Description
Object description
British private served with B Coy, 16th Bn Lancashire Fusiliers on Western Front, 1915-1918
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of operations with B Coy, 16th Bn Lancashire Fusiliers on Western Front, 1915-1918: enlisted in Salford, Manchester, 10/Nov/1914; civilian employment as fitter; formation of Pals battalions; role in operations at Savy Wood and Holnon Wood, Somme, France, 3/1917; pursuit of retreating Germans to St Quentin and Hindenburg Line; story of capturing German battery and taking prisoners at Holnon Wood; captured Savy Wood; dug in and held the line until 3/1918; story of bloodhound Bruce being adopted as Bn mascot; story of spending night at railhead in Doullens and buying whiskey and beer; home leave, Christmas 1917; use of Zanbuk ointment for injured heals; problem of lice; comparison of conditions for soldiers in First and Second World War; fumigation of clothes and blankets; story of meeting brother-in-law in Ypres; duties with transport section; number of original battalion left at end of war; state of uniforms; use of hand carts; opinion of Inniskillings; story of young German POWs with new equipment; weather conditions; destruction of buildings and trees by retreating Germans; sheltered in cellars; weather conditions.
REEL 2 Continues: relieved French Div in Nieuport, Belgium; changed French ammunition for British; opinion of facilities at Caix; baths and fumigation of clothes; memories of rest period at La Panne; baths; divisional and battalion concert parties; memory of amusing song; regimental bands; opinion of CO Col Marshall VC; duties with battalion transport; number and function of horses and mules used for transport; amusing story of horse inspected by CO; GS wagons; stabling and conditions for animals; problem of horses getting mud in nostrils; attitude to death of horses and mules.
REEL 3 Continues: amusing story about receiving Eccles cakes while in camp at Catterick, GB; various memories of friends killed on Somme, 7/1916; role in machine gun section during Battle of the Somme. 7/1916; pre-war civilian pay and hours as apprentice fitter; role in operations during crossing of Sambre Canal at Ors, 4-5/Nov/1918; billets; home leave, Christmas1918; description of treatment for scabies and lice at Canadian hospital c.6/1918; memory of Crucifix Corner at Aulnoye, Somme; preparations for Battle of the Somme, 7/1916; training exercises on similar terrain; role as Lewis gunner on 1/Jul1916; received copy of Haig's 'Backs to the Wall' message and kept in pay book; story of Germans killing four wounded soldiers with bayonets; story of chance meeting with youngest brother; story of meeting brother-in-law at concert party and receiving food and clothing.
REEL 4 Continues: further account of operations at the Sambre Canal including the death of Col. Marshall VC, 11/1918; care of wounded; use of Ford ambulances with four stretchers for serious cases; description of bombardment and attack by German marines with flame throwers on trenches at Nieuport, Belgium, 1918.
REEL 5 Continues: story of first leave after 13 months in France, 12/1916; description of 16th Bn and HQ Coy insignia; inoculations; morale in 16th Bn; opinion of Col. Abercrombie; on home leave in GB when Armistice announced, 11/Nov/1918; news of Armistice given in cinemas; not required to return to unit; ration allowance of 30 shillings a week; demobilised at Heaton Park, Manchester, 2/1919; story of censor failing to remove place name on postcard sent from Albert, Somme.