WORDSWORDS OF PEACE OF PEACE TEACHER’S PACK The legacy of peace in Birmingham during and after World War One 1 WORDS OF PEACE Contents Introduction ..........................................3 How to use this pack ............................4 World War One .....................................5 The concept of peace during World War One .........................6 Protests and Campaigns ...................12 Further sources of study....................14 Written by Dr Sian Roberts and Katy Wade with contributions by Preeti Kailey, Jacob Gahir, Scarlet Wade and Kristina Juškien˙e. Photos by Janette Bushell Designed by Dave Walsh Creative 2 WORDS OF PEACE The Project About Sampad In 2016, Sampad worked with 162 students Sampad’s mission is to connect people and from across Birmingham to explore how peace communities with British Asian arts and heritage and was viewed and promoted locally during to play a pro-active role in the creative economy. World War One. We believe in the power of arts and heritage to Using original archive materials as stimulus, impact widely on all communities – breaking down students travelled back in time to learn about barriers, raising important issues, amplifying unheard those who campaigned for peace, their reasons voices and bringing people from all walks of life for doing so, and how they went about it. They together. then looked at how people express the need for peace nowadays, using creative mediums as Now in our 25th year, we continue to play an forms of expression. instrumental role in promoting and encouraging British Asian arts, so that they progress, break new This teacher’s pack is a culmination of the ground and enrich mainstream culture in the UK. research and learning that has been undertaken by students, volunteers and local historian We support, commission and co-produce a huge Dr Sian Roberts as part of this project. We hope variety of arts and heritage activities inspired by it will encourage you to work with students to diverse artforms that originate from India, Pakistan, discuss the importance of peace looking to the Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. We have a strong track past for role models and sources of inspiration. record of delivering high-quality dance, music and theatre productions, events and workshops in For more information about Words of Peace education, community and outreach settings and please visit our blog: professional development for artists, cultural leaders sampadwordsofpeace.wordpress.com and young people. 3 WORDS OF PEACE How to use this pack This pack has been designed as a complete learning resource for teachers to use in their classrooms to support lessons. It will provide all the information you will need to cover the topic and is to be used alongside the activity sheets that have been provided for students. The content and activities are a cross- curriculum approach to studying local history, which includes, but is not limited to: History KS2 * A study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066 * A local history study History KS3 * Challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world 1901 to the present day in addition to studying the Holocaust * A local history study * Britain 1905 - 1951 * Britain and the First World War 4 WORDS OF PEACE World War One World War One began on 28th July 1914 and At 11am on the 11th November 1918, an lasted until 11th November 1918, killing armistice was signed by Germany declaring that approximately 9 million soldiers and wounding they surrendered and fighting could stop. By this over 21 million during the four years of fighting. time 12,320 people from Birmingham had died in It was triggered by the assassination of Austria’s the war, with many families losing brothers, fathers Archduke Ferdinand, although foreign policy and and sons to the war. Furthermore, the terms of ‘defence alliances’ were the long term contributing surrender outlined in the treaty were to create factors to the declaration of war. many hardships for Germany and the rest of Europe, with the rise of Fascism and the Nazi The two opposing sides were the Entente popularity stemming from these economic and (more commonly known as the Allies), which political instabilities, which would result in a included France, Great Britain and Russia. Second World War in 1939. They were fighting the Central Powers, which included Germany and Austria-Hungary. In total 30 countries were involved in the conflict, although several European countries remained neutral, such as the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark. Most of the fighting took place in France and Belgium in what is known as trench warfare. Each side tried to capture land held by the enemy by sending men ‘over the top’ across neutral land known as ‘no man’s land’, and into the trenches on the other side. Going over the top was very dangerous, with many men being shot dead or severely injured by the enemy’s artillery within minutes of entering no man’s land. Poisonous gases, heavy artillery from the enemy and barbed wire made advancing very difficult, with attacks often being unsuccessful and many men being killed for what often ended as a stalemate. Conditions in the trenches were terrible, particularly for the Allies, where harsh temperatures, waterlogged living quarters and the prevalence of vermin and fleas led to many illnesses like trench foot and dysentery. Food rations were very basic and the men had long Troops of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, 85th Brigade, days with lots of physical labour and a 28th Division manning a trench near Bairakli Jum’a, May 1917. © Imperial War Museum lot of waiting around for orders. 5 WORDS OF PEACE The concept of peace during World War One Attitudes towards peace Conscientious Objectors During the lead up to World War One many There were individuals during World War One who people living in Birmingham were excited about opposed the war and wanted to promote peace the prospect of going to war. The general attitude instead. Some had political motivations such as was that it would be an exciting adventure that local members of the Independent and Socialist would be over by Christmas after a swift victory Labour Parties. For others their opposition was against the Germans. Men and boys were keen to based on their faith and religious beliefs including sign up, with many boys lying about their age so members of a range of denominations and in that they could be enrolled into the army, as they particular, Quakers and Christadelphians. feared they would ‘miss out’. Objections to war further increased with the As the war developed and it became clear it would introduction of military conscription. not end quickly, there was a pressure for young Some conscientious objectors were classified as men to sign up and ‘do their bit’ for the country. absolutists (those who would not consider any With thousands of men being killed, some women work that would contribute to the war effort), but put pressure on men to enrol into the army, often many would do alternative work which did not handing out white feathers as a sign of cowardice directly involve killing, such as ambulance drivers, if they did not do what was seen as their patriotic ammunition manufacturers and people collecting duty. From 1916 men were conscripted into the bodies at the front. Many conscientious objectors army, meaning they had to fight whether they were assigned to the Non-Combatant Corps wanted to or not. (NCC), which was established in March 1916 as part of the reserve. The first Military Service Act came into force on 2nd March 1916 and compelled ‘eligible’ men to Its members were army privates and wore join the armed forces. Initially it affected single uniforms but did not carry weapons or fight and men between the ages of 18 and 41 but undertook physical labour in support of the eventually conscription included every able- military. Many conscientious objectors who signed bodied man between 18 and 51. The Act included up to the NCC as alternative service were often exemptions such as those for the medically unfit, treated harshly by the officers who were from the certain classes of industrial workers and regular army, and the press often referred to the clergymen, it also included an exemption for NCC as the ‘No Courage Corps’. reasons of conscience. 6 WORDS OF PEACE Absolutists were often imprisoned and sentenced When the war was over it took a long time for to hard labour, due to their refusal to undertake the release of absolutists. The last imprisoned alternative services offered to them. The first conscientious objectors were not freed until conscientious objector from Birmingham was August 1919, and many suffered great hardships reported in The Tribunal in 1916, a newspaper run in prison which had long term physical or by those who supported objections to fighting physiological consequences. They also found it during World War One. The objector’s name was difficult to get work after their release, and they W.J. Fleming and he was taken to Budbrook were disenfranchised with the result that they Barracks in Warwick and sentenced to 12 months could not vote or stand for election, although imprisonment, which was later reduced to four this was not strictly enforced. months. The historian George Barnsby has documented over 50 conscientious objectors from Birmingham, but this list is far from complete. Men of the Non-Combatant Corps on the march. © Imperial War Museum 7 WORDS OF PEACE CASE STUDY: HARRY PAYNE u Born in 1884 he built up a successful shoe repairing business in Birmingham. u At the outbreak of war he supported the Allies’ cause, but due to his work as a shoemaker, he was exempt from joining the army and was asked to focus on producing shoes instead.