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Description: | British gunner served as bugler with 82nd Bty, 110th Bde Royal Field Artillery in India and Mesopotamia, 1908-1916; present at siege of Kut-el-Amara, 4/1916; POW in Turkey, 1916-1918
REEL 1: Background in India, 1908-1914: description of enlistment and training at Boys Depot, Royal Field Artillery, Kirkee, 1912; posted as trumpeter and bugler to 82nd Bty, 110th Bde Royal Field Artillery; description of musical training and duties as bugler; food and accommodation including sleeping arrangements; attitude to army life and discipline; recreational activities; climate; memory of outbreak of war, 8/1914; description of journey to Mesopotamia, 10-11/1914; loading of horses and guns; conditions for men and horses; sleeping arrangements; opinion of food; description of disembarkation, 11/1914. Recollections of operations with 82nd Bty, 110th Bde Royal Field Artillery in Mesopotamia, 1914-1916: first impressions of Mesopotamia and Basra area; climate; daily routine and duties; description of role in First Battle of Qurna, 12/1914; problem of mirages; reaction to being under fire.
REEL 2 Continues: description of daily routine and duties in Basra area; uniform; problem of cold weather; opinion of rations; problem of flies and lice; washing facilities; opinion of Arabs; description of role in Second Battle of Qurna, 5/1915; memory of captured Turkish guns; description of battlefield and corpses; story of journey to Ahwaz and description of fortified camp; problem of harassing fire; description of journey to Amara; role as captain's trumpeter and signaller. Aspects of operations at Kut-el-Amara, 1915: role of infantry and description of moving guns into position at night; question of diversionary tactics; communications and role as signaller; organisation of battery; first impressions of Kut; pursuit of Turks; attitude to role within 6th Division.
REEL 3 Continues: question of relations with older soldiers; story of own horse; attitude to Mesopotamian campaign; description of role in Battle of Ctesiphon, 11/1915; memory of Arch of Ctesiphon; problem of ammunition supplies; question of outcome of Battle of Ctesiphon. Aspects of retreat to Kut and siege, 1915-1916: morale; question of pitching tents to deceive Turks; story of pursuit by Turks; description of attacks by Arabs; terrain and living conditions; water supplies; reaction to loss of friends; question of leaving wounded; state of health of troops; problem of 'Baghdad sores'; opinion of medical services; problem of flies and lice; problem of dysentery; opinion of sanitary facilities.
REEL 4 Continues: further comments of health of troops; memory of conference between Generals Nixon and Townsend; opinion of decision to retreat; problem of Arab snipers; opinion of rations; description of defences at Kut; digging of gun pits and placement of guns; daily routine and living conditions in Kut; memory of eating dates; question of preparing for siege; description of billets; problem of reduction of rations and use of horse meat; problem of feeding and caring for horses; effects of reduced rations; slaughtering horses and preparation of horse meat.
REEL 5 Continues: question of conserving ammunition; nature of Turkish attacks on Kut; casualties in battery; duties in caring for horses; state of health; sanitary arrangements and burial of dead; relations with Arab population; memory of supplies dropped by air; medical facilities; attitude to siege and relief efforts; reaction to surrender of garrison, 4/1916; story of surrender including destruction of guns and slaughter of horses; attitude to being separated from officers; description of march to Baghdad and rations; opinion of treatment by Turks; problem of lack of medical facilities. Recollections of period as POW in Turkey, 1916-1918: description of march to camp and nature of work; story of being selected for kitchen staff by Germans; opinion of rations; living conditions.
REEL 6 Continues: washing facilities; state of health; daily routine in camp and nature of work; question of sabotage; stone breaking; story of camp taken over by Germans and nature of work in kitchens; relations with Germans; opinion of rations; clothing; pay; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; daily routine under Germans; freedom of movement; memory of other POWs; attitude to Turks; relations with Germans; memory of Serbian POWs; morale among POWs; attitude to survival as POW; question of receiving news of war; story of release and role as cook in British officers' mess, 1918. Attitude to officers and role as cook; description of billets; food parcels; story of return to India via Alexandria, Egypt, 12/1918. Reflections on period as POW. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Hart, Peter M | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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