Description
Object description
British NCO served with Women's Royal Air Force in GB, 1941-1946. Civilian refugee worker in Saigon, 1968-1973 and North Vietnam, 1983-1984; peace campaigner at Molesworth and Greenham Common, GB, 1970s; member of international Gulf Peace Team in Iraq during Gulf War, 1991; peace worker in Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia, 1992-1993
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of period as NCO with Women's Royal Air Force at RAF Coningsby, Lincs, 1941-1946: reason for joining Women's Royal Air Force, 1941;description of duties in control room; attitude to war; interest in aircraft and flying; opinion of bomber crews; problem of shyness and relations with male colleagues. Aspects of period of at Molesworth Peace Camp, GB, 1970s: activities with Christian CND: description of role at Molesworth Peace Camp from 1974; comparison with Greenham Common; relations with service personnel; description of Peace Garden at Molesworth; story of closure of Molesworth following signing of INF Treaty; story of yellow peace rose; memories of visitors to Molesworth; question of mixed sexes at Molesworth and incidents of rape; story of peace chapel being burned down.
REEL 2 Continues: further comments on burning down of peace chapel; story of being arrested. Recollections of period as refugee worker in Saigon, 1968-1973 and North Vietnam, 1983-1984: role of Quakers in placement of refugees and displaced persons near Saigon; description of conditions for children and babies and comparison with Romanian children in 1980s; attitude to children being sent abroad for adoption; description of US and Australian aid; opinion of US service personnel; description of daily life and work in North Vietnam; role with street-boy project; description of tiger cages used for prisoners; opinion of Vietnamese women; liaison role with Amnesty International; question of surveillance by North Vietnamese government; problem of drugs and corruption in South Vietnam; attitude to role of US in use of torture; story of being asked to leave Vietnam, 1973; attitude to outcome of Vietnam War.
REEL 3 Continues: reaction to victory of North Vietnam; problem of prostitution and corruption in South Vietnam; treatment of South Vietnamese who had worked for US; effects of Vietnam War on US military personnel. Recollections of period with Gulf Peace Team in GB and Iraq during Gulf War, 1991: attitude to type of bombs used by Coalition forces; story of joining Gulf Peace Team and work in London office; role of CNN in raising profile; description of journey to Iraq via Jordan, 1/1991; arrival at Peace and Friendship Camp, Baghdad; description of journey to peace camp at Judayyat Arar; description of camp and living conditions; opinion of organisation of camp; problem with arthritis and cold; comparison of treatment of men and women in camp; daily routine and duties; opinion of other campers; role in providing counselling sessions.
REEL 4 Continues: description of Affinity Groups and reason for joining non-British group; importance of physical contact; reaction in camp to outbreak of war; effects of war on morale; description of Coalition aircraft passing over camp; conditions in camp during war; story of concert; state of health of campers; problem of lack of sanitary facilities and water; night watches and peace vigils; memories of desert dogs and cats; attitude to mixed sex tents.
REEL 5 continues: morale in camp and divisions among campers; story of evacuation of Peace Team from camp, 1/1991; attitude to leaving camp; assessment of achievements of camp; story of journey to Baghdad and question of staying in Al-Rasheed Hotel; reaction to use of cruise missiles; description of air raids and shelters in Baghdad and comparison to Second World War; story of journey to Amman, Jordan; reason for returning to GB, 2/1991; description of bomb damage in Baghdad and question of targets; attitude to precision bombing and civilian casualties; story of refugee children; reception of arrival at Heathrow; description of fund raising activities in GB and return to Iraq, 4/1991.
REEL 6 Continues: description of bomb damage in Kabala including hospital; story of meeting Iraqi doctor from peace camp; description of conditions in surgery and hospitals and problem of lack resources; effects of war on children; daily life and living conditions; story of visit to bombed air raid shelter; description of visit to Kirkuk; attitude to role in gathering information about effects of war; problem of not working in group; situation of Kurds and Shias in south of Iraq; attitude to ending of sanctions; effects of war on Iraqis; opinion of Saddam Hussein and assessment of mental state.
REEL 7 Continues: attitude to Iraq and relations with Iraqis; problem of lack of visual evidence of effects of war; role in public speaking about war; opinion of organisation of peace camp and problem of large numbers in camp; reflections of experiences in peace camp and question of age; various memories of period in Iraq during Gulf War; attitude to pacifism and use of force; opinion of Pat Arrowsmith and organisers of Peace Team and camp.
REEL 8 Continues: description of peace camp on Iraq/Kuwait border, 1994. Recollections of period as peace worker in Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia, 1992-1993: problem of working on own; story of joining peace group and description of journey to Sarajevo via Italy, 12/1992; moved to camp and description of conditions; description of living conditions in Sarajevo; story of peace march through Sarajevo; religious services; problem of shelling and sniper fire; description of countryside and effects of conflict.
REEL 9 Continues: further description of conditions in Sarajevo; opinion of UNPROFOR and British contingent; composition of peace group including ages and nationalities; story of fast; attitude to fear and physical hardship; attitude to Serbs and question of maintaining neutral position; problem of not being able to reach hospital in Sarajevo; role in publicising events in Sarajevo on visit to GB; description of visiting refugee camps and peace groups in Slovenia and Croatia, 6/1993; story of attending Women in Black vigils in Belgrade.
REEL 10 Continues: effects of sanctions and inflation in Belgrade; reason for leaving group and moving to Budapest; assessment of success of peace mission; story of visit to Sarajevo with Italian peace group, 8/1993; opinion of organisation and problem of conflicts within group; problem of transport; description of Gorni Vakuf; story of peace protest in Mostar; problem of shelling and snipers; story of peace vigil against bombing of Serbs held at Aviano air base; problem of maintaining neutrality; question of effectiveness of peace missions.
REEL 11 Continues: description of behaviour of ex-Jugoslav military groups in Croatia; problem of divisions within peace mission; relations with UNPROFOR and UNHCR; reflections on current role and aims of peace workers.