Description
Object description
British seaman served with 1st (Drake) Bn, 1st (Royal Naval) Bde Royal Naval Div in GB and Gallipoli, 1915; officer served as observer with 218 Sqdn Royal Flying Corps on Western Front, 1917-1918; internee in Netherlands, 7/1918-11/1918; served with 17 Sqdn RAF in Turkey, 1919; served with 30 Sqdn RAF in Iraq, 1920-1921
Content description
REEL 1 Background in London, GB, 1900-1915: reaction to outbreak of First World War, 4/8/1914. Aspects of enlistment and training with Royal Naval Div in GB, 1915: recruitment underage into division, 1915; training at Crystal Palace and Blandford Camp. Aspects of operations as seaman with 1st (Drake) Bn, 1st (Royal Naval) Bde, Royal Naval Div at Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey, 1915: voyage to and landing at V Beach; move inland and digging in; disruption of breakfast by shellfire; move into front line; corpses.
REEL 2 Continues: living conditions; water shortages; lice problem; working party digging trenches; situation; evacuation with dysentery; story of failed torpedo attack on RMS Mauretania during voyage back to GB, 1915. Aspects of training as observer with No 1 Cadet Training Wing, Royal Flying Corps at St Leonards, GB, 1917: transfer to Royal Flying Corps after period of hospitalisation in GB, 1915-1916.
REEL 3 Continues training as observer. Aspects of period as observer with 218 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps in France, 1917-1918: operating Airco DH9; role of observer during bombing raids on German occupied Channel Ports and method of releasing bombs; anti aircraft fire; story of being hit by anti-aircraft fire during raid over Zeebrugge, Belgium and crash landing near Flushing, Netherlands, 31/7/1918. Aspects of period as internee in The Hague, Netherlands, 7/1918-11/1918: signing parole and minimal conditions imposed; story of being allowed home on leave and Armistice, 11/11/1918. Aspects of period as observer with 17th Sqdn, RAF during Allied occupation of Turkey, 1919. Aspects of period as observer with 30 Sqdn, RAF in Iraq, 1920-1921: background to posting.
REEL 4 Continues: recconnaisance role during Iraq Rebellion; story of forced landing in Airco DH9A and journey to secure assistance; operations of B Flight in North West Persia against Bolshevik forces; death of crash landed pilot at hands of Cossack forces.