Description
Object description
British NCO served with 13th and 9th Bns Rifle Brigade on Western Front, 1915-1918; POW in Germany, 4-11/1918.
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of period in GB, 1914: description of enlistment at Wimbledon Town Hall and train journey to Winchester, 10/1914. Aspects of training with 13th Bn Rifle Bde in GB, 10/1914-7/1915: description of Hulton Camp; pre-war civilian employment as footman and valet to Sir Eric and Lady Barrington; reaction of employer to enlistment; accommodation in camp; issued with regimental number; travelled by train to Hulton Camp, Wendover; further comments on civilian employment; story of receiving parcels from Sir Eric Barrington; opinion of Trumpeter cigarettes; description of training at Hulton Camp; story of visit to pub; description of tactical exercises around monument; opinion of Col. Pinny; story of inspection by King George V at Windmill Hill Camp, 6/1915; opinion of Cpt. Vivian and his horses; promoted to full sergeant; story of being put on a charge for marching party past sentry without saluting; description of voyage aboard SS Mona Queen from Southampton to Le Havre, France, 7/1915. Aspects of operations with C Coy, 13th Bn Rifle Bn on Western Front, 7/1915-7/1916: marched to Hazebrouck; changed divisional insignia on haversack; moved into trenches at Ploegsteert Wood; description of loop holes used by snipers; story of throwing Mills bombs into German trenches; marched to billets in Armentieres; relations with regulars in 13th Bn including Sgt. Fred Laney; story of obtaining food from local farms.
REEL 2 Continues: further memories of Sgt. Laney; attitude to duties as sergeant and relations with men; working parties; description of village of Hennescamps; amusing story of officer mistaking chloride of lime for gas; memories of regular soldier nicknamed 'Rainbow'; description of duties as demonstration battalion at 3rd Army School of Instruction, Auxi-le-Chateau; description of bayonet training; opinion of Bengal Lancers; opinion of rations and billets; story of visit to BEF canteen; description of march to Doullens, 1916; problem with feet and medical treatment; relieved Irish troops at Mailly-Maillet; story of receiving soup from cookhouse; opinion of Irish troops.
REEL 3: continues: description of 'toffee apples' (bombs); story of platoon being led in the wrong direction by Lt Cox; problem of locating own lines; story of casualties in 12 Platoon caused by going through gap in wire; story of being shot in hip during attack at Contalmaison, Somme, 10/Jul/1916; sheltered in shell hole; story of helping badly wounded soldier Billy Dove to dressing station; description of wounds and medical treatment by American doctor; description of journey to aid post in Albert and evacuation to casualty clearing station; story of being given blankets at casualty clearing station; further description of attack at Contalmaison and casualties; opinion of Maj. Cunliffe; story of Marquis of Winchester finding sentry asleep on duty in listening post; opinion of discipline in battalion; story about death of Sgt Kerr.
REEL 4 Continues: description of commanding covering party during night raid and capture of German prisoner; amusing story about Sgt Williams and Verey light pistol; moved into underground dug-outs in support; amusing story of sentry stopping officer walking across snow; further description of night raid; camouflage and weapons; problem of heavy rain; story of firing on Germans during night patrol at Hannescamps; attitude to fear; story of soldier with shell shock; story of death of Cpt Lezard; opinion of Sgt-Maj. O'Donnell; amusing story of being put on charge for shaving upper lip; story of post-war meeting with Col. Strode-Jackson; various memories of other members of 12 Platoon; story of first Christmas in the line at Bienvillers, 12/1915.
REEL 5 Continues: opinion of cooks and rations; description of convalescent hospital in Dorset; story about catching rabbits; further comments on death of Cpt Lezard; description of dead from attack at Contalmaison; duties collecting identity discs from dead in mine crater; method of removal of rifles and ammunition from dead; description of making and installing wooden hurdles for revetments in trenches at Hannescamps; problem of slippage of soil in trenches; opinion of French trenches; description of collection and burial of bodies; effects of tear gas shells and opinion of gas mask; story of two German soldiers emerging from mine crater; attitude to Germans; description of preparations for attack at Contalmaison, 10/Jul/1916. REEL 6 Continues: story of giving first aid treatment to Cpt Sheers and Sgt-Maj. Galton following shell explosion; further description of attack at Contalmaison, including being wounded and medical treatment, 10/Jul/1916; repetition of story about post-war meeting with Col. Strode-Jackson.
REEL 7 Continues: repetition of story about commanding covering party during night raid and capture of German prisoner; story of celebrating Christmas on Isle of Sheppey, GB, 12/1917; posted to Chatham and drafted to 9th Bn Rifle Brigade; description of voyage from Southampton to Le Havre aboard paddle steamer, 1/1918; posted to dispersal camp at Harfleur; story of visit to 8th Bn Rifle Brigade; joined 9th Bn in line at Jussy; story of being wounded and taken prisoner at Villers-Bretonneux, 9/Apr/1918.
REEL 8 Continues: story of carrying wounded friend in wheelbarrow; story of British aircraft dropping marker flares to draw artillery fire onto German battery and ammunition column; description of conditions in German dressing station; taken by lorry to railway yard at Mons; story of evacuation of patients from hospital to POW camp in Munster, Germany.