Sumpter, Francis Edward (Oral history)

British private served with 1st Bn Rifle Bde in GB and on Western Front, 1914-1915; served with Sussex Yeomanry in GB, 1915-1916; served with 17th Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps on Western Front and in Germany, 1916-1921

REEL 1: Background in London, 1897-1914: family; employment in shoe factory; description of activities with Territorial Army cyclist battalion; reason for transfer to regular army on Special Reserve and question of age, 9/1913. Aspects of training with Rifle Bde in GB, 1914: posted to Winchester; reaction of parents; description of training; reaction to outbreak of war, 8/1914; patriotism; posted to Colchester barracks, 8/1914; memory of troops departing for France; opinion of accommodation; duties guarding German Ambassador in Harwich; guard duties and coastal defence on Isle of Sheppey, attitude to serving overseas; posted to 1st Bn Rifle Bde. Recollections of operations as rifleman with 1st Bn Rifle Bde on Western Front, 1914-1915: description of voyage to France and disembarkation at St Nazaire, 10/1914; accommodation in tented camp; rations; memory of French troops; transport in cattle trucks; memory of trees camouflaged with wire netting. REEL 2 Continues: marched to Armentieres; description of terrain and destruction of villages; refugees; marched to Ploegsteert Wood, Belgium; problem of digging trenches in Wood and construction of bivouacs; description of attack on German trenches, 19/Dec/1914; casualties; story of losing oil bottle; carried wounded on stretcher through Wood; story of kit inspection and receiving No 1 Field Punishment for losing oil bottle; story of incident with machine gun and officer; daily routine and duties; care of kit; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; opinion of German dugouts; billets; baths and delousing; problem of lice in woollen underwear; opinion of divisional concert party; moved to Messines Ridge sector, 4/1915; description of trenches and terrain covered in snow; story of fraternisation and meeting with Germans in No Man's Land, Christmas 1914. REEL 3 Continues: topics of conversation with Germans; listening patrols; story of sentry falling asleep on duty; amusing story of learning poem; daily routine and duties in trenches; amusing story of Scottish soldier; description of trenches; latrines; relieved and taken by lorries to Poperinghe, Belgium; memory of seeing graves along roadside; description of Cloth Hall at Ypres on fire; deployed to dig trenches; story of dead Zouave; description of gas shell exploding over trench and effects of gas, 5/1915; memory of hearing German military band; description of German attack and wounded in arm by shellfire, 4/May/1915. REEL 4 Continues: story of sleeping under abandoned German field kitchen; nature of wounds; description of medical treatment in Abbeville and Paris, 5/1915; returned to GB aboard hospital ship. Aspects of period in GB, 1915-1916: description of medical treatment and convalescence; question of arm being amputated; medical board and discharged from Rifle Bde; posted as bombing instructor with Sussex Yeomanry, Martlesham Heath; drafted to camp at Etaples, France, 9/1916. Aspects of period at Etaples, France, 9/1916: nature of training; question of physical condition and problem of holding rifle; medical board; description of training and conditions; messing arrangements. REEL 5 Continues: problem of discipline and punishments; physical training; bayonet practice; obstacle course; medical condition of soldiers; opinion of rations; opinion of instructors and officers; camp security; attitude to Military Police; church parades; reaction to news of mutiny at camp; drafted to 6th Div at Achiet-le-Grand; posted to 17th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps. Aspects of operations as private with 17th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps on Western Front, 1916-1918: description of role in operations in Cambrai sector, 9/1917; reconnaissance duties on horseback; deployment of artillery batteries; problem of debris on roads. REEL 6 Continues: memory of Chinese labourers; description of duties as cook; story of inspection and reprimand over hygiene; role in setting up tents for wounded; story of racing horse. REEL 7 Continues: story of shell shocked ambulance driver; duties as batman to Cpt Freeman; billets; memories of Armistice, 11/11/1918. Aspects of period as private with 17th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps in Germany, 1918-1921: crossed Rhine into Germany and moved to Cologne, 18/Dec/1918; description of advance through Belgium; billets; relations with German civilians; story of sleeping in mortuary; barracks near railway in Cologne; description of patrol duties along Rhine searching Dutch barges for contraband goods; living conditions for German civilians; exchange rate; recreational activities; dancing classes; duties guarding hotel; story of cyclist being shot by German police; memory of electric railway to Bonn; relations with German civilians. REEL 8 Continues: story of German schoolchildren; question of fraternisation with German civilians; living conditions and shortages; bartering with civilians; story of guarding refugees on train to Poland; billeted with German family; story of black horse; opinion of accommodation; various memories of Cpt Freeman and horse Flying Fox; returned to GB and demobilised, 9/1921. Post-war life and employment: medical board and assessed 30% disabled; question of disability pension; problem of finding employment due to weak arm; employment in clothing trade; attitude of employers to ex-servicemen. REEL 9 Continues: further memories of post-war employment and treatment of ex-servicemen; story of disability pension.