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Description: | British private and NCO served with British Army in GB, Germany and India, 1/1918-1922; employed as bus conductor with London Transport, 1923-1945
REEL 1: Aspects of period in London, GB, 1900-1918: various memories of family and childhood in Battersea, London; story of being burned in house fire; education; left school age 14; employment as reader’s boy; reaction to outbreak of war, 8/1914; enlistment of brother with army; employment as packer in candle factory and with publisher; wages; visits to music halls and theatres in London.
REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of training with British Army in GB, 1918: enlistment in St Albans, 1/1918; amusing story about lecture on VD; description of basic training and further training as signaller; attached to Scottish regiment; memories of influenza epidemic; posted to brigade signals, Cromer; story of being drafted to France after Armistice, 11/1918. Aspects of operations with British Army in GB, Germany and India, 1918-1922: description of voyage from Dover to Dunkirk; problem of seasickness; description of journey in cattle trucks across battlefields of France and Belgium; billeted in village post office in Germany; signed on for three months service; bonus and leave; posted to Cologne; value of pound; living conditions; returned to GB via Holland; story about fortune teller; posted to Aldershot; signed on for three years; promoted and posted to India; description of voyage aboard troop ship from Liverpool to India via Egypt; disembarked Bombay; description of three-day train journey; accommodation in bungalow; daily routine and duties; organised social activities; reason for being armed at all times; amusing story about organist; posted to Rawalpindi; learned to ride horse; posted to North-West frontier area; story of riding camel; duties as company clerk; accommodation under canvas; problem of guerrilla snipers; deployment of pickets around camp; duties assisting Quartermaster; story of being given rum at each camp; posted to Lucknow; staff duties with railway police; story of pub in church; posted to Deolali; description of voyage back to GB, 1922; demobilisation; issued with civilian clothes; pay.
REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period in London, GB, 1923-1938: story of obtaining employment as a bus conductor, 1923-1938; training and uniform; first garage at Turnham Green; family life and living conditions in Battersea; story of seeing ‘The Jazz Singer’ in Leicester Square; marriage, 1931; wife’s employment as seamstress; family life in New Cross.
REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period in London, GB, 1939-1945: reaction to outbreak of war, 9/1939; blackout; story of seeing bomb drop near Wimbledon station; various memories of the London Blitz; story of building Anderson shelter in garden; description of employment as bus conductor during Blitz; story of V1 bomb at Raines Park station; reaction to bombing of London; civilian morale.
REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of post-war life and employment in London, GB: story of street lights being turned on again,1945; description of bomb damage; story of purchasing utility furniture with coupons; story of death of wife, 1947; employment with London Transport; trade union and political activities. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Eacott, William | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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