Description
Object description
British civilian conscientious objector served with Pioneer Corps in GB, 1940-1942 and with Royal Army Pay Corps in India, 1942-1946
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of period in GB, 1919-1941: family background in Staffordshire; story of father's experiences during First World War; influence of Independent Labour Party; description of Christian basis to pacifist beliefs; attitude of friends to pacifism; reaction to loss friends killed in the war; activities with FOR prior to outbreak of war; story of registering as conscientious objector and reaction of mother, 1939; reaction to being given white feathers and public hostility; description of Tribunal under Judge Longston, 1940; opinion of varying treatment of conscientious objectors; reaction to verdict of conditional discharge; story about treatment of fellow conscientious objector in same firm; reasons for wanting to contribute to war effort including death of friends during Battle of Britain, 1940; story of joining the Non-Combatants Corps in Liverpool and attachment to the Pioneer Corps 12/1940. Aspects of period with Pioneer Corps in GB, 12/1940-1942: purpose of Non-Combatants Corps; description of billets in Liverpool Old College; initial training including drill.
REEL 2 Continues: description of Pioneer Corps and personnel including Jewish contingent; changing status of Corps; question of defending pacifism rather than preaching it; attitude to armed forces; pay; description of work on bomb sites in London; story about rescued woman dying in ambulance; description of air raids on Rotherhithe area; opinion of living conditions; problem of lack of machinery to clear rubble; role of Rescue Squad in organising clearance of rubble; opinion of rescue teams; description of working on farm, spring 1941; attitude of farm workers to conscientious objectors; working conditions and pay; description of work laying drains on Lord Spencer's and Lord Hesketh's estates; improvements on the land during the war and 'Dig for Victory' campaign; relations with Land Army and local community; living conditions and relations with other groups; reason for scarcity of vagrants during war; story of joining Royal Army Pay Corps as non-combatant, spring 1942. Aspects of period with Royal Army Pay Corps in GB, 1942: posted to York; living conditions.
REEL 3 Continues: description of duties including dealing with fines for offences, family allowances and deductions; types of offences committed including criminal offences, VD and sunstroke and effect on soldiers' pay; question of confidentiality; story of being asked to join Pay Corps in India; description of commando course. Aspects of period with Royal Army Pay Corps in India, 1942-1946: opinion of living conditions for British troops in India; description of voyage aboard SS Dunera; duties in office at Meerut; relations with Indian staff; complex nature of pay situation in Far East including missing men, deaths and POWs of Japanese; relations with Red Cross; problem of lack of co-operation from Japanese in locating missing men; development of microfilm for correspondence; problem of confirming missing and dead; role of Army Records Dept in York; effect of work on understanding nature of war; reaction to operations at Kohima and Imphal; description of Nationalist riots; story of collection in church for victims of Calcutta famine; relations with Indian Women's Auxiliary Corps.
REEL 4 Continue: further comments on Indian Women's Auxiliary Corps; attitude to Indian National Army; opinion of Ghandi and Nehru; recreational activities including listening to radio; story of continuing to study for the Church Ministry; demobilized, 5/1946; description of unrest in India prior to departure; state of health and problem of weight loss; reflections on period of service during war. Aspects of post-war life in GB: story of joining Quaker movement and description of principles; reflections on nature of war; opinion of treatment of conscientious objectors; reaction to Chernobyl disaster.
