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Description: | British NCO served with 18th Hussars in GB and on Western Front, 1906-1914
REEL 1 Work as apprentice shoemaker in Regent Street, London, 1900-1906. Background to initial recruitment with 10th Hussars at St George's Barracks, London, 4/1906. Recollections of conditions of service, training and routine with 18th Hussars at Fulford Barracks, York, 1906-1908: barrack accommodation; relationship with recruits, NCOs; physical training; preparing horses' food; sword practice; attending riding school.
REEL 2 Continues: cleaning saddlery; inspection parades; difficult nature of sword practice; deserters; rifle training; story of officer with speech impediment; question of visits into town; food rations; pay and expenditure including buying extra food.
REEL 3 Continues: relationship with officers; role of troop sergeants; recreations on visits into town; pay; rifle training as recruit and trooper; exercising horse; cleaning stables and saddlery; leave allowance; nature of troop and squadron training.
REEL 4 Continues: nature of regimental formation training; yearly training routine; specialist exercises for lance, sword and rifle tested at regimental sports days; dismounted action exercises; question of machine guns; brigade training exercises on Salisbury Plain; journey to Dunkeld rifle range, 1907.
REEL 5 Continues: reaction to mechanical unreliability of lorry during journey to Dunkeld rifle range, 1907. Aspects of period at Curragh Camp, Ireland, 1908-1911: relationship with Irish civilian population; success in rapid rifle fire training and consequent cancellation of posting back to 10th Hussars. Recollections of internal security duties during dock and rail strike in Liverpool, 1911: unloading and transport of beef carcasses; reaction of civilian population; personal morale. Recollections of operations in France, 8/1914-9/1914: taking up positions on railway cutting and view of failed attack by 9th Lancers in Elouges sector, 24/8/1914; assuming infantry role and issue of bayonets prior to occupying trenches in Aisne area, 20/9/1914; inappropriate cavalry greatcoat
REEL 6 Continues: Aspects of mobilisation at Tidworth, 8/1914: assisting in quartermaster's stores; reactions to outbreak of war; question of role of cavalry; reservists; journey to France. Recollections of operations in France, 8/1914-9/1914: advance to Mons area; refugees; taking up positions on railway cutting and view of failed attack by 9th Lancers in Elouges sector, 24/8/1914; first casualties during patrol; illustration of confused situation during retreat; volume of fire.
REEL 7 Continues: story of ambushing German cavalry patrol; food supplies and care of horses during retreat; cavalry role as rearguard; failure of German cavalry charge against dismounted cavalry position; issue of bayonets. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | White, Ernest George | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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