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Description: | British NCO served with 11th Bn Welsh Regt in Salonika, Greece, 1916-1918
REEL 1: Story of Cardiff Pals reunions; memory of outbreak of war, 8/1914; activities with Scouts; question of height; story of enlistment in Neath, South Wales, 1916; medical examination; amusing story of eye test; civilian employment. Aspects of training with Welsh Regt in GB, 1916: transferred to Cardiff Barracks; tented camp in Conway, 1916; description of uniform and kit; kit inspection; huts in camp at Abergele; sleeping arrangements; care of uniform; basic training; sporting and recreational activities; attitude to army life and discipline; duties as bugler with band; problem with heart; promotion to sergeant; attitude to alcohol; sergeants' mess; story of charge sheet; role in training recruits; reason for requesting overseas draft; description of journey from Abergele to Southampton and voyage to Le Havre, France; description of train journey to Marseilles.
REEL 2: Description of camp at Marseilles, France, 1916; embarked aboard SS Megantic; description of voyage to Salonika, 1916. Recollections of operations as NCO with 11th Bn Welsh Regt in Salonika, Greece, 1916-1918: disembarkation; first impressions of Salonika; memory of barber; marched into Summer Hill camp; duties in charge of latrine guard; sanitary facilities and problem of disease; question of discipline; duties as engineer on construction of railway; problem of lice; condition of roads; relations with Greek civilians; road construction; use of mules for transport; story of life being saved by mule; joined A Coy 11th Bn Welsh Regt; various memories of other NCOs; story of drilling battalion; musical activities; location in River Vardar sector; weather conditions; description of attack on Machine Gun Hill; story of being gassed.
REEL 3 Continues: description of gas mask; sounded alarm on gas gong; casualties; memory of gas shells landing; hit in back by shrapnel; weather conditions; opinion of Serbian troops; memory of Zeppelin attacks; construction of defences around Salonika; role as gas respirator instructor; problem of flies; memory of shooting down of observation balloon; use of observation balloon as decoy; German air raid on hospital in Salonika; role of 11th Bn in diversionary operations; overheating of rifle; story of night patrol; state of health; story of sugar box and sheet music; story of sentry killed by sniper; wiring parties.
REEL 4 Continues: story of green lights; daily routine and training; homesickness; memory of soldier singing in trench; opinion of Greek men; description of Greek national costume; description of journey to hospital on travoy; medical treatment and convalescence; returned to Summer Hill camp, Salonika; story of escaped prisoner; duties in garrison on Pit Ridge; story of losing way on night patrol; caught in barbed wire and lost Scout badge; story of trenches hit by trench mortars on last night; returned to GB; story of meeting brother on leave; question of physical fitness. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Morgan, Ivor | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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