Description
Object description
British private served with 10th Bn Worcestershire Regt on Western Front, 1915-1917
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of period in GB, 1914: story of enlistment with Worcestershire Regt in Redditch, 5/Sep/1914; reason for volunteering; question of choice of regiment; training with 10th Bn Worcestershire Regt; sailed from Folkestone to Boulogne, France, 18/Jun/1915. Aspects of operations with D Coy, 10th Bn Worcestershire Regt on Western Front, 6/1915-1917: posted to St Martin's Camp; story of officer riding horse over exhausted troops after route march; moved into line with 2nd Bn Black Watch at Laventie; description of trenches and dugouts; story of meeting Rev Studdert Kennedy; role in operations during Battle of Loos, 9-10/1915; description of gas shells exploding; duties as runner including memorizing messages; reason for not saluting officer before delivering message; question of Germans intercepting messages; attitude to being part of Kitchener's Army; further description of duties as runner; summary of movements prior to the Battle of the Somme, 7/1916; description of kit and equipment; fatigues unloading stores at Albert; billets; memories of Tommy Tyrell VC.
REEL 2 Continues: further memories of Tommy Tyrell; soup kitchens; relations with from other parts of the country; pride in serving with Worcestershire Regt; story of last meeting with brother before death; description of crossroads at Bazentin; story of capturing German horses; description of living conditions in Regina Trench sector; proximity of German trenches; story of using ants to eat lice eggs; personal hygiene; opinion of effectiveness of anti-lice powder; casualties in 10th Bn on 3/Jul/1916; amusing story about moustaches; story about carrying photograph of wife; summary of medical treatment in France and GB; story of seeing stacks of headless corpses; opinion of Gen Cubitt; story of helping soldier in Pioneer Corps.
REEL 3 Continues: story of being caught in explosion from minenwerfer while delivering message to Bde HQ, 12/1917; medical treatment at casualty clearing station; story of being presented with DCM by Sir Herbert Plumer; description of barrage prior to Battle of the Somme; summary of movements on Ypres and Somme fronts; methods of transport; story of taking wrong turn and seeing amusing signpost; problem of wild cats on farm; description of improvised swordstick; various memories of Gurkhas and Indian troops; opinion of rations; story of posting army biscuit to wife; disciplinary record and punishments; story about deserter from Staffordshire Regt; opinion of Australian troops; description of mine explosions at Hill 60; story of failing interview for promotion with Maj Brockman.
REEL 4 Continues: reason for using English versions of place names; description of Ypres Salient at night; use of white guide tapes; reaction to first sight of death and injury; attitude to shell shock cases; home leave; problem of rats; use of French partridges as early warning of gas attack; various aspects of trench warfare including sentry duty, machine guns, rations, anti-gas treatment; problem of faulty ammunition; storage of ammunition in trench; description of trigger device used by Germans in abandoned trenches; description of German dugouts; danger from booby traps; story about death of Cpl Surman; description of German hospital in Mametz Wood; description of making bombs out of empty jam tins; use of Mills bombs and Stokes mortars; description of attack by Tyneside Scottish on Somme, 1/Jul/1916; story of officer being shot in head on fire-step, 3/Jul/1916; attitude to use of corpses as cover; description of trenches and shell holes; discussion about location of The Glory Hole; problem of maintaining personal hygiene.
REEL 5 Continues: story of walking over dead bodies in Regina Trench; opinion of staff officers and senior commanders; story of Gen Bridges being wounded by shrapnel; duties as runner for Gen Cubitt; various memories of post-war life and employment in GB; opinion of army pay and allowances; further comments on Tommy Tyrell; description of attacks by aircraft and use of flechettes on infantry.