Spencer, Robert Proctor (Oral history)

British private served with 1/7th Bn, Lancashire Fusiliers in GB, Egypt, Gallipoli and Palestine, 1914-1917; served with 41st Div in Italy and Western Front, 1917-1918

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Tottington and Bury, 1896-1914: family; living conditions; education; Band of Hope activities; work as apprentice blacksmith, ca 1909-1911; work as wine merchant's errand boy, ca 1911-1912; story of disruption of Boys Bde march; work as apprentice lathe operator at Elton Ironworks, ca 1913-1914; reactions to outbreak of war, 4/8/1914. Recruitment with B Coy, 1/7th Bn, Lancashire Fusiliers at Bury Drill Hall, ca 9/1914: reasons including recruiting drive amongst men at ironworks; failure of effort to join 1/5th, LF; move to Turton to join unit. Period at Turton camp, 9/1914: medical; uniform; basic drill as new recruit; food rations. REEL 2 Continues: visits home. Voyage to Alexandria, Egypt, 9/1914: prior knowledge of destination; cases of drunkenness amongst troops on arrival. Aspects of period at Abbassia and Kasr el Nil Barracks, Cairo, 9/1914-5/1915: bedding; training including rifle; lifestyle; VD problem; machine gun training; bed bugs; recreations; question of prior knowledge of Gallipoli expedition. Voyage to Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey, 5/1915. Recollections of period at Helles, 5/1915: landing at V Beach, 5/5/1915; carrying bacon during move inland; 6/5/1915; attack in Gully Ravine sector, ca 6/5/1915. REEL 3 Continues: attack in Gully Ravine sector, ca 6/5/1915; fly problem; story of being wounded in leg and evacuation. Hospitalisation and convalescence in Egypt, ca 5/1915-10/1915: visitors; light fatigues; unit officers. Sinking of accompanying troopship by submarine during voyage back to rejoin unit at Gallipoli, ca 10/1915. Aspects of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine in Gully Ravine sector, Helles, ca 10/1915-11/1915: nature of trenches and dugouts; food rations; water supply; latrines; fly problem. REEL 4 Continues: lice problem; bodies in parapet; stand to; cleaning billy can; routine duties, nature of fighting and personal morale; letter and parcel contact with GB; climate; evacuation with dysentery, ca 11/1915. Hospitalisation and convalescence on Cyprus, ca 11/1915-1/1916. Various aspects of operations in Egypt and Palestine, 1/1916-3/1917: condition of unit and state of health on rejoining unit; situation and move up into Palestine. Submarine alarm during voyage on Megantic to Marseilles, France, 3/1917. Separation from unit and rail journey with draft into Italy, ca 3/1917. REEL 5 Rail journey with draft into Italy, ca 3/1917. Various aspects of service with 41st Div in Italy and Western Front, ca 1917-1918: comparison with Gallipoli; question of kilt underware; armistice, 11/11/1918. Circumstances of demobilisation and return to work at Elton Ironworks, ca 1919.