in Folkestone, 9/1/1919, demobilisation, 2/1918. Post-war career: return to Post Office; question of effect of war service.