Irish Voices from the First World War A blog based on PRONI sources

Monitoring the pace, accuracy and effect of bombardment and the ebb and flow of infantry attack was indispensable to trench warfare, D1981/1

July to

British Army commanders were convinced that the German army would have been close to defeat by later 1917, had not the Russian front begun to crumble in September, as revolutionary insurgents, crucially assisted by the German state, took over the Russian administration in a vast upheaval. Following the misery of Passchendaele where teeming rain created perhaps one of the bleakest landscapes of battle in the war, the revived in confidence by virtue of promising success in the mass use of tanks during the first days of Cambrai.

In spite of formal adherence to international rules of combat, how prisoners were treated, by all sides, depended greatly on the state of mind of attacking troops hour by hour, D1981/1

Document 1: Journal entries of Captain Godfrey John Mulholland (4th son of Henry, 2nd Baron Dunleath, Ballwalter Park), Horse Transport, Army Service Corps, .

The A.S.C. was responsible for supply of food, equipment and ammunition to forces on front line. Mulholland proud of equestrian assignment and skills [D4179/9/2/]

4th June – Went on Leave 14th June – Went to very good Corps Horse Show near Mardeuil in which we won 1st prize for best stripped H.D. horse. Went to still better Army Horse Show at Camblain l’Abbé, excellent jumping and turns out. A Portuguese officer won the jumping. Arthur Anderson came & saw me. July – Corps Commander came & inspected us & was very pleased with everything. It has been decided that A.S.C. officers under 30 are to be attached to Infantry keeping their rank & pay. As I do not want to have to march on foot with a pack on my back, I have resubmitted my previous application to transfer to the Royal Field Artillery. It has been recommended by the Divisional General. Went up with King to a good observation point & got a splendid view of Oppy & Douai. 14TH July – rode up with 1st Line Transport of Nelson battalion with rations. Rained very heavily. I left here 9pm & got back 2.30 am soaked through & covered with mud. The trenches were over one’s boots in water. We went as far as Battalion Headquarters about 300 yards from Front Line just in front of Oppy. Not very much shelling. It was pitch dark & very slippery. We trotted nearly whole way back, an exciting game as shell holes were strewn all over the track. It was rather like scenic railway at Earls Court as you could not see your horse’s head & you suddenly found yourself going down into a shell hole & then going up a steep hill & then down again. None of the horses fell. It was very interesting & I was very glad to experience it under the worst conditions. The front line was a very pretty sight like a big firework display though the machine gun & whistling of the shells over our head & the stretcher etc made things very real. 17th July - Motored round with Smyth to try & find Arthur Farnham, but could not find him anywhere. 22nd July – My application for transfer to Royal Field Artillery refused by G.H.Q. on grounds that A.S.C. (Army Service Corps) officers are only eligible for transfer to Infantry or Flying Corps. I am disappointed. Rode with C.O. to Souchez, then climbed on to Vimy Ridge & had a good view of Lens, Lieven, Avion & Vimy. A good deal of shelling but none near us. 25th July – Put in application for transfer to Machine Gun Corps, Heavy Branch. 5th August – Attended Parade Service of at Ranchicourt about 5000 on parade, very fine service. 8th August – Went to very good performance by the 12th Division at the Theatre Arras, a sort of musical comedy. Quite as good as a lot of shows in . 10th August – Baddish pain in my back. 11th August – Stayed in bed all day, took castor oil. I think the pain is muscular. 12th August – got up, but pain is still there. 23rd August – Wrote to Tom Vesey re transferring to Irish Guards. There is just a possibility of my being recommended to go through a course with a view to become a Staff Officer. 23rd August – Have been playing polo about twice a week & enjoy it very much. Heard from Tom Vesey’s brother who says they will take me in the Irish Guards which is good news. 25th August – Left our camp near Arras & moved to Savy. I rode across country the whole way in 2 hours about 12 miles, very pleasant ride. Horrible being in billets after 5 months in camp. 26th August – Rode to Aubigny & got my hair cut. 27th August – Rode to Rocourt & back to see 2 Company. 2nd Sept – Motred to Wormhoudt, rest of Division entrained. Fairly busy day looking for refilling points etc. 3rd Sept – Tried to meet Companies detraining, got to bed 1 am 4th Sept – Got up 5 am & went round companies. Motored round Briefen, Poperinghe etc, looking for Refilling Points. Shells dropped quite near enough. One divisional train lost 90 horses from shell fire, 50 killed chiefly by bombs.

Document 2: Lt- Robert David (Bob) Perceval-Maxwell (Finnebrogue, Downpatrick), Battalion Commander, 13th Royal Irish Rifles, to his wife, Edith, 11th

Bob Perceval-Maxwell worries about parading Orangemen and the threat of Sinn Fein back home while he looks forward to taking the 12th holiday in [D1556/27/1/8] –

I have not much news or time but must send you a line. We began the morning at 6.30 breakfast at 5.45 and + were hard at work till 12. Then lunch. Then a bayonette fighting man & for me a week’s programme of work & musketry to make out. A lot of official correspondence & tonight I am going to dine with the Brigadier. The day was lovely & this is a very healthy upland sort of country exactly like the Sussex Downs & just the same chalk soil. What luck we had to be together all that time. My darling I am so glad you are in . London seems to be having a bad time. No letters for me for two or three days now but I expect the G.P.O being bombed has upset the post. Also I hear that submarines have been about Ireland. One of my own boys just returned from leave says he was hung up at Kingstown but as far as I can make out the submarine was at or near Queenstown, however, returning from leave, that is near enough. I wonder what will happen at the Conference. I don’t suppose anything except perhaps widening the split between everyone. Still of course one never can tell & perhaps the very violence of the Sinn Fein may drive less violent people to our side. Just heard from Dick a very vague letter but he seems to be going about 12 miles from here only his map references don’t agree with any map I can find. I am trying to borrow a motor to run over & see him tomorrow as it is a holiday being the 12th, but I don’t know if I shall succeed. If not I shall try to get leave on Sunday but we are training every day now, milady most of Sunday so it is hard to get away. My darling I shall be thinking of you & the Orangemen on tomorrow. I hope everything will be all right & that they won’t bother you. I wouldn’t bother them about paying for the fencing. They won’t do much harm & it is a small matter. Love to Jack, David and all & heaps for yourself. Forgive blots my pen wants nurses careful hand. I hope she is better

Document 3: Correspondence between -General Oliver Nugent, commander 36th (Ulster) Division, and wife, Kitty, July 1917

Nugent emotionally overwhelmed by courage and perseverance of Ulster Division on the field at Messines. Relieved to get chance of leave and rest and London holiday with his wife and children. Decorated with battle-honours. His mind flits between trenches and family [D3835/E/2/13/21]

3rd July 1917 While I think of it please send me my waterproof by post. I left it in the hall in the hotel and forgot to see it put into the taxi. We had an uneventful journey. I travelled over on the bridge of the ship as I was in command on board. The Channel was very full of ships. We did not get to Boulogne till 9.30 p.m. so had some dinner at the buffet there. I found Lindsey Fitzpatrick and Mrs Fitzpatrick and the Duchess of Westminster at the next table. Mrs Fitzpatrick was Mrs Malone, an aunt, I believe of Madge Fowler. I told her of our hammering on M. Fowler’s door and she and John only came home on Saturday so I suspect he and M. had gone off somewhere. I am to meet a certain illustrious personage tomorrow in the Morning and again in the afternoon when I shall receive my CB. I shall send it to you to keep. I couldn’t keep it here. Did you go back to the bazaar and I hope you enjoyed it. Did Lady N. turn up? We are out of the trenches now and I hope we shan’t be back there for at least a month. When we are at it will be in a different part of the line to where we were, but it will be where I was when I commanded a Brigade. I loved every moment of my leave and I hope you did too Sweetheart. I think I have a very wonderful and charming family. I hope you think so too! Reading between the lines, the Russian Offensive does not look well. The losses of the Russians and especially of Officers is a sign that the men did not attack with resolution. From other sources I hear the disorganisation and desertion amongst the Russians is appalling. This attack was probably made to try and stop the rot which is setting in. I hope you will have a very enjoyable holiday and enjoy your bazaar and won’t find the cats scratch too much. All my love to you all.

D3835/E/2/13/22 4th July 1917 The investiture is off today as the Lord Chamberlain forgot or failed to produce the various decorations. Rather disappointing but His Majesty said he hoped to give me mine at an early date at home. The Divisional Commanders with the Brigadiers met him today in a field near Kemmel and he passed along making a few remarks to each. Great jealousy all round as he stayed more than half the time he was in the field talking to me! He was most gracious, said he was very pleased to meet me again and congratulated me on the work of the Division. The other Divisional Commanders had not talked to him and mostly had made things very stiff so I thought a little bit of buck wouldn’t do us any harm and waded in with anecdotes. He was delighted and became quite childish. I told him of the 2nd Lieutenant who captured 30 German officers in a dugout and then knocked down the one who kissed him on the hand. The King roared over that and chortled for a long time. He then asked after the Division and whether we were getting any Ulstermen. I said ‘None’ and he said, but you still call yourself the Ulster Division. I said I expected we should always be the Ulster Division and that we found that the Englishmen coming to us were as keen to belong as any Ulstermen and were quite proud of being in the ‘Ulsters’. Hamilton Gordon the Corps Commander said they like coming to a Division with such a distinguished record and the King said ‘Yes I suppose that’s it’. I said ‘Oh no, they like coming because they know they will be properly looked after in this Division’. Whereupon old Plumer who had listened with a humorous smile to my buck, went off into silent guffaws behind the King’s face and made a fearful face at me. The King asked what the Division was going to do and when I told him we were leaving the 2nd Army and going behind for some brushing up he said he supposed I should like some leave. I said I was always ready for leave but had recently had some, whereupon old Plumer broke in with ‘Yes he only came back this morning I believe’ (more laughter). Altogether we were all very childish and merry & bright. I am just going off to my Corps Commander now to have tea & say goodbye to him and staff.

D3835/E/2/13/23 5th July 1917 A peaceful day but cold. I went out early before breakfast to see Brigades on the March. We are going to the training area for a fortnight. I don’t move my Headquarters till 7th. I hear from Guy Campbell that there is a delightful Chateau for my Headquarters, inhabited by an old and wealthy couple, who begged that their Chef may be allowed to cook for my men, so that the men need not come into the kitchen. Guy very properly agreed so I expect to be in the lap of good cooking in the next fortnight. Alick Godley came over to see me yesterday evening and I am dining with him tonight before leaving his neighbourhood. The enclosed from Hamilton Gordon our late Corps Commander is . You can keep it amongst my other ‘characters’. The 1st Memorial Number of the Belfast Evening telegraph of June 30, for a wonder contains 1 or 2 references to me. The one from Lord Londonderry is quite nice and so is the one from the Primate and one from another Bishop or two. I send the page though no doubt you will get it from the Press Agency. You might keep it for the scrapbook. I feel so thankful for a little commendation! I am so anxious to hear how your little bazaar went off. I hope someone was decently polite to you! The weather has got abominably cold. My present house is a small sort of retired tradesmen’s house along the main road where lorries and motor traffic are continually passing and it is abominably dusty. However we leave it on 7th. Goodnight my blessing. I did so enjoy my holiday and I feel very homesick.

D3835/E/2/13/24 6th July 1917 I feel quite puffed up to think that my tainted band have been decently treated at the Bazaar. Altogether people seem to have been civil and even pleasant. Even their terrible male parent couldn’t prevent F & A from winning on their merits and so for you. You would have had them all long ago if you had not married a Sinn Feiner and H.R. debauchee! The enclosed from old Mr Tatlow came yesterday. I think we ought to stand my mother due rent of decent rooms at the sea, though I can’t see what change there is moving from one seaside place to another. However we ought to do it and so will You arrange it with her. Delgany or Greystones seems to be where she wants to go. Lady N’s letter is delightful and charming. Why shouldn’t you & F. go there for a visit. As to shaking my hand, making her feel so much fuller, I don’t believe it for a moment. It is really rather too thick. This has also been a rest day, though I went out early to see some of my transport on the march. I am trying to get M. Green who is going about lecturing on sniping and scouting to come and lecture my men while we are out for training. He has made a speciality of it and is very good at it. I am very glad we are out of the line. The Germans are giving us a very bad time in it now, shelling us day & night. Did you do any selling yourself? It does not seem as if you spent much time there. My love to you all. I have no news. I dined with Alick Godley last night.

D3835/E/2/13/25 8th July 1917 I did not write yesterday. The Boche sent a fleet of aeroplanes over us the night before last and they were dropping bombs all round my Headquarters for nearly 2 hours. Very disturbing. Most of these were dropped close to Alick Godley’s Headquarters. I expect he was feeling uncomfortable. My new Headquarters are in a large house owned by a manufacturer. It is quite a welcome change to live in a furnished house with carpets and sheets on the beds. It is down in a valley and rather close and relaxing. The ‘chefess’ is quite ordinary and not in the least French so far, but then she has only cooked one dinner & 1 lunch so far. I found the King here when I arrived yesterday, on a hill just outside the village looking at a demonstration of various maneuvres and then he went on to the airshow and watched some fancy flying which was very taking. I did not obtrude on him. Of course the Queen mother was looking at the whole ensemble of you three, not at Alison in particular. Why wouldn’t she? On the whole your little visit was a success and I hope you have all three enjoyed yourselves. I don’t know what the relations between Guy Campbell and his wife are but I imagine very bad. I seem to have heard long ago that they wanted to separate. I believe she is deadly dull. Nobody could work out why he married her. We had a tremendous thunder storm in the middle of last night. Musgrave’s men, two of them, are being boarded by Mills so the house bills will show an increase. This was part of the contract I made as it was simple for Mills to get the food to them than for them to have to go into Oldcastle to market for themselves, but Mills seemed to be perturbed at the idea of his book being high. Queen Mary also drove through but didn’t stop. She must have thoroughly enjoyed herself amongst the hospitals.

D3835/E/2/13/26 9th July 1917 You did not say whether my coat had been sent off. Anyhow it hasn’t arrived yet. I have no news. My rather relaxing residence is out of sound even of shell fire. I had a good ride this morning/ I enclose the resolution of Ulster Unionist Members which you might keep. I am so glad you are not going to let yourself get skinny and old! ‘Secret Bread’ is here, at least I have a parcel from I think Bumpus but I have had no time to open it yet. We are asking our host and hostess to dinner, dreadful function, I have to try and keep up on conversation in such French as I can remember and ignore any remarks made to me because I don’t understand most of them. However it’s their own cook who will cook the banquet. The son of the house, age 18, is made happy forever by being allowed to ride our horses. I have not let him ride mine, but he rides Guy Campbell’s or Henry’s. Did you see the raid the other day. You must have, I expect. Wasn’t it exciting? I can fancy Fania’s and Alison’s excitement. I hope you didn’t rush them into the coal cellar! The Germans are becoming pretty bold. It is almost impossible to guard against raids as they generally are over London before any warning can be given and by the time our machines are high enough they are halfway back to . The dirty blackguards. Do you all feel rather flat after your jollification?

D3835/E/2/13/27 11th July 1917. I did not write yesterday, but I got an ecstatic postcard from Fania, so I gather you had all the excitement of the raid with none of the danger. It really must have been thrilling and I am most anxious to hear about it. I am very thankful they didn’t come further west. The British Public seem somewhat annoyed, but the Germans will always be able to raid London whenever the weather conditions suit. All we can do is to try and make it too expensive for them. At present we have not enough aeroplanes to cover our front and protect the English coast. It would be a poor policy to take machines from France, but I am afraid it is what will be done if the B.P. make too much row. I lunched with some of G.H.Q. who are close by here yesterday and heard something new. There was a rumour that Hindenburg had become Chancellor Vice Bethman- Holweg, but I have not seen that confirmed in yesterday’s papers. Anyhow it won’t make any difference that I can see as Hindenburg is not likely to tell the German people that they are beaten and must make the best of what they can get from us. Were you near enough to the part attacked the other day in the raid to hear the explosions on the German bombs. How jealous of Fania, St George will be. I hope Alison saw it too. What an interesting story it will be for her grandchildren! Gabrielle is the son of the house here and appears to be fond of riding so we lent him a horse. The next day Guy Campbell asked Madame if Gaby would like to ride again today. She explained that Gaby had enjoyed his ride, but the Cheval had ‘marche trés vite’, more ‘vite’ than Gaby apparently and ‘par consequence’ the ‘pauvre petit petit était un peu blessé’ and would be unable to sit in the saddle with comfort for a couple of days. It was all explained in detail by Madame who indicated the exact spots where Gabrielle had received the blessings to which she had applied an ointment. The ‘pauvre petit’ is nearly eighteen.

D3835/E/2/13/28 13th July 1917 I am very anxious about Jack Lees. His Battalion, the 2nd, was one of two battalions which were cut off at Minpah 2 days ago, when the German broke the bridges over the behind our men and then concentrated an overwhelming fire on the trenches and partially took them. Both the battalions holding this sector were cut off. They could not cross the Yser and they must have all been wiped out or taken prisoners. The Adjutant and 30 men of the 2nd Battalion swam the Yser and they are the only men that got away. I have inquired at G.H.Q. and am told that Jack’s name is not among the killed or missing, so I hope he may not have been there. It was an unfortunate business, but one that might have happened any time the last 2 years. It is bad tactics to hold a position with an impassable river behind one. Eddie Campbell is also in that battalion and nothing has been heard of him either. Guy has gone in to G.H.Q. to see if he can get any tidings of him. Abadie was commanding the battalion. I have not heard of him either. I do not know if Madeline will have heard yet, but I expect it will be best to tell her nothing until it is known for certain about Jack. Poor 2nd Battalion. It was such a good battalion. I have great hopes Jack will be all right as he must have been either killed or missing if he was there and he would have been on the list. As to your adventure, all’s well that ends well. It was an experience to be remembered. There is a report that there was another raid yesterday on London. I expect the Germans will make a master of them now until we have enough aeroplanes to meet them over this side and attack and destroy their aeroplanes. It ought to cheapen house rents in London. Sooner or later they will find their way to the West End. They never really were over Sloane St. They were never nearer to you than about the Bank. Height is deceptive as everything appears to be straight overhead. Also they were about 12000 feet up, but being very large aeroplanes looked as if they were low. Still, their height makes no difference to the effect of their bombs.

D3835/E/2/13/29 14th July 1917 So Jack was on leave in and escaped the disaster to the 2nd Battalion. Guy Campbell saw the Adjutant today, Butler, who escaped with three other officers and 27 men by swimming the Yser. He said he feared all officers who were across the river were wiped out. Tony Clinton who used to be in 4th Battalion at Colchester was last seen on a Sandbank with on man fighting a crowd of Germans. Abadie was not that side of river so he is all right and Eddy Campbell too was seedy and was resting behind so he is safe too. Poor Florence. I am afraid she is very ill. I had a visit from our new Corps Commander, Watt by name, today. He is said to be a very good Corps Commander and a good fighting General. He is convinced the war will be over this year, I think the Kaiser would make peace tomorrow if he dared, but it must be such a peace as will mean give his accursed race a chance of destroying civilization again. I don’t think the Germans are beaten enough to agree to the only terms we ought to offer and I do not think we are strong enough now to force him. I think the American Army will be the last of German resistance but that won’t be till next year. Meanwhile we must fight on. The Russians really seem to be waking up but no one quite knows whether they can keep it up and in consequence we can’t rely on them. John Fowler came over to see me yesterday and is coming to dine on Monday. He was at home same time as I was.

D3835/E/13/30 15th July 1917 We had a big parade service today for Bishop Dobbin, the Chaplain-General out here after which I presented medal ribbons to a lot of men who have gained honours and decorations and made one address on duty and so forth, which so impressed the Chaplain General that he asked me to come and address a congregation of Army Chaplains on the subject of their duty to the men. This I firmly refused to do. Butler, the adjutant of the 2nd Battalion one of the 30 survivors of the 2nd Battalion came to lunch and told me much about the disaster. Poor Abadie has almost certainly been killed or at the least been killed or at the best conceded and taken prisoner. He was last seen surrounded by Germans. Butler with the survivors was in a big dugout at Battalion Headquarters in the line. The entrance was blown in by a shell and they were all buried and the Germans did not find the dugout. When it got dark they dug themselves out and in small parties of 3 and 4 crawled through the Germans and got down to the Yser unseen. Fortunately it was low water and the river was only about 50 yards wide and they swam across back to our side. Then they did not dare to walk up to our lines lest they should be mistaken for Germans and had to crawl until they were near enough to shout and attract attention. There is no news of any interest. The Russians keep on, but I believe there is a simply fearful amount of desertion in their Army. The men just walk off and go home. It is wonderful they are able to take any offensive at all. It is most interesting to hear that Fania is getting on with her harp but if it can’t be kept up, cui bono? You say you want to pack up or something before the holidays? Why? You are not going till after and you haven’t very much to pack beyond your own belongings/Is it a winter place or only summer bungalows. Because of the latter for winter. Love to you all my dearest things.

D3835/E/2/13/31 17th July 1917 No letter from you for 2 days. I have no news. We cannot even hear a gun here, though yesterday in the far distance I saw one of our balloons coming down in flames. It must have been over our old front, we couldn’t see the balloon but we could see the Column of smoke falling to the ground. John Fowler dined with me last night. He was in very good form. I should say Bethmann-Holveig fell off his perch because he advised the Kaiser to make peace, but whether the Kaiser dismissed him or the Prussian military party insisted on his going, I can’t say. There is a trout stream near here. Guy Campbell and 2 or 3 others go there every evening. They don’t get much but it amuses them. British soldiers I am sorry to say go there too and drop bombs into the water & get many more fish than the legitimate fishermen. I have ordered 12 tons of coal from the S.S. Co. where we always get it. Jackson says there are about 10 tons still in the coalhouse so that ought to be ample for the next 12 months. I shall have to try and get some anthracite for the furnace, but it won’t be cheap. However we must not let the house get too damp and cold during the winter. I don’t know what St George will do without his fun neat holidays. The Government have refused to allow any cartridges to be sold without a license and that won’t be easy to get and it won’t be got cheaply for pleasure shooting. He will have to do the best he can between byking, bathing and tennis.

D3835/E/2/13/32 18th July 1917 So Southbourne is near Christchurch apparently. I had a sort of notion it was somewhere near Swanage. It sounds all right. I thought you wanted London. Please write to Lockington and order 10 tons of anthracite, being careful to quote his letter “at 40/. per ton” because I wrote to him too and got a quotation from him for the same coal at 47/1 per ton. Rather a striking difference and I should like to hear what he says when I write him and ask for an explanation. I won’t write till he has acknowledged your order. I have ordered 12 tons of coal from Dublin It was a very wet morning today. We were to have had a [?] this afternoon but had to put it off. We hope to have it before we go from here which will be next week I expect.

D3835/E/2/13/33 19th July 1917 Still enjoying the pleasures of peace and sheets. Poor little Fania. It is the fact that she does not get much admiration nowadays compared with Alison, but she will. She is going to be beautiful and statuesque, but her expression will be one of her chief beauties and she must remember that it will be the reflection of her nature and mind, bless her little heart. She is a quaint young person anyhow. We are really busy up North now and I hear we are giving the Germans a very bad time and getting the upper hand of them. More power to our guns and aeroplanes. It was high time. They were giving us a bad time up to recently. The extracts from captured German letters which are printed & sent round by G.H.Q. become more and more interesting as showing the conditions in Germany. They are full of wailings and moans over starvation and bitter hate of the Authors of the war. I wonder if there is any censorship at all in Germany. I can’t imagine the letters being allowed to pass, if they were ever opened. I notice the gardeners in France prune their pear trees now which seems a curious practice, but I suppose the idea is to drain all the sap into the growing pears and allow none of it to be wasted on wood. There is a nice vegetable garden to their house with lots of vegetables we never see or hear at home. They are very practical people. There is at the present moment a flock of sheep feeding on the lawn in view of the window of the billiard room where I am writing this and it is most interesting to watch how the dog never allows the sheep to stray on to a flower bed or among the shrubs. It would be very useful to have a dog at home who could be trusted with minding the cattle on the lawn. I have had a very pleasant holiday and it is such a blessed change to be away from shells. I shall have been away for a good 5 weeks by the time I hear them again, counting the time I was at home.

D 3835/E/2/13/34 20th July 1917 No news. I am immeasurably shocked to think of Alison having been allowed to read with I suppose a lighted candle by her bedside. So dangerous and in any case so bad for the Eyes. It is a very bad habit to get and one that is most persistent. For goodness sake don’t encourage it. Much better to let her stay up and read than read in bed. Everything helps these times. Use it for paying off loan. We are sure to have to subscribe to another before long. We must save all we can now for the lean years that are coming. You really seem to have been in the middle of the raid after all. I am sorry Pouts has to give up his job. What he would probably like would be command of a home Service battalion. By the way I had to inform 2 of my C.Os the other day that I did not think they were up to the mark and must try some other job. One of them came to me today and calmly informed me that unless he was given a better job there could be a row made at home as his father in law was a very influential politician in Belfast and would be sure to have a try to raise a row in parliament I suppose, I don’t think he meant that he himself would do anything to down me but that his father in law would. I am very curious to know who his father in law is. I forgot to ask him. We do have our trials out here. Needless to say I told him that his father in law might do as he pleased. I went over the paper today of which my host is the owner, and saw the paper from the time it was wood until it came out as paper. Quite interesting. It was being made at the rate of 100 yards a minute and the machines do not stop night or day. A nice little sum for F. to work out how many miles of paper was produced per diem.

D3835/E/2/13/35 22nd July 1917 We have just had service under the trees in the Garden outside my window. The parson who is a most delightful person, got rather mixed up in his Sermon, because he took the 1st lesson as his first and pointed out that David’s sin in numbering the children of Israel was that it showed he relied on the strength of his armies and not in God. He said that was what the Germans had done and would be very wicked for us to do the same & number our armies, He unfortunately overlooked the fact that we number our armies daily & weekly & are continually counting future numbers at home. He said halfway through that he was getting out of his depth & tried to explain that what we did was different and not wicked. We are having a Divisional meeting this afternoon which ought to be very amusing. I hear the Yeomanry regiments may be dismounted soon owing to shortage of horses and mounted on bykes instead. Arthur won’t care about that. It will only be a stage towards using them as infantry in the trenches and I don’t think his health would stand it even if there were not the increased risk of shells and bullets.

D3835/E/2/13/36 24th July 1917 I was out all day yesterday so didn’t write. I had to go to Corps Headquarters in the afternoon, which is up in one of the towns in which I had once my Battalion Headquarters. Anything to equal the dust and discomfort and mess of traffic up there I never did see. I am thankful we have had this time out in the green country. The heat is pretty bad today, hottest day we have had. Should’nt be surprised if there was a real heatwave. It will be very trying when things begin to move unless it cools off. I hate your washerwoman! How awful to think I should have ‘stylish’ daughters. I suppose she refers to their lingerie. I hope it is no worse than that. Jack could hardly expect to get a battalion. Even so times go and besides he has not been out here nearly as long as Willan, who is also senior to him. One of our aeroplanes practicing overhead caught fire yesterday. It had a load of bombs too. Fortunately the pilot was able to make a landing in time and he and his observer lost no time in getting out, and worked themselves into a ditch. The machine was burnt and the bombs went off and there was a great clatter, but no one was hurt. The other day a German Aeroplane went down the line of our balloons and burnt five of them and at one time there were 13 observers floating down on the [reeds?] of umbrellas, all in the air at once.

D3835/E/2/13/37 25th July 1917 Not much sign of a heatwave today. It poured in torrents all day up to lunch, but it has cleared up now and is a lovely evening. We leave this place tomorrow and move up. We don’t go right up to the front yet, being in reserve for the present. Two Brigades went off in buses today and one goes tomorrow. The busses stretched for miles along the roads. The men of course were delighted that they didn’t have to walk. I enclose bill for coal. This includes carriage to Oldcastle. Don’t pay until Jackson reports that it has been delivered. I am glad F’s sketch was approved. I hope she will keep it going. Does she do any work from nature? I have had a string of visitors dropping in this afternoon, Singleton amongst others. His Division is also on its way up to the Gathering of the Clans. The fishermen on my staff will miss their river when we leave here. They have been out every evening since we came here without a great deal of success but never lose heart. The little French get more fish than they do, but then they know their own river better and the proper flies to use. The Germans are using a new kind of gas shell which is not fatal but which raises blisters and burns and temporarily blinds. They are the highest kind of scientific brute. I suppose we will try now and go one better. It is a horrible war. I wonder if the Boche has begun to think how he will be executed after the war. It won’t be safe for a German to be seen in France or England nor for the matter of that in any country. He will be hounded like a mad dog, at least I hope he will be. It would be unthinkable that he should be allowed to come back to civilised countries on the same terms as he used to do before the war.

D3835/E/2/13/3B 27th July 1917. Such a come down in the world from my last residence. I am now in a small sort of house in the street of a village right on the road and in the thick of incoming clouds of dust from wagons, lorries and motor cars that pass continually, not the mention that the place is stiff with men and the noise is most disturbing. Everybody looks in through the open windows and it is very hot indeed. A very poor exchange. We are much closer to the front now and the guns are increasing night and day but mellowed by distance. We are in Gough’s Army now. I expect to see him tomorrow. The first person to roll up here yesterday evening when we got here was Arthur whose regiment has been transferred to the 19th Corps. He is close by and is coming to dinner tomorrow night. He is looking pale and rather worried. He too has got the idea that the Sinn Feiners will kidnap his children. I look upon that notion as the most absolutely foolish nation, but as the Ulstermen believe the rest of Ireland are capable of anything, I suppose they can’t help thinking so. I went to tea with {?] who commanded a corps next door, we were in it last year on the Somme. I have not heard anything of Drummond yet and don’t know if the Admiralty will let him go. Anyhow Henry is going so I shall fall between two stools if I don’t get Drummond. As I have no one else in mind. St George’s house is doing very well in cricket. They are in the finals of the Cricket Cup. I hope they will win.

D3835/E/2/13/39 28th July 1917 The heat and dust here is uncomfortable, nothing pleasant about it at all. I hanker after the lake at home. The fresh convention seems to have sat through 2 days without killing each other, but there is plenty of time yet. I had not realised or I had not remembered that July 26th was the anniversary. Truly there have been changes and all in your family and none that one can say came about in the fullness of time. I think Mrs Sage is a fraud. I know myself too well. No one ever felt my ‘charm’. I have not got any and I don’t think I ever had. It is silly to write to you like that, because it must be untrue. I should be glad if I had any. I am so rejoiced to think it has been so easy to remove any traces of strain and worry. It was only a crust, bless you, there was just the sauce beloved outside under the crust that there has been for the 19 or so years that I have known you. We move again day after tomorrow and closer up to the line. The artillery fire is very heavy now and has been for several days. It never ceases night or day and they are having a rocky time up in front. I met a son of the Bishop of Winchester yesterday. He is chief captain with the 5th Army and came to call. His brother was killed at Hooge that time it seems so many years ago but is in fact only just two years. He is a huge man, I felt a midget beside him, and seems a very good fellow. I have asked him to come and dine if circumstances permit. I regret to say the British Soldier gets drunk sometimes even out here and this village draws them from all sides. The result is the road in front of the house is a seething mass of men every evening and some of them are very unduly cheerful. Not many really considering the number there are around, but they are a nuisance when they insist on bellowing in front of the house.

William McElroy (text below), like the soldier in this photograph, was treated with great humanity by capturing German soldiers and brought to field hospital to receive the same treatment as those of his enemies who had been wounded, D3330/B/ Document 3: Memories of William McIlroy of Castlewellan, 13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, early 1980s [T3948/1]

McIlroy explains, as an old man, interviewed in the early 1980s, how he lost his leg after being badly wounded at Messines, having been humanely assisted by German First Aid prior to being repatriated for hospitalisation in France and then in England

/it was an awful battle, that up until 16th August. And then that was finished for me. I lost that leg on the 17th . I was lucky that day getting back there, I do remember hearing the shell that hit me to my right. And the next thing I just got it on the knee there, a lump of shrapnel from the shell. And it tumbling me into a shellhole with dirty, slimy, green water. And I lay there from 9pm to 5am and I was going to sleep. I had to prop up my eyes, to keep myself awake. So I knew once that I went over and let myself go to sleep, that was the finish of it. All of a sudden I heard this thing coming, I thought it was the end for me. But it came down on to the soft ground, the ground was very soft then, and it came down, it must have been 6 yards in front of me. But it did me a good turn, it ploughed the ground in front of me and lifted me right on almost on my foot. And it got rid of the water and all, emptied the shell almost over me and left me standing on my foot. So I had my rifle and a shovel I had been carrying to try and make my way back again. And there were Germans everywhere and prisoners coming in. And I was sort a way afraid, I didn’t know how they would act on me. There were two of them who came over to me and gave me a lift to this first aid station. And I was put into this First Aid Station, it was one of those German stations. And there was a doctor in it and the first thing he done is give me a good glass of brandy. I was then taken out on to stretcher bearer’s and it was two miles I had to go over this very rough ground and shots were coming over my head. I lay on top of the stretcher, watching it, expecting to be hit again. And I was carried down into this big dug-out and as luck would have it there was an ambulance standing at the door. And instead of me being carried down into the dug-out but they put me into the ambulance and I was taken away. And I went out of that. I had a wee chum who was there that same night he had what we called a blighty, it was a slight wound it would have taken him out of it for a while. A German bomb came down and blew his leg off after being slightly wounded and he’s died since. He was the last of the Dundrum men and so I got out of it and I was taken away back to England and I landed up in Sheffield, a good hospital there and I landed there. My leg was infected, what do you call that disease? (gangrene). So they took off the leg there (interviewee points to above the knee); they left it raw so that it could be cleaned properly. So I had to stand 9 months with me/I got poultice I think it was, 8 times during the day and 8 times during the night. What they called hot foam/just a cloth of the boiling water just put over it. Scalding hot it was, eight times a day. So that was that, I got eventually my leg was cleaned, and I got out of it. I was sent to another operation and there was another 5 or 6 inches taken off and it was sewn up then. I never had the slightest trouble since that day to this. That was away in 1918. So I was out of it then/I don’t know very much more about the First World War/I came down home and then I was sent down to the Ulster Volunteer Hospital, it was up at Queen’s University, I was sent to that to get fitted and measured for a wooden leg/I was fitted with a leg and got home/.

Please note all the documents used in this blog have been edited for clarity and, in some cases abridged. For more information on the documents and PRONI’s sources relating to the First World War see our Guide to the Manuscript Sources for the Study of the First World War in PRONI.

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