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Shetlanders Who Signed up and Would Never Make the Trip Home

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Shetlanders Who Signed up and Would Never Make the Trip Home The story of the Shetlanders who signed up and would never make the trip home by Jon Sandison Soldiers during Third Ypres, 1917. The desperate conditions were typical of the trenches. Photo sourced by Jon Sandison. The story of the Western Front is a continual fixation of the Great War, but the First World War was a truly global conflict. Britain entered the war ostensibly to preserve Belgian neutrality but also to curtail German dominance of Europe. During the second half of the 20th century the war became linked to futility and waste – "Lions led by Donkeys". But with the centenary of the outbreak of the war, people are reassessing their views, often through a family-centric, "what did Grandad do in the war?" approach. Commemoration has taken place, both at home and abroad as we reflect on the "war to end all wars". With Shetlanders experiencing every part of the developing land war campaigns, the human side and the personal stories are finally balancing with the wider more known tale of what happened. It is clear how important our own local war story is when driving around our islands, and passing war memorials in every community. The name of a soldier on a local memorial has either a gravestone or memorial inscription, whether it be in France, Belgium, Gallipoli, Salonika, Palestine or Mesopotamia. Some made it home to rest, a bit closer to their loved ones. Links to theatres of war elsewhere, Shetland's war memorials are poignant reminders of the local heritage connected to a global conflict. Any memorial or grave with a Shetlander on it in France and Belgium, continues to be a firm part of our heritage today, made even more significant with the arrival of the 100th anniversary. The story of the Shetlander in the army was one linked to home, but also that of mainland Britain and across its empire. Men with home connections served across a wide spectrum of regiments. Some signed up locally, and joined the local territorials, connected to the Gordon Highlanders. Others joined Scottish regiments such as the Seaforth Highlanders, Royal Scots, Black Watch, Cameron Highlanders and Highland Light Infantry. After the Gordon Highlanders, most enlisted with the Seaforths. Others, many living on the mainland already, often joined the nearest regiments such as the Northumberland or Lancashire Fusiliers, Scots Guards and Royal Garrison Artillery. Those who had emigrated just before the First World War, returned to serve as part of the Imperial Forces of the British Empire, such as the New Zealand, Australian and Canadian Expeditionary Forces. Shetlanders, or those with a Shetland connection, saw action all across the globe. Men from all walks of life, both blue and white collar, flocked to the colours in the time of need. More Shetlanders served at sea than on the land. It is not surprising that with Shetland’s maritime connections many chose the navy. But the ratio of loss on the battlefields outnumbered those lost at sea. Many of the Shetland soldiers worked in the fishing industry, while others worked in shops, offices and trades. Others, were fresh out of school and further education, while some stayed and worked elsewhere, but had home connections. Thomas Manson's Shetland Roll of Honour and Service estimates that somewhere around 4,300 men from Shetland were in the services during World War One, of which 500 who died were not resident in Shetland. Dr Linda Riddell recently calculated that around 30 per cent of the Shetlanders lost served in the army. A tally of the Roll of Honour and Service suggests over 1,070 served in the army. From this total, more than 270 were lost – around a quarter of those that served on land. From those who served in the navy, both Royal and Merchant, more than 330 perished with losses amounting to around 10 per cent of those serving at sea. These figures are fluid with more continually being added via local and national research. For example, recent research via The Shetland Family History Society, and the University of Edinburgh Scotland’s War Project, have added further to the numbers. A reminder that war continues to have impact, and that there is much we are still learning. Reasons for enlisting were varied. Peer pressure, lack of employment, economic reasons, a change of life, chance to see another country, escape, patriotism, and eventually conscription – introduced in early 1916 – all contributed locally, just as they did elsewhere. Some 300 Shetlanders were members of the prewar Territorial Force when war broke out, with over 100 enlisting for Imperial Service. They were in France by 1915. Sadly, 17 were killed in action throughout the war. Recruitment was initially very slow in Shetland. Those who joined up at home, did so via the local recruiting office or on the mainland. Those that had emigrated, mainly to Canada and Australia, did so there, returning back to fight for the homeland. After Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914, six infantry divisions and one cavalry division of the British Expeditionary Force with about 100,000 men in all, began embarkation for France between 11 and 23 August. All believed that it would be over by Christmas. The battle fought astride the canal at Mons on 23 August was the first major confrontation which the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) had with the German First Army, They were out-manoeuvred and outnumbered and pulled back more than 100 miles to south of the River Marne. The "Retreat From Mons" was to incorporate various "rear guard actions". With them was Private Robert Bolt of the 1st Cameron Highlanders. He was to become the first man with Shetland connections killed at the Battle of the Aisne in September, 1914. Due to the limited size of the forces, Secretary of State for War, Lord Horatio Kitchener, looked to recruit two million further volunteers. Initially 100,000 volunteers were sought but this became 600,000. Eventually the rate of volunteers slowed so that conscription had to be introduced. With the "Race to the Sea", each side looked to outflank the other. Battles such as First Ypres took place. Here, nearly every frontline unit lost 70 per cent of their fighting strength. It was during this phase that Private Thomas Hardy, of the Gordon Highlanders was lost. Prior to his death, he had written letters to his mother which were published in The Shetland Times. It is well known now how the war moved early on from a war of movement to the stalemate of trench warfare. Hardy was killed at a stage where trench warfare was beginning to take shape. His mother, Jessie, was to lose two other sons and she unveiled the Shetland War Memorial in 1924. There were to be more Shetland casualties by the by end of 1914. At this stage, both sides consolidated their positions, with the Germans selecting high ground and building up strong defensive positions. Both sides looked to achieve a breakthrough. Other key confrontations were to follow including early in 1915, Neuve Chapelle in March, Second Ypres in April/May, which saw the first use of poisonous gas, and Festubert in May 1915. Two lads with Shetland parents, Thomas H K Laurence, from Yell, and James John Irvine, from Nesting, were killed within a day of each other at Second Ypres serving with the Canadian Brigades. The land war had already widened beyond the Western Front. During April 1915, the Allied Forces landed at the Dardanelles with the intention of creating another front and putting extra pressure on the Central Powers. Here, Oliver Goodlad, born in Burra, was killed as a result of a mine explosion on 28 May. He was serving with the Australian Infantry. The entry of Turkey into the war, prompted Britain to open a new front in the Ottoman province of Mesopotamia. During 1915, and into 1916 the siege of Kut Amara took place. An 8,000 strong British•Indian garrison was besieged in this town, 100 miles south of Baghdad, by the Ottoman Army. James John Nelson of the Seaforth Highlanders was killed in action trying to relieve this siege on 7 January 1916. Born and enlisted in Lerwick, he is commemorated on the Basra Memorial. Further offensives on the Western Front continued later in the year. The Battle of Loos in September and October 1915, witnessed large Scottish loss. At least three with Shetland connections were killed here – two of them in the Black Watch. Back home in Shetland, as elsewhere, local territorials were getting ready to depart. The realisation was clear nationally that this was going to be a long haul. Having guarded cable positions since the outbreak in 1914, they left our islands on 13 June 1915 via troopship Cambria with over 200 on board. It was a significant day both in Ler- wick's and Shetland’s history. After training at Perth throughout the summer and autumn, they would be in France by the end of 1915. Many of these men would be lost at the Somme during 1916, as well as Arras in 1917. Soldiers marching on the Somme, 1916. © IWM. By 1916 the Western Front had developed into a war of attrition. With the French held down and fighting for survival at Verdun, pressure was placed on the British to launch an offensive in the Somme valley. Launched on 1 July, the futility of this battle is hauntingly etched upon national sub consciousness. It was the start of the end for the Germans as the British slowly learned the tactics required to defeat them on the field of battle; albeit with huge losses.
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