DOCSLIB.ORG

Ww100 Aftermath

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Ww100 Aftermath AFTERMATH Wolffe_AFTERMATH_1.indd 1 26/11/2018 16:13 Wolffe_AFTERMATH_1.indd 3 26/11/2018 16:13 Wolffe_AFTERMATH_1.indd 4 26/11/2018 16:13 AFTERMATH When World War I finally came to an end and hostilities ceased – on the Eastern and Western Fronts, on the sea and in the air – many, many lives had been lost and many more lives had been affected: not only the wounded, the disabled and the traumatised but also their families. Back home the economy was anything but robust, the treasury having been severely depleted through funding the war effort. There was also little provision in place to support either the disabled veterans and their families or those families which were now fatherless. There were huge tasks ahead: that of clearing up the battlefields and burying and recording the dead; and that of looking after the living whose lives had been massively affected by the war. Front cover: The Princess Louise Scottish Hospital for Limbless Sailors and Soldiers was opened in 1916. By the end of WWI it had fitted over 5,000 prosthetic limbs to the victims of the war and was recognised as a pioneering surgical establishment. Left: ‘Holy Ground’ notice, Ypres. 1 Wolffe_AFTERMATH_1.indd 1 26/11/2018 16:13 1914 The task of recording and remembering the dead began as early as 1914, when Major General Sir Fabian Ware, having been rejected by the British Army due to his age (he was 45 at the time), was put in command of a mobile ambulance unit provided by the British Red Cross Society. Ware was both struck and concerned by the fact that soldiers in their thousands were being buried by their comrades, in individual and mass graves along the Western Front, under markers which would not last and with no official record of the locations. Aware that marking, or registering, a grave is the first act of Remembrance – as well as a mark of honour and of huge psychological importance for relatives – Ware and his unit began recording and caring for all the graves they could find. A British Red Cross Society mobile ambulance. 2 Wolffe_AFTERMATH_1.indd 2 26/11/2018 16:13 1915 By 1915 their work was given official recognition by the War Office and incorporated into the British Army as the Graves Registration Commission. By October of that year, Ware and his Commission had registered over 30,000 graves. Graves Registration Unit group at Lijssenthoek Cemetery. The theme of Remembrance was further taken up powerfully in a poem written by the Canadian Medical Officer, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae. McCrae was a doctor who served as a surgeon during the Second Battle of Ypres. He, like countless others, had seen the horror of war first hand but he was also a poet and an artist. Like other now famous World War I poets, McCrae also saw what Wilfred Owen summed up as ‘the pity of war’. He wrote home “We are weary in body and wearier in mind. The general impression … is of a nightmare.” His poem, that in time was to become his most quoted, was originally titled ‘In Flanders Fields’ and was published on 8th December 1915 by Punch magazine. 3 Wolffe_AFTERMATH_1.indd 3 26/11/2018 16:13 In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved, and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch: be yours to hold it high! If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields. Poppy field in the Somme. field in the Poppy 4 Wolffe_AFTERMATH_1.indd 4 26/11/2018 16:13 Scarlet corn poppies grow naturally in conditions of disturbed earth throughout Western Europe. As the poppies grew amongst the unmarked crosses McCrae was noting, poignantly, that these wild flowers – if nothing else – were ‘marking the place’ of the fallen. Meanwhile Ware, in all likelihood oblivious to the poem, was doing his best to rectify this. McCrae was, more urgently, calling on those who survived to carry on the fight, for if they did not, the dead would ‘not sleep’. 1916 The number of casualties continued to grow and by 1916 huge efforts were being made to handle the injured and maimed. Stately homes were being converted into convalescence homes and new treatments were being tried to combat the horrendous injuries which had been inflicted. At a public meeting held in Glasgow City Chambers in March 1916, the proposal to establish a hospital in the West of Scotland for amputees wounded in battle was approved. Sir William Macewen, Professor of Surgery at the University of Glasgow, led the project – inspiring others to rally to the cause, including Sir Thomas Dunlop, the then Lord Provost of Glasgow. Such was the overwhelming support for the Princess Louise Scottish Hospital for Limbless Sailors and Soldiers, as it was named, that £100,000 (the equivalent of over £6 million in today’s money) was contributed within a few weeks and which doubled within the year. In October 1916 the first wounded patients were admitted to the pioneering hospital, which led the way and the world in the design, manufacture and fitting of artificial limbs. By 1919, the hospital had treated over 5,500 servicemen and fitted 5,250 artificial limbs. Since 1916, and now known simply as Erskine, they have cared for over 90,000 veterans. Erskine remains pioneering in its delivery of compassionate care and support to over 800 veterans and their spouses each year. In addition to having four care homes in Scotland, the charity also provides accommodation, training and social Poppy field in the Somme. field in the Poppy support to Scottish veterans and their families. 5 Wolffe_AFTERMATH_1.indd 5 26/11/2018 16:13 1917 Sir Fabian was acutely aware that all the nations of the British Empire were contributing Servicemen and women to the war effort and suffering casualties in equal measure and he was therefore keen that this was reflected in the work of his organisation. Encouraged by the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) he submitted a memorandum to the Imperial War Conference. In May 1917, the Imperial War Graves Commission (IWGC) was established by Royal Charter, with the Prince serving as President and Ware as Vice-Chairman. The Commission set the highest standards from the outset. They appointed three leading architects – Sir Edwin Lutyens, Sir Herbert Baker and Sir Reginald Blomfield – to design and construct the cemeteries and memorials. Rudyard Kipling, probably the most eminent writer of the day, was chosen as the Commission’s literary advisor on appropriate inscriptions. Ware asked Sir Frederic Kenyon, Director of the British Museum, to evaluate and comment on the differing approaches of the three architects. The report Kenyon presented to the Commission in November 1918 emphasised equality as the core ideology, outlining the principles the Commission still abides by today: • Each of the dead should be commemorated by name on a headstone or memorial • Headstones and memorials should be permanent • Headstones should be uniform • There should be no distinction made on account of rank, race or creed While the war was ongoing it remained the responsibility of the Army to bury and register the dead, with the IWGC taking over thereafter to create permanent cemeteries and memorials to commemorate them in perpetuity. When it was safe to do so, battlefields were searched for bodies. If an identity tag was present the man could be buried in a cemetery under a wooden cross bearing his name, awaiting a permanent headstone after the war. Without an identity tag, those finding and moving the remains would record any details that might distinguish one man from another, including uniform fabric and style, buttons or badges. This is why, for example, a headstone might read ‘a Lieutenant of the Warwickshire Regiment Known Unto God’. 6 Wolffe_AFTERMATH_1.indd 6 26/11/2018 16:13 Cemeteries created during the war and very close to the fighting might appear disorganised today, with graves in a more untidy arrangement rather than even blocks of straight lines of headstones. Dangerous conditions for burying, or lack of space, could result in men being buried in very close proximity to one another. Those who perished in the same tank, or aircraft, may have died in a such as a way that they would be buried together. Cemeteries created during the war but further away from the front lines, such as those near medical facilities and camps, were more organised in blocks and rows, and were less likely to have unnamed people buried in them. Detail from an original plan of Tyne Cot Military Cemetery by Sir Herbert Baker. 7 Wolffe_AFTERMATH_1.indd 7 26/11/2018 16:13 1918 In January 1918 a further horror inflicted itself on the world – the ‘Spanish Flu’. This flu pandemic raged globally from January 1918 to December 1920 and was probably the deadliest ever influenza pandemic. It is estimated to have infected some 500 million people worldwide and resulted in the deaths of tens of millions (some 3 to 5% of the world’s population at the time). It remains one of the most devastating natural disasters in human history. Whilst most influenza outbreaks target juvenile, elderly or already weakened patients, the 1918 pandemic predominantly killed previously healthy young adults.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Pioneering Women Behind the Poppy
    PIONEERING WOMEN BEHIND THE POPPY The poppy has generated £190 million in the UK in the last 10 years alone to help our Armed Forces community. Do you know the story of how the poppy came to be a symbol of remembrance and the Moina Michael Anna Guérin Lady Dorothy Haig women who made it happen? American Professor French founder of the Founder of Lady Haig’s and humanitarian. American and French Children’s Poppy Factory. League, and activist. 3 May 1915 8 December 1915 9 November 1918 11 November 1918 Lieutenant Colonel Punch magazine Ladies Home Journal reprint In Flanders’ Fields and is read The First World War ends. Some 8.7 John McCrae writes publishes by Moina Michael who makes it her personal pledge to million British and Empire soldiers In Flanders’ Fields. In Flanders’ Fields. wear a red poppy to remember the dead. She campaigns served, of which almost one million tirelessly for the poppy to be the symbol of remembrance died. Thousands of ex-Servicemen, for the Servicemen who had died. She sold red silk poppies many now disabled, find themselves as a means of raising funds to assist disabled ex-Servicemen. without a job, money or support. 15 May 1921 January 1921 29 September 1920 11 November 1919 The British Legion is formed Earl Haig is anxious Anna Guérin attends the Georgia Convention of The National First Armistice Day is by Earl Haig to help all that 11 November American Legion and sees the fundraising potential of the Michael’s held. All over Britain ex-Servicemen and their become a real poppies.
    [Show full text]
  • The History of the Poppy for Second
    www.poppyscotland.org.uk/learning The History of the Poppy Lessons 1 - 3 (Second & Third Level) The History of the Poppy Lesson Challenges 1 - 3: Second – Third Level We have designed these lesson challenges for Second and Third Level learners who may be new to the story of the Poppy and would enjoy learning more about the history of the Poppy as the symbol of remembrance. Whether you plan to spend two hours or two weeks teaching and learning about the history of the Poppy, we have gathered a diverse range of activities to help your learners engage meaningfully and creatively in this subject. The History of the Poppy lesson challenges are arranged over different lesson plans, so you have the option of only doing either just one of the lessons or all. Timings against activities are provided within each lesson plan. Depending on how much time you have available to devote to learning all about the history of the Poppy, we hope you will find activities within these lessons to suit your work plans. Please get in touch if you have any questions or ideas you may wish to discuss. The Poppyscotland Learning Team Email: [email protected] Mobile: 07823419017 1 www.poppyscotland.org.uk/learning The History of the Poppy Lessons 1 - 3 (Second & Third Level) Lesson Name: The History of the Poppy: Lesson 1: Creating a Visual Display of War Poetry Level: Second Experiences and outcomes I am learning to use language and style in a way which engages and/or influences my reader. ENG 2-27a I can create and present work that shows developing skill in using the visual elements and concepts.
    [Show full text]
  • Poppy Scotland History
    Poppy Scotland 90th Anniversary In June 1918 James Hay, a discharged soldier, was arrested at the foot of The Mound in Edinburgh and removed to the local Police Court to face a charge of public begging. Private Hay, who was still wearing his uniform, was sentenced to 30 days in prison. The accused had only one leg: he had lost the other one on active service in France. He had also been gassed twice and wore two wound stripes on his tunic. Before the war he worked as a slater’s labourer; unable to climb a ladder or keep his balance, he now found himself unemployed. He had a wife and two children to support. They were starving: he was penniless. ‘What else am I supposed to do?’ he asked the Court.1 During the 1918 General Election campaign Prime Minister David Lloyd George promised a comprehensive programme of reform to address grave national shortcomings in the provision of housing, health and education. ‘What is our task?’ he demanded rhetorically. His answer still resounds loudly almost a hundred years later: ‘To make Britain a fit country for heroes to live in!’2 The heroes in question (of course) were the returning members of the victorious British armed forces, who had lately defeated the might of Germany in what the Prime Minister would later describe as the war to end wars.3 But another war had been underway since 1914. It was a hidden conflict, made up of countless minor engagements, and did not attract the attention of the press in the same way as the bloody large-scale battles of the Western Front.
    [Show full text]
  • Remembrance Today
    REMEMBRANCE TODAY Remembrance in the UK today is very different to that of 100 years ago. People are able to take part in a wide REMEMBRANCE variety of Remembrance events, whatever their political or religious beliefs. The Royal British Legion produces AND THE POPPY: special tokens of Remembrance to include people of no faith and those of different faiths to be able to remember individuals – family, friends and loved ones – in their own PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE way. The Legion also organises Remembrance events, formal and informal, large and small, across the UK, McCrae’s poem in turn inspired an American academic, involving people from a wide range of communities to Moina Michael to make handmade red silk poppies which take an active role in Remembrance and to feel part of our were then brought to England by a French lady, Anna shared Remembrance heritage. Guerin. The (Royal) British Legion, formed in 1921, ordered 9 million of the poppies which they sold on 11 November The poppy remains a humble, neutral and universal that year. The poppies sold out almost immediately and symbol of Remembrance and hope. Often misunderstood, that first ever “Poppy Appeal” raised over £106,000, a it is however still worn by millions every year. In Scotland, huge amount of money at the time. The following year, the poppy has a slightly different design to the one worn Major George Howson, who had received the Military in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Ireland the Cross for his role in the First World War, set up a factory poppy is still regarded by many as a potent political off the Old Kent Road in London where five disabled symbol and a point of contention, however in recent ex-Service men began making poppies.
    [Show full text]
  • Skills Working Towards Expected Working Above
    SKILLS WORKING TOWARDS EXPECTED WORKING ABOVE Chronology I can list the start and end dates I know that Armistice Day is also known as I can list the dates of WWII and name Can I record the dates of World linked to WW1. Remembrance Day and I know when this change other wars involving our soldiers. War One, Armistice and link to came about and why. our Remembrance Service? I can explain what Armistice Day I can research the year of the first Poppy marks and list the date of this. I know that Remembrance Sunday falls on the day and where the raised funds went to. second Sunday in November every year and know I can explain why this is always on why this day was chosen. I can research the date when the British the same day, month and time I know the date of this changes each year. Legion opened its own poppy factory and each year. why, who makes the poppies and I know why we celebrate Remembrance Day as a approximate figures made. school. Interpreting The Past I can explain the similarities and I can explain Why Armistice Day/ Remembrance I know that the ‘fallen’ from every Can I discuss why we remember differences between Armistice Day, Day are celebrated in the way that they are and conflict are commemorated on our fallen and the significance of the end of WW1 and when this dates back to. Remembrance Day. this event each year? Remembrance Day plus Remembrance Sunday. I can name King George V as the man who I can explain why it is important to organised Britain’s first 2 minute silence exactly a remember the fallen in all conflicts.
    [Show full text]
  • No. 191 November 2019
    No.191 November 2019 THE REDHACKLE Would you like to support our Armed Forces and Emergency Service personnel or have you ever served yourself? Whether you have served in the Armed Forces or Emergency Services, or simply support the work in which they do,you can join many other like-minded individuals! Working at the heart of the local community supporting our veterans from the Armed Forces and Emergency Services, The Royal British Legion Scotland (Legion Scotland) is the largest ex-service membership charity in the country. With 150 Branches and over 60 clubs across Scotland, we work closely with all Scottish Communities supporting them with local issues and providing three key services to members: •Comradeship &Events - Continuing the unique bond of friendship created through service with like-minded people while commemorating those who have served and continued to serve. Educating others to build alasting legacy for future generations •Veteran Community Support Service - Providing individualised support to rebuild self-confidence and independence, helping veterans get the most from life. Ensuring those that have served our nation never suffer isolation or loneliness. •Disablement Pensions - Looking to make aclaim for aWar Disablement Pension or through Armed Forces Compensation Scheme? Looking to appeal your decision? Our Advocacy team may be able to help you! Contact us on: [email protected] or 0131 322 1076 www.legionscotland.org.uk Legion Scotland is atrading name of the Royal British Legion Scotland SCIO,Scottish Charity No.SC003323. No. 191 42nd 73rd November 2019 THE RED HACKLE The Chronicle of The Black Wa tch (Royal Highland Regiment), its successor The Black Wa tch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, The Affiliated Regiments and The Black Wa tch Association On Saturday 15 June 2019, one hundred year old Mr Geordie Reid and ninety three year old Colonel Ian Critchley,both veterans of the Second World War, laid awreath to honour all those who have served in the Regiment.
    [Show full text]
  • By Jack Alexander (2011)
    www.poppyscotland.org.uk/learning The Scottish Poppy Appeal - by Jack Alexander (2011) Summary: origins of the poppy On 8 December 1915 Punch magazine published a poem written by a Canadian medical officer John McCrae, who had died of pneumonia on the front line in France nine months earlier. It included the immortal lines “In Flanders field the poppies blow, between the crosses, row on row.” The poem was subsequently reprinted in the American magazine Ladies Home Journal on 9 November 1918 and upon reading this a secretary at the New York YMCA, Moina Belle Michael, was struck by its poignancy. She made it her personal pledge to wear a red poppy to remember the dead. A representative from the French YMCA, Anna Guerin, was in New York for a conference and quickly realised the fundraising potential of Michael’s poppy. On her return to France she set about organising women, children and disabled veterans to make artificial poppies out of paper and cloth to raise money for the devastated areas close to the front line. In 1921 she visited the London headquarters of the Royal British Legion who subsequently sanctioned the purchase of nine million poppies from France. On 28 October 1921 Field Marshal Earl Haig, founder of a number of organisations including the Royal British Legion, Officers Association and the Earl Haig Fund, sent letters to the editors of the principal British newspapers urging the public to wear the new red poppies as a mark of remembrance. In 1922, in order to keep up with demand for Poppies, the Royal British Legion funded the establishment of a poppy-making factory in Richmond, Surrey, which initially employed 150 disabled veterans to produce the required 30 million poppies for the 1922 Appeal.
    [Show full text]
  • Niall J.A. Barr Phd Thesis
    SERVICE NOT SELF : THE BRITISH LEGION, 1921-1939 Niall J.A. Barr A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of PhD at the University of St Andrews 1994 Full metadata for this item is available in Research@StAndrews:FullText at: http://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/ Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/10023/7101 This item is protected by original copyright 9 Service Not Self The British Legion 1921-1939 Ph.D. Thesis Niall J. A. Barr 30th March 1994 ~f\ U ('IJ I v~f) /- .. >;~.. :,;/ -.1' 'S'..-S ~, -" "'jji .t DECLARATIONS (i) I, Niall Barr, hereby certify that this thesis, which is approximately 97,235 words in length, has been written by me, that it is the record of work carried out by men and that it has not been submitted in any previous application for a higher degree Date: .............................?JO -0, -g~ Signature of Candidate (ii) I was admitted as a research student under Ordinance No. 12 in October 1990 and as a candidate for the degree of Ph.D. in October 1990; the higher study for which this is a record was carried out in the University of St Andrews between 1990 and 1994. Date: .............................30 ~ OJ -14- Signature of Candidate (iii) I hereby certify that the candidate has fulfilled the conditions of the Resolution and Regulations appropriate for the degree of Ph.D. in the Unversity of St Andrews and that the candidate is qualified to submit this thesis in application for that degree. Date: ..Z?Q .
    [Show full text]