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Home , Arras Memorial, Battle of Vimy Ridge, Bullecourt, Fampoux, Hohenzollern Redoubt, May 1917

Ninety four years ago in / the battles raged east of The above image (IWM Ref Q6228) of British troops boarding buses at Arras after returning from the capture of Monchy-le-Preux was used on the covers of “Cheerful Sacrifice” by Jonathan Nicholls published in 1990 and “’s Forgotten Heroes” by Stephen Barker and Christopher Boardman published in 2008. A brief outline of the battles is inside together with a tribute to one from Kirkby Lonsdale serving with the Honourable Artillery Company who fell as the battles ended. Also inside is an account of the commemoration of the Canadian Memorial on Ridge in 1936 seen through the eyes of a schoolboy who was there, and much more including a tribute to Mike Sherrington (Page 26)

Editor’s Musing and the ; 23rd-24th April, the Second Battle of the Scarpe; Recollection of my interest in WW1 23rd-29th April, the Battle of Arleux; 3rd-4th goes back to visits as a young teenager May, the Third Battle of the Scarpe; and to scour the shelves of Atherton library 3rd-17th May, the Second Battle of but it was not until early 1992 that I made , fought after a first my first whistle-stop tour of the unsuccessful attack on the 11th April. battlefields. The excuse to travel alone to Including the fighting round Bullecourt, was a meeting in Luxembourg. I 33 British and 37 German divisions took took two days leave from work and part. travelled early via Charles de Gaulle and After a 5 day preliminary bombardment visited the Somme, Arras/Vimy, le the offensive started on Easter Monday, Cateau and . 9th April in sleet and snow. Initially the One of the books in the forefront of my British and Canadians were successful. mind at that time was the then recently The British captured Neuville Vitasse and published “Cheerful Sacrifice”. Setting whilst the Canadians made aside the picture of buses on the front their famous capture of Vimy Ridge. cover which made me hark back to a Over the next few days the British childhood where my daily routine was advanced their line to capture often influenced by my father’s shift and Monchy-le-Preux but the Canadians patterns as a bus driver, to me, Jonathan lost impetus after the first day. When the Nicholls’s book, woven with veteran’s offensive eventually started at Bullecourt stories, was a masterpiece in describing on 11th April it was a complete failure with the events of April/May 1917. the Australians losing more troops than As I mulled over a suitable on any other day of the war. frontispiece/focus for this Despatch with With troops suffering from the intense the experience of numerous subsequent cold as well as fatigue, the offensive was visits and gains in WW1 knowledge, maintained only to distract attention from nevertheless I thought the Battles of preparations for the Nivelle’s French Arras would de nicely. offensive to the south. It was halted on th April 15 . MORE INFORMATION FOR ARTICLES WHEN: The offensive was resumed on 23rd (+P) : photos, maps in Photo Gallery, April to support French operations on the (+S) : supplementary information report Chemin de Dames with further gains east See our website www.wfanlancs.co.uk and look against this Despatch and north of Arras, but, according to the Official History, attacks were continued

after they would normally have ceased. THE BATTLES OF ARRAS 1917: Terry The second very desperate Battle of Dean Bullecourt commenced on 3rd May and resulted in further heavy Australian and The Battles of Arras 1917 are best British losses. known by the capture of Vimy Ridge, In “Cheerful Sacrifice” Nicholls points which happened in the first stage. They out that the average daily casualty rate actually included several phases: 9th to was far higher than either the Somme or 14th April, the First Battle of the Scarpe Passchendaele. The Allied casualties for 2 the 39 days that the battles lasted are The Official History devotes estimated at slightly fewer than 150,000. approaching 400 pages to the Battles of The Official History indicates there is Arras and with regard to the next article “reason to suppose that the German mentions the 2nd Honourable casualties in the Arras offensive up to the Artillery Company taking over part of the end of May were lighter by comparison line in Bullecourt on the night of 14th May. with those of the British than in most of It goes on to describe the last and

the British offensives. The tactical biggest counterattack made by the dispositions adopted by the Germans on 15th May which was after the first few days did not expose repulsed with heavy losses on both sides their troops to the same degree as on the and how “Second Bullecourt had the Somme in 1916. reputation of a killing-match typifying at its most murderous.” 3 QUEEN ELIZABETH GRAMMAR Company was pushed back as far as SCHOOL, KIRKBY LONSDALE, ROLL Battalion Head Quarters (H.Q.) and there OF HOUNOUR: c/o Oliver Wilkinson was a danger of the Germans enveloping (+S) several . Jackson and the rest of ‘D’ Company, Wilfred Henry JACKSON Sergeant, together with survivors of the other 4246, 2nd Battalion Honourable Artillery companies, were ordered to attack and Company (HAC) clear Bullecourt of the Germans. As a sergeant of a Lewis Gun Section, Wilfred Henry Jackson in many Jackson took charge of his gun and it respects can be seen as Queen was reported by a corporal in his section Elizabeth Grammar School’s favourite that he knocked out a German machine son. Throughout his service he kept in gun position as well as two German contact with the school, and perhaps snipers. The German attack was checked because he had only left a year before and subsequently faded away. the war started, his former teachers held Unfortunately during the resistance him in high regard. He also proved his Jackson was killed, however, his sacrifice worth as a soldier, rising through the was said to have made a real difference. ranks to become a senior NCO, before His work had prevented 3 Battalions being killed during a massive German being enveloped and afterwards the counter-attack on 15th May 1917. QES Divisional Commander had had lost a bright and greatly loved son. complemented all the gunners of ‘D’ In May 1917 it was decided that a huge Company, referring to Sergeant Jackson assault of the would in particular, for their excellent work. take place, with the objective of capturing Jackson, however, was not there to the village of Bullecourt. Jackson’s unit, hear this praise, and he was not the only the 2nd Battalion Honourable Artillery absent man. All that was left of the whole Company (HAC) was involved in the 2nd Battalion were 4 officers and 94 men. assault on the village on the 3rd May but The life of Jackson was, like many of was unable to capture it. The 91st the ‘old boys’, full of potential. He was achieved this objective on the 7th born on 14th December 1895, the only May. However, the cost was extremely son of John Warbrick Smith Jackson, high, and the HAC in particular suffered Kirkby-Lonsdale’s blacksmith. Initially he huge casualties. Thus, on the 14th May, was educated at the National School, and when the battalion was ordered to relieve then went to some newly captured front line trenches, Queen Elizabeth the fighting strength of the unit stood at Grammar School just 250 men. Jackson was included in for four years. At this number. the school he The relief of the new trenches was became captain undertaken without incident, but the of the football battalion did not have time to get team, and his comfortable in the new positions. At 4 sporting ability in both football and a.m. a massive enemy counterattack was was said to be unequalled. Moreover he opened, and ‘C’ Company was almost was also talented academically, entirely annihilated. Consequently ‘B’ particularly in mathematics and 4 languages. In extra-circular activities he was an accomplished violinist, and he “We got aboard a transport on the played in competitions at the Winter Sunday night, but did not set sail as it Gardens, . was found to be rather dangerous, two of Upon leaving school he began three neutrals [neutral ships] having been studying to gain entry into the Civil torpedoed the night before. So we Service and successfully secured an marched back six miles through the dark appointment to the Inland Revenue, to a rest camp where we stayed the night. where he was described as having a The next night we sailed and after a promising business career. When war seven hours pleasant voyage arrived in came he was employed as a Second France. Followed a long, uphill, tedious Division Clerk at the Admiralty in . march to a camp, and next morning a This was a ‘war job’, meaning that march back to the station, where we Jackson had no need to join up, and for a entrained in cattle-trucks for a railway year he was content in his administrative journey of 21 hours.” position. However, his patriotic flare got After the Battalion arrived at the the better of him and on the 23rd August trenches Jackson received a baptism of 1915 he joined the Honourable Artillery fire. Within just a few days at the front Company (HAC). Jackson had had what he described as The HAC was a regiment in the “one or two near squeaks.” A German and the oldest regiment shell had exploded near him as he in the British dating back to 1537. reconnoitred the front-line trench and he In WW1 the HAC provided two infantry was buried in earth. A few days later battalions for service overseas and also another shell exploded near by, and it formed four batteries and a was only a section of sandbags that siege gun battery. saved Jackson’s life. Moreover there was Jackson, at just 19, spent over a year constant threat from snipers. with his new unit on Home Service, which Nor were the German’s Jackson’s only would have included a period of time enemy. He describes in several of his training at Tadworth Training Camp, letters to the school how poor weather Surrey. On 2nd , however, conditions, rain and later frost, made his life uncomfortable. Additionally he refers to the danger of ‘trench foot’, which could result from the conditions. Despite such hardships and ‘near misses’ he kept in high spirits, often looking back at his QES days with a nostalgic eye. The headmaster cultivated this nostalgia by sending Jackson copies of the school magazine. Jackson wrote in one letter: Tadworth Camp “It’s a lot better here than I ever he embarked at Southampton for Le expected, even though we have come Havre, France, by which time he had out at the worst time. I would prefer, already been promoted to Lance however, to be back at the old school, but Corporal. In a letter to the school he really I cannot grumble as I had a very described his journey: 5 good run…….With best wishes for the staircase and had a splendid view over success of the old school in every way.” the town. As his service progressed so did I was a loner and I explored Bruges on Jackson. He was promoted to Corporal in my own. There was plenty to interest me. February 1917, Lance-Sergeant in March I soon found a cafe where I had Moules and Sergeant in April. He also Fritz to supplement the meals we had at progressed from being simply a member our pension. Also the shops. One had a of a Lewis Gun Team, to being in charge window full of pistols and revolvers; of one, training his own men and taking a another, a Tabac, had no hesitation in great deal of pride in the task. In fact a selling twenty Players and a box of corporal in his team described the last matches to a schoolboy. That night I hour of Jackson life as follows: went down by one of the canals to “I feel sure that his last hour was the experiment with my first ever cigarette. I happiest of his whole life as he saw his had no sooner lit up when two gunners, the men he trained, working Gendarmes came up and asked me hard and standing like Old Guards” "Was I thinking of committing suicide?" Thus when Jackson died repelling the That stopped me from smoking for good German counter attack on Bullecourt, his and saved me a lot of money. Lewis Gun Section, his Battalion, his One evening Mr. Lamont told us that division, and his old school all next day a new memorial to the Canadian grieved. Jackson’s body was not dead of the Great War was to be unveiled recovered and he is remembered on the at Vimy Ridge and we were all going to watch the ceremony. Next morning we boarded our coach and set off. As we

IF THIS IS THE PRICE OF VICTORY OH passed through Armentières I realized GOD FORBID ALL WARS - that we really were on the Great War

Pte B Wild, Lancashire Fusiliers battlefield. We arrived near the memorial and de-bussed. Mr Lamont told us what

A NOTABLE MEMORY - THE time he wanted us back at the bus and COMMEMORATION OF THE VIMY disappeared on his own personal journey RIDGE CANADIAN MEMORIAL: Joe of Remembrance. Hodgson

In 1936 Mr Lamont took a party from Preston Grammar School for a holiday in Bruges in Belgium. We stayed at the Hotel van Eyck in the Rue d'Argent (Zilverstraat). After a few days we were all flea- bitten so all the bedding had to be changed. For me, Bruges was a fascinating place with all its gates in towers, its network of canals and its Unveiling of the Memorial Grand Place. Here was the tall tower of We joined the crowd. It had a the belfry where I toiled up the spiral Canadian flavour. Quite a lot of Mounties were there in their familiar scarlet tunics

6 and Scoutmasters hats. The Guard of some of the troops sheltered before the Honour was composed of sailors from successful attack. The guides are HMCS Saguenay, a Canadian . Canadian students who certainly know all King Edward VIII arrived in naval officers’ the facts. We even passed by a shell in uniform and the ceremony began. the wall of the tunnel that had not Eventually it was all over and our school exploded. Back at ground level there are party converged onto the bus and so some preserved trenches you can walk home to Bruges. in. In more recent years I have been on When I am on these tours and say I several Battlefield Tours that included was here at the unveiling I become a Vimy Ridge in the itinerary. Now there minor celebrity for a minute. are tours of the network of tunnels where

A Favourite Card: Andrew Brooks

This picture postcard received a Kiel postmark for the 8th and was addressed to; Fraulein Suzy Aolamoff, Brighton on Sea, 40 Grand , Cranbrook, . The card is signed on the front and reverse by at least fourteen officers/sailors of the S.M.S. Kaiser. The message reads; Kiel 31/1/1914 My Dear Suzy. This morning I got your nice postcard during my duty! I think our cards have crossed. This evening we are feasting the birthday of our Kaiser. Lovely greetings from here. Yours very sincerely H. Clius.

On the front of the card someone has written ‘How long will you still remain in Brighton. Come to ! There are nice bathing places near Kiel!

The S.M.S. Kaiser was involved in the and she sank the Russian destroyer Grom in the Baltic in 1917. I would like to think that Suzy was a German spy sent to observe the movements of the pleasure boats in Brighton – but I am afraid that would have been highly unlikely! 7 MUSEUM REPORTS be viewed on the museum’s website: http://www.kingsownmuseum.plus.com/k King’s Own Royal Regiment Museum, o2839-26.htm Lancaster: Peter Donnelly

Members of the Branch attending the last meeting will be aware of the proposal to relocate Lancaster’s market into the City Museum. The present market building, built just over 15 years ago, is proving very expensive and is under- occupied by traders. The City Council have agreed to investigate the relocation of the market to the City Museum Future Museum Events: building, with plans for an additional Thursday 19th May 2011 extension to the rear in New Street Free Lunchtime Talk, 13.00 Museum Square. Opinions differ as to how much Meeting Room, access from New Street . of the First Floor will be occupied by the Habbaniya and Falluja, the 1st Battalion, market although a clear statement has King's Own Royal Regiment, in Iraq, been made that the King’s Own collection 1941. will remain. The history of Lancaster Friday 27th May 2011 collections are planned to be relocated Free Lunchtime Talk, 13.00 Museum elsewhere and it is possible that a café Meeting Room, access from New Street . and lifts etc will be installed to enhance Lancaster Unlocked: Discover some the visitor experience. Where this leaves recent acquisitions at the King's Own the “behind the scenes” offices, kitchen Museum and room (used for monthly Saturday 28th May 2011 WFA Branch talks) is at present unclear. Lancaster Unlocked: King's Own On The Friends of Lancaster City Museum Parade! Meet the World War Two soldier are amongst a number of organisations character with real objects to handle. and individuals who have expressed Free. 13.30 to 16.00 King's Own Gallery. concern at the proposals and the Bank Holiday Monday 30th May 2011 “dumbing down” of the city’s heritage. A Free. On the War Path - Military Heritage civic heritage so closely associated with Walk around Lancaster , guided by the proud military heritage of Lancaster’s Regimental Curator, Peter Donnelly. regiment. Starts 11.00 from the City Museum , Meanwhile some interesting finishes around 15.30, lunch will be taken acquisitions have been made, one of along the way at a pub (pay your own which has been generously funded with a bill!). The walk will include Westfield War £100 donation from the WFA North Memorial Village and Bowerham Lancashire Branch. The wooden door Barracks. sign of the “Commanding Officer 2nd/5th Further details from Peter Donnelly, Battalion, King’s Own Royal Lancaster Curator, King’s Own Royal Regiment Regiment” was spotted on the internet Museum, Market Square, Lancaster, LA1 auction site, Ebay, and the museum was 1HT. Telephone 01524 555619. successful in the bidding. The sign can www.kingsownmuseum.plus.com 8 SAY NOT GOODNIGHT BUT IN consequences of the First World War are SOME FAIRER CLIME BID ME very much part of our daily business. GOOD MORNING - Pte J Jackson, One of the key roles of a regimental South Lancashire Regt secretary is to provide support to local families of serving Fusiliers who have been killed or injured. Sadly, you will Fusiliers Museum: Mike Glover (Curator) recall that the Second Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (2RRF) FALLEN FUSILIERS during their 2009 operational tour of Afghanistan suffered seven dead. Two The centenary of the First World War came from the North West and this will soon be upon us and the staff at the Headquarters was fully involved in Lancashire Headquarters Royal assisting the families and remains Regiment of Fusiliers (LHQ RRF) and the engaged to this day. Fusilier Museum, are already considering This role is not just confined to plans for commemoration including contemporary casualties in areas of temporary exhibitions, a publication operations such as Afghanistan. It programme and more specifically how to covers a wider context including commemorate the Gallipoli Landing. I casualties from the First World War. In would actually like to go out to Gallipoli in 2007 I was involved in the organisation of 2015 but fear that it will be covered with a full regimental funeral for Australians looking for Mel Gibson. Richard Lancaster of the Second Although it is at the forefront of our Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers minds, it would be fair to comment that (2LF) who was killed on operations on for the vast majority of the public the First 11th . The fact that World War is little more than an obscure Richard Lancaster had died some 90 period in history involving something to years ago did not detract from the do with Germans, trenches and railway seriousness that the MoD and the timetables. For the staff here in Bury the Regiment treated the funeral and the reality is somewhat different and that the impact that it had on his family.

The Funeral of Private Richard Lancaster in Prowse* Point Cemetery 2007

9 It was therefore with some interest previously worked on the excavation of that in November last year an email Richard Lancaster and Harry Wilkinson also was received from a French from 2LF and was therefore well known to archaeologist, Emmanuel Brill, stating the Regiment. He had therefore developed that during a recent excavation in considerable knowledge on the activity of Belgium his team had discovered the 2LF in the period 1914-15 and had focussed remains of six British of the his excavations in an area to the south of First World War. Emmanuel Brill had Ypres including Ploegsteert and .

Excavation of Private Richard Lancaster 2006

In 2LF found itself stationed in Dover as part of 4th Division. They were able to celebrate Minden Day (1st August) in the usual style little realising that in a few days time they would be preparing for war. On the outbreak of Using his knowledge of the Lancashire war 2LF deployed to Norfolk to counter a Fusiliers and their operations in the Le possible German invasion and cover the Touquet area Emmanuel carried out a move of the BEF to the continent. The targeted excavation in 2009/2010. He battalion moved a few weeks later and on chose a specific location on the old 22nd August disembarked in Boulogne. railway line which used to run south By October the Battalion found itself west/to the north east of Le Touquet. Six committed to the bodies were located and based on cap operating around Le Touquet to the badges and other insignia found on the South of Ploegsteert. The Battalion bodies, two were identified as being remained there till . Lancashire Fusiliers, two Kings Own Royal Lancaster and two unknown. A 10 search through the Lancashire Fusilier “Our machine gun, worked by Sergeant Annual for that period held in the Fusilier Parkinson, Private Pulford, Private Lynn Museum Archive in Bury revealed that on and Private Yates , did wonders. The two the 17th October the German Army had first named were unfortunately sniped by advanced as far as Frelinghien on the two consecutive shots during the action. border with Belgium and was likely to Both had done splendid work from affect a river crossing and take Le August 25th till the moment they fell.” Touquet. 2LF formed part of a brigade operation, 2LF on the left and Kings Own on the right, to take and hold Le Touquet.

Sergeant Parkinson with an unknown private soldier with one of the two Vickers Machine Guns issued to each battalion.

Battalion Headquarters in Le Touquet It is worth noting that Private John following the successful attack. Note Lynn would be awarded the 2LF were still operating out of buildings, Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) and trench warfare had not yet set in. later in the (VC) The action lasted till the evening of for using his machine gun to stop a 22nd October when the battalion was German advance during a gas attack. relieved. During four days of incessant Lynn would die the following day from the fighting the battalion lost 30 killed, 69 effects of the gas. wounded and seven missing. Of the 30 At present the Commonwealth War killed, three are recorded as: Graves Commission (CWGC) are “Believed lying under the culvert on working with the MoD’s Joint Railway N E of Le Touquet Station.” Compassionate and Casualty Centre The three were named as: (JCCC) to try to identify the bodies using 1412, Sergeant Edgar Matthew existing records. If this fails it may be Parkinson, of Rusholme Manchester possible to identify the bodies using DNA 1596, Private Henry Pulford, of from living descendents and to this effect Bradford Manchester an appeal was made in the local media to 9054, Private James Rowan, of Wigan identify relatives of Parkinson, Pulford Lancashire and Rowan. So far the response has All three were recorded as having been been very encouraging and to date killed on 20th . Unusually relatives of both Sergeant Parkinson and the regimental diary also has a specific Private Pulford have been identified. entry relating to Sgt Parkinson and Pte Research has shown that Private Rowan Pulford: 11 was an Irish immigrant who never but, when you look into the story behind married. It would also appear that the bread, it becomes very interesting. Private Rowan’s family later returned to The bread was donated to the museum consequently the trail has gone by the family of cold. Private Arthur It will be several months before CWGC Jordan who and JCCC complete their enquiries and served with the 8th DNA tests possibly called for. It is my and 9th Battalions hope that at least one of the bodies can of the Loyal North be identified and buried with a name Lancashire rather than as an unknown. There is Regiment. In considerably more work to do with the 1918, during the ultimate goal of a full regimental funeral last great German to honour the dead of our antecedent push for victory, regiment. Private Jordan * Editor’s Note: Brig. Gen Charles Bertie was badly wounded and became a Prowse . He then spent the next commanded the few months in captivity. By this stage of 11th Infantry the war, rations were scarce and bread Brigade which was often made out of things other than included the 1st wheat (it was often said that sawdust was Battalion East used). The bread was indigestible. Lancs Regt. He When the prison camp was liberated, was killed on 1st Private Jordan decided to keep a piece of and is bread as a souvenir and it became his referred to in next month’s talk. ‘lucky talisman’. It remained on his mantelpiece as a symbol of hope until he I COUNT MY LIFE WELL LOST TO died. SERVE MY COUNTRY BEST - Capt G J l Smith 1st Batt Can Inf The museum also has in its collection a pair of false teeth made out of aluminium. These too belonged to a Teeth, Bread and Blood: Jane Davies Prisoner of (Curator, QLR Museum) War, a Private James of the One of the most appealing aspects of Loyal North being a museum Curator is being able to Lancashire research objects that are donated to the Regiment. It museum. Sometimes items can initially was said that seem very ordinary but on closer he had to wash his mouth out, three investigation they often reveal a times a day, using acid. Not surprising fascinating story. then that he had no teeth. The collection of the Queen’s On display is also a cutting from a tree. Lancashire Regiment holds a few Once again, visually uninteresting but, ‘mundane’ objects relating to the First the story behind the cutting and how it World War, for example, the museum has came to be in the museum is captivating. a piece of bread. Not very exciting at first The cutting was presented to the 12 museum after the end of the war by American soldiers in trench warfare. One Ronald A. Barker late of the such British soldier was Captain Ernest 1st Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire William Mawdsley of the 19th Battalion, Regiment. Manchester Regiment. The personal On September 25th 1915, the Battalion papers of Captain Mawdsley have took part in an attack against the German recently been gifted to the Tameside line of defence at Loos. The enemy Archives and offer some insight into the position had been subjected to four days working relationship between the two of heavy bombardment and on the countries; the collection comprises morning of the attack, at 6.34am, gas newspaper articles from his time in the was released from the British trenches to USA, rare photographs of French soldiers further ‘soften up’ the German line. and artillery weapons, aerial Unfortunately the wind changed direction reconnaissance photographs and well- and blew the gas back on to the worn maps of France showing the British, attackers. The front and support lines French and German lines. suffered considerably and the gas also Captain Mawdsley enlisted for wartime caused the advancing lines to become service in , initially intermingled. This and the fact that the serving three months with the King’s German wire remained uncut forced the Liverpool Regiment before being Battalion back to its starting point. commissioned as Lieutenant and later as Attempts were made throughout the day acting Captain of “B” Company, 19th to take the German lines but to no avail. Battalion. He was twice wounded, once However, at some point, one person was at the able to take a cutting from the ‘lone tree’ Somme that was the objective of the 1st Battalion on July 9 and bring it back to the British trenches. 1916 By the end of that day 16 Officers and through 489 other ranks had either been killed, shell-fire, wounded or were missing in action. The and upon cutting, although it doesn’t look much his actually represents so much more. recovery, declared fit for light duty thereafter. His combined expertise in trench weaponry and experience of warfare qualified him for a

training role. Thus he was sent to Camp Manchester Regiment Archive: Ruth Lewis, California, sometime in late 1916, Beattie, Military History Trainee (+P) alongside French officers as part of the

allied mission to prepare the American The British and French military military forces for combat in Europe. relationship during the Great War is a His speciality was the trench mortar subject often overlooked in the having used the weapon extensively historiography of the Front. Few during his time in France and Belgium; accounts emerge of the personal and his collection of maps and aerial working relationship some British officers reconnaissance photographs would have had with their French allies training been invaluable to the artillery section 13 when seeking the enemy position. His remarks regarding morale in the French experience and enthusiasm for trench trenches: weapons and admiration of French “People knowing of the rats, vermin and designs in particular, is apparent in the mud pity us. We don’t want that. The rare photographs depicting the trench boys are always in good spirits. They mortar in various occupations. The have their jokes, their cards and their photographs were produced by the wine … and they have the knowledge they French Army and are unique to this are fighting and dying for the people of particular collection, and certainly unique the world.” to archival material concerning the Captain Mawdsley followed the Manchester Regiment for this period. It is comments with his own interpretation of thought Captain Mawdsley would have morale and the Anglo-French used these photographs when at Camp relationship: Lewis in his teaching role. They offer the “There is more genuine comradeship of today an account of the now … I believe also there will be a fusion French and British training collaboration of the allies. Before each one of us was and the Western Front enthusiast a visual jogging along in his own little way. Now it history of French weapons as they would is different between the French and have been employed in the field. English.” The story of Captain Mawdsley, like many other personal collections held at the Tameside Archives of the men who fought for the Manchester Regiment during the Great War, offers an alternative view by the individual soldier and his unique personal experience of life on the Western Front. No two soldier’s experiences are alike and it is through fascinating material such as the collection comprises, that fresh interpretations continue to come to light some ninety seven years after the war The relationship between the British began. The collection is available to view and French seemed to be one of mutual at the Tameside Local Studies and admiration at Camp Lewis. The men Archives Centre, Ashton-under-Lyne, appointed to the role had come more or catalogue number MR4/17/318. less directly from the Western Front with a minimum of two years fighting OTHER MUSEUMS IN SHORT: experience for their respective . The Californian newspaper articles of the Kings Regiment: 1st Phase of new time covered their activities from both a Museum opens at Pier Head on 19th July. military and social aspect and made Liverpool Scottish: Archives moving to much of the comradeship between the offices on Dale Street at the end of May. two countries. Captain Jean Champion of Museum of Lancashire: Not open until the French Army, speaking at a meeting mid November at the earliest. of allied officers, made the following MORE IN NOVEMBER’S DESPATCH 14 HE LEFT NO WILL BUT GOOD WILL home has to support the cause. The AND THAT TO ALL MANKIND - Corp H J messages from the vicar, particularly at Mathewson, The Cameronians the beginning of the C20, would be one of the powerful influences on the civilian population. A STUDY OF THE INFLUENCES ON To understand the reaction to the SOCIAL ATTITUDES ON THE HOME declaration of war in August 1914 one FRONT AS PORTRAYED BY ONE has to not only to get under the skin of PARISH CHURCH IN THE ROCHDALE/ the then population but also see the HEYWOOD AREA OF GREATER influences which acted upon society, the MANCHESTER: Richard Preston education provided, types of work people engaged in and the place and attitude of I am sure many WFA members have or a person’s religious denomination are but are studying a particular village, town or some of the influences on opinion church , trying to put a life formation. to the anonymous names inscribed on History tells us that society generally the block of stone or etched in a window. greeted the WW1 with enthusiasm. Rev. To me it is an important task to give faces Brierley Vicar of St Michael’s, and personalities to the names so that we encouraged his parishioners by saying can identify with them more closely. This “we are fighting for the lives and liberties fits in with the of the whole people” and wider educational “England will not do her aims of the WFA. duty unless every man I have been that is capable of researching a bearing arms enlists”. parish memorial Clearly very strong in the Bamford support for the cause but area of Rochdale. as 1914 proceeded It has 47 names there was a recognition inscribed on it, 42 that this war would be a of which are First “long one” but that did World War. not deter him from During 2009/10 I saying “this war will discovered a need the best the nation soldier who had can give of its youth and lived and strength” to serve in the worshiped in St Michael’s parish but was forces. Subsequently he went on to not named on the war memorial, this I am condemn the “spectacle of thousands of pleased to say has now been rectified, he men playing and watching football on is also remembered on the Basra Saturday afternoon whilst the country is Memorial, Iraq. in the death grapple for its An off shoot of the study was the existence...... our young men must church’s attitude to the war as portrayed respond to our country’s call”. in the monthly message from the vicar to This condemnation of football was not his parishioners. If wars are to be fought original. It is said that it emanated from then, up to a point, the population at an officer in a Yorkshire regiment at the 15 front. The Times had condemned Shortages began to show, some social spectators at Football matches on 7th Nov events were cancelled because “food 1914, while other newspapers referred to could not be obtained” while Sunday the Football league as the “shirkers Evensong was changed to the afternoon League”. Indeed the football league was in the winter months to comply with suspended at the end of the 1914/15 lighting regulations”. season for the duration of the war. Throughout the war years Rev. Brierley During 1915 the attitudes began to commented that “the Allies were making change, the jingoistic calls had gone, and good progress” but by the the newsletter discussions were more comments were less optimistic “Progress tempered. Perhaps it was the Roll of was necessarily slow” and “the end does Honour at the head of most months’ not look in sight”. By the newsletter that focused the mind on the mood had changed again “the Allies real suffering that war could bring. made splendid progress...It is reaping the Discussions from then on were more fruits of the boundless sacrifice of the last sober, humanistic and compassionate. Of four years... We must husband our course the desire to win the war was still supplies or undergo unpleasant there, for example the vicar encouraged shortages in the future.” The next month, women to go out to work so that men , “The War Is Over: could be freed to go to the front to fight glorious news....devout thanks that this but there were other references to terrible war is over...To the soldiers of services of intercessions and comments England...the world owes a debt that we of a biblical nature that “death was not can never repay”. the end”. On the communal side practical In 1919 a War memorial was planned assistance was offered by collecting for a which was dedicated in . The convalescent home in Egypt- £14.14s. end of the war though did not totally (£14.70p) was raised, a significant sum in change attitudes. With the signing of the 1915. This was for the wounded of the Peace Treaty in and the Territorial’s (1/5th Battalion Lancashire scuttling of the German fleet in Scapa Fusiliers) who had gone out from Flow Rev Brierley said in Heywood/Rochdale area to fight in the that ”there has been no change of heart Gallipoli campaign. by the Germans...and they cannot be Rev. Brierley supported the sending of trusted...The Allies need to compel photographs of the wives and children Germany to fulfil all their obligations with the Christmas card and gift. In under the Peace Treaty”. So lay the a comforts committee seeds of a future conflict! collected £23.00 to send 35 parcels by So this church administered to its March. Subsequently there were quotes parishioners. Its official voice was from letters of those who received the bellicose at first but then as war parcels in the magazine. One said that he developed it had more compassion, “had taken the opportunity to change his giving hope for the future, succour to the shirt, which we had not been able to do in suffering and bereaved and fortitude to five weeks” while a second said that “the the general public so that they were able articles would be useful in the cold winter to bear the hardships of war on the home to come”. front. Sadly though, there was no magnanimity in victory. 16 adequately marked, there was no I ONCE WAS LOST BUT NOW AM FOUND - Pte G Croft 30 Batt Aus Inf evidence that their position had been recorded or registered. Moreover, nobody seemed to be responsible for WAR GRAVES AND THINGS…….. ’ their maintenance. That same October POSTSCRIPTS: Peter Denby (+P) day marked the first extension of the Unit’s work in relation to graves beyond Soon after the excellent talk ‘War merely identifying them for the ‘missing Graves and things… ’, by David lists’. Shackleton (October 2010), I went on a The idea seems to have come from Leger tour to look at the battle of Stewart. As Ware himself wrote the next ‘Fromelles. I was dropped off for a couple year, this work ‘had its origin in a of hours in Bethune Town cemetery, suggestion made to me last October by where I visited the grave of my great Lt Col Stewart’ who committed the Red uncle, Pte John Edwin Denby. A pre war Cross to paying for more durable regular with the Green Howards, John inscriptions. Soon it was persuaded to Edwin took part in the First Battle of provide the means for marking and Ypres. In 1915 he was in the trenches in registering all the British graves the Unit Northern France, where he was wounded could find”. in the line north east of . He A later chapter adds: died of wounds at the Casualty Clearing th “It had been a long haul from that Station at Bethune on 16 May 1915. miserable October afternoon in 1914 Bethune Town Cemetery has its own when Ware had stood with a Red Cross footnote with regards to the inception of Official in the town cemetery at Bethune. the Commonwealth War Graves In the years between he had fashioned a Commission. Thus the history of the vast organisation…As Durham told him Commission (The Unending Vigil, Philip ‘you have created a new Empire within Longworth) records: and without the , an empire “During October [1914] a Red Cross of the Silent Dead’”. Medical Assessor, Dr Stewart, came to Some other burials close to my great inspect the [Red Cross Mobile] Unit. uncle John Edwin caught my eye. My Stewart’s visit was significant from the fellow Fylde Coast readers may be point of view of the development of a interested in Pte Ernest Patrick Lynn, of - graves organisation. He and [Fabian] as the cemetery register quaintly puts it - Ware happened to 46 St Albans Road, St Annes-on-the Sea. visit Bethune Also close by is Lt Frank Alexander Cemetery, where, DePASS VC, of the 34th Poona . according to Ware, The inscription on his grave is a quotation they ‘found a from a sonnet by his Rugby school-fellow number of English Rupert Brooke. He won his VC near graves all with plain Festubert for his attack on a German sap but carefully made and for subsequently rescuing, under fire, wooden crosses on a wounded man. them’. It was while Then there are the two Garrod standing there that Ware first realised brothers, sons of the Regius Professor of that although the graves were fairly Medicine, Oxford University. 17 I then noticed an obviously anomalous about 1000 yards away. He was carried headstone (see over), for Capt S E N to a trench where he died soon Cesari RAMC, and it is this which brings afterwards and was subsequently buried me back to David Shackleton’s talk in in Bethune Town cemetery. which he discussed some of the irregularities which occur in CWGC cemeteries. The headstone inscription for Capt Cesari reads ’KILLED IN ACTION AT OCTOBER 3rd 1915. ERECTED BY THE OFFICERS NON- COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND MEN OF NO 6 FIELD AMBULANCE‘. The cemetery register confirms him as a Captain in the Royal Army Medical Bethune Cemetery early 20 C Corps, but gives his initials as S F M, and It seems that Capt Cesari’s headstone lists his date of death as September 3rd was erected privately at the time by his 1915. RAMC colleagues. Most such private I was puzzled as to why this RAMC headstones were, with the agreement of Capt does not have a standard families, subsequently replaced by headstone. standard CWGC headstones. In this To my surprise a ‘Google’ search case (as in a few other cases) it seems showed that Capt Cesari and his the family preferred to keep the original anomalous headstone were discussed on private headstone, not least because of the ‘Great War Forum’ in 2007. its good quality. The headstone is thus private property, although should it ever fall into disrepair the CWGC will then replace it with a standard headstone and formally take over responsibility for its maintenance. (See back page for current photo) Whilst it is not unusual for private headstones to bear incorrect information, in this case the family records, supported by War Diary entries, show that the date of death was indeed 3rd as recorded on the memorial, and not 3rd September as recorded in the CWGC records. Capt Cesari was a Scottish doctor who The CWGC does however correctly enlisted into the RAMC in 1913, soon give his initials as S F M ( Fraser after he qualified from Edinburgh McAlpine) rather than S E N as shown on University. His death occurred whilst he the memorial. Because the memorial is was handing over evening duties, he private property the CWGC is not at being wounded by a rifle bullet fired from liberty to amend any incorrect details on the , which was it. 18 I have not come across any of the - sisters John is the sole survivor of Sir very few - other private headstones which Gilbert’s generation in the family. can be found in CWGC cemeteries of the I also mentioned ongoing work to seek Western Front. Sir Gilbert’s medals and other As a final postscript to David’s talk, he memorabilia which was taking place in showed the headstone of Second parallel with investigations to determine Lieutenant Hugh Gordon Langton in what to do with his grave in San Poelcapelle cemetery, the headstone Sebastian. I have been able to contact bearing a mysterious musical inscription. several persons named in the Wills of Sir The photograph is included in the G’s wife and his brother-in- who died ‘Remembrance’ exhibition in the after Lady Mackereth. Unfortunately museum. This jogged my memory, and none were able to provide information looking back though my old slide about his medals/memorabilia or, more collection I found I had visited this very importantly, whether Sir Gilbert same headstone on a trip in 2001. Our specifically wished to be buried in Spain. knowledgeable guide on that occasion Therefore it is of paramount importance told us the inscription represents the to see whether Sir Gilbert’s Will, if it opening bars of the Masonic Anthem. exists, contains any indication as to his Editor’s Note: “The Unending Vigil” was wishes. reprinted in 2010 by Pen & Sword. An Early last September I requested a excellent addition to my bookshelves via search of Probate records in England Amazon. which established that no Grant of WE DREAMT GREAT THINGS FOR YOU Representation had been granted for Sir th GOD INTERVENED AND SO THE G in England or Wales. On 20 DREAM CAME TRUE - Capt F W September I reported this to my contact Haldinstein, in the British Embassy in Madrid. Having regard to: the language barrier, the LT. COL SIR GILBERT MACKERETH’S apparently complex procedures and the GRAVE: Terry Dean special circumstances of this case I sought the Embassy’s help to pursue Sir In last November’s Despatch I G’s Will on my behalf and John Sloan. reported the developments since On 28th March I received a copy of his publishing the problem about Sir Gilbert’s Death Certificate. This is the first stage in grave in Spain. At the November obtaining any Will in Spain. I was also meeting I showed advised of the next procedures to be many of the followed to pursue Sir G’s Will. I photographs which requested the Embassy to provide further were contained in assistance in pursuing Sir Gilbert’s Will the album held by but they declined. Myself, John and John Sloan, Sir G’s Sheila Sloan were very disappointed at first cousin. Since this situation meeting John and Consequently Carlos Martinez, a friend his wife Sheila I have kept in close touch at my gym, has helped me fill-in Form with them, and was saddened to hear 790 for forwarding to Spain’s Ministry of that with the recent deaths of his two Justice. Thus determining whether Mackereth’s Will exists and which Notaire 19 has it. The situation has been discussed "THY WILL BE DONE" IS HARD TO SAY with staff at the Spanish Consulate in WHEN ONE WE LOVED WAS CALLED Manchester and hopefully Sir Gilbert’s AWAY - Lanc Corp H J Hobbis, Will, if it exists, can soon be obtained. Middlesex Regt Should no Will be found, or the Will contains no expression of Sir G’s wish for his remains to lie in Spain then, John and FRANCE VISIT: Niall Cherry (+P) Sheila Sloan are minded for his remains to be exhumed, cremated and his ashes Towards the end of September 2010 I scattered in the Fusilier’s Gallipoli once again sorted myself out for a trip to Garden in Bury. Should the Will indicate the Western Front, this time I was off to that Sir G wished his remains to be in one of those forgotten battlefields of the Spain the Sloan’s are minded for his Great War, namely that of Loos. I’m sure ashes, after exhumation and cremation, many people who read this will know this to be placed in a suitably reverent place battle is one of my specialist subjects, in San Sebastian. mainly because it was the first time my Last November’s Despatch Grandfather had been in action. mentioned James Barr's forthcoming In 1915 he was a corporal in the Royal book A Line in the Sand which covers Sir Engineers Special Brigade and so 2010 Gilbert's work after the First World War was the 95th Anniversary of this as a diplomat in the Middle East. Sir momentous battle. It was of course the Gilbert joined the consular service and first time the BEF used poison gas and was posted to Damascus at a particularly up till that point in the Great War it was sensitive point, when an Arab revolt was the largest offensive carried out by the convulsing neighbouring Palestine, which BEF. On the first day virtually 6 Divisions was then British-run. Relations between assaulted along a 6 mile front. Britain and France in the Middle East One of the Divisions that took part on were very poor. When the French had the first day was the 47th (2nd London) asked for British help to deal with Arab Division, which was a Territorial Division insurgency in Syria in the 1920s, the and had been in France since March British had refused to offer it; now when 1915. One of the 12 infantry battalions in the British needed assistance from the this formation was the 19th (St Pancras French because the rebels were using Rifles) Battalion The London Regiment. French-ruled Syria and Lebanon as a Even though this unit has not been on the sanctuary, they received a similarly cool order of battle for many years there is still response. a flourishing Old Comrades Association, In Damascus MacKereth therefore took although many of the members are only it upon himself to wage a one-man war relatives of those who served, and it was against the rebels: as he put it, with some with them I travelled to Loos. understatement, 'from then on, much of After two days visiting the scenes of my work was of an unusual nature'. Using action in and around Loos and holding a previously overlooked documents Barr small service at Dud Corner, on our third tells the fascinating story of MacKereth's day, a visit had been arranged to two highly unorthodox activities at this time. places in Arras. The first was the The book is due to be published on 18th Wellington Tunnels. This was a new visit August. for me and it was a unique experience to 20 go underground and see the tunnels that It takes around 9 hours to do a headstone had existed since the Middle Ages and in on an automated engraving machine. the Great War had been extended by mining companies, hence the name of Wellington from the city in that country. They played a part One of these machines has two cutting in the heads and so can do two headstones at a Battle of time. From Arras the headstones are Arras of shipped to wherever they are needed and 1917, whilst we were there, consignments were allowing troops to appear as if by ready to be shipped to such diverse in No Man’s Land. places as Israel, Kenya and the UK. A The second visit of the day was to the selection of photographs taken here Commonwealth War Graves Commission accompany this article. offices at . After a brief audio After leaving here we stopped off at visual presentation on their world wide Pheasant Wood Cemetery at Fromelles role, we were allowed to visit the on our way back to the Channel coast workshops. Here they have a and London. So all in all a very enjoyable metalworking shop where replacement three day trip to the Western Front. I think boxes for the cemetery registers are apart from the 19th London’s there were made using traditional techniques. I was about 20 people remembering the 95th somewhat surprised to learn that the anniversary of Loos. Surely Loos boxes that the registers are kept in are deserves a more important place in the not a standard size and also how many of British psyche than this? these boxes are damaged and stolen over the course of a year. The gates are SEARCH OF THE PRESTON PALS: also made in the workshops here. Joe Hodgson However, the main thrust of the effort at

Beaurains is directed towards On 2nd headstones. Any new or replacement April I travelled to France with a small group of Prestonians to follow in heads for any location in the world are th engraved at this office. At the back of the the footsteps of ‘D’ Company, 7 Loyal stone shop are a wide selection of blank North Lancashire’s, otherwise know as headstones all pre-cut to size, obviously the Preston Pals. The group proposed a in a lot of different stones. One particular memorial to the Pals on Preston railway stone that caught my eye were black station and our mission was to gain headstones for New Zealand forces. The knowledge of the battle area where they CWGC has two engraving machines had fought. Paul Garlington was our which are at work almost 24 hours a day. 21 battlefield guide and we stayed at the Headquarters did not know was there so Mercure hotel in Assevillers. it had not been shelled. Some of the Pals On Day 2 we had a crash course on got up to the German wire but could get the Somme battles visiting all the usual no further. Lieutenant Tovani withdrew Battlefield Tour sites. This was so we what was left of the Pals, (about 50 men), could put the Preston Pals in context to our Front Line. At 8.30 they were against the bigger picture. At the relieved and marched back to some dug- we found the names outs in Mametz Wood. of some of the Pals on Pier 11a. This We walked along the track behind the names 902 Loyals including the 7th position of the 1000 yard trench manned Battalion VC winner Lieutenant Thomas by 480 rifles. Then we drove to Crucifix Wilkinson. We laid a poppy wreath on Corner near Bazentin-le-Grand where a the then visited pre-1914 crucifix, (much damaged by Newfoundland Park and got as far into shellfire), still stands. Here I laid a Poppy No Man’s Land as the Danger Tree. On Day 3 we visited a supermarket to buy the makings of a picnic, paused at Martinsart Cemetery to see the Corse Hill red sandstone grave markers, then on we went to Sheffield Park where the Accrington Pals came out of the wood to be mown down like corn. From there to Death Valley and Flat Iron Copse Cemetery where we located the four Preston Pals buried here and had our picnic on the cemetery wall. The supermarket had done us proud! Then to Caterpillar Valley Cemetery to Wreath in memory of the Pals and tied it photograph seven more Pals graves. to a bush. Anything after this did not In Bazentin le Petit we parked across matter. We had walked where the from the brick memorial to Nine Brave Preston Pals had walked. Men, Royal Engineers, who were killed When we achieve our plans and erect while building a strong point here. One of the Memorial to the Preston Pals on them, Sapper Thomas Blakely came from Platform 4 of the railway station we hope Preston. this will be a worthy tribute to the lads On the 19th of July 1916 the 7th Loyals who marched away and never came filed into the trenches at Bazentin le Petit back. as 56 Brigade relieved the 98th. They had to cover 1000 yards with only 480 rifles. rd At 12.20 on the morning of the 23 July THERE'S NOT A JOY THE WORLD CAN th as part of much larger attack the 19 GIVE LIKE THAT IT TAKES AWAY - Division moved across No Man’s Land to Lance Corp G H Brookes, Royal attack the Switch Line. The 7th Loyals left Warwickshire Regt their trenches and advanced uphill to the crest where they were hit by machine guns in an Intermediate trench that 22 LINESMAN’S 2011 TRIP TO FRANCE: front line and the Lawe canal identifying TD (+S) the location of the various strong points such as Mesplaux Farm, Loisne Central On 5th April Linesman (L), the trench and Route A Keep also the new front line mapping system linked to current French and the ‘G’ switch. maps, arrived in France again, this time From Givenchy we went eastwards with 3 human accomplices. The crossing the crater line which was won on objective of the trip was to cover the 24th when the 55ths ground of the 55th West Lancashire Advance to Victory commenced. Division’s famous defensive action north- Pausing for lunch and relaxation in the east of Bethune in and then German cemetery at Illies I viewed the follow their Advance to Victory which numerous graves and mass burials ended at Ath. places resulting from the British attacks

3 rooms for 3 consecutive nights were at Neuve Chapelle on 9th May 1915. By not available in centre so we stayed this time the broom wagon driver had left at the Citotel on the rue du us to discuss plans for day 2 and we Faubourg d’Arras, 1½ miles south. A continued our ride eastwards passing the good base which had covered, secure positions reached by the 1/5th King’s Own parking for car/bikes and an excellent on 3rd October. As we approached Don Relais within nice walking distance. we cycled down the street where the Day one’s mission started at Bethune 1/10th King’s Liverpool (Liverpool Town cemetery with the placing of a Scottish) suffered casualties when the poppy cross on the grave of Peter German defence stiffened on the line of Denby’s great uncle (Page 17 refers). the Deule Canal. Then Trevor and I set off on bikes to Our rendezvous point with John was at cover ground where 166 Brigade of 55th Don Communal Cemetery where we Division had to establish a defensive noted unusual headstones (see back flank following the adjacent Portuguese page) and mounted bikes on the broom Division’s evacuation of their positions wagon to call and “say hello” at the when the Germans attacked on 9th April and Phalempin cemeteries on our 1918. John, the 3rd of our trio, favours way back to our Citotel. other modes of travel to cycles so had the Day two started with a visits to Lille important role of driving the broom wagon Southern Cemetery then Asq Communal (Tour de France parlance). We criss- Cemetery where the CWGC plot and our crossed the ground between the original thoughts was somewhat overshadowed 23 by the graves and memorial to 86 local in action his headstone wrongly stating men massacred by Germans in WW2 OBE rather than BEM. In Tournai it was following an explosion which derailed a appropriate that aviator John, on his first train carrying 12th SS Panzer Division to trip to the WW1 battlefields, should see Normandy. the graves of the first two British airmen Then followed the high point (literally) killed on active service in WW1. of L’s trip. Aviator, John’s , a Cirrus SR22, was waiting at Lille Airport to take us on a circuit planned to cover an airborne recce of the 55th’s Advance to Victory, the le Cateau battlefield, Somme, Vimy and Givenchy. Unfortunately le Cateau had to be dropped from our itinerary since this was in direct line of the climb out from Cambrai airbase – as it was we saw two echelons of French fighters zooming in at high speed below Lieut C G Bayly 2nd Lieut V Waterfall our level (1500 feet) so probably RFC Observer RFC Pilot discretion was the better part of valour!

However we had a never to be forgotten

1½ hour flight with aerial views of the 166 WHO STANDS IF FREEDOM FALL? WHO DIES IF ENGLAND LIVE? - Lieut Charles George G Bayly REs attached RFC

MARTIN MIDDLEBROOK’S LAST SALLY?: Terry Dean

On 11th March over 80 souls gathered for the Lancashire Brigade Escaut crossing point at Cherq, and Cheshire Thiepval, and the Branch meeting in to name a few. Stockport Drill Hall On return to Lille airfield at 14.30 we to hear Martin set off eastwards in the broom wagon, Middlebrook talk on paused for refreshment and reached Ath “The Somme and at 1800 hrs. We crossed the Escaut at its Origins”. He split Cherq where the 1/5th South Lancs his talk into three forced a crossing of the river during the elements: night 8th/9th November. We also had - Why did it happen pauses to reflect and say “hello” at - Why it is so deeply remembered Esplechin, Tournai and Leuze - What actually happened cemeteries. At Esplechin we viewed the Starting by describing the initial French grave of Private W Morgan who was the and German war plans he then explained last of the Liverpool Scottish to be killed how the German’s Schlieffen Plan failed 24 in August and early September 1914 and Terry Jackson (Lancs & Cheshire how the “ of the Marne” led to Chairman) entreaty to travel so far again stalemate on the Aisne and the eventual to speak. Hopefully he thinks again. stalemate on the Western Front after the “”. MARTIN’S CORNER: Martin Simpson – He then went on to describe Chairman, Cumbria Branch Kitchener’s role in expanding Britain’s army from 6 to 66 Divisions and how a On Sunday 12th June commencing 10.30 big battle of attrition was inevitable. With am we will have our Occasional Day at the New Army and Pals battalions Hundith Hill Hotel, Lorton, Cumbria. Tea, containing large numbers of men from coffee and biscuits will be available on the middle and skilled classes this arrival and there will be a 3 course lunch explained why the Somme and its with menu choice. For anyone wishing to casualties are part of the British psyche. stay over at the hotel there is a reduction The Chantilly Conference of December in room costs for WFA members 1915 considered the Allies strategy for We have 3 speakers with different attacks in 1916 but the French themes: involvement in planned British/French “The war art of Stanley Spencer” by attack astride the Somme had to be David Haydock scaled back due to the Germans assault on Verdun in . Martin “Nursing in France and Flanders” by described Rawlinson’s role in Sue Light determining the flawed strategy for his Fourth Army’s attacks on 1st July 1916. “The Pirate of Buccari” (The adentures of Not enough high explosive shells were Gabriels D’Annunzio on the Italian Front) available to destroy German wire or and it should prove to be a very dugouts and, on sections of front, interesting day. requiring troops to form up in lines before crossing “No Man’s land” proved suicidal. If you wish to attend please contact Martin described how; the British me: Tel No: 01229 584141 or strategy changed in the successful attack Email: [email protected] of 14th July, the subsequent attack in September when tanks were used in Our programme for the remainder of the action for the first time and, Haig’s year is as follows (all meetings at Penrith decision to continue the attacks until British Legion commencing 7.45 pm): November. He then mentioned how 1st July 1916 Aug 18th: “Guns, Gunners, Gunnery was dwarfed by the size of the German’s September 1914” – John Aspinall attack on 21st which gave him the opportunity to add a plug for his Oct 20th : “3 ships sunk during WW1” - book “The Kaiser’s Battle” to his other Frank Walmsley literary works which he mentioned in his talk. Dec 4th : AGM, including Christmas Concluding Martin told us he would be Lunch. Speaker - Peter Hart. 80 next birthday and that he did not think he would respond positively again to a 25 BRANCH AFFAIRS: Mouquet Farm where we braved a fierce guard dog and found the exact spot Remembering Mike Sherrington where Pat Durham was wounded and 1949 – 2010 captured. We also met up for another gastronomic experience in Nerja, Spain, as this was a resort where separately we had spent many happy holidays. In 2006 when I mentioned to Mike that we were going to St. Remy he provided books and information on where to visit. I am pleased that Mike was able to enjoy a family holiday in this charming French town in 2010. I can honestly say that I have never met such a courageous and optimistic person. Throughout his prolonged fight

against cancer his mood was always Mike was a founder member of the upbeat and I never felt it difficult to talk to North Lancashire Branch of the Western him about his illness. He endured Front Association and over the years he operations and treatment that I could became well known at other branches hardly conceive, with cheerfulness and throughout the country when he visited to always had confidence in his doctors. I deliver one of his talks. must also say that Liz was a tower of I was lucky enough to persuade Mike strength during this period. to give his first talk to the branch and this At his funeral I was able to hear about and subsequent talks were based on his his family life, his working life and his research into members of his family who other interests which I knew very little took part in the First World War. My about. I wish that I had met Mike much favourite was the one that recounted the earlier but I will always value the ten exploits of Pat Durham and his escape years I knew him and I still marvel at his from Lechfeld Lager. Mike researched fortitude. (Andrew Brooks) Pat’s story for quite a few years and I remember quite clearly the many A CHEERFUL VOICE A SMILING FACE occasions he would ring up and tell me ALAS NO ONE CAN FILL HIS PLACE - about the latest finds sent to him from the Pte H H Simpson (Aus Inf)

Australian War archives in Canberra. I am sure that many WFA members will Branch Who’s Who remember the feats of Pat

Durham and other incidents from Mike’s The proposal was agreed at the meticulously researched talks. December AGM and those who attended Mike was also a connoisseur of good the April meeting know I commenced to food and fine wine and this was shared collect information and photographs. I with Liz, his wife. My wife and I managed shall be collecting information from to meet up with them in 2004, in a others at coming meetings with a view to restaurant south of Amiens and after a completing Who’s Who by September. wonderful meal Mike and I went to 26 Alternatively you can send passport Grange-over-Sands. Originally donated style photo and information i.e.: by Normanton Central Liberal Club for an Name unknown reason, the soldier had Contact details (address, tel. no, email) deteriorated and North Lancashire WFA Occupation (current or pre-retirement) paid for a structural survey. The soldier Interests is now fully repaired and a remembrance by email to: [email protected] ceremony is held there every November11th. Howard also talked MEETING REPORTS about Private Samuel Wassall, who was awarded the VC at Isandlwana and whose grave is in Barrow-in-Furness cemetery. (Gaynor Greenwood)

Christmas Social: December 2010 Chairman’s Night: November 2010 (14 attended) (27 attended) Barrie Bertram looked at the differing Chairman Stan Wilkinson presented an backgrounds of three Commanding entertaining selection of adverts from Officers with Jersey connections who led magazines and newspapers published battalions over the top on the first day of during the First World War. He also the Somme. Harry Allardice was a highly talked about Remembrance and the first promising young Indian Army officer and tourists to the battlefields. Stan then was appointed CO of the 13th introduced his three guest speakers, all Northumberland Fusiliers a fortnight members of the Branch. before the attack. He was killed and is Terry Dean described the outcome of buried in Dartmoor Cemetery. George worldwide publicity about the possible Guyon had been wounded at Gallipoli eviction of Sir Gilbert Mackereth from his serving with the Royal Fusiliers and grave in Spain. He had met with John returned to duty in command of the Sloan, the first cousin of Sir Gilbert, and Bradford Pals. He was killed in the first showed many of the First World War minutes of the attack on 1st of July and photos of Sir Gilbert which were in the his name is on the Thiepval Memorial. family album held by John. Robert Raymer survived the Great War, Chris Payne described how the although he was injured on 1st July contents of a letter written from the leading the 1st/5th Battalion of the South Western Front in , by his Staffordshires at Gommecourt. He later grandfather Private Charlie Payne (5th commanded a number of other Battalion West Riding Regiment), battalions. He returned to teaching as a revealed a family friendship with the in 1919 with a CMG, DSO and 4 Australian Prime Minister, . MiDs, later becoming a priest. He died in Welsh by birth, Hughes was a forceful 1948 having ministered as a padre for a member of the British delegation at the period in the Second World War. Versailles Peace Conference. Graham Kemp told the story of three Howard Martin gave an update on officers of the 67 Sqn (Aus) of the RFC, the concrete soldier in the grounds of based in Palestine, 1918. They had Cartmel Grange Nursing Home in flown to an abandoned German airbase 27 and in a nearby cave found cases of top Taylor changed his name to Charles class champagne. Unable to load them Edward Collins and joined the 17th Royal in their planes, they went back to their Welch Fusiliers, eventually becoming a airbase and commandeered a Turkish sergeant. After showing leadership and railway truck. They placed an aero bravery in several actions, his true engine on the front, called her Agnes and identity was discovered in and returned to base to load up the his reinstatement was recommended by champagne. After sampling the wares, his CO. they soon found themselves roaring into However by the time this the desert, forgetting that aero engines recommendation was finally approved in have no reverse. Fortunately they came , Taylor was dead. He died across a General’s staff car en route to on 24 December 1918 as a result of the General. Claiming to have being shot during an action on 4 emergency medical supplies, they November in the Mormal Forest, for commandeered the car and returned which he received the MM. His laden to their base at Haifa. reinstatement was backdated to 23 Members of the squadron helped them to December. He had redeemed himself. dig a hole by the side of the base to (Gaynor Again!!) secure their hoard, but it was very hot night, and hard work, and by the time the HE DIED FOR US IS IT IN VAIN - Pte H E hole was ready there was no champagne Kitchen, Lincolnshire Regt left to put in it. (Gaynor Greenwood) German Commerce Raiders (Part 1): The Anatomy of an Alias: January 2011 February 2011 (32 attended) (18 attended)

Some soldiers used aliases during the First World War, generally for honourable reasons. As an example, Barrie Bertram told the interesting story of Coutart de Butts Taylor. Prior to the War, Taylor served in the Jersey Militia. On joining up, he Graham Kemp clearly enjoyed his eventually served as an officer in the 6th belated delivery of his Part 1 talk on Royal Irish Rifles. He used an alias after German Commerce Raiders having being struck off British strength in 1916 revealed Part 2 in September 2010. In following an adverse report accusing him, his inimitable style he told how German amongst other things, of being too old to and commercial vessels in far mould into the requisite shape of a flung ports made the transition from wartime commander and drinking with an peace to war in July/August 1914 and NCO. 28 often ran rings round or outran the Royal Undoubtedly, many talks focus on that Navy in the process. 1%, whether it is going over the top on Dumping of unnecessary materials the first day of the Somme, or slogging (carpets and curtains), camouflage (paint, one’s way backwards on the Retreat from changing silhouette and extra funnels), Mons. It is sometimes refreshing to have armaments, securing fuel and clearing a look at the percentage of soldiers’ lives ports were the German’s priority. that fell into the category of boredom, and Detecting the location of what better way to understand that than ships through listening to their wireless listen to Ian signals coupled with canny judgement of Riley’s which direction to travel enabled the account of the Karlsruhe to evade HMS Bristol and HMS training. Not Suffolk but the she nearly ran out of coal. that there is a suggestion that Ian’s talk was boring, far from it! For me, it highlighted a number of aspects about training that I had not readily appreciated previously, and the An imperative for the raiders was continued importance of training, be it in securing the right type of coal (Cardiff today’s military or in the civilian coal) to fuel their ship’s engines. With workplace. the lack of overseas bases the Germans It was clear that the expansion of the had established the Etappe system to in the early years of the allow coaling at sea from a network of Great War was such that the basic colliers. The Germans also tried to get training in the UK was exactly, basic! coal from captured prize vessels. Details While the technological advances may of vessels captured were outlined and not have been as rapid as those of the how the Germans treated captives next war, tactics had changed and humanely. continue to do so. Though criticised as Graham’s talk drew to a close by ‘the donkeys’, the Generals had the revealing how the Emden, Dresden, ‘nous’ to establish training schools at the Karlsruhe and others met their end but various levels of Army, Corps and their successes had pointed the way to Division, and then to see that the syllabi how the war could be won. (TD) rapidly adapted to the changes resulting from the experiences at the front line as The Divisional School and other Aspects th the War progressed. Although Ian of Training in the 55 th (West Lancashire) focused on the 55 Division, it is clear Division: March 2011 (29 attended) from the talk that there was dialogue both vertically and horizontally in the BEF’s It is often said that a soldier’s life in chain of command, and the activities of wartime is 99% boredom and 1% terror, the Divisional School were mirrored or thereabouts in percentage terms. throughout. 29 What did emerge was the raison d’etre Finally, we must not forget that Ian’s talk of the Schools in that their underlying role highlighted that the training given was to ‘train the trainers’, this very much throughout was relevant to the situation coupled with the emerging importance of ‘on the ground’, and bridged the gap the commander and his sergeant. between basic training and the aim of This continues today, and it was the achieving the end objective. I found the much quoted Field-Marshal Slim who talk of great value, enjoyable, and I left said that the command of a Platoon was thinking that, with slight amendments, it one of the best jobs in the Army. Indeed, could be given business audiences. and what also emerges from the talk was (Barrie Bertram) the importance of ‘on the job’ training, necessary to plug the gaps that the FIRST BLITZ: April 2011 (24 attended) theoretic training, provided back in the UK, could not readily address. In his preamble Neil Hanson discussed The approach that was adopted also how the Great War still resonates ensured the existence of the twin politically and militarily today. concepts of ‘objective based’ and The first - ‘through life’ training, the former designed ever - air raid to focus on maintaining the offensive on Britain spirit, the latter to ensure the refreshment was by of skills and continuity. However, Ian aeroplane, on might like to have commented whether Dover on there might have been a risk of staleness Christmas from this. Eve 1914, There are parallels with today’s military when small who, as much as ever, need to keep their were cutting edge sharp through realistic dropped by hand. training, but with half-baked defence However it was which posed reviews, coupled with the risks inherent in the air threat to Britain in the early stages budget cuts, they will be less than ready of the war, having greater range, safer to face new more deadly threats, thanks flying height, and bigger loads than to a current crop of politicians who, while the early aeroplanes. By they maybe able to translate Si vis however, improved fighter defence had pacem, para bellum, somehow fail to ended the menace. grasp the meaning. As technology advanced true bombers Of course, the civilian workplace is no evolved - culminating in Gothas and different, with pressures on staffing ‘Giants‘ - and it was these that numbers and overheads reduction. In superseded the Zeppelins, although very such circumstances, an organisation’s high production costs restricted their training budget is often the first to be cut numbers. while there also exists a culture of Throughout 1917 and 1918 London ‘You’ve seen the film, you’ve read the was the primary target of bombing raids; book, now get on with the job’. In such secondary targets included Folkestone, circumstances, one might also ask as to where a raid in spring 1917 killed 95 and who is the ‘platoon commander’. wounded many more.

30 A raid on London’s east end in June event the citizens of London, and 1917 hit a school killing many children. Berlin were spared. Anti German feelings ran high. Air raids This excellent talk ended where it were a frightening new experience, and began, with a discussion on the legacy of panic led to fatal crushes in station the Great War. Both sides had drawn shelters at Shoreditch and Mile End. different conclusions. In the Second Primitive air raid warnings and clumsy World War Germany was to place attempts at censorship lessened morale emphasis on battlefield air support, and increased civilian resentment against doubting the efficacy and cost perceived government and military effectiveness of strategic bombing. It incompetence. was the allies who were to take strategic Actual bomb damage was not normally bombing to its extreme. (Peter Denby) great, although the ‘Blitz of the Harvest Moon‘, over several nights on London, HE GAVE HIS YOUTH THAT THE did disrupt output at the Woolwich WORLD MIGHT GROW OLD IN PEACE - arsenal. Serj L Tunbridge, 29th Bn Australian Inf Air raid precautions, shelters and air defences gradually improved; a new PROGRAMME OF FUTURE MEETINGS fighter airfield at a hitherto unknown site - ALL MEETINGS ON MONDAY, 7.30 PM Biggin Hill - came into operation. Even so, in the whole war only 18 enemy June 6th: “Leadership, Morale, and Esprit aircraft were shot down, most of them de Corps – The Winning Factor?” – Terry over the coast on their way home; more Dean (N Lancs W.F.A.) enemy aeroplanes were lost in airfield crashes. But air defence did have a July 4th: “Gommecourt” – Niall Cherry deterrent effect, forcing a move to night (author and N Lancs W.F.A.) raids by . By spring of 1918 a highly combustible Aug 1st: “Accumulated Weariness: living incendiary bomb had been developed, with the effects of war” – Tricia Platts designed to devastate London and Paris. (Bradford Mech. Inst. WW1 Group) Thus it was that on 23rd thousands of these bombs were loaded Sept 5th: "Charlie's War: Tales of a onto Gothas and Giants, and aircrew Conscript in the 2/5 Duke of Wellingtons were readied for enormous raids on the (West Riding) Regiment" - Dr. Chris unsuspecting French and British capitals. Payne However the rapidly deteriorating situation on the Western Front led Oct 3rd : “A German soldier’s journey Ludendorff to issue an 11th hour from the Baltic to the Black Sea” – cancellation of these raids. He was later Andrew Brooks (N Lancs W.F.A.) to say this was on humanitarian grounds, but he knew the raids would have had no Nov 7th : “Kemmel Hill Revisited” – Jon influence on the outcome of the war, and Honeysett he was no doubt fearful of allied reprisals. Indeed a big British raid on Berlin had Dec 5th : “A.G.M. and Christmas Social” – been set for 12th November, and so in the An invitation to members to speak for ten minutes on any WW1 topic. 31 MORE WAR GRAVES AND THINGS: Terry Dean

Here is the current photo of Captain Cesari’s headstone as referred to in Peter Denby’s article at Page 17. As mentioned there it is private property and should the headstone fall into disrepair the CWGC will then replace it with a standard headstone and take over its maintenance. Peter’s photo and my recent inspection shows it to be in a good state and unlikely to be threatened in the near future, With my awareness raised of the CWGC’s policy towards private headstones by Peter’s article and Philip Longworth’s “The Unending Vigil (TUV)” a reward was when accompanying Linesman to France (Page 23). On entering Don Communal Cemetery, amongst the serried ranks of Portland stone, my eyes were drawn to two identical non- standard headstones. According to TUV a ban on private memorials had been issued by the Army in 1916 but in Don Communal the graves of Sappers E Evans and George Amey of the Inland Water Transport Branch of the Royal Engineers who died on 22nd and 30th November 1918 respectively were marked by memorials placed by NCOs and men of Number 4 Canals and Rivers Unit. To date I have been unable to find any explanation for the departure from CWGC guidelines. Harking back to David Shackleton’s talk last October do the twin exceptions further prove the rules?

Western Front Association, North Lancashire Branch Chairman: Stan Wilkinson Treasurer: Gaynor Greenwood Tel: 01524 262302 Tel: 01524 410750 Secretary: Dr. Graham Kemp Editor: Terry Dean Tel: 01524 310649 Tel: 01772 864182 Mob: 07866 493210 email: [email protected] email: [email protected] 32 Website: www.wfanlancs.co.uk