Description
Object description
British NCO served with 13th Bn Durham Light Infantry on Western Front and in Italy, 1916-1918
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in Liverpool, Burton in Lumsdale and Chester, GB, 1897-1914: family circumstances; education; interest in military history; following reports of war in newspapers; background to recruitment into Cyclist Coy, Manchester Regt, 10/1915. Aspects of training in GB, 10/1915: reception; reasons for enlistment; reaction to subsequent posting from cyclists to Durham Light Infantry; army bicycles; movements; signal training and Fullerphone subsequently used in Italy; question of vegetarians and conscientious objectors. Recollections of initial period with B Coy, 13th Bn Durham Light Infantry in France, 3/1916-11/1917: story of close escape from German sniper; journey out; prior training and opinion of instructors at Infantry Base Depot, Etaples; attending signal school; duties as signaller and repairing telephone lines during period in Somme area, 10/1916.
REEL 2 Recollections of period in Ypres area, 11/1916-11/1917: trench feet problem; recollections of Battle of Messines, 6/6/1917, including initial signal positions at Zillebeke Lake, move up to Hill 60 following successful attack, problems in signalling with shutter lamps to artillery observation aircraft, working parties assisting in prior mining operations and effects of detonation of mines; tours of duty; carrying parties to Hill 60; problems laying and repairing telephone line; German pillboxes; story of joke signpost; story of failed attempt to use carrier pigeon following attack, 20/9/1917; attack, 31/7/1917; recollections of attack, 20/9/1917-24/9/1917, including advance, setting up signal station in former German pillbox, shoulder wounded from shell and evacuation as walking wounded; hospitalisation at Rouen before rejoining unit, 9/1917-11/1917; ground conditions; casualties; story of friend's accurate premonition of death; corpses. Recollections of service in Italy, 11/1917-1918: situation on arrival; journey out; march to 'show flag'; reaction of Italian troops on taking up positions along River Piave; poverty of Italian civilians; quiet nature of sector and light Austrian shell fire.
REEL 3 Continues: move to Assiago Plateau; snow; dugout; climate; detachment as signaller to Headquarters, 23rd Div; speed of heliograph message sent to Rome; situation; stories of GB leave, 7/1918; instructing in heliograph;. Period on Western Front, 9/1918-11/1918: reorganisation of 23rd Div and posting to 25th Div; news of Armistice, 11/11/1918; battlefield salvage; posting to educational role; background to early demobilisation; battlefield salvage; relationship with French and Belgian civilians. Aspects of service on Western Front and Italy, 1916-1918: dugouts; question of 'spit and polish' on rest; question of status of signallers; divisional insignia; German telephones; use of Fullerphones; recreations and gambling; pay.
REEL 4 Continues: food rations; parcels from GB; rum ration; hospitalisation with dysentery in Italy; trench feet problem; opinion of Australian and Canadian troops; relationship with officers; story illustrating attitude to staff officers. Post-war career: loss of pension rights due to war service; attitude to war and profiteering; involvement in pre-service youth military training and successful campaigns to boost National Savings, 1939-1945.
