Description
Object description
British private served with Durham Light Infantry Depot in GB and France, 1940; served with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, India and Burma, 1940-1945; served with Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1946
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Jarrow, GB, 1919-1940: family; area grew up in; education; leisure activities; memories of childhood; time in Boys Brigade; visits to South Shields; work as errand boy including pay and working week; work in ironmongers shop; details of pay; attempt to join army on outbreak of war; arrival of medical papers; signs of approaching war; reaction of mother to his joining army; reason for wanting to serve; medical; desire to join Durham Light Infantry. Aspects of period as private with Durham Light Infantry Depot in GB, 1/1940-3/1940: arrival at Brancepeth Castle; issue of uniform; hair cut; forage cap; posting in Willington; accommodation; sleeping arrangements; storage of kit and method of keeping crease in trousers; uniform and equipment issued; settling into army life; drinking; cigarette ration; training with rifle; stripping of Bren gun; drill; .22 rifle range; relationship with civilians; opinion of NCOs; Light Infantry pace; route marches; schemes.
REEL 2 Continues: posting in Ushaw Moor; schemes; accommodation; sleeping arrangements; rations; relationship with civilians; guard duties; posting in West Hartlepool; issue of rifle; gas precaution training; leaves; cleaning duties; inspections; gambling; bullying among recruits; train journey to Dover and voyage to France. Aspects of period as private with Durham Light Infantry in France, 3/1940-6/1940: arrival in Cherbourg and first impressions; train journey to Rouen; accommodation; training; march towards Paris; arrival in Reims; sleeping arrangements; refugees on road; Stuka attacks; time in Reims; return journey to Cherbourg; French soldier seen on dock; voyage to Weymouth; knowledge of situation. Aspects of period as private with Durham Light Infantry in GB, 6/1940-7/1940: reception on arrival; reaction to news of Dunkirk; postcard sent to family; train journey to Blaydon; breakfast; accommodation in Crawcrook; weekend leaves; reorganisation; story of unofficial visit home; joining of 2nd Battalion in Bridlington. Aspects of period as private with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 7/1940-4/1942: state of battalion; brigade and division; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; posting in B Company 2" mortar platoon; 3" mortar course attended and joining of 3" mortar section; description of 3" mortar and ammunition; setting up and firing of mortar; range and firing sequence; transport of mortars; make-up of mortar team.
REEL 3 Continues: firing drill and lowering of base plate into soft ground; transport of mortars; mounting of mortars in front of carriers in Burma and firing of weapon; misfire drill; description of shells; posting and role in headquarters company; mortars in rifle companies; uses of mortars in jungle; selection of ground for setting up; location of mortars in action; activities in Bridlington including defences built and manned; memories of Brigadier Furlong; accommodation; relationship with civilians; training of RAF Regiment; air activity and picking up of German aircrews; guard duties; reinforcements; inspection of guard; selection and duties of stickman; location of headquarters; spread of battalion; sleeping arrangements; conditions during winter and duties on road and railway clearance; route marches; leave at Christmas; story of brigade exercise; pace of route marches and parades; equipment carried on route marches; formation of march; rest stops; length of time at Bridlington; Christmas celebrations; time as assistant cook; opinion of battalion; duties.
REEL 4 Continues: time with armoured division at Bury St Edmunds; fate of armoured division and activities in Bury St Edmunds including learning to drive Bren carrier; accommodation; posting in Cheltenham; visit from Winston Churchill; issue of khaki drill; rumours of destination; length of time in Cheltenham; story of march following brigadier's wager; exercise with Home Guard; relationship with civilians; exercise with collapsible assault boats; memories and opinion of officers; memories of Sergeant Major McLane and Sergeant Crozier; troops in mortar platoon; reluctance toward promotion; posting and activities as driver mechanic; story of friend in platoon. Aspects of journey from Glasgow, GB, to Bombay, India, aboard the Empress of Canada, 4/1942: size of convoy; sleeping arrangements; reactions of family to posting abroad; mail from home; importance of mail; coping with hammocks; storage of hammocks; seasickness and treatment; submarine watch duties; marching on deck; details of convoy; naval gun on ship; lectures; duties during voyage; canteen; time in Freetown harbour; leisure activities.
REEL 5 Continues: sports; parades; relationship with crew; accommodation; talk before disembarkation at Cape Town; activities in camp; relationship with civilians; visits into Cape Town; coping with climate; continuation of journey and knowledge of destination; knowledge of situation in India; opinion of reason for posting. Aspects of period as private with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in India, 1942-1944: arrival in Bombay; first impressions of India; conditions on train journey to Ahmednagar; stops on journey including in Poona and advice from older troops; story of beggar in Bombay; camp in Ahmednagar; problems from sores; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; civilian workers in camp; payment of workers; pay; other units in Ahmednagar; carrier demonstration; washing facilities; water supply; memories of Fred Cottier; rations; NAAFI; visits into Ahmednagar; problems with VD; warnings against VD; army attitude toward VD; visits to out of bounds areas; stories of unrest in Bombay.
REEL 6 Continues: relationship with and opinion of Indian Army troops; reason for missing action in Arakan; training for river crossings; training during day; details of jungle training and opinion of Bren carriers; wildlife in jungle; malaria precautions; hospitalisation with malaria and treatment; salt tablets; problems with dysentery; health of battalion; sleeping arrangements during jungle training; opinion of Douglas Dakotas; use of parachutes; pipes made; cigarettes; positions dug for night stops; use of carrier to clear areas; need for care against snipers; missing of Arakan action and news of it; landing training in Bombay; symptoms of malaria; hospitalisation in Bombay and Poona; later reoccurrence of malaria in GB; opinion of nurses; discipline.
REEL 7 Continues: opinion of doctors; rations; convalescence in Poona; description of Poona; anti-British feeling in Poona; leisure activities and discipline; activities of brigade in Arakan and wait in Ahmednagar; inoculations; rumours of action in Italy; landing training; officer drowned while swimming; length of training; hospitalisation with malaria; Japanese advance; journey to Dimapur. Aspects of operations as private with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in India and Burma, 1944-1945: use of carriers in patrols; terrain; location of Kohima; situation in Kohima; location and duties running supplies to front during action; scenes of fighting; transport on road; arrival of Indian troops; evacuation of wounded; clearance of Kohima; parade in Dimapur; morale of battalion; role of Douglas Dakotas.
REEL 8 Continues: reinforcements; shelling; story of faulty ammunition at Kohima; work and opinion of medical services; memories of padre Paddy Rice; reactions to situation; comradeship; importance of officer in action; casualties at Kohima; action along road; details of Japanese and Indian National Army troops; reinforcements; activities following an action; work with Naga civilians and building of war memorial; maintenance fund for memorial; details of advance including duties running supplies to infantry; contact with and activities of Japanese troops; pass through Imphal; hospital at Tamu; advance to Mandalay and terrain; crossing of Chindwin River and French artillery used by Japanese.
REEL 9 Continues: crossing of Cable Valley; story of railway line on far side of Chindwin; repairs on carriers; rations; weapons on and use of carriers; contact with civilians; story of chickens caught in a village; stoves carried; conditions of road during monsoons; morale of Japanese; flight to Calcutta; new carriers and mortars issued; voyage to Rangoon; clearance of Rangoon port; relationship with Indian Pioneers; story of finding Rangoon deserted by Japanese; gambling with money found; state of Rangoon; story of Japanese Company refusing to surrender; accommodation; contact with British POWs; work of Indian National Army troops; bandit raid on NAAFI; standard of turnout; problem with ear and treatment; Burma Victory film; health of battalion and problems with flies; visit of Gracie Fields; sports; rations; relationship with American troops including fights in dance halls.
REEL 10 Continues: date of departure from Rangoon; voyage to GB; posting in West Hartlepool. Aspects of period with Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1945-1946: reception on arrival accommodation; issue of new kit; granting of leave and arrival in Newcastle; reception on arrival home including gift from Jarrow Council; discussion about loss of earnings; change of climate in England; lasting mental effects of war; return from leave to Brancepeth; wait for demobilisation; duties at Brancepeth including contact with National Servicemen; process of demobilisation at Sedgefield; scroll received from 2nd Division; leave; work and marriage following army service; worst and best moments in army; story of meeting Frank Bar's family after war.
