Percy Atkinson Bird (5666) as a sergeant 5th Infantry Battalion AIF, Egypt and France 1915-1917, interviewed by Dr Alistair Thomson

Places
Accession Number S01305
Collection type Sound
Measurement 2 hr 35 min
Object type Oral history
Physical description audio cassette; BASF Ferro Extra I 90; mono
Maker Bird, Percy Atkinson
Thomson, Alistair
Place made Australia: Victoria, Melbourne, Williamstown
Date made 8 September 1983; 7 April 1987
Access Open
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Copyright

Item copyright: AWM Licensed copyright

Copying Provisions Copyright restrictions apply. Only personal, non-commercial, research and study use permitted. Permission of copyright holder required for any commercial use and/or reproduction.
Source credit to AWM Research Grants Scheme
Description

Pre-war life in and around Williamstown, Victoria being a member of the Boys Naval Brigade; enlistment in April 1916, and how his father passed away after he sailed for Egypt; Etaples Camp, France; joining his battalion near in July or August 1916 near Pozieres; singing in Battalion concert; anecdote of English captain vs. his Captain; conditions on the front line such as walking and shelling hazards in the trenches (anecdotes of falling over); singing a (possibly salacious) love song in German to German soldiers; Bullecourt; anecdote of being operated on in August 1917 after being gassed in April 1917; relationship between officers and men in British and Australian forces;recreation, food and "vices"; relationships in and out of the army; . Percy Bird sings some songs he sung during the war.