Description
Object description
British NCO served as clerk with Army Service Corps in GB, Imbros, Egypt and Arabia, 1915-1919; served attached to T E Lawrence with Sherifian Force and Arab Bureau in Arabia, 1916-1918
Content description
REEL 1 Background to recruitment to Army Service Corps at Race course recruitment office, Northampton, 12/4/1915: effect of white feathers; underage status. Period at Aldershot, 4/1915-5/1915: work as clerk; feigning illness to avoid Western Front posting; refusal to be inoculated. Seasickness during voyage to Imbros, 5/1915. Various aspects of period as clerk attached to General Headquarters at Imbros, 5/1915-1/1916: meeting Stan Toynbee; flechette air raid; visit carrying reports to Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey, 6/1915; reactions to evacuation, 1/1916. Aspects of period in Egypt, 1916: story of troops visiting brothels in Alexandria and reaction influenced by prior experiences as newspaper messenger boy attending courts, 1913-1914; clerical work for adjutant general at Ismailia; promotion to corporal. Story of writing letters at Imbros, 1915. Recollections of compassionate leave to visit dying grandmother in GB, 8/1916: journey back; story of visiting parents on enlistment, 4/1915; visit to friend's parents; period occupying West Indian troops at Marseilles; story of torpedoing of boat, sinking and rescue from sea during return voyage. Story of selection as Arabic speaking short hand clerk by Colonel Deedes of General Staff Intelligence for attachment to T E Lawrence with Sherifian Force in Hejaz area, Arabia, Turkey, 10/1916.
REEL 2 Continues: story of selection by Deedes for service with Sherifian Force in Hajez area, 10/1916. Recollections of period in Hejaz area, 1916-1919: voyage aboard HMS Hardinge and capture of Wejh, 1916; role of units and personnel at Wejh; story of swimming ashore on arrival at Akaba, 11/1916; personnel and units present at Headquarters at Akaba; typing duties for Colonel Joyce and Lawrence; background to exaggerations and mistakes of Lowell Thomas concerning T E Lawrence and his character; nature of working relationship with Lawrence; visit by Lowell Thomas and photographer to interview Lawrence and exaggerations which resulted.
REEL 3 Continues: story of post war meeting and challenge to veracity of Lowell Thomas; reasons for Arabic dress style adopted by T E Lawrence; purpose of Arab revolt; opinion of Lawrence; illustrations of accurate memory and literary style observed when taking dictation from Lawrence for his Arab Bureau reports in contrast to later writing in 'Seven Pillars of Wisdom'; move to Forward Headquarters at Abu Lasam; breadth of content of Arab Bureau reports; impact of Sykes Picot agreement and Balfour declaration; 'No prisoners' order issued by Lawrence on his return from Der'aa imprisonment and consequent massacres; question of Lawrence's attitude to sex and flagellation illustrated in conversation with Robinson; advance to Damascus; shrapnel wound at Damascus.
REEL 4 Continues: period attached to Enosa Arab tribe having recovered from wound and circumstances of involvement in continuation of hostilities with Turks following armistice, 10/1918; return to Headquarters and medical board in GB, 1919; illustrations of impact of Sykes Pigot agreement at capture of Damascus; background to demobilisation in GB, 1919; question of military importance of T E Lawrence to Arabic campaign; story of Lawrence's use of lunar eclipse during attack on Akaba; relationship between Lawrence and other British officers; story of showing Lawrence he could shoot; nature of Lawrence's relationship with Arabs; importance of Lawrence's contribution to Arab revolt; opinion of Arab leaders; story of writing post war book on Lawrence; opinion of Lawrence's post-war career.