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Description: | British civilian balloonist and parachutist with Auguste Gaudron's display team in GB, 1904-1912; volunteer with Women's Emergency Corps and Women's Volunteer Reserve in London area, 1914-1917; served as driver with Women's Army Auxiliary Corps on Western Front, 1917-1919
REEL 1 Background to experiences as balloonist and parachutist with Auguste Gaudron's display team in GB, 1904-1913: early interest in balloons; story of meeting S F Cody and acting as 'target' in his shooting show whilst working as waitress at Alexandra Palace, Muswell Hill, London; Edward Maitland's reaction to using parachute without harness; learning to prepare parachute with Gaudron; first descent from balloon; method of parachute jumping from balloon; retrieval and repair of balloon after use; close escape from fire whilst filling hot air balloon.
REEL 2 Continues: filling gas balloon; question of balloon construction; duration of balloon flights; balloon flight in thunderstorm; difficulty in steering parachutes; reception on landing; clothes; waving union jack during parachute displays at fetes; story illustrating celebrity status.
REEL 3 Continues: summer balloon displays at fetes; Gaudron's accidents whilst parachuting; question of risk of accident; double parachute descents with Gaudron; story of rescuing Louie May whose parachute had failed in double descent and consequent spinal injuries, 1908; medical and electrical treatment for spinal injuries.
REEL 4 Continues: brandy and milk diet during initial treatment; partial nature of recovery from spinal injuries; premonition during final flight, 1913; question of mother's flight; flight with Maitland; experimental work on gliders; aviation advances; family reaction; pay; story of concealing parachuting activities from aunt; celebrity status.
REEL 5 Continues: absence of instructional role; question of becoming pilot; deaths amongst team of parachutists; treating co-workers during winters at feather factory; wearing good luck charm necklace; story of impromptu display; decision to retire nature of balloon flying; examples of difficult landings when parachuting; timing of moment to parachute from balloon; nature of ballooning; question of fear of heights; recreations including horseback riding and swimming; story illustrating aunt's attitude to ballooning. Reactions to outbreak of war, 4/8/1914: question of approach of war; police interview with aunt concerning her deceased German husband; recruitment to Women's Emergency Corps, 8/8/1914; effect of war on aunt's feather factory; opinion of Germans and Kaiser.
REEL 6 Recollections of period as volunteer with Women's Emergency Corps later Women's Voluntary Reserve Corps in London, 8/1914-: recruitment and nature of voluntary part-time service; question of suffragette volunteers; training including first aid; organisation of Women's Emegency Corps; necessity of discipline; formation of Women's Army Auxiliary Corps; approach of war, 1914; effect of war on aunt's feather factory; part-time nature of service; promotion to sergeant; role running mobile canteen at Woolwich Arsenal.
REEL 7 Continues: enrolment and speech by Mrs Charlesworth, 8/8/1914; drill; first air training and role playing exercises; reaction of civilians during route march; converting Bethnal Green Workhouse into hospital to treat gassed soldiers; first aid role accompanying fire engines; collecting casualties from railway station; opinion of Lilian Barker; civilian reaction to Shepherd's promotion to sergeant; day time work for War Office driving munitions lorry and special duty driving gold ingots; driving ability and characteristics of Renault lorry; taking driving test prior to recruitment into Women's Auxiliary Army Corps.
REEL 8 Continues: taking qualification as mechanic; story of close escape during air raid in Silvertown; assisting with drill in Women's Auxiliary Army Corps; view from Woolwich of Zeppelin being shot down over Potters Bar, 1916; opinion of Lilian Barker. Recollections of operations as driver mechanic with WAAC at Queen Mary's Camp, Calais, France, 1917-1918: rat problem at initial billet in boathouse at Boulougne; test of engine knowledge at workshop; initial hostile reception from male personnel and subsequent improvement in relationship after success in repairing broken down staff car; hut accommodation; food arrangements.
REEL 9 Continues: role driving administrative officer; background to dispute over engine and return to general duties as driver; adaptation of uniform unsuitable for driving; long hours on duty and story of events leading to court martial with result that hours were shortened; food rations and story of disobeying orders by eating meals with officers; driving clothes and exposed position of driving cab.
REEL 10 Continues: driving clothes and exposed position of driving cab; sugar parcel from mother; giving water to troops; relationship with German POWs; contact with Chinese Labour Corps; story of deserting British soldiers during retreat, 1918; accompanying officer to arrest Chinese personnel; question of reputation of WAAC; story of drunk sentry; story of giving lift to naval officers; question of contacts with GB; hours worked; story of driving officer who disapproved of women drivers.
REEL 11 Continues: story of overcoming prejudice of officer who disapproved of women drivers; relationship with officers driven; duties driving up to Ypres area; story of close escape from bombing in Dunkirk; punctures and repairs; temporary repairs to broken axles; tool kit carried; quality and assignment of staff cars in pool; horse riding; treatment for frost-bitten foot; accidental fire; premature celebrations of armistice, 8/11/1918.
REEL 12 Continues: reactions to armistice, 11/11/1918; story of marrying officer during leave in GB and consequent demobilisation, 7/1919; story of driving US general to meeting with Haig; story of driving King Albert of Belgians and reception on arrival in Bruges; reception of former British POWs in Calais; question of trouble with troops awaiting demobilisation; story of padres touring different units; preparations to destroy lorries during German advance, 3/1918; assisting with cooking during influenza epidemic whilst being treated for frostbite in 10th Canadian General Hospital; amusing story of driving general. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Brooks, Margaret A | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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