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Description: | British officer served with Royal Artillery on Western Front, 1914-1916; served with Ordnance Survey Committee in GB, 1916-1918 [Includes comments by Lady Thomas]
REEL 1 Role as inspector with Explosives Inspectorate, Home Office, 1911-1914: return from leave in Norway on outbreak of war, 4/8/1914; background to appointment; inspection of factories, magazines and stores; background to appointment. Aspects of pre-war service with Royal Artillery: question of expense of service in Royal Field Artillery and necessity of selling out commission; situation as cadet at Royal Military Academy, Woolwich and service in South Africa during Boer War, 1899-1901.
REEL 2 Continues: question of contacts with Cadets Philip Neame and Alan Brooke at Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. Various aspects of service with Royal Field Artillery Bde attached to 8th Div and 14th Heavy Bty, Royal Garrison Artillery attached to 50th Div on Western Front, 1914-1916: role with Neame in invention and production of 'jam tin' hand grenades in Aubers Ridge sector, 1915; adjustments to faulty batch of shells and charges used with 4.7" naval guns; shortage of shells and story of successfully bringing down German observation post located in dye works chimney in Bethune area, 1915.
REEL 3 Continues: shortage of shells and story of successfully bringing down German observation post located in dye works chimney in Bethune area, 1915; story of close escape from German shell and question of their ineffectiveness; reactions to outbreak of war, 4/8/1914; initial role assisting in raising RFA unit in Sheffield area; question of quality of recruits; role commanding ammunition column; use of frost nails to prevent horses slipping.
REEL 4 Continues: propaganda leaflets aimed at Indian troops dropped by German aircraft; expectation of British victory; French officers; French NCO interpreter attached to unit; unofficial Christmas truce, 25/12/1914; winter weather conditions; treatment of horses; recall to GB.
REEL 5 Continues: concert parties; visit by King George V. Various aspects of period with Ordnance Survey Committee in GB, 1916-1918: question of state of civilian morale; (Lady Thomas' comments on civilian reaction to Zeppelin raids, Armistice celebrations in London, 11/11/1918 and extra food rations received); question of effects of war service; role testing resistance of tank armour to machine gun bullets; inspection to analysis of damage aboard HMS Warspite received during Battle of Jutland, 31/5/1916.
REEL 6 Continues: Post war situation: removal of blackout restrictions; (Lady Thomas comments on chimney fire breaking blackout regulations, reactions to war conditions, casualties, wartime postal work and religious beliefs). | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Brice, Martin H | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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