Interview with Bertram Stokes

Recalls family background, immigration of father and mother to New Zealand (Dunedin), education in Wellington, early employment, the YMCA Cadets and competitions, Captain Ateo Frandi, Territorials (Garrison Artillery), Fort Dorset, enlistment, Featherston Camp, reaction of family, Reg Blackburn, sailed with 15th Reinforcements on 'Ulimaroa', Capetown, race relations, arrival in United Kingdom, Sling Camp and Etaples, training, arrival at Front - Jan 1917 with 13th Battery, duties as a driver (horses), describes Messines and Hill 63, German resistance, how his life was saved by a pocket book.

Recalls leave in Edinburgh and London, prostitution, venereal disease in UK and Germany. Describes deaths at Passchendaele in his battery, the mud, unofficial truces, Maori Pioneer Battalion, views on Haig and Passchendaele, songs, Westhoek Ridge, General Foch, the Armistice, the Army of Occupation, impressions of Germany and German civilians, billets, lice, sanitation, trench feet, looting, drunkeness, discipline, Sling Camp riots - 1919, trench raids, attitude to officers, Major Tommy Farr, attitude to French.

Discusses return to New Zealand on 'Northumberland', prohibition vote, return to work, effect of war, influence of Methodist Church, marriage, post war career, attitude to RSA and Anzac Day, views on rehabilitation, visits to Europe and former battle sites.

Venue - Auckland

Other - Textual file

Interviewer(s) - Jane Tolerton

Interviewer(s) - Nicholas Boyack

Venue - Mr Stokes' home at 15 Carnavon Avenue, Glendowie, Auckland

Accompanying material - Copy of extract from Bert Stokes' diary, 1917; Copy of 'Bloodbath veterans meet again', Auckland Star, 12/10/1988; a copy of 'A return to Passchendaele', Oliver Riddell, unknown source and date - two page article looking at incidents from the diary of Bert Stokes; copy of 'NZ veteran, 92, back in Flanders', Tony Verdon, Evening Post, 15/7/1987; copy of 'Survivors of Passchendaele in Glendowie Probus Club', Glyn Filer, Probus News, Autumn, undated.

Accompanying material - OHA-0517/4 - Copy of 'Chapter two: "I go to war" - The years of World War One', from the reminiscences of Bertram Stokes; 78 pages.

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-002766 - OHC-002770

Quantity: 5 C60 cassette(s). 1 transcript(s) in three parts. 1 Electronic document(s) - summary. 1 interview(s). 4.20 Hours and minutes Duration.

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available AB 517/1 - 3, OHDL-000359 (summary only).

Black and white photographs:-. Bert Stokes, Alex Craig, Vic Martin, undated. Bert Stokes and writing kit, undated. Gunner Bert Stokes, undated. Bert Stokes at Featherston Camp, June 1916. Bert Stokes having a haircut at Featherston, undated. Group of soldiers including Bert Stokes at Featherston Camp, undated. The Stokes family, undated [Bert Stokes as a child]

Original recordings not available for playback. Surrogate copies will be provided.

Alternative form available: Listening copies OHLC-003540 - OHLC-003544, OHLCD-0816 - OHLCD-0820

Both printed and digital versions of the interview summary are available