|
Date: |
|
Description: | Photocopy (308pp) of an excellent ts memoir, written ca 1970, recording his service with the 2/15th London Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own Civil Service Rifles) (179th Brigade, 60th Division until July 1918, then 90th Brigade, 30th Division) initially in the United Kingdom, August 1914 - April 1916, describing his enlistment and initial training at White City in London where he refers to the poor food, then at locations around Surrey and on Salisbury Plain, recounting the friendliness of local people, Zeppelin raids, his billets, recreational activities such as concert parties, and mock training attacks; then in Ireland, April - May 1916, mentioning raids on Sinn Fein suspects; on the Western Front, June - October 1916, describing his journey to the Arras sector front line near Vimy Ridge, trench warfare including mining and tunnelling operations, communal baths, ration and fatigue parties, and a Lewis gun course; in Salonika, October 1916 - June 1917, recounting his voyage out and initial opinion of Salonika town, an expedition to Katerini (December 1916) where his unit were posted in case of a surprise Greek attack, army life in Macedonia, a long trek to the base camp at Karasouli, and brief service in the line in the Doiran sector; in Egypt and Palestine, July 1917 - July 1918, describing his initial enthusiasm for the Middle East, his impressions of ANZAC troops, life in Egypt and the desert conditions experienced, in training at El Shaulth and recreational activities, food rations, leave in Cairo, an inspection by General Allenby, involvement in the capture of Beersheba (31 October 1917) and subsequent fighting up to the capture of Jerusalem (9 December 1917), conditions in liberated Jerusalem, fighting at Jebel Ektief (January 1918) during the advance to Jericho, the march north to Es Salt where he guarded Turkish and German prisoners, his evacuation to hospital at Kantara suffering from a septic foot, and a visit to an army dentist; and finally back to the Western Front, July 1918 - 1919, describing the voyage to Toranto, Italy, from where his unit entrained for Le Havre, a brief period of leave in London, his opinion of American troops, his wounding from shrapnel on his way up to the line and evacuation to hospital before returning to his Battalion for the final Allied advance, the Armistice and hopes for demobilisation, Christmas celebrations in Boesinghem and his return home to civilian life.
Cataloguer APR
Catalogue date 2003-05-08 | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Hennessey, C R | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
|
|