Description
Object description
British private served with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1932-1935; served with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in India and Sudan, 1935-1937; private and NCO served with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in China, North Africa and Middle East, 1937-1941; NCO served with Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1942-1946
Content description
REEL 1 Background in GB, 1914-1932: family; education; work in timber and ship yards; time at Gravesend Sea School; work aboard Gloucester Castle; reasons for leaving job; time on dole. Aspects of period as recruit with Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1932-1933: joining of army at Hartlepool; medical; reception at Fenham Barracks; issue of uniform; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; learning of drill; opinion of life at Fenham; details of pay; troops in squad; hygiene; coal fatigue; memories of Cushy Ernie Eldrett; rations; times of meals; parades for meals; details of squads at Fenham; physical training; route marches; Light Infantry pace; weapons fired and issue of rifle; inspection before being allowed out of barracks; visits into Newcastle; Christmas leave; posted 1st Battalion at Catterick Camp. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 3/1933-2/1935: reception at Catterick and posting to 4 Platoon of A Company; commanding officers; life at Catterick; guard duties; qualifications for extra pay; pride in regiment; comparison of discipline and accommodation at Fenham and Catterick; memories of Sergeant Major Brown; given choice between promotion and employment; employment as waiter in sergeants mess; posted as company cook; firing course at Strensall; charge for firing at wrong target; march to York Tattoo; involvement in Tattoo; firing course at Bellaby; involvement in Ravensworth Tattoo; leisure activities; posted to Blackdown Camp in October 1934; march through Guards Camp on arrival; work while on draft for India. Aspects of journey from GB to Bombay, India, aboard the Nevassa, 2/1935-3/1935: sleeping arrangements; stop in Port Said; activities onboard; discipline.
REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period as private with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in India, 3/1935-2/1937: joining 2nd Battalion in Bombay; reasons for posting; issue of khaki drill; spilt of battalion between Bombay and Deolali; differences between Bombay and Deolali; mechanical punkas in Bombay; problems with bugs; accommodation; cook's course in Poona; reason for detention in Bombay; time in detention; VD problems; Indian civilians in cookhouse; other civilian workers in camp; working day; cinema in Deolali; role of sports; story of girl watching rugby match; barrack families; restrictions on marriage; story of a fox hunt; duties; practice for internal security duties; protection given to vehicles; contact with civilians; dealing without female companionship; relationship with officers; mechanisation of battalion; opinion of training; duties in cookhouse in India and Khartoum. Aspects of period as private with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in Sudan, 2/1937-10/1937: journey from Port Sudan to Khartoum; first impressions of Sudan; accommodation; start of cooking duties; working day; meat supply and breakfast; tinned stew; lunch and evening tea; posted to Gebeit; description of Gebeit; supply of wood; role of camp; story of Sergeant getting lost on gazelle hunt; free time; sleeping arrangements and role of orderly cook; reprimand for spoiling porridge; story of pet gazelle and problems of feeding it; civilians in Sudan.
REEL 3 Continues: make-up of cookhouse; drawing up of menu; cooking of breakfast; meals; washing up; supply and storage of rations; hygiene; flooding of sports pitches; sandstorms; annual firing courses; regimental cap badges incised in hill at Gebeit; rumours about stone hut at Khartoum; civilians in Sudan; arrival of mail; transfer to 1st Battalion; reason for transfer. Aspects of journey from Sudan to China aboard the Dilwara, 10/1937: worked in Prophylactic Ablutions Centre; route of journey; convoy; arrival in Shanghai. Aspects of period as private with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in China, 10/1937-1/1940: accommodation; situation in International Concession; spilt of battalion; duties on perimeter; work as Prophylactic Ablutions Centre Orderly including treatment of venereal disease <VD>; helping troops get away with crime of VD; ET pack issued for brothel visits; Blood Alley; story of trouble with Italian in nightclub; relationship with Italian and Japanese troops; story of near return home during Munich Crisis; posted to Peking; problems with Japanese troops; split of battalion between Tientsin and Peking; Chinese workers in barracks; effects of inflation on pay; accommodation; club stationed in as Prophylactic Ablutions Centre Orderly; 18lb guns; winter clothing issued and winter conditions; inspection for Japanese General; killing of cows in barracks; rations.
REEL 4 Continues: transfer to Tientsin; returned to cookhouse; guards of honour; death and funeral of Lieutenant Leward; health of battalion; other deaths in China; escape of a political prisoner from British Zone; barring of Italians from British Zone; story of basketball match with Americans; posting in Shanghaikwan; weapons course fired; outbreak of war; concerns that Japanese would enter war; changes in charges and service; stay in Kowloon; journey to Egypt. Aspects of operations as private with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in North Africa, 1940-1941: arrival in Port Suez; camp in Kantara; arrival of Australians; posting in Port Said; Italian declaration of war and posting in Mersa Matruh; disinterest in promotion; cooking duties; first air raid; first casualties in minefield; description of portable cookhouse; food prepared in field and water ration; feeding of officers in composite company; description of Mersa Matruh; knowledge of situation; air activity and laying of minefields; bathing in sea under attack; accommodation; problems with fleas; Rhodesians in battalion; story of unexploded bomb; latrines; air activity; story of soldier stuck in ammunition train during air raid; opinion of training; leave in Alexandria; activities of composite company; posted to Sidi Birrani; Christmas 1940; move onto escarpment; rations emergency; return to canal area for invasion training.
REEL 5 Continues: training with Bren guns in China; invasion training in Geneifa; story of argument with cook Sergeant; return to rifle company; return across desert; events in Sollum; arrival in Bardia; armoured escort to Halfaya Pass; sangars built; time on pass; story of soldier gone bomb happy; British plane shot down by Australians; reconnaissance patrols; truck journey away from Halfaya; duties at Daba Aerodrome; make-up of Brigade; attack from Germans on frontier; tank attack and retreat; fury of Brigadier at retreat; memories of "Paddy" May and Private Metforth; reinforcements. Aspects of operations as private with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in Middle East, 1941: journey to Lebanon; relief of Australians at Merdjayoun; formation of patrol; pursuit of French; reception from civilians; events before armistice with French; runs up Mount Hermon; memories of Colonel Ardherne; accommodation in Aleppo; promotion to Lance Corporal; mounting of guard; dealing with Vichy French troops; Australian shot in brothel; fruit stolen while training on Turkish border; leave in Tel Aviv; attempt at rejoining battalion; leave in Beirut.
REEL 6 Continues: Aspects of operations as private with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in North Africa, 1941: journey to Alexandria; knowledge of destination; opinion of Regimental Sergeant Major Flannigan; events on journey to Tobruk; sandstorm on arrival; disembarkation and march into wadi; talk from Colonel Ardherne following morning; description of positions moved into; accommodation; proximity of German troops; air activity; activities during day; make-up of patrols; Royal Engineer checks on wire; navigation on patrol; details of listening point and story of soldier snoring; observation point duties; Polish troops in line; rations; water rations in Tobruk; water shortage at Halfaya Pass; presence of gerbils; mail; cigarette drop; learning to use Axis guns in Australian position; different positions held; memories of an officer at Tobruk; line-up for attack on El Adem Aerodrome; movement forward; wounding in hip and leg; initial treatment; evacuation to Tobruk hospital; treatment at hospital; air raids on port; hospital staff; evacuated to Cairo; lack of sleep in Tobruk; problems with soldier he had transferred; date wounded.
REEL 7 Continues: briefing for attack on El Adem aerodrome; wounded while reloading; troops spoken to while waiting for help; treatment given by officer; evacuation on stretcher; treatment at RAP; journey on ambulance. Period of hospitalisation in North Africa, 1941-1942: treatment given in Tobruk Hospital; surgeons in hospital; boarding of hospital ship; condition of troops; issue of lifebelt; arrival in Alexandria; entrained to Cairo; arrival at 63rd General Hospital; enema given on arrival; other patients on ward; rations; conditions in hospital; stories of other patients; visit from Durham Light Infantry officer; request to be sent home; journey to South Africa. Aspects of hospitalisation in South Africa, 1942: doctor who had served in China; friendship between blind man and man with no hands; memories of Cynthia Whitfield; reception from civilians in Durban; train journey to Pietermaritzburg; nurses in hospital; relationship with civilians; coping with being bedridden; visits from religious ministers in Cairo; mail sent home; story of bed bath given; staff in hospital; pay in hospital; trip to transit camp; segregation on buses; black South African troops; request to go home. Aspects of journey from Durban, South Africa, to Liverpool, GB, 1942: ship travelled on; problems with movement about ship; other passengers on ship.
REEL 8 Continues: evacuees from Singapore; story of alarm at Freetown; rations; story of arrival in Liverpool. Period of hospitalisation in GB, 1942: arrival at Ormskirk Hospital; uniform worn; request for leave; visit to pub; reactions upon arrival in Liverpool; downgrading to B7; parents knowledge of condition; leave and pay given; journey home; reasons for boredom on leave. Aspects of period as NCO with Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1942- 1946: arrival at Brancepeth Castle; work in NAAFI; sent to Ferryhill to work as Range Warden at Kirk Merrington; civilian billets; posting in Hartlepool; duties; posting at Sedgefield and demobilisation at York; duties in NAAFI at Brancepeth castle; story of 1st Battalion troops after return from Kos; refusal of soldier to transfer; duties at Kirk Merrington firing range; activities at Hartlepool golf course; process of demobilisation; medical; details of pension; option of joining Chelsea Pensioners; reunions and involvement with Regimental Association; reactions on getting wounded; best officer served under; contact with officers; memories of "Topper" Brown.
