Description
Object description
British private served as signaller with 1/5th Bn Suffolk Regt in Gallipoli, Turkey, Egypt and Palestine, 1915-1918
Content description
REEL1: Background in Sudbury, Suffolk, GB, 1895-1914: family; brothers' service in First World War; education; left school, age 13; employment in textile factory owned by Col. Armes; enlisted with 1/5th Bn Suffolk Regt, 2/1912. Aspects of training with 1/5th Bn Suffolk Regt in GB, 8/1914-6/1915: mobilised at camp in Lowestoft on outbreak of war, 4/Aug/1914; summary of movements between camps; 1/5th Bn inspected by King George V at Colchester; specialist training as signaller and telegraphist; attached to 54th Div; recruitment of local men for D Coy; posted to Watford, London, 5/1915; description of voyage from Liverpool aboard SS Aquitania, 7/1915; disembarked Mudros Greece, 8/1915. Aspects of operations as signaller with 1/5th Bn Suffolk Regt in Gallipoli, Turkey, 8-12/1915: baths; issued with new uniform; sailed to Lemnos; disembarked Suvla Bay, 10/Aug/1915; description of Suvla Bay and Anafarta Ridge; Turkish positions; story of signalling to boats from Anafarta Ridge; reaction to death of Lt. Col. Armes, 12/Aug/1915.
REEL 2 Continues: occupied Turkish trenches on Hill 70; casualties; took over Turkish signals post; weather conditions; co-operation with Anzac troops; telephone lines; problem of Turkish trenches facing wrong way; lack of clean water; use of groundsheet to collect rainwater; outbreak of yellow jaundice; obtained water from Anzac troops; story of filtering seawater from abandoned Russian destroyer; opinion of rations; method of cooking strew; problem of dysentery; question of being a 'forgotten army'; preparations for evacuation; story of brother coming to Gallipoli, 9/1915; personal hygiene and problem of lice; further comments on preparations for evacuation; rifles loaded ready for firing; description of evacuation from Suvla Bay, 12/1915; weather conditions; story of being wounded in throat; problem of having only one field gun; story of being wounded by shell explosion and damage to hearing; opinion of signals officer; sailed to Mudros; deloused and clothes fumigated.
REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of operations as signaller with 1/5th Bn Suffolk Regt in Egypt and Palestine, 12/1915-11/1918: sailed to Alexandria; posted to Mina camp on Suez Canal; summary of role in operations in Gaza, 1916-1917; story of visit by Gen. Allenby; bombardment of Gaza, 11/1917; marched to Jerusalem; visited sights in Holy Land; story about wounded Turkish officer; contracted diphtheria; medical treatment in Cairo; posted to signals depot; various memories of officers and other ranks including padre, Rev Pierrepoint Edwards; story of Royal Flying Corps pilot being shot down in Gaza.
REEL 4 Continues: Further aspects of operations as signaller with 1/5th Bn Suffolk Regt in Gallipoli, Turkey, 8-12/1915: description of landings by battalions of Norfolk and Suffolk Regiments; role in laying cables; story of disappearance of 1/5th Bn Norfolk Regt, 8/1915; story of finding mass grave in Anafarta Wood and possible connection to missing 1/5th Bn Norfolk Regt; problem of flies on food; opinion of Turks; story of delaying demobilisation to play in football match; story of falling asleep on duty and punishment; story of soldier with dysentery being made to bury dead Gurkhas.
