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Description: | Detailed ts transcript (81pp) of a memoir (September 1914 - January 1919) covering his service with 7th Battalion Border Regiment (51st Brigade, 17th Division) on the Western Front (September 1914 - Nov 1917), including descriptions of the Battle of Loos (September 1915), his French sweethearts, bombing and bayonet training (March 1916), his involvement in the Battle of the Somme, including the taking of prisoners and the battle of Delville Wood during which he won the Military Medal, the alleged intoxication of his commanding officers (2 November 1916), his sergeants' cruelty to German prisoners, his involvement in the Battle of Arras (March - April 1917), during which he was promoted to Sergeant, his experience of the mutiny at Etaples while at No 25 Infantry Base Depot (late 1917); then his move to 1/4th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment (126th Brigade, 42nd Division) (Nov 1917 - Jan 1918) describing wiring patrols in the snow; then his move to the 2/5th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment (198th Brigade, 66th Division) (January 1918 - January 1919) including a detailed description of the German Spring Offensive at Templeux-le-Guerard, (March 1918) where he was badly injured by a German sniper and subsequently captured, a moving description of his journey to Zerbst hospital and prisoner of war camp and the treatment of prisoners there, his transfer to Derben camp (June 1918), and his duties there which led to his escape following the Armistice (December 1918), and his hazardous journey to Copenhagen where he embarked on SS HUNSTED back to the UK (January 1919). The document also includes biographical information, extensive appendices and annotations written by his great nephew giving contextual information about the action in which he was involved and other related subjects.
Cataloguer SCJ
Catalogue date 2005-02-11 | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Summers, W | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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