Description
Object description
British NCO served with No. 1 Troop, 3rd Coy Royal Engineers attached to 3rd Cavalry Div on Western Front, 1915-1918
Content description
REEL 1: Background in Norfolk and Yorkshire, 1897-1914: family; education; apprenticed as carpenter; reaction to outbreak of war, 4/Aug/1914; problem of hernia; story of enlistment in London; posted to Royal Engineers barracks at Chatham, 1/1915. Aspects of training with Royal Engineers in GB, 1915: issued with uniform; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; description of training; drill; interest in horses; posted to mounted company at Aldershot.
REEL 2 Continues: further description of training with Royal Engineers; marking out trenches; bridge building; demolition and explosives; memory of fellow sappers; attitude to army discipline; embarkation leave; description of voyage to France; problem of seasickness. Recollections of operations with No. 1 Troop, 3rd Coy Royal Engineers attached to 3rd Cavalry Div on Western Front, 1915-1918: arrival at base camp at Calais; story of horse Bronco; posted to No. 1 Troop, 3rd Coy Royal Engineers and attached to 3rd Cavalry Div in Ypres area, Belgium, 5/1915; organisation of Troop; description of role in placing underground explosives at Hill 60; memory of explosion on Hill 60.
REEL 3 Continues: living conditions and daily routine; opinion of rations and cooking facilities; water supplies; problem of lice; sanitary facilities; description of role in charge of two gun limbers for explosives and tools; role of drivers; promoted to Lance Corporal; daily routine and duties out of line including care of own horse; problem of handling gun cotton; duties in front line and condition of trenches; first experience of being under fire and question of fear; problem of snipers.
REEL 4 Continues: posted to Armentieres sector, Somme, France and duties tracing out new trenches; memory of meeting German soldier; story of station master; method of removing obstacles with explosives; use of Bangalore torpedoes to blow holes in barbed wire; description of role in Battle of Arras, 4/1917; problem of bad weather; story of horse being hit during advance; problem of blisters in horses mouths; casualties; posted to Paris Plage area and relations with French civilians; memory of being wounded at Zonnebeke and treatment; story of lieutenant and whisky; posted to Albert sector, Somme, 1917.
REEL 5 Continues: living conditions and question of drainage; method of camouflaging listening post; description of blowing up bridges and blocking roads following German offensive, 3/1918; problem of shingles and treatment; memory of Armistice while in hospital, 11/11/1918; demobilisation, 1919. Post-war life and employment.