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Description: | British rifleman served as signaller with 2/5th and 8th Bns London Regt in GB and on Western Front, 1917-1918 and 16th Bn King's Royal Rifle Corps on Western Front, 1918-1919
REEL 1: Background in London, 1898-1914: family; attitude to conscription; story of enlisting with London Regt under Derby Scheme, 1916; call-up and induction at Kingston. Aspects of training with 2/5th Bn London Regt (London Rifle Brigade) in GB, 1917: issued with kit; opinion of food; previous military training in School Cadet Corps; pre-war employment; description of training at Blackdown Camp; drill and tactical manoeuvres; bayonet practise; accommodation; opinion of food; attitude to discipline; story of parade ground; background of fellow recruits; opinion of NCOs; description of journey by steamer to France and problem of bad weather, 12/1917; description of Camp 15, Harfleur; taken by cattle trucks to front line and problem of sanitation. Recollections of operations as signaller with 2/5th and 8th Bns London Regt on Western Front, 1917-1918: role as reinforcements for 58th Div, 1/1918; route marches; in camp at Villers Bretonneux; reaction to disbandment of 2/5th Bn at Moreuil, 2/1918.
REEL 2 Continues: posted to HQ 8th Bn London Regt (Post Office Rifles); reason for training as signaller; description of training as signaller and types of equipment used; lines of communication; organisation of signals at HQ; location of signals equipment underground; role in observation post; quiet sector shared with French; story of explosion in bomb dump and first casualties; memory of French signalling lamp; use of telephone; increased German bombardment; story of working party and transfer to Battle Surplus; attached to Bde HQ and role as linesman, 3/1918; method of repairing lines; opinion of French; posted to 4th Army Battle Surplus due to hand wound; story of gas shell attack on HQ and casualties.
REEL 3 Continues: posted back to 8th Bn HQ as linesman; morale at HQ following gas attack and casualties; story of young soldier receiving 'Blighty' wound on first day; heavy German bombardment; relieved by French troops; story of rifle; re-formed and posted to line near Albert; memory of address by senior officer following August offensive, 1918; question of German resistance; movement under fire in Artillery Formation; colonel and adjutant wounded by shell; memory of thunderstorm; position in German dugout and finding gas canister; opinion of Australians; occupied position in old line at Eppy and problem of being understrength; transferred out of line for rest and opinion of conditions.
REEL 4 Continues: story of ambush of general and staff by German machine gun team in village; attitude of civilians in occupied territory and rear areas; communication with home; opinion of army rations; memory of throwing souvenirs into sea at Boulogne; problem of lice; story of being on compassionate leave when armistice signed; rejoined 8th Bn London Regt in Belgium, 11/1918; transferred to 16th Bn King's Royal Rifle Corps and duties on staff of demobilization camp at Le Havre, 1919; comparison of King's Royal Rifle Corps and London Regt including styles of command; attitude to Germans and impression of POWs; reflections on period of military service. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | de Lee, Nigel | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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recording
British private served as signaller…
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