Bailey, John Cleaver (Oral history)

British civilian conscientious objector served with Friends' Ambulance Unit in GB, Egypt, French Syria and Lebanon, 1939-1944; peace activist in GB, 1945-1991.

REEL 1 Background in Birmingham, GB, 1910-1939: family; education; religious beliefs; father's service during Boer War; victory celebrations following end of First World War; higher education; employment with Imperial Chemical Industries; marriage; reason for joining Society of Friends; pacifist and Christian beliefs; reason for changing employment; opinion of training with Boy's Brigade. Recollections of period as conscientious objector with Friends' Ambulance Unit in GB, 1939-1941: later reasons for low morale whist serving with unit in North Africa, 1942; attending Tribunal in Fulham, London; opinion of pacifist stance of other Friends' Ambulance Unit members and Quakers. REEL 2 Continues: attitude towards Quakers undertaking practical and spiritual work; relations between Friends' Relief Service and Friends' Ambulance Unit during war; nature of work with United Nations Association; advantage of Quaker background during Tribunal; story about Freddy Temple's Tribunal; role visiting and assessing mood with Friends' Ambulance Unit sections; opinion of democratic process in Friends' Ambulance Unit; nature of complaints with unit sections; attendance at unit meetings and conferences; reason for eight percent of Friends' Ambulance Unit members joining the armed forces; story about Arthur Atkinson; variety of social backgrounds in unit; problem of finding suitable roles for certain unit members; range of opportunities and pay; Members' Assistance Fund; attitude to admission of female volunteers into unit; setting up Barmoor and Spiceland Training Centres; roles allotted to female volunteers; wife Edna Bailey's training and work with unit; problem of male chauvinism in unit; opinion of female volunteers' work in unit. REEL 3 Continues: role of unit during Phoney War period; importance of support for unit from Cadbury and Rowntree families; role in organising Finnish convoy; attitude to overseas service; description of ambulance train and living conditions at Training Centre, Manor Farm. Northfield; role of unit in hospital and shelter work; waiting list to join unit; attitude of unit members to drill; training at Northfield Camp; night exercise in Birmingham; changes in unit leadership during war; story of the China convoy and relations between Friends' Ambulance Unit and Hadfield-Spears Ambulance Unit; work of the Friends' Ambulance Unit Indian and Ethiopian sections. REEL 4 Continues: opinion of Hadfield-Spears Ambulance Unit; story about Richard Wainwright; opinion of Stephen Verney and reaction to his joining the armed forces; Recollections of period as conscientious objector with Friends' Ambulance Unit in Egypt, 1941-1943: reaction to deaths of Tom Tanner and Peter Hume at sea, 12/1942; rank system in unit; voyage aboard the SS Cameronia from GB to Alexandria, Egypt, 7/1941; story of unit choir singing in troops' concert; arrival in Alexandria, Egypt; meeting members of the Finnish convoy; effect of experiences as prisoner of war on Maurice Woodhouse; story about Michael Mounsey working as a German interpreter whilst prisoner of war; work with 14th Casualty Clearing Station, Royal Army Medical Corps in Western Desert, 1941-1942; relations with military; problem of boredom; work with wounded during retreat to Egypt, 1942; morale among unit members. REEL 5 Continues: Aspect of period as conscientious objector with Friends' Ambulance Unit in French Syria and Lebanon, 1943-1944: work with mobile clinic; prior recollection of hospital work in Yugoslavs in El Shatt Refugee Camp; story of trying to fit body of young girl into coffin; relations with Menonites and others; setting up mobile hospital; relations between Friends' Ambulance Unit and military personnel; attitude of mother and friends to conscientious objector stance; reflections on work with Friends' Ambulance Unit and effect on life. Aspects of period as peace activist in GB, 1945-1991: employment; activities with various peace groups; description of work with United Nations Association; peace activist work related to Gulf War, 1990-1991; reflections on pacifist beliefs; attitude to situation of Kurds in Iraq; opinion of role of relief organisations in Gulf War. REEL 6 Continues: reaction of Friends' Ambulance Unit to Gulf War; story of scheme to contribute funds to Quaker Peace and Service organisation; further comments on Gulf War; opinion of 'anti-war' statements made by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Franklin Roosevelt during the Second World War; opinion of 'anti-war' statement made by Pope John Paul II, 1991