Interview with Gordon Neill

Describes family background, Dunedin childhood, Buckeye Hotel, Outram, careers of siblings, his education, woodworking and carpentry, school cadets, enlistment, transport on 'Ruapehu', details of trip, detailed description of Sling Camp and training, Etaples training, Pont de Nieppe, Poperinghe, trenches, Armentieres, religion at the Front, being wounded at Otto Farm (Passchendaele), injuries at the dressing station, death of brother at Passchendaele, Polygon Wood, artillery fire, entrenching and tunnelling.

Recalls Otago Camp outside Lille Gate, venereal disease, leave in Paris, the Hotel Moderne, formation of the 2nd Entrenching Battalion, German breakthrough, being captured by Germans, views on Germans, treatment as a prisoner of war at Armentieres and then in Germany at Munsterlager (Soltau Camp). Refers to food, Red Cross parcels, Armistice, reaction of Germans, formation of Soldatinrat (soldiers' councils), lice, atrocities, repatriation through Netherlands to United Kingdom, leave in UK, decides to study optometry in UK, impressions of Starkie and anecdotes.

Describes service in Home Guard in World War II, British and New Zealand officers, military ranks, routine in prisoner of war camp, friends from prisoner of war camp, views on RSA, drunkeness, Prisoner of War Association, post-war career and marriages, present life.

Venue - Christchurch

Interviewer(s) - Jane Tolerton

Interviewer(s) - Nicholas Boyack

Venue - Mr Neill's home at Unit 52, Maryville Courts, 369 Manchester Street, Christchurch

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-002715 - OHC-002719

Quantity: 5 C60 cassette(s). 1 transcript(s) in three parts. 2 Electronic document(s) - transcript, summary. 1 interview(s). 5 Hours Duration.

Physical Description: Textual files

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available AB 503/1 - 3, OHDL-000360.

Search dates: 1988

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

Alternative form available: Listening copies at OHLC-001589 - OHLC-001593

Both printed and digital versions of the transcript are available