Description
Object description
British NCO served as signaller with 13th Bn Gloucestershire Regt in GB and on Western Front, 1915-1918.
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in St John's Wood, London, 1897-1914: family circumstances; education; pleurisy attack; work as office boy and manager with carburettor firm; sporting activities with St Mary's Institute; question of military experience; awareness of approach of war; outbreak of war, 4/8/1914; question of reserved occupation status and arranging of training of replacement worker. Background to recruitment into 13th Bn Gloucestershire Regt: reasons; initial period at Horfield Barracks, Bristol; view of ceremonial discharge of soldier. Recollections of periods at Malvern Links, Wensleydale, Hursley Down, Aldershot and Whitley, 1/1915-12/1915: kitting out; origins of recruits; latrines; food rations; story of protests and mutinous behaviour amongst C Coy following No 1 Field Punishment given to popular soldier.
REEL 2 Continues: story of protests and mutinous behaviour amongst C Coy following No 1 Field Punishment given to popular soldier; move to new camp at Wensleydale; securing enlistment of friend into unit; relationship with officers and other ranks; basic training; entrenching tool; gas mask; signal training including battalion call sign, Morse code and equipment; adequacy of training; pride in unit and role of route marches; story illustrating attitude to Portuguese troops on Western Front; recreations; review of movements including reception on arrival in Winchester; story of visiting civilians; home leave; promotion to lance corporal; story of avoiding guard duty to meet civilian visitors.
REEL 3 Continues: story of avoiding guard duty to meet civilian visitors; story of taking unofficial embarkation leave, 12/1915; reaction to overseas posting; pride in unit and role of route marches. Crossing aboard Marguarite to Le Havre, France, 1/1916: seasickness; disembarkation and march off with band; friend's problem with bolting horse; tent camp. Aspects of initial period in Laventie sector, Bethune area, 1/1916: prior train journey; reaction to French street advertisements; gas shell alarm and nature of gas masks; story illustrating signaller's use of bicycles to take message in absence of telephone links; nature of telephone network and battalion call sign; acting as runner; journey to Ypres. Recollections of conditions of service and lifestyle during period in Ypres area, 1/1916-6/1916: initial dugouts in Ypres; role as pioneer battalion in providing working parties.
REEL 4 Continues: role as pioneer battalion in providing divisional working parties; nature of signal dugout in Ypres walls at Lille Gate; lice problem; communications system including telephone lines to Headquarters, 39th Division, use of runners to companies and method of repairing lines; nature of trenches and wet conditions; story of successfully pacing out distance in No Man's Land during daylight with adjutant in preparation for construction of drainage trench; story of candlestick used in dugout; water supply; food ration; cigarette ration and superstition over lighting cigarette; rum ration; replacement equipment.
REEL 5 Recollections of period at Vielle Chapelle, Bethune area, 6/1916: failure of diversionary attack for Somme offensive, 30/6/1916; role as pioneer battalion. Recollections of period in Somme area, 8/1916-11/1916: first reaction to tanks, 9/1916; role as signallers; French ration parties; story of laughing at officer surprised by artillery firing and subsequent absence of promotion; relationship with officers; corpses in Death Valley; GB leave, 11/1916. Recollections of period in Canal Bank sector, Ypres area, 12/1917-1917: story of failed attempts to buy extra food for Christmas celebrations; visit to estaminets on rest and pay; ground conditions; dugouts.
REEL 6 Continues: communication trenches; role as pioneer battalion; story of inexperienced officer inspecting working party straight out of line; braziers; routine duties as signaller; introduction ground radio; question of use of runners; increased presence of British artillery prior to offensive; wet weather conditions; question of relative safety as signaller; attitude of German officer POWs; story of ruse to purchase extra rations at Doullens; French latrines; German POWs; reasons for refusing of possibility of commission to serve as observer in kite balloons; strategic situation; developing relationship with friend's sister during GB leave, 11/1917.
REEL 7 Continues: story of meeting colonel during GB leave, 11/1917; relationship with colonel as NCO signaller; attitude to war; baths; improvements to equipment including gas mask. Rest period in Bois de Boulogne, 11/1917-12/1917: deer shooting; story of knocking out drunken signal sergeant and subsequent promotion to replace him; nature of rest periods. Recollections of German offensive in Somme area, 20/3/1918-23/3/1918: route march to Albert; rat problem in overnight billets; story of Albert 'Virgin Mary ' superstition.
REEL 8 Continues: story of Albert 'Virgin Mary' superstition; march towards front line, 21/3/1918; overnight camp; fighting order on move into action, 22/3/918; use of signallers as runners to forward companies. Account of retreat, 22/3/1918-24/3/1918: orders to retreat; encouraging stragglers; story of taking over command of group following officer's deliberate surrender whilst replenishing ammunition supply from dump; success in directing rifle fire to shoot down ground strafing German aircraft; establishing defensive position in Bray-sur-Somme sector; adjustments to position following visit from staff officer; German fire on water party; arrival of new officer; account of leading reconnaissance patrol including clash with German patrol, successful exchange of rifle fire and superficial facial wound from bullet hitting rifle sight; withdrawal; account of leading second reconnaissance patrol and soldier's loss of nerve.
REEL 9 Continues: account of leading second reconnaissance patrol including fatal wound of soldier who lost nerve, close escape from German shell burst and assisting in evacuation of wounded special friend. Hospitalisation and convalescence, 3/1918-4/1918. Return to unit in Somme area, 4/1918: reception and news of recommendation for DCM; story of post-war confrontation with officer who deliberately surrendered. Aspects of detachment as signal instructor to New York Division, US Army, 1918: story of fight between Scottish kilted instructor and US soldier; story of US troops reactions to German bombing raid; after effects of gas; return to unit. Detachment as acting quarter-master sergeant to malaria convalescence camp, 1918: Guinness ration; story of resolving dispute between NCOs; return to unit. Story of engagement to marry friend's sister during GB leave, 9/1918.
REEL 10 Story of engagement to marry friend's sister during GB leave, 10/1918. Aspects of period in France, 11/1918-2/1919: role as demobilisation control troops, 11/1918; question of prior anticipation of Armistice, 10/1918; Christmas celebrations, 25/12/1918; hospitalisation with influenza; demobilisation, 2/1919; pay and effect of Australian troops higher pay rate; contacts with Australian and French troops. Post-war career: return to work as salesman with carburettor firm; dispute over commission as salesman selling engine belt dressing; successful formation of own firm to manufacture belt dressing. Recollections of service as signals sergeant with Home Guard in Dorking area, 1940-1945: recruitment; construction of makeshift telephone system and exchange.
REEL 11 Continues: construction of makeshift telephone system and exchange; story of disputes with senior officer; question of award of medal; organisation of local unit; tactical exercise; false alarm over German parachutist attack; training nights in local pub; encouragement of son's war career in signals; false alarm over German parachutist attack; night staffing of telephone exchange; patrols using shotguns; question of effects of war service; question of post-war contacts with ex-comrades.