Description
Object description
British private served with 7th Bn East Yorkshire Regt on Western Front, 1915-1917.
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of operations with 7th Bn East Yorkshire Regt on Western Front, 1915-1918: story about friend having cap blown off by shell explosion. Aspects of period with 7th Bn East Yorkshire Regt in GB, 9/1914-7/1915: story of enlisting with friends at Wenlock Barracks, Hull, 8/1914; attitude to being NCO; posted to barracks in Beverley; various memories of billets at the Beaver pub; story of train journey to Wareham and forming up into companies on station platform in rain; marched to tented camp in field; washing facilities; opinion of rations; trained in civilian clothes until issued with khaki uniform; story of gathering bracken from moors to cover pathways; moved from tents into huts, 11/1914; issued with Lee Enfield rifle; rifle training; improvement in rations and weather conditions, spring 1915; state of health; home leave after Christmas; moved to Romsey, 5/1915; issued with extra clothing, weapons and ammunition; entrained to Folkestone; description of boarding ship and night voyage to Boulogne, France, 7/1915. Aspects of operations with 7th Bn East Yorkshire Regt on Western Front, 7/1915-5/1917: story of seeing German POWs working on railway; description of train journey in cattle trucks to village near Calais; billeted in barn; marched to Dickebusch; reaction to first experience in front line; opinion of junior officers; story of being frightened by battery of own artillery opening fire; story of carrying boxes of ammunition from farmhouse into line; description of German shelling and mine explosions; reaction to arrival of naval guns on railway; problem of shells from Belgian battery dropping short.
REEL 2 Continues: story of being wounded by shrapnel during dawn attack on chemical works near Monchy, 12/May/1917; casualties in Bn; story about air raid on Hull during Second World War; story of being sent on night patrol armed with a revolver; story about death of miner Tommy Winter on the Somme; further memories of enlistment at Wenlock Barracks, GB, 1914; story about observing German lines through mirror.
REEL 3 Continues: duties with Lewis gun team, 9/1915; problem of ammunition shortage; use of Mills bombs; problem of falling asleep at post; attitude to not being visited by officers in the line; story about captain and batman staying in dugout during attack; opinion of NCOs; served on demobilization staff in Mansfield, GB until 1919; increase in pay; story about conversation with German POW; further comments on voyage to France, disembarkation and deployment into line; description of kit prior to embarkation; story of being given safety razor by former employer; description of wounds and medical treatment at 26th General Hospital in France; problem with feet; description of marching through night to board bus; story about sniper's bullet hitting rifle; story about relieving Welsh troops at St. Eloi; description of Belgian hospice in chateau; story of collecting water ration in petrol can under shellfire, 1915.
REEL 4 Continues: further comments on night patrol; reason for refusing promotion to lance-corporal; story about collecting case of ammunition; story about 'Wood bine Willie' and death of Cpt. Ashington at Sailly-Saillisel, 31/Jan/1917; story of witnessing shooting down of Baron von Richthofen, 4/1918; billeted in civilian house near Corbie; story about soldier falling down stairs; story about snowball fight with officers; opinion of bread ration; duties with Leicestershire Regt in GB, 1917; repetition of story about collecting case of ammunition; story about sergeant-major court martialled for deserting post.
REEL 5 Continues: story about newly arrived officer suffering from nerves; story about soldier shot in head lying in snow; story about being leaned on by dead soldier during night on Somme, 1916; repetition of story about 'Woodbine Willie' and death of Cpt. Ashington; description of trenches at Armentieres; description of journey to HQ and return home to Hull, GB, 5/1917; problem of lice; story about taking bath in vat at brewery; various memories of Western Front.