Description
Object description
British officer served with 4th South Wales Borderers in Mesopotamia, 1917; POW in Kedos prison camp, Anatolia, Turkey, 1917-1918. Officer served with Territorial Army in GB, 1939-1945, including planning for Normandy landings, Jun/1944
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of operations with 4th Bn South Wales Borderers in Mesopotamia, 3-6/1917: capture of Kut and Baghdad, 2-3/1917; casualties; moved up from River Tigris; role in operations against Turkish 4th Corps, 29/Apr/1917; nature of terrain; problem of Bn being isolated and pinned down by artillery fire; description of Turkish counter attack in dust storm; ordered to surrender; wounded in side; story of being captured by Turks and Turkish soldier stealing boots; taken to Turkish ambulance tent for medical treatment; allowed to ride on camel because officer; uniform and equipment confiscated; placed under guard of 3/7th Turkish Regt; opinion of treatment by Turks; marched to Kirkuk; officers allowed to ride on horses; other ranks walked or rode on donkeys if unable to walk; conversed with Turkish officers in French; story of British officers being given banquet by Turkish officers; treatment of wounded; description of accommodation in V shape tent; first meeting with Commandant; opinion of Turkish drink raki; opinion of food; story of being allowed to sleep in Commandant's tent; discussions with Turks about the war; opinion of Turkish Army; attitude to treatment by Commandant; recreational activities; story of being given blankets, equipment and money by Commandant on departure; taken to prison in Mosul and by train to Aleppo; amusing story about train driver; billeted in Baron Hotel, Aleppo; description of journey over Taurus mountains to POW camp at Kedos, 6/1917. Aspects of period as POW in prison camp at Kedos, Anatolia, Turkey, 6/1917-12/1918: opinion of Commandant.
REEL 2 Continues: further comments on Commandant; description of barracks and number of guards; opinion of living conditions; first impressions of camp and Commandant; clothing; all personal possessions confiscated including scissors and civilian clothes; only allowed to wear army tunic and shorts; all money taken; problem of having no interpreter except for British officer; description of barrack room and sleeping arrangements; forbidden to use hammocks; description of barrack building and other rooms; cooking facilities; had to buy own cooking pots and food except for bread; rota for cleaning barrack room; problem of having no lights in barrack room; not allowed to go to bed until after inspection; censorship of reading material; problem of low morale and boredom; description of kitchen and facilities; messing arrangements; story of Commandant visiting kitchen; officers allowed to go to local bazaar on Saturdays to buy food; rules strictly enforced by Commandant; physical exercise periods; rules on going for walks; ordered by Commandant to play games wearing hats; footwear; not allowed to gamble for money; story of officer being put in solitary confinement for playing chess; prisoners forbidden to sing; opinion of Turkish hygiene; washing and shaving arrangements; washing clothes; visit to Turkish bath once a week; communication with home; opinion of medical facilities; story about death of Indian officer after improvised operation; story about arrival of British and Indian orderlies to assist officers; opinion of two new Turkish officers and contrasting characters.
REEL 3 Continues: story about arrival of new Turkish inspecting officer and reaction of Commandant to submitting list of grievances; inspecting officer's opinion of conditions in camp; improvements in camp life including new beds and lifting of restrictions on exercise and playing cards; moved into empty room with two other officers; allowed to use Commandant's summerhouse; story about Maj. Pearson receiving 6 weeks solitary confinement for letter home criticising Commandant; formed debating society; procedure for receiving Turkish inspecting officer; opinion of food; daily routine and activities; relations with guards; recreational activities; problem of lice and heat in barracks; conversations about war; further comments on food including use of dog meat; evening activities; usually in bed by 9pm; role in formation of winter provision fund to buy supplies of food; story of officers refusing to give testimonial for Commandant; arrival of new clothes, toothbrushes, tobacco and books; issues with Embassy allowance monthly pay; reaction to departure of Commandant and opinion of new Commandant; story of inviting new Commandant and staff to dinner and concert party; improvement of conditions; story of increased freedom of movement after accepting parole including visits to town; relations with local civilians.
REEL 4 Continues: followed news in French language edition of Turkish newspaper; reaction to arrival of 80 new officers and improved range of recreational activities; story about fire in town and subsequent evacuation of prisoners to Smyrna, 9/1918; story of giving Commandant present before leaving; description of journey back to GB via Egypt, 12/1918.
Various recollections of Col. T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia): first meeting while en route to Mesopotamia before Lawrence was a celebrity; story of voyage aboard HMT Royal George to Persian Gulf, 3/1916; shared cabin with New Zealand soldier; Lawrence avoided social events and spent most of the voyage on his own; story of Lawrence being taken away on motor launch at Basra; story of post-war visit to Arab Bureau in Cairo and reaction to Lawrence's celebrity status; reference to voyage aboard HMT Royal George in Lawrence's book 'Seven Pillars of Wisdom'; story about Lawrence securing release of prisoners. Aspects of period in GB, 1918-1939: demobilized and returned to civilian life; commissioned into Territorial Army artillery unit; training; placed on Territorial Army Reserve; aged 44 on outbreak of Second World War, 9/1939. Aspects of period as officer with Territorial Army in GB, 1939-1945: appointed Staff Captain Movements at Eastern Command HQ, Hounslow; role in organising and sending BEF to France, 1939; role in preparations for Normandy landings under command of War Office; role organising movements of troops and vehicles including handling, loading and journeys to marshalling areas and embarkation ports; liaison with police; role in organisation of returning wounded and POWs; working hours; attended meetings around country and visited assembly areas; planning for possible postponement of D-Day including visit to meteorological team at Luton Hoo HQ to discuss problem of bad weather; slept in mobile caravan; story of receiving and passing on message about postponement of D-Day for 24 hours, 5/Jun/1944; visited Felixstowe to watch embarkation, 6/Jun/1944; story of visiting Normandy beaches after D-Day; awarded OBE for service during preparations for D-Day; story of visit to Gallipoli, 1928; story of serving as 2/Lt with 4th Bn South Wales Borderers on Gallipoli and father serving as major in same battalion.
