Description
Object description
British private served with 4th Bn Grenadier Guards on Western Front, 1915-1916.
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of period with Grenadier Guards in GB, 1912-1915: story of joining Grenadier Guards in Bradford, 1912; posted to Guards Depot, Caterham, 1915; drafted to France, 7/1915. Aspects of operations with 4th Bn Grenadier Guards on Western Front, 7-9/1915: posted to camp in Calais; joined Guards Div at Blendecques, 8/1915; training; marched to Loos. Aspects of operations with 4th Bn Grenadier Guards during Battle of Loos, 9/1915: description of attack with No. 1 Coy on Hill 70; opinion of gas mask; story of returning to wrong trench; description of gas casualties including Cpt. Morrison and CO; method of storing gas mask in cap; moved into area of dead ground to avoid machine gun fire; story of runner being wounded; redeployed to Hulluch Road.
REEL 2 Continues: description of digging in with entrenching tool; story of removing body from trench; problem of trench filling with water; duties as officer's batman; casualties among officers; description of Loos village; story of taking tea and biscuits to Bn HQ; story of being ordered not to treat soldier with self-inflicted wound; marched to Vermelles; description of trench system along Hulluch Road; rotation in and out of line; story about Cpt. Morrison ordering food from Fortnum and Mason for officers' mess; description of duties as caterer in officers' mess; Aspects of operations with 4th Bn Grenadier Guards on Somme, 9/1916: opinion of tanks; description of tank attack; use of whitewashed rifles as guide posts; duties carrying cooking equipment and rations; use of sandbags to carry company rations and bottles of spirits for officers; description of German bombs dropped from aircraft and improvised air raid shelters; story of bomb landing on water cans; attitude to horses being injured; description of living conditions during winter 1916; problem of water points freezing and shaving in cold tea; problem of lice and methods of removal; story about mess cart sinking in shell hole and mule having to be shot.