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Description: | British NCO served with 16th Bn Manchester Regt in GB and on Western Front, 1914-1916
REEL 1: Background in Seedley, Manchester, 1893-1914: family; education; apprenticeship in textile industry; memory of Boer War; description of activities with Boys' Brigade; description of training with Lancashire Fusiliers, Territorial Army, 1910-1913; reaction to outbreak of war and question of patriotic atmosphere, 8/1914; story of enlistment with 16th Bn Manchester Regt at Heaton Park, Manchester, 8/1914. Aspects of training with 16th Bn Manchester Regt in GB, 1914-1915: opinion of food; description of uniform and training as scout, 8/1914-4/1915; further training in trench warfare at Grantham, 4/1915.
REEL 2 Continues: further description of basic training at Heaton Park; role in acquisition of horses and fodder; composition of 16th Bn and comments on Pals battalions; description of training at Grantham and on Salisbury Plain, 1915; role as Scout Sergeant in training group of twenty scouts; description of role of Scouts in trench warfare and story of incident on Somme; question of readiness for action by 11/1915; question of relations between officers and other ranks in 16th Bn; attitude to rank of sergeant; comparison of behaviour of 16th Bn in GB and on Western Front; story of journey to France and memory of seeing crashed Zeppelin. Recollections of operations with 16th Bn Manchester Regt on Western Front, 1915-1916: memory of arrival at Boulogne in heavy rain and transport by cattle trucks to Pont Remy, 11/1915.
REEL 3 Continues: story of march to Hebuterne area and description of first experience of trench warfare; casualties; attitude to organisation; moved to 16 Trench in Maricourt-Suzanne area; description of conditions in trenches and problem of flooding; question of inadequate uniform and equipment; problem of lice and use of Blue Unction ointment; description of scouting duties and location in Observation Post outside Y Wood, 1916; story of false tree hiding German snipers; story of finding and destroying hidden 12-inch railway gun; story of French padre and farmer dressed as woman caught spying for Germans.
REEL 4 Continues: further comments on French padre; question of co-operation of Scouts with Signals; story of capturing spy and problem of spies in general; story of refusal to take part in daylight raid; memory of removing friend from barbed wire; story of German decoy; attitude to death; description of scouting and sniping duties in front line; story of night raid; question of liaison with French in Suzanne area; memory of swapping bread and tobacco with French troops; opinion of French and habits; description of position on Somme, 7/1916; opinion of Very lights; story of machine gun post.
REEL 5 Continues: description of role in operations during Battle of Somme, 1/Jul/1916; opinion of preliminary bombardment and question of cutting wire; question of youth of troops and memory of death of young soldier; description of position at Montauban and opening stages of attack; nature of objectives; memory of large numbers of dead and wounded; story of being wounded in face; memory of Corporal Brock; problem of lack of medical facilities; description of Montauban area during afternoon of 1/Jul/1916; question of casualties and story of shooting severely wounded man; story of helping Corporal Brock to ambulance and shooting German doctor who refused to help; further description of large numbers of dead and wounded; description of journey to GB by train and hospital ship SS Saltaire; problem of being unable to eat or drink due to mouth wound; memory of ladies handing out cups of tea at Rugby station; description of medical treatment in hospitals at Birkenhead, Manchester and Wales; role as orderly helping doctors with VD cases and nature of treatments; nature of injuries to eye and mouth and fitting of false teeth.
REEL 6 Continues: Question of prevalence of VD cases during war and effectiveness of treatment; story of mis-diagnosis of VD case; memory of severely wounded patients; effects of facial wounds and question of pension; problem of eating; opinion of strategy of Somme offensive; attitude to use of bayonet and role of cavalry; attitude to conscientious objectors; comparison of German and British artillery resources during Somme offensive; description of use of sniper-scope and activities as a sniper; description of Somme landscape including Trones Wood; question of relations with French civilians; memory of visit to Amiens Cathedral.
REEL 7 Continues: description of living conditions in Maricourt/Suzanne area, Somme; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; delivery of rations of tea and bacon carried in stretcher; method of heating water for tea and use of flints; story of fire in dugout giving away position; problem of bronchitis, 1/1916; problem of lack of rations and memory of living off Boer War biscuits for eight days; question of water supplies and regulations on use of water-bottles; story of attempted German fraternization; question of supplies of tobacco and rum ration; communication with home and food parcels; story of French civilians burying valuables in graves in gardens and question of honesty in 16th Bn; sanitary and washing arrangements in front line and reserve trenches; story of celebrating Christmas at Bonneville and barn fire, 1915; memory of baths and showers; memory of death of Sergeant Major's son.
REEL 7 Continues: question of fathers and sons serving in same battalion; problem of shaving; problem of rats and decaying corpses; problem of Trench Foot and long march in full pack; state of health of 16th Bn; effects on 16th Bn of Battle of Somme; description of burials; further comments on liaison with Signals including wire repair and laying; problem of Germans tapping wires on Somme; question of POWs and gathering intelligence; description of being gassed and effects; attitude to artillery and ammunition supplies during Battle of Somme, 1916; question of discipline in 16th Bn; further comments on shooting wounded soldier and psychological effects; attitude to death and casualties; opinion of Belgian civilians.
REEL 9 Continues: Recreational activities; memory of song 'Where My Caravan Has Rested'; sporting activities; question of contact with Africans and Chinese; comparison of Pals battalions and regular battalions; opinion of senior officers and question of competency during Battle of Somme; opinion of Royal Army Medical Corps and adequacy of medical facilities; opinion of role of padres at front; story of tetanus innoculations; reaction to news of Armistice, 11/Nov/1918; attitude to being seriously wounded and returning to GB. Reflections on period of military service including question of seniority over previous bosses | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Payne, James Albert | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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