It abounds with names

The Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing (Public Domain)

In August 1928, Charles Hunt, who had served with both 6th and 5th Battalions of the Durham Light Infantry (the former whilst only 17), revisited the battlefields of France and Belgium. Known as the Great Pilgrimage, the British Legion organised for 11,000 veterans, and the mothers and wives of those that didn’t return, to make the trip which included the Somme and Ypres, and the Menin Gate memorial, which had been finished the previous year. Ninety years on , the pilgrimage was recreated by the Royal British Legion earlier this year.

In his account (Accession 8873), written for the Whickham and Swalwell Branch of the British Legion, Charles writes that he was one of 550 leaving from Newcastle Station. They made their way to Dover, then sailed for Calais, then ‘at last the French trains, but greatly improved. No horseboxes this time’.

The first port of call was Arras, which would be their base for the next few days, arriving late in the evening. ‘The last time I saw Arras was when I was laid on a stretcher in Station Square and ‘cursed’ the orderlies because Jerry was shelling and the Blighty I was looking forward to seeing in a few hours seemed to be dissolving itself into a wooden cross’. Despite the hour, they were welcomed by the Mayor of Arras and a rendition of the Marseillaise, and other songs.

British and French Soldiers outside an Estaminet, Brasine, October 1914 (Q53337 © IWM Non Commercial License)

‘We went back to the old places. I honestly believe that many of the lads felt that they were back to 1917, and just back for a rest. The estaminets were open all night… The mothers of our dear chums were out again too. They wanted to participate in any and everything that their loved ones had ever done, and though I have no doubt but that many hearts were breaking yet their heads were held high and they smiled proudly’.

Many of them were up early to visit the cemeteries around Arras before returning for breakfast and to catch the train to Vimy. Here, the pilgrims received a box with ham, bread, cheese, and a bottle of beer. The veterans set to eating theirs as soon as the mayor’s welcome was over, ‘the womenfolk were amazed but I guess they wished they’d ate theirs before they got to the top of [Vimy] Ridge. Of course the knife and fork, and bottle opener, went into our pockets. More souvenirs. Habits die hard and it came as a matter of course ‘scrounging’ the implements’.

After climbing the ridge and looking around the area, they moved onto the Canadian National War Memorial (Vimy Ridge was a significant battle for the Canadian Army). Nearby, they also saw France’s tribute to the Moroccan troops.

Memorial to the First Canadian Division, at Vimy Ridge (H06959 Australian War Memorial Public Domain)

After visiting several more cemeteries, and after supper, Charles made a special visit to Aubigny, where the cemetery had also been extended ‘…here again as in all the cemeteries I had visited, I found everything beautiful. Any of you who have loved ones buried in any of these parts need not worry as to their graves’.

The next day’s excursion included Bazentin-le-Petit and Martinpuich, and the South African War Memorial and Thiepval. ‘One couldn’t resist a peep into Delville Wood. Here I found the clearing up is still going on and I was informed that even today bodies are being found’.

The following morning, at 6:30am, the group left for Ypres, ‘…for the ceremony we were all yearning for yet dreading… round the turn and at last Suicide Corner, the Menin Road. The road we came back many a time weary and fed up. And a few hundred yards away, proudly towering above the noble pile stands the British lion, guarding the gate as the men of Britain guarded it of you… ‘To those men of the British Armies who fought here and to their comrades who have no known grave’. And one thinks of those men. Do they see us? What do they think? Those 33000 whose names are carved on the Menin Gate’.

At the memorial, a service was held with an address by the Archbishop of York, and attended by Lady Haig, and by HRH Prince of Wales, who laid the British Legion’s wreath. This was followed by a march past, lasting an hour and a half. The march was led by 25 Victoria Cross holders, and followed by the women, many wearing their loved ones’ medals, and then the men. ‘The Menin Gate is beyond description. It abounds with names in different panels. Every place was almost covered in wreaths but I reverently placed yours in the one empty space below the tablet which records the names of the officers and men on the Durham Light Infantry who are missing’.

The next excursion took in Tyne Cot cemetery, and the sites of fighting around Sanctuary Wood, Zonnebeke, Kemmel, St Eloi, La Clytte, Hooge and more. Then ‘silently, we waved goodbye to Ypres. Look well after our dead, you people of Belgium’.

The group returned to Arras before setting off for home, via brief visits to Etaples and Boulogne, where they sailed from. There were crowds to meet them at Dover, but also the customs officers, ‘they shared my box of cigars out, very kind of them’. The return rail journey to the north east was made over night, and the pilgrimage arrived in Newcastle at 10am.

‘I have very little to add… the main item of interest to many of you, I have no doubt, is the war graves. To every man, woman, or child in this county, some grave is dear… the care of the last resting places of our soldier dead is a gladly borne responsibility. Charles goes on to describe the formation of the Imperial War Graves Commission (as it was then), and the work they are carrying out. ‘All graves are equal… the beauty of these places cannot be surpassed, nor could I possibly describe them to you’.

‘And let us not forget, whilst paying homage to those who sleep in the Western Front, that a great multitude of our men, who died for the same cause, lie in every country of the world, and under all its seas’.

New stories

Durham at War

Over the centenary of the Armistice, we had a number of stories submitted to Durham at war by members of the public. Here are links to a few of them:

Gunner George Prince, Royal Field Artillery, of Hetton-le-Hole, died July 1918
http://www.durhamatwar.org.uk/story/14750/

Gunner Thomas Wilfred Brown, Royal Garrison Artillery, of Middleton-on-Teesdale, survived
http://www.durhamatwar.org.uk/story/14768/

Private Frederick Bartram, Yorkshire Regiment, of Shildon, survived
http://www.durhamatwar.org.uk/story/14783/

Private Fred Lummas, Royal Army Medical Corps, of Stanley Crook, died September 1918
http://www.durhamatwar.org.uk/story/14772/

Francis Ernest Nye, Merchant Navy, of South Shields, died October 1918
http://www.durhamatwar.org.uk/story/14767/

Private John James Barker, Durham Light Infantry, of Felling, survived
http://www.durhamatwar.org.uk/story/14777/

Remembrance Day 2018

As mentioned in last week’s Armistice post, Jo and I were successful in the Heritage Lottery Fund ballot for places to attend the National Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Armistice, on the evening of 11 November. Sue Tallentire, one of our volunteers was also in London that weekend, having won a place in the People’s Parade, past the Cenotaph, that took place earlier in the day. Here, she describes her weekend.

I was lucky enough to have an email saying we had places in the People’s Procession on Sunday 11th November. I wanted to do this for my paternal grandfather. I proudly wore a First World War Army Cyclist Corps badge. My Dad was a Bevin Boy so I also wore the Association Badge. I have since learnt from the Ministry of Defence that he went into the Royal Artillery, but was too late to find a badge to wear.

Torches in the moat of the Tower of London, (photo Victoria Oxberry)

As I write this, we have just come back from an amazing weekend in London. Friday 9th November we made our way to The Tower to see the Lights in the moat and what a wonderful sight. 

Saturday we went to the Albert Hall afternoon service and I found it very emotional. We were asked to stand and hold photos of the dead. Having done work for Durham at War diaries etc. I felt as if I knew these soldiers. 

Sunday 11th we were up and out early, waiting a few hours before we started to march. What an honour and a privilege. One of the most moving times was when the veterans had marched and were returning as we all waited, we clapped and cheered them. Very touching. 

Unfortunately the BBC coverage stopped as we reached Admiralty Arch and turned down Whitehall. All our family and friends never got to see us. 

We completed our weekend and visited the Shrouds of the Somme. Another emotional experience and spoke to the artist who had created them. 

Altogether a whole weekend’s experience I will never forget. All this starts from my volunteer work on the First World War and transcribing diaries.

Victoria's Weekend

On the Saturday night, I was staying with a friend about 15 minutes’ walk from the Tower of London and also saw the torches lit up in the moat. I decided that I would return to the Tower for 11am the next day, avoiding the crowds at the Cenotaph. 

On Sunday morning, down at the Tower, I stood by the Thames, and the wind blew the strains of The Last Post across the water from HMS Belfast. Until that point, it had been a cloudy and drizzly day, but at 11am, the wind got up and blew the clouds along, and the sun shone brightly in a blue sky. It was strange walking back, thinking that from that moment, 100 years ago – as I have so often written of on the blog – the fighting was over. 

Later that afternoon, it was time to get ready for the service at Westminster Abbey. As you can imagine for an event attended by the whole Royal Family, the Prime Minister Theresa May, and the German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, there was strict security. The security checks were to begin at 4:30pm, closing at 5:30pm to ensure guests were seated before the arrival of the dignitaries. Jo and I were staying right by the Abbey so met to leave at 4:30pm, only to find the end of the queue was several streets away. We managed to bump into the people attending from the North East War Memorials Project, and I saw an old manager of mine from when I worked at a different archives.

Westminster Abbey after the service (photo Victoria Oxberry)

After passing though security, and being welcomed into the Abbey, it was a bit haphazard finding where to sit. We were told to head one way, and then someone else took us back, which you can actually see in the very first interior shots of the BBC coverage of the service. We were right the first time though, and found seats at the back row, in the upper half of the nave. 

Much of the service took place inside the choir, sanctuary, and high altar, which wasn’t visible from the nave, even if you were sat on the front row. There were screens mounted onto the columns which showed when someone was doing a reading. The choice of words were very interesting, in particular the address by Archbishop Justin Welby (and former Bishop of Durham), who spoke about the political events in the aftermath that led to the Second World War. The music came from the organist, the wonderful choir, and the magnificent Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment.

The order of service and commemorative book

Whilst it was undoubtedly an honour to attend the service, now that I have been able to watch it on the television, I have a greater sense of the occasion. 

The anniversary of the Armistice may now have passed, but the Durham at War project will continue for a little while longer yet. The fighting might have been over, but there was still much to be done.

Great Rejoicings

Headline from the Shields Daily News, 7 November 1918 (British Newspaper Archive)

In early November some people knew that peace could be imminent. Reports were saying there would be a meeting of Allied and German representatives on 8 November 1918 to discuss the terms of an Armistice. Many of these reports appeared in newspapers of 7 November, but some papers also reported another story, emphasising that it was not confirmed by the Foreign Office. The Liverpool Echo’s late edition read:

‘At four o'clock this afternoon, Reuters issued a statement based, apparently, on an official American message, to the effect that Germany's representatives signed our armistice terms 2:30 this afternoon. This news was at once issued in stop press form, but about five minutes later, the message was cancelled.’

This became known as the False Armistice. Colonel Hubert Morant, originally commanding officer 10th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, now 147th Brigade, received a letter from his wife, Helen, dated 7 November 1918 which suggests that she must have read one of these reports. While we don't have this letter, Morant's response on 12 November says, 'In your letter of the 7th you say you are 'thrilled at the signing of the Armistice', a bit previous wasn't it?'

For those in the army, the fighting would continue until they were told to stop. The war diary entries for 11 November 1918 vary in their acknowledgement of the Armistice. It had an immediate impact on those in the front lines, such as 20th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry in Belgium. Their diary entry reads:

‘Battalion continuing in pursuit of the enemy and formed an advance guard to the 124th Brigade. Message received about 10am that an Armistice was signed and that hostilities would cease at 11am; as a consequence, the battalion occupied billets in the vicinity of NEDERBRAKEL. An outpost line was formed east of Nederbrakel. One other rank accidentally wounded whilst on outpost duty.’

9th Battalion were in France, working on bomb craters. Their war diary entry says how the battalion was presented with a bouquet and address from civilians.

Colonel Morant wrote in a letter to his wife on 11 November, 'Peace! It sounds incredible and one can't now even believe it. I wonder what it will mean that we'll have to do, we know nothing so far.'

D/DLI 7/424/3(32) ‘Here is the photo, taken after [the theatrical] dinner. I [Captain PHB Lyon] am completely invisible, except for one ear and one eyebrow, on the floor at the back’, Graudenz, Germany, 18 November 1918

It was different for those in prisoner of war camps. Captain Percy Lyon of 6th Battalion, DLI, had been in a camp on the northern coast of Germany since May 1918. His personal diary entry reads:

‘Last night rumours grew more frequent and more ominous every hour. Most of them have since proved false, noticeably that which said that the people had revolted and among other things pinched 600 of our parcels! There certainly seems to have been disturbances, but none of them were serious, and this morning things are quiet again... The Armistice appears to have been at last signed, and all we know really about it is that it provides for the immediate return of allied prisoners. The feeling here is absolutely indescribable. It is like a dream come true. All our forebodings vanish at the appearance of about 500 [food] parcels early in the morning.’

For the family of Private James Hodgson of Lanchester, who served with 15 DLI, it was a different story. When British prisoners of war began to return home, James Hodgson was not amongst them. His aunt wrote to the War Office seeking news, eventually hearing that James had died in a German hospital near Aachen on 11 November 1918.

At Harperley camp, here in County Durham, where German military prisoners of war were held, 27 men died of Spanish Flu between the 7 and 23 November, including five on Armistice Day.

Also on the home front, a student at St Hild’s College wrote:

‘When the bells at last rang out there was a rush of about 10 staff, 129 students, 19 servants, and one dog (Kerry) to the Chapel. We sang oh! how we sang! Later peculiar noises were heard emanating from the dormitories and a procession of up-turned basins beaten by tooth-brushes and dustpans beaten by brooms, etc. passed my door. In the evening we had a dance in the Gymnasium with all the lights on and later we ate all the chocolate we had stored in the cellars for air-raids.’

Many local newspapers were published weekly, so when the Armistice was declared on Monday 11 November, the papers had several days to prepare reports on the local celebrations that occurred all over the county. The following are from the County Chronicle and Auckland Chronicle, both of 14 November.

Headline from the County Chronicle, 14 November 1918 (D/WP 4/42)

In Durham City

‘The official message was made known to a vast concourse of people assembled in Durham Market Place in the early afternoon by the Mayor... Addresses appropriate to the occasion were made... cheers were raised, and re-echoed again and again round the old Market-square... and the Durham miners, and the Band of the 52nd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers interspersed the memorable proceedings with patriotic and popular airs.’

In Crook

Lights were noticed on the fine tower of St. Cuthbert’s Church at night, each light said to represent a fallen hero identified with the church. 

In Stanhope

The bells and buzzers in the local quarries were all set going. The German prisoners at work in the quarries downed tools, as did lots of the quarrymen. 

In Wolsingham

Immediately flags, banners, and bunting, were floating from windows, and workmen taking “French leave” were soon streaming out of the works. Large numbers of Canadian soldiers were soon in the town from Shull Camp... a hastily arranged dance at the Parish Hall was kept swinging from 7 till 2 next morning.

In Frosterley

The children were supplied with fireworks free by a local shopkeeper.

In Willington

An effigy of the Kaiser was suspended from a clothes-line in one street.

In Coxhoe

Towards night, the inhabitants were delighted to display lights in their windows as in pre-war times.

In Horden

The rag-time band was out, and the streets lined with people. Rockets were sent up by the local soldiers and squibs, crackers, and fireworks of every description were going all day and night by the children. The pits were left open, but many failed to be present on Tuesday.

In Thornley

Unfortunately, the rejoicing over the Armistice was marred by the receipt of the news at the same time of the death in action of Second Lieutenant John Youll, Northumberland Fusiliers, the young Thornley officer who recently gained the Victoria Cross.

The County Chronicle editorial read:

The armistice terms are not terms of peace. The final treaty of peace may not be signed much before Christmas, but we know there is now an end in fighting and so we look forward to many new phases and to a vast amount of reconstruction. We shall need all the skill, the care and anxious thought of those upon whom will devolve the tasks that lie ahead, to bring order out of chaos. There is a tremendous responsibility in which we must share alike but we shall approach the problems with all the greater courage and fortitude for having gone through the fires of a devastating war.

Cover of the programme for the original Durham Hymns performance, July 2016

Marking the centenary of the Armistice

Durham County Council have worked with the Northern Echo to produce a special supplement, on sale now, with part of the proceeds going to the British Legion. It features includes stories from the Durham at War project, and profiles some of our volunteers. 

Myself and Jo from Durham at War will attend The National Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey on 11 November 2018, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Armistice. Members of the Royal family, and religious and political leaders will be joined by members of the public who have contributed to the Centenary on a national, regional and local level. 

Recognising the huge contribution the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and its First World War projects have made to the Centenary, the Department for Digital, Media and Sport invited HLF to nominate people to attend the Service. As a result over 300 people who have been involved with HLF funded First World War projects across the UK will be attending the Service on Sunday. It will be broadcast live on BBC 1 and Radio 4. 

Durham at War was made possible by a grant of £475,100 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, which distributes the heritage share of National Lottery funding, supporting a wide variety of projects across the UK. HLF has invested £97million in 2,200 First World War Centenary projects.

Durham Hymns

The Gala Theatre will be hosting two performances of Durham Hymns, at 2:30pm and 7:30pm on Sunday 11 November, tickets are still available. 

Hope

Millennium Place will feature a new art installation called Hope, by Aether and Hemera, from 9-15 November. Commissioned by the council, it features a large-scale text sculpture composed of hundreds of colour-changing LED tubes, along with speakers projecting voices retelling local people's experiences of the war.

Many of the stories are contained within letters, diaries and memoirs at Durham County Record Office. 

Durham Cathedral

Durham Cathedral will be hosting one of our life size Tommies with their own silhouettes for There But Not There. 

On Saturday evening, 10 November, a Festival of Remembrance will take place at the Cathedral,  and on Sunday morning a Remembrance Service will be held. 

Pages of the Sea

On selected beaches around the UK, over the course of several hours, a portrait of an individual from the First World War will emerge from the sand. And then, as the tide rises, be washed away as we take a moment to say a collective goodbye. 

In the North East, these are:

Redcar - Theophilus Jones, 18th Durham Light Infantry, of Darlington, died in the Hartlepool Bombardment

Roker Beach - Hugh Carr, Royal Engineers, of Houghton-le-Spring

Seahouses - William Jonas, Middlesex Regiment, of New Washington

Beacons of Light

At 7pm on Sunday 11 November, over 1300 beacons around the United Kingdom and beyond will be lit. In County Durham, this includes Coxhoe, Ferryhill, Stanley, and many, many more. Page 47-48  of this pdf lists them all for County Durham, but please check locally for details. 

The Durham County Council website has a list of services and parades taking place around the county, and provides details of related road closures: http://www.durham.gov.uk/armistice100

Polish Independence

This flag of Poland was adopted in 1919 

In Poland, 11 November is marked for a different reason to the UK. It is celebrated by the Polish as National Independence Day.

The cessation of hostilities of the First World War on 11 November 1918 coincides with Poland regaining independence after over 100 years of occupation by the Prussian, Austro-Hungarian, and Russian empires. 

In the 18th century, these three empires invaded Poland simultaneously on three separate occasions, and grabbed the land for themselves. At the end of the 1700s, partition of Poland was complete and the belligerents introduced their own administration and laws in their respective zones. The Polish language was banned from schools, offices, and public spaces. Several national uprisings followed, all brutally crushed, and even more restrictive policies were forced onto the nation as a punishment. This included total Germanisation and Russification aimed at the destruction of the national spirit and Polish culture and heritage.

In the First World War, Polish men were conscripted into the three different foreign armies and had to fight against each other. Over a million of them were wounded and about half a million died. It is difficult to find the exact number, as those soldiers were classed only as German, Austrian, or Russian in army records. For the same reason it is hard to say how many became prisoners of war. [Some of the men at Harperley prisoner of war camp were Polish]. Over a million civilians were moved to labour camps in Germany and Siberia.

The Bolshevik Revolution, execution of the Tsar, and the major upheaval that followed, eliminated Russia from the war. Defeated, Austria-Hungary and Prussia had to focus on their own internal affairs as well. The new international situation that emerged as the result of the war prepared the ground for Polish politicians to be heard and listened to. On 8 January 1918, US president Woodrow Wilson gave a speech to Congress, known as the Fourteen Points, putting forward America’s long term objectives in the war. Point 13 stated that ‘An independent Polish state should be erected which should include the territories inhabited by indisputably Polish populations, which should be assured a free and secure access to the sea, and whose political and economic independence and territorial integrity should be guaranteed by international covenant.’ The Fourteen Points became the basis of the terms of the German surrender discussed at the Paris Peace Conference.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Warsaw, photo by Grzegorz Petka (public domain) 

As a result, Poland returned to the political map of Europe, which is celebrated annually on 11 November as a national holiday. The focus of the celebrations is the guard of honour that permanently stands by the symbolic Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Saxon Palace, Warsaw, commemorating all those who lost their lives fighting for Polish independence.

The wreckage of the Saxon Palace, Warsaw, 1945, photo by Jan Bułhak (public domain)

It is interesting to note that the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was amongst the first targets to be destroyed by the Germans during the Second World War, as it was nationally recognised as the symbol of Polish independence.