Brown, Thomas Hirst (Oral history)

British NCO served with 2/18th Bn and 1/6th Bn King's Liverpool Regt in GB and on Western Front, 1914-1918

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Bebington, Wirral, 1896-1914: family circumstances; work as office boy at Lever Brothers; Church Lads Brigade activities; question of interest in military subjects. Recruitment into 18th Bn King's Liverpool Regt at St George's Hall, Liverpool, 8/1914: joining up under 'Pals' scheme with office friends; wearing Derby crest badge; father's recruitment as postman with Royal Engineers and review of postal arrangements on Western Front; attestation. Recollections of periods at Hooton Race Course, Knowsley Park Camp, Belton Park and Salisbury Plain, 8/1914-10/1915: pay; gradual arrival of uniform; relationship with officers and NCOs; weapons and tactical training; specialist training as signaller; relationship with civilian population; embarkation leave and state of morale; ceremonial discharge of soldier on disciplinary grounds. REEL 2 Recollections of initial period in Somme area, France, 11/1915-6/1916: journey out; period of trench instruction with Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Regt at Hebuterne, 12/1915; billets; reactions to first casualty; continued training; nature of telephone system; route march and problem with frozen boots; method of breaking in boots; periods in line at Maricourt; role of signallers; tactical attack training; inspection by Haig; trench feet problem. Aspects of operations in Somme area, 6/1916-3/1917: prior briefing; preliminary bombardment; detachment to forward brigade signals station at Square Wood in French sector; attack of malaria; opinion of French troops; rejoining unit in Trones Wood, 8/7/1916; German shell fire; nature of fighting. REEL 3 Continues: mature of fighting in Trones Wood; signal problems; question of British and German use of machine guns; opinion of first tanks used in Flers sector; problems with water supply; view of shells brought up to gun positions by mule; superior German observation; dysentery attack; rest period; question of casualties; corpses; shell shock case; German shell and minenwerfer fire; nature of fighting; medical arrangements; reinforcement drafts and consequent change in composition of unit; view of aerial warfare. REEL 4 Continues: role of signal operators and linesmen; trench raids. Various aspects of period on Western Front, 1916-1917: move to Bailleul sector, 4/1918; German retreat to Hindenburg Line, 3/1917; corpse of German machine gunner; reads poem written by signallers 'The Big Stunt' concerning action at Neuville Vitasse, Arras area, 4/1917; opinion of Hindenburg Line in comparison to British trenches. Recollections of period at Ypres area, 1917: initial impressions; problems maintaining telephone lines and other methods used including dogs, pigeons and 'rifle rocket'; lice problem; German pill boxes. REEL 5 Continues: occupying German pill boxes on Pilckem Ridge; strategic situation; conditions of service including muddy conditions and food rations; changing character of unit; opinion of kilt. Aspects of operations on Western Front, 1918: move to Somme area; prior knowledge of German offensive, 21/3/1918; taking over French section in Aisne area, 3/1918; French signal station; establishing company defensive posts in absence of front line; position in reserve lines during German offensive in Somme area, 21/3/1918; confused situation during retreat from Ham to Amiens; rest period; move to Bailleul during German offensive in Lys sector, 4/1918; communications problems; background to disbandment of 30th Div and period as cadre at Infantry Base Depot, Etaples, 6/1918. Recollections of period with 1/6th Bn King's Liverpool Regt in Bethune area, 6/1918-11/1918: opinion of Portuguese troops; German gas shells; advance into Belgium; question of German booby traps; reactions to news of armistice, 11/11/1918; reception from Belgian civilians. Period in Brussels, 11/1918-1/1919. REEL 6 Continues: Aspects of conditions of service and lifestyle on Western Front, 1915-1918: stories illustrating varied origins and characters of other ranks in 18th Bn King's Liverpool Regt; question of shell shock; personal morale; question of conscientious objectors; use of Fullerphone; question of prior knowledge of German offensive, 21/3/1918; confused situation during retreat, 3/1918; state of morale; lice and rat problems; shot down aircraft; opinion of Australian, US and French troops; background to demobilisation, 2/1918; question of effects of war service; story illustrating inexperience on arrival in trenches at Hebuterne, 12/1915.