Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Feb 9, 2012, 10:24 pm
Sunday June 28th, 1914 was a turning point in European history, for on that day Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne, and his wife, were assassinated in the Serbian town of Sarajevo. The repercussions of this event reverberated throughout Europe. Austria’s reply was sent to Serbia...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Nov 11, 2011, 1:44 am
This Armistice Day i have posted a 'modern' poem from an American lady whose husband was a combat soldier. It is not First World War but i read it recently and i thought i captured the spirit of that lost generation. A Grateful Heart To the combat soldier Who has seen his time in Hell, Thank y...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Sep 18, 2011, 4:27 am
This article appeared in the Eastbourne Gazette on 19th August 1914. I wonder what the famous Belgian airs were that the audience stood and sang ‘heartily’ with? Miss Buckman was indeed a very famous opera singer and would have been a treat for any audience. “Patriotic Music and Pictures At De...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - May 27, 2011, 11:11 am
This excellent article comes from 'the War Illustrated', 6th July, 1918 and is entitled 'Watering the Regiment' in the Middle East. Across the open desert a small column of mules is flinging a brisk trail of dust up to the brassy sky. They are in strings of three, and a native drabie is hanging on t...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - May 16, 2011, 11:36 am
Sanitary in the trenches is described here at Gallipoli by Joseph Lievesley Beeston in his book Five Months at Anzac - A Narrative of Personal Experiences of the Officerc ommanding the 4th Field Ambulance, Australian Imperial Force SANITARY ARRANGEMENTS In order to keep the health of the troops goo...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - May 5, 2011, 7:50 am
This comes from 'the War Illustrated', 28th October, 1916 'A True Story of the Tanks' by Lance-Corporal Harry Rayner Told by the Rank and File I shall never forget the roar of laughter that went up from all the boys when we first saw the armoured-motors which have eventually come to be called "tank...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Apr 28, 2011, 7:25 am
This more formal account of the action on 25th April 1915 comes from The Story of the Great War, Volume III (of VIII) History of the European War from Official Sources. By one o'clock on the morning of Sunday, April 25, 1915, the allied expeditionary force had arrived within five miles of the Gallip...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Apr 26, 2011, 5:14 am
Yesterday 25th April 2011 was the 96th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings. In the excellent book “Over There" with the Australians by R. Hugh Knyvett, there is a fantastic description of that day and the achievement of the ANZAC’s. THE LANDING THAT COULD NOT SUCCEED—BUT DID Picture yourself...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Apr 23, 2011, 2:51 am
This update on the original interesting article from the British Nursing Journal on March 4th, 1916 giving the reade an update on the ‘Cake Shower’. The “Cake Shower” was quite a success. Eight competitors sent beautiful cakes, and the prize of 5s. was divided between Miss Boge, Superintend...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Apr 12, 2011, 4:58 am
This cartoon appeared in "The Punch" during the war. FIRST LADY: "That's one of them Australian soldiers." SECOND LADY: "How do you know?" FIRST LADY: "Why, can't you see the Kangaroo feathers in his hat?"
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Apr 8, 2011, 10:28 am
This article from ‘The Great War in a Different Light’ entitled 'With the Tanks,” by Harold Littledale Steel Monsters on the Western Front THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY, December 1918 We were not always with the Tanks. We came from the infantry, from the cavalry, from the artillery, from the Machine-Gu...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Apr 4, 2011, 7:41 am
This tale from ‘The War Illustrated’, is entitled 'A Tank and Two Crosses' and is dated 11th May, 1918 Little Journeys to the Great War Who does not recall the thrill that went through the world when the first stories ot the great British Battles of the Somme came out early in July, 1916 ? W...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Mar 29, 2011, 8:23 am
Carrying on from yesterday this article is also from ‘The Great War in a Differnet Light’ and was originally published in the 'From All the Fronts' by Donald Mackenzie (1917). Wildlife in the Trenches Life in the trenches has brought many men into close touch with Nature, and made them take a g...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Mar 28, 2011, 7:31 am
This article is from ‘The Great War in a Differnet Light’ and was originally published in the 'From All the Fronts' by Donald Mackenzie (1917). 'Dogs in the Trenches' The dog has long been called "the friend of man", and in this great war it has proved itself to be a friend indeed. Many storie...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Mar 21, 2011, 10:36 am
This article comes from the excellent “Letters from France” by C. E. W. Bean. This book details the Australian action on the Somme in 1916, especially the action at Pozieres. As Bean puts it in his preface - “The record of the A.I.F., and its now historical units in their full action, will be ...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Mar 18, 2011, 7:15 am
This article comes from “My Year of the War”, by Frederick Palmer. Here he describes a ‘Bombing School’ on a French farm, and the making of a ‘Jam Tin’ bomb. A School In Bombing It was at a bombing school on a French farm, where chosen soldiers brought back from the trenches were being...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Mar 15, 2011, 5:25 am
This article comes from the Military Instructors Manual by James P. Cole and Oliver Schoonmaker. Published in America for the American Forces it is an informative article in the correct use of a Machine gun and its properties. Machine Guns. 1. Properties of the machine guns are divided into three ge...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Mar 11, 2011, 1:51 am
This excellent chapter comes from the book "The Amateur Army" by Patrick MacGill. After many weeks of waiting his Battalion was finally given orders to go to France, here he vividly describes the process and the excitement of the moment. READY TO GO--THE BATTALION MOVES Rumour had been busy for da...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Mar 7, 2011, 9:29 am
This article comes from the book “The Story of the Great War, Volume VII (of VIII)”. Although it was written for an American market it gives a good oversight to the Australian defence of Amiens during April and May 1918. It also mentions the defence of Ypres in the Battle of Lys where the 1st Au...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Mar 4, 2011, 4:49 am
This article from ‘The Great War in a Different light’ was originally published in 'the War Illustrated' on 21th July, 1918 by the famous war correspondent Hamilton Fyfe . Entitled - My Impressions of the Great Offensive. It recounts how the Australian Divisions held the line on front a Amiens d...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Mar 3, 2011, 11:33 am
On the topic of allotments, this additional notice was published in the Eastbourne Gazette on 19th August 1914, announcing a meeting for anyone interested in obtaining an allotment with a view to growing food. Allotments – Notice to Working Men Those who are desirous of obtaining allotments with ...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Mar 1, 2011, 3:06 am
Early in there was an effort to become as self reliant as possible. This notice published in the Eastbourne Gazette on 19th August 1914 shows how the Duke of Devonshire was doing his part by foregoing the next years allotment rents. The Duke’s Allotment – Additional Crops In a notice issued on ...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Feb 26, 2011, 6:11 am
In light of the previous picture taken of the men of the 6th & 8th Battalions in October, here is an account of the final days of the Battle of Passchendaele from the book “The Seventeenth Highland Light Infantry (Glasgow Chamber of Commerce Battalion) Edited by John W. Arthur and Ion S. Munro Whi...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Feb 25, 2011, 1:29 am
This picture is taken on 28th October 1917. Near Railway Wood, Ypres Sector in Belgium. Men of the 6th & 8th Battalions.
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Feb 22, 2011, 2:20 am
This little poem was published in the British Nursing Journal on February 19th 1916 The author is a L. A. J. who had this printed originally in the Glasgow Herald. TO ALL BRAVE MEN: They wind along in endless fours, From every shire from Thames to Dee : I know that uniformed in brown, They all go Ea...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Feb 18, 2011, 4:23 am
This article comes from ‘The Great War in a Different Light’ and was originally published in ‘'the War Illustrated' on 29th June, 1918. 'What Canadian M.M. Gunners Did' by Hamilton Fyfe gives a wonderful account of the Great German offensive in March and April 1918. The Canadians were not in "...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Feb 14, 2011, 3:04 am
This interesting article from the British Nursing Journal on February 19th, 1916 advertising the unique idea of having a ‘cake shower’ for the nurses in France. A CAKE SHOWER. Cakes are terribly expensive in France just now, so we propose to have a “Cake Shower ” on Wednesday, February 23r...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Feb 11, 2011, 3:07 am
I’ve never read of this before until I came across in R. Hugh Knyvett excellent book: "Over There with the Australians.” There must have been plenty of used jam-tins and the noise of the tins on the wire would have been very unusal. “There was another use made of empty jam-tins: they were tied...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Feb 9, 2011, 9:32 am
The age old problem of roads catering for cyclists was evident at the being of the war. This letter published in the Eastbourne Gazette, is from a concerned cyclist highlighting the dangers of the edge of the road. A DANGER TO CYCLISTS Sir May I through you columns direct the attentions of the High...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Feb 4, 2011, 8:11 am
This article about the perils and torture of the common louse comes from the book ‘A Yankee in the Trenches’ by R. Derby Holmes The Cootie was the name given to the too common, ‘body louse’. As Holmes put it ‘Everybody has 'em.’ “Back in billets the very first thing that comes off is t...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Feb 1, 2011, 5:18 am
I love this poem, published in the Eastbourne Gazette in September 1914; it really captures the patriotic fervour of those early days. To Our Sporting Man by Gladys I Wallis Why are you playing and watching Cricket and tennis here? Why are you hesitating When your country’s need is clear? Lay down...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Jan 27, 2011, 4:45 am
This innovative letter was published in the Eastbourne Gazette to help the women of Eastbourne consider the local men involved in the local defence volunteers. It seems a different world, one where orders were placed with shopkeepers to fulfil as required. To The Women of Eastbourne Sisters, While s...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Jan 21, 2011, 8:58 am
This interesting but sad article was published in ‘The Times’ on 22nd September 1917. Runaway anti-aircraft balloons are not usually associated with the Great War, but they were an everyday presence in the London skyline during the later part of the war. Two Airmen Killed Four Balloons Break Lo...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Jan 19, 2011, 11:44 am
This amusing letter was published in the Eastbourne Gazette in September 1914. Kisses for Recruits To the Editor Sir, What woman in this hour of her country’s need has not asked herself, “What can I do?” Why not recruit – get men and lads to go and fight? Associations for the purpose might b...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Jan 17, 2011, 8:04 am
This excellent account of the perilous work of a night time barbed wire working party comes from the book 'Between the Lines' by Boyd Cable. “And after the trench was more or less repaired came the last and the most desperate business of all—the 'wiring' out there in the open under the eye of th...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Jan 14, 2011, 3:44 am
This nice little story was inserted into the Eastbourne Gazette on 18th November 1914. It captures the early mood of the nation just a few months after the war had begun. THE QUEEN AND GERMAN GOODS An interesting story of the Queen illustrating once more her common sense and breath of view, is told ...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Jan 13, 2011, 8:54 am
In his book The Old Front Line, John Masefield describes the German trench defences in the Somme battlefield and their use of barbed wire. Dug-outs and barbed wire in La Boisselle. Usna-Tara Hill, with English Support Lines in Background. At Extreme Left is the Albert-Bapaume Road. "The defences of...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Jan 12, 2011, 9:00 am
This interesting article was published in The Times on 1st August 1914, just before the outbreak of war. Alleged Cruelty to Lobsters At Marylbone, yesterday, Eugene Baratgin, the proprietor of an Oyster bar at Praed Street, Paddington, was summoned for causing unnecessary suffering to two lobsters. ...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Jan 11, 2011, 7:46 am
This wonderful article from “The Great War in a Different Light’ was originally published in ‘the War Illustrated Deluxe’ volume IV page 1134. Colonel the Right Hon. Mark Lockwood, C.V.O., M.P. Paints a vivid account of 'How the Horse was Cared for at the Front' The Magnificent Work Accompli...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Jan 10, 2011, 5:27 pm
This inspired idea to get extra readers to the visitor’s paper appeared in The Eastbourne Gazette on 19th September 1916. A Gift For Nothing Readers of “The Visitor” who wish to obtain a gift for nothing should carry a copy of that paper in their hand. Every Saturday morning a representative o...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Jan 9, 2011, 11:16 am
This excellent account of the evacuation of Gallipoli comes from R. Hugh Knyvett in his book : "Over There" with the Australians Without warning, winter came down upon us. No one guessed he was so near. We were still in our summer lack of clothing, and were not prepared for cold weather, when like a...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Jan 8, 2011, 2:23 pm
Today, ninety five years ago on 8th January 1916 the evacuation of Helles was completed. British and French landings at Helles on 25th April 1915, had failed to secure their objectives, leading to a lengthy stalemate on the southern tip of the Gallipoli Peninsula.The 8th Battalion was evacuated ...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Jan 7, 2011, 5:20 am
'Description of a Tank Battle' By F. Mitchell A Battle of Monsters At the beginning of April, 1918, many of the tank units, which had been in practically continuous action since first March, were withdrawn and sent to the Tank Depot at Erin to refit. Here, after a brief spell of rest, they took over...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Jan 6, 2011, 5:56 am
This article from ‘The Great War in a Different Light’ entitled 'Cruising in a Tank' by Max Pemberton was originally published in 'the War Illustrated', 9th December, 1916. “It is evident that the "tank" has not come to stay. It is here to go on. When it first burst upon the astonished Germans...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Jan 5, 2011, 10:54 am
During 1917 the star of the music hall stage Harry Lauder was touring France with his own style of show for the troops. In his book “A Minstrel in France.” He describes his first encounters with Australian soldiers. “But it was not long before the silence of the town was broken by another soun...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Jan 5, 2011, 2:12 am
I love this story from the Eastbourne Gazette 22nd July 1916. You couldn't get away leaving a vehicle today for three hours, although some van drivers might try! Char-a-Bang Driver Fined Richard John Noakes, the driver of a motor char-a-bang was summoned for obstructing the roadway in Bur...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Dec 31, 2010, 3:04 am
New Years Eve 1917 is vividly described by Edmund Blunden in his wonderful book, ‘Undertones of War’. He spent Christmas and New Year in the Ypres Salient. ‘Undertones of War’ is one of the finest books written and his personal vibrant account of the war. It is a must read for anyone interes...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Dec 25, 2010, 4:28 am
Unknowing to him Christmas 1917 would be the last Christmas that Wilfred Owen would spend on this earth. He celebrated it in Scarborough at the Clarence Gardens Hotel. On 19th December he went up to Edinburgh for the weekend . Returning to Craiglockhart: “Then I went off to Tyncastle. They were in...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Dec 23, 2010, 5:57 am
This account of Christmas 1917 comes from the book “With British Guns in Italy A Tribute to Italian Achievement.” By Hugh Dalton. Ten British Batteries went to Italy in the spring of 1917 and his book is a diary by a Subaltern officer in a Seige battery “On the 23rd we made a reconnaissance u...
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Alan S. posted an article on Out of Battle - Dec 22, 2010, 5:42 am
This account comes from the book “The War Service of the 4Th Royal Berkshire Regiment” by Charles Robert Mowbray Fraser Cruttwell. Christmas 1917 found them in Italy and was spent with mush festivity. “Happy the Battalion which for a while at least in wartime has no history. We had come to Ita...
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