Description
Object description
British private served as driver with Honourable Artillery Company in Egypt and Palestine, 1916-1918; survived sinking of HMT Arcadian in Aegean Sea, 15/Apr/1917
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Arcadian, including sinking in Aegean Sea, 15/Apr/1917: jumped into sea after ship torpedoed; rescued by French boat; sailed aboard destroyer to Crete; problem of having no clothes; description of voyage from Marseilles to Salonika; attacked by submarine en route to Alexandria, Egypt; Kantara; various memories of Damascus, Lebanon and Beirut; train journey from Le Havre to Marseilles; slept on top deck of Arcadian during voyage. Aspects of operations with Honourable Artillery Company in Egypt and Palestine, 1916-1918: attached to Australian Mounted Division; story of bayonet charge against Turks; description of terrain, climate and transport. Aspects of period in GB, 1915-1916: enlisted 1915; still at school at outbreak of war, 8/1914; wore red armband after attestation; signed on at Wood Green and sent to Mill Hill barracks; medical examination; problem with legs; reason for joining Honourable Artillery Company; basic training at Bulford Camp; attitude to horses; role as lead driver in team; story of marching in tropical kit through snow to Leeds railway station, 12/1915; embarked at Southampton; use of black horses for gun team; riding tuition and exercises; church parades; daily routine and training at Bulford Camp; care of horses; parades; gunnery instruction; description of cleaning harness and saddle.
REEL 2 Continues: opinion of training; number of men and guns in battery; gun limber and ammunition; role of outrider; amusing story of whistle; description of Bulford Camp; drafted to Egypt, 1917. Aspects of operations with Honourable Artillery Company in Egypt and Palestine, 1916-1918: living conditions in Gaza; method of digging for fresh water in desert; delivery of water by horses twice a day; memories of seeing aerial combats over desert; terrain and climate; mud villages; opinion of rations; delivery of water by camels from Kantara; fodder for horses; story of taking over as cook and duties; role in charge of water cart; story of finding Austrian field kitchen; posted to camp in Jericho; question of returning to unit.