Description
Object description
British officer served with 65th Bty, 8th (Howitzer) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery on Western Front, 1915-1918 and in Germany and Upper Silesia, 1919-1922.
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of period in India and GB, 1898-1915: family background and father's military service in India; moved from India to Dundalk, Ireland, 1899; education at Army School, Cheltenham, 1912-1915; reaction to outbreak of war and loss of school friends. Aspects of period at Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, 1915-8/1916: reason for wanting to join artillery; description of training; posted to Reserve Bdes in Leeds and Southwold; drafted to France, 9/1916; attitude to overseas service; uniform and kit; description of journey to Le Havre, France, 9/1915. Aspects of operations with 65th Bty, 8th (Howitzer) Bde, Royal Field Artillery on Western Front, 9/1915-11/1918: posted to base camp at Rouen; moved into line at Armentieres; cost of riding breeches; story of being blown out of observation post in tree while sketching; moved to Ploegsteert Wood sector; organisation of battery, guns and crews; opinion of personal batman;
REEL 2 Continues: role of groom; guns crews; daily routine and duties in line; opinion of gunfire tea; problem of trench feet; rivalry between four batteries; opinion of Bill Duncan; description of conditions at Passchendaele, 11/1917; casualties; rotation in and out of line; description of counter-battery 'hate'; location of battery at Messines; story of being wounded by shrapnel shell during meal and medical treatment; description of 4.5 howitzer shell; method of using cordite to cook toasted cheese; problem of rations being delayed while isolated for four days; attitude to using iron rations; problem of wound becoming infected and description of further medical treatment in Base Hospital at Wimereux; returned to GB for month's leave, 12/1917-1/1918; problem of adjusting to civilian routine; attitude to death; returned to Bty in France, 1/1918; took over Canadian battery and guns; opinion of Commonwealth troops;
REEL 3 Continues: story of dragging two guns through mud; amusing story about refusing to salute officer; opinion of staff officers; moved to position in readiness at Poelcapelle; description of weather conditions and terrain on Ypres Salient; took over abandoned German gun pits; problem of rat in feed bag; story of accidentally setting officers' mess on fire; withdrawn from Salient and moved into line at Amiens, 2/1918; role in operations during German March offensive, 1918; story of bullet passing through gun shield; use of stars to lay guns; description of retreating infantry passing through gun lines; problem of guns firing short during action in support of Durham Light Infantry; relations with infantry officers; attitude to serving with infantry; attitude to role of Royal Flying Corps during March offensive; problem of German observation balloons; opinion of French Army; Bty problem of not being able to move guns; various memories of fellow officer 'Daddy' Mayo; description of Germans shelling wagon lines; attitude to use of gas.
REEL 4 Continues: description of gas shells; effects of mustard gas; reaction to death of 'Daddy' Mayo, 5/1918; living conditions in Soissons sector; story of being gassed during birthday party before German dawn attack; description of bullet holes in seat of breeches and saddle; casualties in Bty; story of constructing jumping course to exercises horses; story of contracting Spanish flu and treatment in hospital at Le Treport ; amusing story about patient waiting for piles operation; amusing story of throwing cherry stones onto roof of ward housing shell shock patients; story of padre accidentally dropping cigarette on chest; description of voyage back to GB aboard hospital ship; posted to Cologne, Germany as part of Army of Occupation, 1919-1920. Aspects of operations with the 65th Battery, 8th (Howitzer) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery in Upper Silesia, 1921-1922: reason for being posted to Upper Silesia; description of political situation.
REEL 5 Continues: role as part of peacekeeping force (British Silesian Force) between Germans and Poles; duties patrolling neutral corridor; opinion of Irish troops; location of Battery in wood; duties with mounted patrols; personal weapons; rules on opening fire; relations with local civilians; problem of horse flies; 8'-8'58 pause; description of patrolling along frontier; story of being shot at by Polish sentry while crossing bridge over river; opinion of accommodation in cavalry barracks at Tarnowitz (Tarnowskie Góry); weather conditions; officers' mess; amusing story about shooting at dog; story of capturing bandit in pub.
REEL 6 Continues: conclusion of story about bandit; story about French officer requesting issue of campaign medal; description of train journey with horses from Cologne to Upper Silesia; reason for bandaging horses tails; story of some horses losing tails due to gangrene.
