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Description: | British officer served with B Coy, 6th Bn Royal Marines in Russia, 1919
REEL 1: Background in Aspatria, Cumberland, 1897-1915: family; education; memory of outbreak of war, 8/1914; story of enlisting with Royal Marines, 1915. Aspects of training with Royal Marines in GB, 1915: description of training at Deal and HMS Vernon, Portsmouth; opinion of training facilities at HMS Vernon; training on naval gunnery at Whale Island; question of military training for Marines; description of role of Marines on ships including question of separating officers and men; relations with Navy; story of role in changing name of Naval School of Music to Marine School of Music.
REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of operations as officer with 6th Bn Royal Marines in Russia, 1919: story of formation of B Coy 6th Bn Royal Marines at Chatham Barracks, 1919; description of training; story of journey to Russia aboard the troopship Czar; question of knowledge of political situation in Russia; reaction of Marines to being posted to Russia; description of arrival in Murmansk and first impression of conditions; question of mixed nationalities; story of finding billets with Russian civilians; relations with Russian civilians; story of journey by rail and foot to Kandalaskha on Finnish frontier; reaction of men to being posted to Russia and attitude to mutiny in Royal Marines; question of knowledge of political situation in Russia; story of long march to Koikori.
REEL 3 Continues: description of attack against Bolshevik forces at Koikuri, 1919; problem of slow advance; memory of village and church; casualties including B Coy CO; question of confusion over orders to retire; story of Captain Watts and question of retreating; story of return journey to Murmansk and problem of navigation; reason for evacuation of British troops and return to Chatham barracks; story of military band; reaction of Colonel Commandant to operation at Koikuri; assessment of operation at Koikuri; question of treatment by Bolsheviks of Royal Marines captured at Koikuri; story of court martial of Captain Watts and role as Prisoner's Friend; attitude to Russians; story of meeting White Russians in Constantinople, 1920.
REEL 4 Continues: further comments on White Russians in Constantinople; story of White Russian countess serving as waitress; question of exchange rate; further comments on role in attack and retreat at Koikuir; story of requesting court martial and effect of incident on later career. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Smith Hill, Philip Royal | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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