Description
Object description
British private served with B Coy, 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt, 126th Infantry Bde, 42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Div in France and Belgium, 4/1940-6/1940
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Liverpool, GB, 1922-1939: family circumstances. Aspects of enlistment and training with 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt in GB and Northern Ireland, 1938-1939: enlistment in East Lancashire Regiment at Fulwood Barracks, Preston, 1938; joining battalion in Northern Ireland 1938; sport activities; visits to southern Ireland; volunteering for special duties in Finland, 12/1939; physical training; exercises. Aspects of period as private with 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt, 126th Infantry Bde, 42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Div in France, 4/1940-5/1940: arrival in France; move to Armentières; Captain Harold Ervine-Andrews pointing out Black Cat Brothel; border patrols on French/Belgium border; confrontation with Fifth Columnists; leave in Paris. Recollections of operations as private with B Coy, 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt, 126th Infantry Bde, 42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Div in France and Belgium, 5/1940-6/1940: move to Tournai, Belgium, 10/5/1940; sight of refugees and blowing of bridge at Tournai, Belgium; wounding during blowing of bridges; killing German Army motorcyclist.
REEL 2 Continues: contact with British stragglers; sight of dead Belgium civilians; action against German tanks and infantry; German artillery fire; withdrawal from Tournai, Belgium; sight of French hosts destroyed cottage and acquisition of mascot; retreat towards Dunkirk, France; action against German Army reconnaissance force; soldier's shooting of mascot; nature of retreat towards Dunkirk, France; sight of French dead; character of B Coy's defence of barn near Bergues, 31/5/1940; attempted German Army infiltration; wounding of George Oakhill; return to company positions.
REEL 3 Continues: role of Captain Harold Ervine-Andrews during action; catching fire of barn and withdrawal; arrival of German armoured vehicles; wounding of Paddy Kavanagh; escape through hedge; sight of Dunkirk, France on fire; acquiring civilian clothes; meeting with French Army troops; move to aid post; arrival of German Army troops; escape through hole in wall; crossing canal; removal to British headquarters; suspicion of being a Fifth Columnist; taking uniform from dead British soldiers; meeting with Jimmy Costello; arrival in Dunkirk, France; finding casualties in church.
REEL 4 Continues: piling dead bodies around statue of Jean Bart in centre of Dunkirk, France; German Air Force attacks on beaches; character of naval evacuation; wounding during evacuation aboard French fishing boat; waking up in hospital in GB; desertion of Jimmy Costello and consequences; contracting jaundice; reasons for drinking chicken blood; Captain Harold Ervine-Andrews' escape from Dunkirk, France; B Coy evacuees; award of Victoria Cross to Captain Harold Ervine-Andrews.