Description
Object description
British civilian conscientious objector served with Friends Ambulance Unit in Finland and Norway, 1940, and with Hadfield Spears Unit in Middle East, North Africa, Italy and France, 1941-1945
Content description
REEL 1: Background in GB 1919-1939: Quaker family upbringing in Bristol; effect of First World War; education; employment in family business. Aspects of period in GB, 1939-1940: attitude to patriotism on outbreak of war, 9/1939; reason for becoming conscientious objector and joining Friends Ambulance Unit; importance of Quaker background; automatic exemption from Tribunal in Birmingham; quotes from Tribunal statement. Aspects of period with Friends Ambulance Unit in Finland and Norway, 3-5/1940: description of experiences with Finnish expedition and opinion of success; story of flight to Namsos, Norway, and evacuation in convoy back to GB; reason for being for cleaned up before disembarking. Aspects of period with Friends Ambulance Unit in GB, 1940-1941: employed on various short-term jobs; description of work at City General Hospital, Gloucester; story of meeting with the 'Bones' men; attitude of matron and staff towards conscientious objectors working in hospital; story of being invited to join newly formed Hadfield Spears Unit, 27/Dec/1940.
REEL 2 Continues: story of formation of Hadfield Spears Unit; initial assembly and training in Camberley, Surrey; description of seven week voyage to Egypt via South Africa, 1941. Aspects of period with Hadfield Spears Unit in Egypt, Syria and Lebanon, 1941-1942: role of mobile medical unit; rapid deployment of large tents; description of dealing with casualties from civil war at base in Deraa, Syria; moved to Damascus and worked at Italian hospital; moved to Beirut, Lebanon, 8/1941; social life.
REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period with Hadfield Spears Unit in North Africa, 1942-1944: unit deployed in Tobruk, Libya, 1-5/1942; description of retreat to Sollum, 17/May/1942; role in forward medical post at Mekili; story of Nik Anderson killed by shell in trenches near Tobruk, 14/Feb/1942; opinion of Lady Spears; description of role with Unit during Battle of Bir Hakeim, 5-6/1942; story of being invited to 50th anniversary of battle, 1992; role of Unit during Battle of El Alamein, 10-11/1942; moved to Zuara, near Tripoli, Libya; moved to Hammamet, Tunisia, 12/1943; relations with army personnel; opinion of Major Basil Nield.
REEL 4 Continues: question of reaching compromise with military; problem of relations with upper-class lady drivers. Aspects of period with Hadfield Spears Unit in Italy, 1944: moved to Bizerta then Naples; description of Cassino area; story of Unit being shelled in San Giorgio; summary of movements across Italy; story of being invited to join small Surgical Commando Unit in France, 8/1944; importance of maintaining secrecy; preparations and medical supplies; description of surgical unit; training in Corsica for landings. Aspects of period with Hadfield Spears Unit in France, 8/1944-8/1945: description of landing at Canandel Beach, 14/Aug/1944; problem of landing on wrong beach and being bombed by US aircraft; description of setting up medical unit and casualties.
REEL 5 Continues: description of conditions for medical work and accommodation in different houses; set up medical unit in hotel in Le Lavendu; received help from local civilians and German troops; treatment of casualties from fighting in Toulon; description of punishment of collaborators; advanced with Allied troops along Rhone Valley; reception from local civilians after liberation; story of being reunited with main Hadfield Spears Unit in Lyon, 8/Sep/1944; problem of continuing pockets of German resistance; further description of landing at Canandel Beach; attitude to danger of operation and reason for making will; opinion of contribution of Surgical Commando group; continued work with Hadfield Spears Unit until arrival in Sante; story of Germans in Royan requesting two-day truce to treat casualties from Allied air raids; comparison of German troops in Western Desert and France; attitude to Germans; description of work treating casualties from defence of Strasbourg.
REEL 6 Continues: moved to St Etienne-de-Tinee and crossed border into Italy; reaction to news of end of war, 8/1945; story of Hadfield Spears Unit being disbanded by General de Gaulle after marching under Union Flag at Victory Parade; story of being awarded Croix de Guerre; description of citation sent with Winter War Medal by Field Marshal von Mannheim; obtained early release from Friends Ambulance Unit and returned to medical studies. Aspects of post-war life: importance of wartime experiences for later medical career; attitude to working for Friends Ambulance Unit during the war; reflections on pacifist beliefs.