Description
Object description
British civilian conscientious objector served with Friends' Ambulance Unit in Finland and GB, 1939-1941; served with Friends' Ambulance Unit /Hadfield-Spears Ambulance Unit in Lebanon, French Syria, Italy and France, 1942-1945; clergyman in GB, 1945-1991
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Patna, India and GB, 1916-1939: family; education at Rugby School, GB; attitude to being nephew of Archbishop William Temple; further education at Balliol College, University of Oxford; story of discussing politics and pacifism with uncle during 1930s; reasons for wanting to enter the Anglican Church; attitude to military service; opinion of Quakers; memories of uncle Archbishop William Temple; reaction of family and uncle towards pacifist stance; reasons for wanting to join the Friends' Ambulance Unit; importance of support from Stephen Verney; links with anti-war movement; Tribunal in Fulham, London, 1940; Christian basis of pacifist beliefs; attitude of uncle to pacifism.
REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of period as conscientious objector with Friends' Ambulance Unit in Finland and GB, 1939-1941: story of joining Friends' Ambulance Unit, autumn 1939; training; opinion of hierarchy in Friends' Ambulance Unit; attitude to role of Paul Cadbury; journey from GB to Finland via Norway and Sweden; nature of evacuation work with refugees; weather conditions; relations with Finns; problem of language; description of saunas; return to GB via Norway; problem of leaving equipment behind; incident of convoy being bombed; reception in Glasgow, GB and speech by General Adrian Carton de Wiart; hospital work in Gloucester, GB, 1940; opinion of accommodation; working hours as orderly; casualties from Dunkirk Evacuation; problem of low morale in Friends' Ambulance Unit; writing article entitled 'Quarrels within a Chocolate Box'; work with John Bailey visiting Friends' Ambulance Unit sections to assess mood and listen to complaints; relations with Quakers in Friends' Ambulance Unit.
REEL 3 Continues: description of Hadfield-Spears Ambulance Unit; attitude of upper class women drivers to Friends' Ambulance Unit personel. Recollections of period as conscientious objector with Friends' Ambulance Unit/Hadfield-Spears Ambulance Unit in Lebanon and French Syria, 1942-1943: voyage aboard troopship from GB to Beirut, Lebanon via Egypt, 1942; relations with British Army; religious meetings; amusing story about Friends' Ambulance Unit 'dirty' songs; Friends' Ambulance Unit/Hadfield-Spears Ambulance Unit work in Lebanon and French Syria; amusing anecdotes about Humphrey Waterfield; relations between practical and intellectual members of Friends' Ambulance Unit; inspection of unit by General Charles De Gaulle; work as hospital orderly; relations with Free French Forces; attitude to menial work; story about Army Chaplain; attitude of hospital staff to conscientious objectors; effect of war on pacifist beliefs; problem of culture clashes; story about surgical operation on lip.
REEL 4 Continues: attitude to working in Middle East; relations with Kurds; financial arrangements; attitude to eating local food including sheep's eyes; amusing story about sheep urinating over Stephen Verney; opinion of interfaith ideas; further comments on reason for entering the Anglcan Church; problem of burns caused by British Army troops washing clothes in petrol in Western Desert; opinion of nurses; story of French surgeon marking German wounded with the Cross of Lorraine; reaction to Stephen Verney leaving Friends' Ambulance Unit to join British army; hospitalisation in Cairo, Egypt; importance of wartime experiences for later clerical life. Aspects of period as conscientious objector with Friends' Ambulance Unit/Hadfield- Spears Ambulance Unit in Italy and France, 1944-1945: work with Hadfield-Spears Ambulance Unit in Italy including treatment of battle casualties, 1944; opinion of French; relations between Free French Forces and Friends' Ambulance Unit; further details of upper class women drivers with Hadfield-Spears Ambulance Unit; description of Free French Forces returning to France; problem of Maquis adjusting to non-military role; nature of fighting in France and casualties.
REEL 5 Continues: leaving Friends' Ambulance Unit, 1945; award of grant for training to become clergyman; reflections on work with Friends' Ambulance Unit. Aspects of period as clergyman in GB, 1945-1991: story about Duke of York visiting boys' camp; effect of war on attitudes; story about daughter and French family; reaction to Labour Party victory in 1945 General Election; study courses provided by British Government during Second World War; post-war pacifist beliefs; attitude to collective security during Gulf War and role of United Nations peacekeeping force, 1991; attitude to concept of the 'just war'; story about Thanksgiving Service following end of Gulf War; opinion of Church hierarchy and stance on war; further comments on interfaith issue; effects of stance as conscientious objector on career; description of Second World War medals awarded.
REEL 6 Continues: further reflections on pacifism and influence of uncle Archbishop William Temple.
