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Description: | Ts transcription (204pp) of a memoir covering his military service as an Officer in the Royal Field Artillery, 1914 - 1919, describing how he was stationed at Pretoria, South Africa as a Sergeant before 1914 and how preparations were being made to mobilise to a destination unknown, his embankment on the GOORKHA and voyage from Table Bay (26 August 1914), recalling the conditions onboard, the black outs on deck once they had sailed past St. Helena, the sports competitions held such as cock-fighting and tug-o-war, giving details of their arrival in Southampton (19 September 1914) were they proceeded to march to Ashurst Camp, the formation of the 7th Division, being made Battery Sergeant Major (3 October) and the duties he had to perform, embarkation at Southampton and arrival at Zeebrugge harbour (6 October 1914) where he comments on their reception by the locals, their march to camp, the condition of their horses, how the inhabitants of his billet (a cafe in Eksternest) left under mysterious circumstances which implied that they may have been German spies, going into action between St Julian and Zonnebeke, the First Battle of Ypres and Neuve Chappelle, his wounding in the leg by a piece of shell, the operation and his recovery in hospital in Eastbourne; he then joined the 38th Welsh Division that was forming at Winchester and comments that the majority of men were Welsh miners with a history of striking, his running of a successful voluntary gunnery class and promotion to Acting Regimental Sergeant Major, describing leaving Winchester and Southampton and arrival in Le Havre(24 December 1914), his appointment as Orderly Officer and his duties ensuring that communications with the front line remained intact, his commission as 2nd Lieutenant (March 1916), his application for transfer to the Royal Flying Corps and subsequent move back to the UK to Reading (20 April 1917) and posting to Brooklands after being selected as a Pilot until, after further training, he decided not to continue and asked to be returned to his unit; he then rejoined his old unit in Ypres (22 September 1917) and describes the action at Armentieres, how the Germans used gas shells and his problems wearing a gas mask, the effects of the gas, suffering from Dysentery and his recovery, and his final demobilisation from the Army (8 July 1919). His memoir includes copies of a series of poems reflecting his experiences, pictures of him in uniform and on horseback, his Army ‘Small Book’, the London Gazette Supplement recording his award of the Military Cross (1917) for extinguishing a fire in an ammunition dump at Ypres, his marriage certificate, the London Gazette Supplement announcing his demobilisation and a photo of his medals.
Cataloguer BC | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Subjects: | Royal Artillery British Army 38th (Welsh) Division 7th Division | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Arnold, Frank | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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