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Description: | Russian artillery officer served with Russian 12th Army on Eastern Front, 1916-1918; served with White Russian Army during Russian Civil War, 1918-1920.
REEL 1: Background in Ekaterinaslav (formerly Dnepropetzovsk), Russia, 1895-1916: family; study at Mining Institute, 1912-1915; reaction to outbreak of war 1914; description of training at Military School in Petrograd (St.Petersburg), 1915-1916; attitude to discipline. Recollections of operations as artillery officer with 12th Russian Army on Eastern Front, 1916-1917; further training at artillery school; posted as Lieutenant to front line in Dvina sector; description of battery; type of guns and ammunition; positioning and firing of guns; problem of Japanese guns; story of German officers and accuracy of guns; opinion of men under command and morale; effect of October Revolution; food and ammunition supplies; managing supply of money for food and horses; problems of handing over authority to Committee, 1/1917; description of German attack and tactics employed by Russian artillery; problem of moving guns over snow.
REEL 2 Continues: further description of moving guns and problem of snow; problem with communications. Recollections of operations with White Russian Army in Crimea during Russian Civil War, 1918-1920; story of hiding on train; memory of returning to home town; nature of Ukraine nationalist movement; reasons for joining White Russian Army and description of battle against Red Army; attitude to transferring from artillery to tanks; use of British made tanks; description of tank crew and operation; opinion of tanks and role as gunner; memory of tank breaking down.
REEL 3 Continues: story of death of friend in tank; description of trains and transport; attitude to being in tank; political situation in Crimea; memory of concussion from artillery shell and hospital treatment; description of transfer of White Army from Crimea to Istanbul, 11/1920; description of conditions in Istanbul; problem of bed-bugs; sleeping arrangements; reaction to loss of family. Recollections of period as civilian in Jugoslavia, 1920-1950: reasons for leaving White Army and arrival in Jugoslavia, 12/1920; amusing story of sleeping on ship; story of American officer; employment as post office clerk and in power station; memory of German occupation of Jugoslavia during Second World War and atrocities against civilians; description of conditions during German occupation; story of encounter with KGB officer.
REEL 4 Continues: end of story of KGB officer; attitude to danger and fear of arrest; opinion of Hungarians; reasons for coming to England, 1950. Description of difficulty in shooting down planes. Attitude to Russian Revolution and reflections on communism; memory of uncle. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Brooks, Stephen | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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