Interview with Thomas Alfred Dewing

British sapper served as signaller with 34th Divisional Signals Coy, Royal Engineers on Western Front, 1916-1918

REEL 1 Background in East Rudham, GB, 1896-1915: family; education; employment as teacher; memory of declaration of First World War and question of patriotism, 4/8/1914; attitude towards Germans. Aspects of training with Royal Engineers in GB, 1915-1916: story of volunteering for Royal Engineers and recruitment procedure, 1915; training as signaller in Ripon and on Salisbury Plain; reason for joining signals and value of previous experience as telegrapher with General Post Office; description of signals equipment. Recollection of operations as signaller with Royal Engineers on Western Front, 1916-1918: posted to 34th Divisional Signals Coy at Armentières, France, 1/1916; first experience of artillery shelling; story of acquiring nickname 'Plugg'; opinion of training and reputation of 34th Div; description of signals systems and lines of communication including cable laying; description of preparations for Battle of the Somme, France, 7/1916; question of casualties in 34th Div during Battle of the Somme, France and opinion of strategy; story of officers crying on church parade at losses in 34th Div and opinion of Chaplain Black. REEL 2 Continues: further comments on Chaplain Black and sermon at church parade; move back to Armentières, France for rest period, 12/1916; description of role during Battle of Arras, France, 4/1917 and comparison with Battle of the Somme; question of mobility as signaller; attitude to sight of dead and wounded; question of effectiveness of signals security and improvements in technology during war; monitoring of Imperial German Army messages; story of disbanding and reforming of 34th Div, 1918; role in training United States Army signallers; opinion of Americans; opinion of training courses including buzzer; question of effects of war and problem of nightmares; description of preparations for German offensive, 3/1918. REEL 3 Continues: description of German offensive in area of River Lys, France, 3/1918; story of British forces' retreat and blowing up of bridge over River Lys, 3/1918; opinion of organisation of retreat; story of being under heavy artillery fire and question of personal morale; story of signaller being prevented from joining infantry attack; question of personal perspective of war; reaction to news of Armistice and celebrations, 11/11/1918; attitude to men dying just prior to Armistice, 11/11/1918; problem of contracting mumps and nature of demobilisation. Aspects of post-war life and employment: further training as teacher; problem of adapting to civilian life; reflections on period of military service. REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of operations as signaller with 34th Divisional Signals Coy, Royal Engineers on Western Front, 1916-1918: description of home leave and question of adapting to civilian life; communication with home; state of health; contracting influenza and treatment, 1918; story of nearly drowning; opinion of rations and question of eating meat; attitude to being awarded Legion d'Honneur.