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Description: | British sapper served with 201st Field Coy Royal Engineers on Western Front, 1915-1918; POW in Germany, 1918
REEL 1 Background on Isle of Wight, 1894-1915: education; work as policeman and initial reserved occupation status, 1914. Recruitment and period training with Royal Engineers at Brompton Barracks, Chatham, 1915. Treatment for attack of pneumonia, 1915. Crossing English Channel aboard Princess Clementine and initial posting, 11/1915. Various aspects of period with 201st Field Coy Royal Engineers on Western Front, 11/1915-3/1918: move into line; terrain at Thiepval; muddy conditions; view of tank in Menin Road; story of French civilians uncovering wine cellar at Albert; conditions of service; contact with Assam Labour Force; recreations; nature of trenches; lice problem.
REEL 2 Continues: move to Ypres area, 1917; journey back on GB leave to Isle of Wight, 12/1917; move to St Quentin sector, 1918; work improving trenches; capture during German offensive, 21/3/1918. Recollections of initial period as POW, 3/1918: story of Germans machine gunning group of POWs and receiving ankle wound; meeting German Crown Prince Wilhelm during march back to holding camp at Landrecies; journey to Mannheim.. Aspects of period in Mannheim POW Camp, 1918: working parties; medical treatment for ankle wound; interrogation; food; Red Cross parcels; question of notification of family; visits to Mannheim. Repatriation, 12/1918: reception and new uniform at Calais and journey back to Isle of Wight. Background to demobilisation, 1918.
REEL 3 Aspects of wiring parties in No Mans Land, 1915-1918. Recollections of initial period after capture, 21/3/1918: nature of prior fighting; story of Germans machine gunning group of POWs and receiving ankle wound; reaction to surrendering rifle; water from French civilians; . Aspects of period in Mannheim POW Camp, 3/1918-12/1918: interrogation; food; Red Cross parcels and POW uniform; medical treatment for ankle wound; relationship with German guards and civilian manager whilst on working parties in coal yard; church services; question of notification of family; German thefts from personal parcels from GB; failed attempt to escape and story of bartering food for drink from German civilians.
REEl 4 Continues: failed attempt to escape and story of bartering food for drink from German civilians; Russian and Italian POWs; news from captured RAF pilots as to progress of war; visit to Mannheim on Armistice, 11/11/1918; story of German satirical modification to statue of Kaiser Wilhelm in Strasbourg; relationship with German civilians; situation prior to repatriation, 12/1918; food; train journey to Calais, 12/1918; coal and timber yard working parties; separation from officers; confiscation of personal effects; question of thefts by German guards. Repatriation, 12/1918: reception and new uniform at Calais; journey back to IOW. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Stovold, Jan R | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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