Description
Object description
British NCO served as signaller with C Coy, 1st Bn The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regt) on Western Front, 1917-1918
Content description
REEL 1: Recollections of operations as signaller with C Coy, 1st Bn The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regt) on Western Front, 4/1917-6/1918: posted from Etaples to 1st Bn in Arras sector, France, 4/1917; description of attack on Hindenburg Line at Fontaine-les-Croissilles; casualties; marched to Amiens for rest and training; posted to St. Omer for training, 9/1917; role in operations during Third Battle of Ypres, Belgium, 9-11/17; casualties; description of trenches in Passschendaele sector; death of commanding officer; posted to Arras sector, France, 10/Apr/1918; description of terrain at Etrun; story of holding up German attack; returned to Ypres sector, Belgium, 5/1918; story of suffering from shell shock and returning to GB, 6/1918; description of German defences on Hindenburg Line; further description of operations during Third Battle of Ypres, 9-11/ 1917; casualty rate; memory of artillery standing wheel to wheel; description of fighting at Sanctuary Wood and Tower Hamlets Ridge; used German barrage to cover advance and regained trench; use of Aldis lamp; visual communications between battalion and brigade HQ; notified battalion HQ of recapture of trench and requested counter-barrage; use of pigeons to send messages; story of waking up in shell hole, 27/Sep/1917; Germans surrendered; description of weather and living conditions on Ypres Salient during winter 1917-18; problem of frostbite; use of whale oil on feet; relieved troops in Dickebusch sector; role as corporal in charge of signal section; dug new trench system; opinion of French 75mm gun; organisation of 100th Infantry Bde; transferred to 19th Infantry Bde, 2/1918; moved to Armentieres sector, France, 11/Apr/18; marched to Etrun; evacuation of French civilians from Etrun; location of Bn near village; story of holding up German advance; casualties; role of 1st Bn in action around windmill; reinforced by New Zealand entrenching battalion, 12/Apr/1918; story of Army Service Corps officer bringing up ammunition; description of German attack on windmill at Etrun, 13/Apr/18; location of C Coy HQ in cellar of estaminet; death of Company Sergeant-Major; flags and runners; returned to own lines, 13/Apr/18; length of front; relieved at windmill; casualties; received message of thanks from French; 1st Bn refitted and reinforced with new draft from GB; reads letter from wounded signaller in GB about Third Battle of Ypres; reads account from signaller at Bn HQ during Battle of the Lys, 4/1918.
REEL 2 Continues: joined 1st Bn The Queen's at Etaples,12/Apr/1917; reads out movement order; remained in Arras sector until 7/1917; story about Capt. Harrison bringing up ammunition; Regimental Band; further memories of action at windmill in Etrun; story of being shelled by German aircraft, 15/Apr/1918; reads account by Sgt Tracy, A Coy, at Bn HQ in windmill at Etrun; further comments on Battle of the Lys; relieved and marched behind lines; French reinforcements sent by Marshal Foch; story of inspection by CO of 33rd Div and praise for role of 1st Bn; total casualties in Bn; story about champagne; memory of French 75mm guns in action.