Description
Object description
British private served with 13th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1940
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Gateshead, GB, 1922-1939: family; holidays on Lindisfarne; family during depression; food; clothing; household management; childhood homes; community; education.
REEL 2 Continues: stories of school life; physical changes after joining army; communications with school while in army; leisure activities; church; civilian work in printing trade.
REEL 3 Continues: first day at work; details of pay; reasons for working overtime; further details of work; pocket money; lack of leisure time; classified work from 1938; holidays; story of possible spy; colleagues being conscripted; signs of approaching war; classified work increasing; long hours; concern of mother at war.
REEL 4 Continues: outbreak of war; reaction of mother; preparations for war; reaction of people. Aspects of life as civilian in Sunderland, GB, 1939-1940: false alarm after declaration of war; defences in Newcastle; aircraft overhead; recruitment drive; effect of war on people; effect of war on Newcastle; civilian gas training; blackouts; start of rationing; 1945 election; story of an air raid; industrial fires at start of war; fire watches in Royal Arcade; joined Home Guard; Territorial parade; stationed at Lowfell pit; armband; drill training; attached to Durham Light Infantry; reaction of parents to joining Home Guard; strength and changing face of unit; factories being built.
REEL 5 Continues: introductory lecture to Home Guard; training in Canadian Ross Rifle; sentry duties at pit; facilities at pit; officers; opinion that good preparation for army; civilian attitude to Home Guard; morale within Home Guard; visit from officer; reaction to Dunkirk; work during war; decision to join army. Recollections of period as private with 13th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 8/1940-11/1940: story of sergeant at recruitment office; medical; met first comrades; following night at Burt Terrace Drill Hall in Gateshead; discovery and reaction of parents to his joining army; situation in terms of going abroad.
REEL 6 Continues: oath on joining army; air raid at Burt Terrace Drill Hall; truck journey to Ravensworth Castle; greeted by Sergeant Wilson; meal rundown from cook; camp in castle grounds; sleeping arrangements; first day; facilities; initial rifle and drill training; contact with home; issue of uniform; traditional wear of cap; method of cleaning boots; memories of "Dippy" Wade; route marches; equipment and weapons issued; story of first breakfast at Ravensworth.
REEL 7 Continues: food at Ravensworth; lectures; morning procedures; pace of drills; kit inspections; army attitude towards theft in camp; story of full kit theft on troopship; first drills taught; story of bleeding feet on route march; care of feet; injury to feet in Syria; method for softening boots; learning of drills; mid-morning breaks; swimming; army songs; fitness; story of a route march; story of illness while on leave.
REEL 8 Continues: process of reporting sick; treatment; tea; ways of spending evenings; cleaning equipment and brasses; guard duties; use of time off; method to keep crease in trousers; guard mounting; description of School Aycliffe; guard inspections and stick man; stories of challenges on guard duty; picquet duties; story of being charged and punishment; differences between piquet and guard; organisation of battalion.