Duty Calls: Holkham 1914 to 1918
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DUTY CALLS Holkham 1914 to 1918 In August 1914 Great Britain entered World War One, then known as ‘The Great War’. Our exhibition is about how this global event affected the lives of the Coke family and the people of Holkham village. Below, with two parallel timelines, we set out events as they unfolded at Holkham and worldwide and commemorate those who died on active service. The 3rd Earl of Leicester was a long-serving regular officer By November Tom was in France with the The 1st Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment was engaged in many of Many of the men mentioned and all three of his sons joined the forces. His eldest son Scots Guards. Arthur had arrived earlier the early actions on the western front. on the Holkham roll of honour Tom Coke fought alongside his father in the Boer War and with the Horse Guards. Both brothers saw They saw action at the first battle of Ypres, and war memorial were was serving with the Norfolk Yeomanry at the start of action at the battle of Ypres. Roger was as did Tom and Arthur. Arthur regarded already serving in the regular World War One. Arthur Coke had held a commission in on board HMS Indomitable (above) in the Mediterranean. Their sister trench warfare as the end of the role of forces at the start of the war 1914 the navy and in 1914 was with the Westminster Dragoons, Marjorie’s husband, known as ‘Cis’, saw action at the siege of Antwerp the cavalry officer and asked for a transfer and many more were to enlist The 3rd Earl whilst Roger Coke was in the navy, having joined in 1901. whilst serving as Adjutant to the Howe Battalion Royal Naval Division. North Victor Cecil (Cis) to ‘Colonel Sampson’s’ armoured cars. as volunteers. of Leicester Dalrymple-Hamilton On 28th June 1914 the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, In August Germany declared war on Russia, Lord Kitchener, war minister, appealed for In November Britain suffered the first civilian casualties when World was shot dead in Sarajevo by a Serbian nationalist, Gavrilo Princip. A month later France and Belgium. Britain declared war on volunteers. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) German ships shelled Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. A series of alliances and agreements between Germany in support of Belgium’s neutrality. landed in France. War One nations then triggered a full scale European war. As recruitment increased, Holkham was used more and more as a training From June to October 1915, Model Farm Coke, Arthur Dunthorne, Sissen, Albert The Earl’s daughter Bridget and daughter- area. Tented camps sprung up in the grounds and the Ancient House at Holkham was used as an auxiliary George, George William. Ernest. Died of in-law Hermione, set off to work at the building in the village was used as a billet for troops. hospital, home for up to eleven patients, Killed in action, Killed in action enteric fever in YMCA canteen in Abbeville, Normandy. The City of London cyclists, based in Wells-next- officers only. All costs were borne by the Sed el Bahr, at Loos, France, Malta, The Countess of Leicester wrote to her the-Sea, caused problems for the Holkham agent. Earl and Countess of Leicester. It is said Gallipoli, 25th September. 1st October. son Roger saying that soldiers had to 1915 He had to ask them not to ride on top of the sea that they also provided a car for patients’ 21st May. Aged 22. Aged 19. endure the meals produced by the girls bank in Wells and to stop smoking in the dunes. use and a nurse masseuse. Aged 33. while they learned to cook. Arthur Coke George Dunthorne Albert Sissen The first Zeppelin raids were on Great Winston Churchill, as First Sea Lord, The first use of chlorine gas German U-boats started sinking merchant ships. The sinking of Edith Cavell (left) born in Swardeston, Norfolk, was working More women were Yarmouth and King’s Lynn. Five civilians were ordered an attack on the Dardanelles. by Germany took place at the passenger liner Lusitania caused a crisis between Germany as a nurse in Belgium when she was executed by the employed in munitions killed. The bombing of London followed. Troops landed at Gallipoli in support. the second battle of Ypres. and the USA. Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary. Germans for helping allied prisoners to escape. She became factories as men enlisted in a national heroine and is buried at Norwich Cathedral. the armed forces. The Leicester Yeomanry The Welsh cycle battalion was stationed Dawson, Frederick This memorial plaque (right), made on the estate The Countess of Bell-Brown, were encamped at at Wells-next-the-Sea leading to more Ernest Palmer. in 1920, commemorates the battle of High Wood Leicester launched Sydney William. Holkham. Their problems of cycling on the sea bank and Killed in action, near the Somme. This area changed hands several an appeal to support Died at 30th temporary hospital taking pot shots in the dunes. 15th September. times with appalling losses on both sides. The Earl’s the 2nd Norfolks Casualty Clearing was at No 56 Rose Aged 20. daughter, Marjorie, brought back cuttings from willow prisoners of war Station, France, Holkham forestry department supplied Cottage, Holkham. trees taken from the battlefield which were planted (POWs) held following 26th November. 1916 1,000 railway sleepers to help the war effort. on the south-west side of the lake at Holkham. the siege of Kut. Aged 21. Frederick Dawson Sydney Bell-Brown After a long siege, the British garrison at Kut At sea, the battle of Jutland saw the German Conscription in Britain began as At the battle of the Somme, Britain suffered the highest casualty rate ever in a The first airship was shot down over Britain by pilot in Mesopotamia surrendered to the Turks surface fleet curtailed as a fighting force. This more manpower was needed. 24 hour period. Tanks were used on the battlefield for the first time. They were William Leefe Robinson (left). He was awarded the leading to the capture of 10,000 troops. allowed the successful blockade of Germany. unreliable and ineffective at first but helped break the stalemate of trench warfare. Victoria Cross. The Royal Garrison Artillery Neale, William A Zeppelin raid killed a tenant and Bell, Christmas Dennis, Dunn, William Mallet, Robert. were stationed at new Ernest. damaged buildings in the village of Robert. Died Sydney Jabez. Killed Killed in action, houses near the almshouses. Killed in action, Wellingham on the Holkham estate. 3rd July of Thomas. in action, 12th October. Aged 28. 60 acres of Holkham park 19th April. Roger Coke witnessed the bombing wounds Killed in 26th August, Curl, George. was ploughed up to grow Aged 26. of Folkestone by German Gotha Reeve, Ernest. received at action, St Quentin, Arras, France. 10th July. France. Killed in action, 1917 crops to help the war effort. bombers and the civilian casualties Killed in action, 13th October. Aged 20. Aged 25. Aged 34. William Neale which resulted. 3rd May. Aged 25. Christmas Bell Sydney Dennis William Dunn Aged 22. German troops retreated to the Hindenburg line, Internal pressure forced the Russian Tsar, The Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps The USA declared war The first daylight The British royal family changed its name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha a series of prepared trenches that reduced the Nicholas II (right), to abdicate in favour of was formed. Over 57,000 women on Germany. bombing raid was to the less Germanic sounding name of Windsor. size of the western front. his brother Grand Duke Michael. enlisted with 9,000 going to France. carried out on Britain. As part of the war effort the Groom, Thomas Futter, Ball, Herbert Dennis, Edward Sizeland, Tom Coke was deployed to The last two people from estate sent ash timber to James. Killed Edward. John. Vincent. Richard northern Italy as aide-de-camp. Holkham killed in action were Vickers to build aircraft. in action at St Killed in Died of Died in hospital William. He witnessed the capitulation Groom, Alfred Charles aged 24 Quentin, France, action, wounds, at Harfleur, Killed in of Austria-Hungary. and Swain, Frederick George A further 179 acres of 23rd March. grassland in Holkham park 21st March. Aged 33. 28th August. 2nd September. action, 30th German prisoners of war aged 23. Both were killed on 1918 was ploughed for crops. Aged 24. Aged 21. Aged 28. September. were set to work on the 4th November 1918 just 7 days Aged 23. before the armistice. Thomas Groom Edward Futter Herbert Ball Edward Dennis Richard Sizeland marshes at Holkham. Jerusalem was captured After the Russian revolution, The last bombing raid on Marshal of France, Ferdinand Foch (right), was made allied commander on the western front. His At sea, the navy undertook the successful blocking of Zeebrugge and The armistice came into by British troops. This the Bolsheviks signed a peace London killed 49 people organised resistance to German advances, followed by a series of successful counter attacks, led Ostend with scuppered ships during April and May. In October the German effect on the 11th hour ended 673 years of treaty with Germany. and wounded another 177. to the surrender of the German forces. In the final battles in France, the German forces’ advance fleet mutinied at sea. After the armistice, virtually the entire German navy of the 11th day of the Turkish rule. was halted, then reversed. There was heavy American support during the counter offensive.