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Description: | British NCO served with 1/7th (Robin Hood) Bn Sherwood Foresters on Western Front, 1915-1918
REEL 1: Background in Nottingham, 1895-1911: story of German industrialist; father's employment with Post Office; family; education; employment as clerk at Player's Cigarette Co, Aspects of training with Territorial Army in GB, 1911-1914: reason for enlistment with Territorial Army, 1911; memory of duties in Guard of Honour for King and Queen; description of training; drill; route marches; bayonet practice; weekend camps; training and duties as battalion scout; tactical exercises; story of using live rounds during exercise; memory of outbreak of war, 8/1914; mobilised in Nottingham and billeted in Mechanics Hall; attitude to outbreak of war; marched to barracks in Derby; description of further training in Harpenden; trench digging; volunteered for overseas service; embarkation leave; sailed from Southampton to Le Havre, 2/1915.
REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of operations with 1/7th Bn Sherwood Foresters on Western Front, 1915-1918: attitude of French civilians; training for trenches; marched at night into line; question of fear; terrain; dugouts; description of first experience of combat; role as battalion scout at night; length of time in front line; story of shell exploding while playing cards and casualties; story of Capt Vickers winning VC; description of making bombs out of jam tins; opinion of rations; daily routine in trenches; story of soldier killed by sniper; attitude to role as observer for snipers; proximity of German trenches; latrines.
REEL 3 Continues: sleeping arrangements in trenches; breakfast; stand to; description of trenches in Ploegsteert sector, Belgium; drainage; care of feet; story of amputee; problem of lice and rats; removal of wounded and dead at night; proximity of German trenches; role as battalion scout in gathering intelligence; description of entrenching tool; role as battalion scout during trench raids.
REEL 4 Continues: description of German attack with bombs on trench J3 Right, Ploegsteert; story of throwing stick grenades; comparison of German and British trenches; attitude to fear; amusing story of bayonet; rum ration; description of carrying coils of barbed wire under fire; use of wire-cutters on barbed wire; question of helping wounded; attitude to taking prisoners; description of attacking German trenches; care of wounded.
REEL 5 Continues: burial of dead; morale; story of soldier killed by rifle grenade; briefing for trench raids; attitude to Germans; story of carrying message; reason for ban on making sketches; use of phonetic alphabet; mining activities; rest periods; state of health; relations between regular and territorial battalions; opinion of French troops; story of British and German soldiers playing musical instruments in trenches.
REEL 6 Continues: question of fraternisation with Germans; description of being under shellfire; deserters; field punishments; story of punishment for using live ammunition during training exercise in GB; route marches; delousing procedure; baths; rest periods; memory of seeing gassed Canadian troops; sings song 'The Bells of Hell'.
REEL 7 Continues: story of parcel; communications with home; question of censorship; entrained to camp in Marseilles run by Indian troops, 1915; story of slaughter of goat by Indian troops; returned to trenches in Albert sector, Somme; memory of mine exploding; returned to GB for medical treatment on foot, 1918; reaction to returning to GB; treated in Red Cross hospital; posted to 4th Reserve Bn Sherwood Foresters in GB; story of application for commission; demobilisation and pension. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Stovold, Jan R | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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