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Chairman’s Comments
I’m sure all those who attend this evening will be fully aware of the coronavirus situation. I decided on Monday last to continue with this meeting as the TA Centre reported they would be open as usual. I also spoke to tonight’s speaker Jessica Meyer and she confirmed she was okay to give her talk. A lot of news reports have been put before us since Monday and many imminent public events have decided to cancel at short notice. I’m sure those amongst our members who are worried and concerned will give this evening a miss and that is fully understandable. Our demographic means we must take this matter very seriously! I hope those attending have hand sanitiser or will use the high standard of washing facilities at the back of the room, as necessary. No hand shaking would be sensible.
May we give a warm Stockport welcome to tonight’s speaker Dr Jessica Meyer who will give a talk on the subject of WW1 casualties, their rescue, treatment and removal to better facilities behind the lines. In regards to the next meeting on 17th April, with the current situation I have decided to cancel and will give our branch’s apologies to Stephen Roberts. The same applies for our 8th May meeting and will also give same to Mike Hally. I’ll defer on a decision about the 12th June meeting for now but will send out an email early July to everybody on my list advising of future plans. If you haven’t received an UTL Preview then you’re not on my list. Anybody who isn’t on my emailing list please email your address so that you can be added. Send to <ralph@app-publishing. co.uk>. Should anyone wish to phone my office (daytime) number is 01625 511645.
For your added information the WFA have cancelled both the Spring Conference and AGM arranged for 25th April in Leeds and the Presidents Conference scheduled for 23rd May in Birmingham. Although the centenary years of the 1914/1918 conflict have passed, I’m sure we will continue to be interested in this war that altered the futures of so many lives and families, directly affecting all the population of the UK and its Dominions. We will continue with the WFA’s objectives to educate the public about WW1. The causes, battles and many aspects of this war will continue to be discussed for a long time to come. Our monthly meetings, when able to re-commence, will cover many interesting topics of historical interest with talks by a variety of top speakers.
Ralph Lomas F
914-1The work of the RAMC in WW1
Dr Jessica Meyer
Over the course of the First World War, the British military medical services developed an effective system of medical evacuations to remove men from the field of battle and provide prompt care for wounds and illnesses.
This talk traces the journey that wounded British soldiers went on from the front line, through a variety of sites of medical care-giving, to recovery in convalescent hospitals on the home front. It looks at the different types of care-givers, both men and women, they encountered along the way, as well as significant medical technologies that helped to save lives throughout the war. Jessica Meyer is Associate Professor of Modern British History at the University of Leeds where she researches and teaches on the history of the First World War, medicine and gender.
She has published two books, Men of War: Masculinity and the First World War in Britain (Palgrave, 2009) and An Equal Burden: The Men of the Royal Army Medical Corps in the First World War (OUP, 2019), as well as articles on a range of subjects including the Friends Ambulance Unit, shell shock and morale, and representations of the war in popular culture. Her current research focuses on the care provided to British disabled ex-serviceman after the First World War.
Last Month’s Talk
The Branch welcomed WFA Vice President John Bourne who looked at the service of Tolkien during the Great War. Tolkien’s works tend to divide readers’ opinions like Marmite-either loved or loathed.
Tolkien was born in 1892 in Bloemfontein South Africa, where his father was a bank manager. When Tolkien was three and he and his mother were in England, his father died. They then lived with her parents in Sarehole which may have influenced his later writings. His mother taught him a love of words. He often saw coal trucks from Wales passing through on the railway and became fascinated with this strange language on the trucks.
He subsequently moved to Birmingham. His mother taught him and his brother at home and she converted to Catholicism but died in 1904. In Birmingham he became fascinated with the iconic Edgbaston Waterworks tower and Perrot’s Folly and some have said these are reflected in his works. He attended King Edward’s School and was a founding member of the TCBS (Tea Club and Barrovian Society) based upon Barrows’ Stores where they met. The other members were Robert Gilson (photo below right), Geoffrey Bache Smith (photo right) and Christopher Wiseman. Gilson was killed on 1 July 1916 and Bache Smith died on 3 November 1916 from wounds. Tolkien went to Oxford University and did not sign up until he obtained a ‘First’ degree in 1915.
Tolkien has been scrutinised by many authors and often it has been suggested that he was influenced by the war in his Hobbit and Lord of the Rings works. John Garth’s book goes into great depth of Tolkien’s life. However Tolkien was only at the front for a very short time before being invalided out with trench fever. What impressed Tolkien was the fortitude of the mainly working class men who formed the majority of the ordinary soldiers.
Garth cross references to 364 letters but only five relate to the period Tolkien was at the front and only one when he was actually on active service His letters to his wife were ignored so there are no ideas of what he thought of the war. The war diary of his unit has only two mentions of the signals officer whilst he was in the trenches and he is not named. (More than one officer may have held that post). For most of the remainder of the war Tolkien was based in Home Service.
No doubt Tolkien was affected by the war but there is no evidence that his short experience at the front influenced the two works- ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’ that made him famous.
Another absorbing account by John Bourne, who as usual was able to ascertain what the circumstances of his subject actually were, rather than what was often alluded to by populist writers.
Terry Jackson
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Chairman’s Comments
Welcome to all our regular members and any newcomers, please introduce yourselves. This meeting’s speaker is WFA Vice President Prof John Bourne who has given this branch many a good lecture over the years. The main gate and lecture room door are now open at 7pm but if closed please press the buzzer button marked BAR, by the gate, and the steward Les will open up. There are two push button devices and the BAR one is on the right. We still have to respect security issues surrounding our venue. The earlier start gives myself more time on arrival to prepare the screen/computer/ projector and all our members to arrive and be comfortably seated. I need to introduce the speaker in good time.
Although the centenary years of the 1914/1918 conflict have ended I’m sure we will continue to be interested in this war that altered the futures of so many lives and families, directly affecting all the population of the UK and its Dominions in one way or another. We will enthusiastically continue with the WFA’s objectives to educate about WW1. The causes, the battles, logistics and every aspect of this so-called ‘war to end all wars’. Our monthly meetings will continue to cover the many different aspects of historical interest with the help of a variety of top speakers.
We have arranged for the talk on March 13th to be Dr Jessica Meyer on the subject of WW1 casualties, their rescue, treatment and removal to better facilities behind the lines. Unfortunately, our April speaker Geoff Spring has had to cancel for health reasons but a suitable replacement is in hand. Please note in your diary for the April meeting we again have to go back a week to the 17th due to our usual night falling on Good Friday.
Ralph Lomas
Tonight's talk
Tolkien’s War:J.R.R. Tolkien and the Lancashire Fusiliers
by WFA Vice-President, Professor John Bourne BA PhD FRHistS
Tolkien is, to the consternation of many in the literary establishment, possibly the most widely read of twentieth century British authors, whose sales show no sign of slacking. Tolkien volunteered for military service in June 1915 and was commissioned in the Lancashire Fusiliers. He served on the Somme with the 11th Battalion (74 Brigade, 25th Division), principally as battalion signals’ officer, from 27 June 1916 until 27 October 1916, when he was invalided home with trench fever. He did not return to active service. Much has been claimed for the part played by the Great War in Tolkien’s subsequent work. This talk will reassess these claims as well as setting Tolkien’s experience in the context of his brother officers’.
Tolkien
Last Month's Talk
The Branch welcomed back its distinguished member, Dr Martin Purdy. He was to reveal how an oak tree came to be planted in the barren ground of Redoubt Cemetery near Krithia in Gallipoli.
The tree was planted and grew from cuttings taken over to the battlefield by the parents of 2nd Lieutenant Eric Duckworth aged 19 who died on 7 August 1915 (photo right). He was serving with the 6th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers, a Territorial unit and has no known grave.
Martin initially explained how the Territorial Forces came to fight so far away from home, especially when their terms of service were to cover defence of the homeland only. By way of explanation he indicated how the structure of the BEF changed throughout the war. In 1914 Britain had a small professional army roughly half of which was serving overseas in the Empire, the remainder being based at home. However, it had been realised that this was not sufficient and in the early 20th Century the Territorial Force (later known as the Territorial Army) had been created as a safeguard against a predatory attack from any European power, many of which had large conscripted forces.
The British Army went through several metamorphoses between 1914 and 1918. In 1914 the fighting force was the small elite professional force. Kitchener had realised it would be a long war and initially, in 1915, he persuaded the territorial units to agree to fight overseas whilst the ‘Pals’ army was being formed, to be blooded on the Somme in 1916. By 1917 men who had attested under the Derby scheme and conscripts would join the fray. By the final year of the war teenagers would increasingly be the front line men.
The Territorial Army, as it became, did not get the credit it deserved when compared to the later Pals units .However, the TA men were in fact pals units under another name. Many units were formed in factories and other workplaces. Many units reflected the hierarchy in the workplace. The business owner, some of whom were ex officers, would be a pillar of society and would be granted a commission to command a battalion representing his firm or locality. Quite often sons of eminent business men would become junior officers and foremen NCOs. Many of the men worked together.
Thus the 6th Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers was formed from the TA men of Rochdale, Todmorden and Middleton. It was headed by Lord Rochdale (George Kemp - photo right) who had seen service overseas and back home became a factory owner.
The unit took part in the Third Battle of Krithia. It was a failure gaining only a small parcel of land which had been a vineyard for heavy casualties and Eric Duckworth was an early fatality on 7 August 1915. Unfortunately, his body was never found.
The details of how the oak tree came to be planted can be seen in the Up the Line for January 2020. For those who were unable to attend, the story of the planting of the oak in Redoubt Cemetery can now be read on the Branch website in the aforementioned edition.
The story of the tree and the involvement of 6th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers at the vineyard is in the book ‘The Gallipoli Oak’ written by Martin Purdy and Ian Dawson and it was pleasing to see Martin’s co-author in the audience.
Terry Jackson
2020 WFA Spring Conference and AGM
25th April
Weetwood Hall Hotel, Leeds
Programme
10.20am A Forgotten Navy: Fishermen’s Involvement in the Great War
by Dr. Robb Robinson
11.20am Innovation and Improvisation: The work of the Royal Army
Medical Corps in the Great War
by Dr. Jessica Meyer
1.20pm 1917: A Story in a Story
by Jon Cooksey
2.45pm AGM
Free to Members
You can book the optional £15 buffet lunch by contacting:
Gallipoli Association Conference
Saturday March 14th 2020
Eccles Town Hall (M30 0LH) in Salford.
9.15 – 3.45
Speakers include Stephen Chambers, Michael Crane,
Peter Hart and Paul Knight, plus historians from the local community.
Full details can be found on the GA website www.gallipoli-association.org under “events”.
The cost will be £10 per person, payable on the door, which includes tea and coffee
(attendees will have to make their own arrangements for lunch).
Booking is essential – contact Ian Binnie via
or 07976485828.
.
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The newsletters for 2020 appear in this section.
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Chairman’s Editorial
I hope you have all had an enjoyable and relaxing Christmas holiday and I welcome all comers to our first meeting of this new year, with Dr Martin Purdy giving us a talk on one family’s unique legacy to a Lancashire Fusilier lost in the fighting at Gallipoli.
The main gate and lecture room door are open at 7pm but if closed please press the buzzer button marked BAR, by the gate, and Les will open up. This earlier start gives everybody more time on arrival to get settled and socialise. We still have to respect security issues surrounding our venue.
I hope those who attended our Xmas social night on 6th December enjoyed the speaker, Kate Wills, but especially the first branch cold buffet with wine and soft drinks. The Branch committee of Andy McVeety, Joan Tomlinson, Phil and myself again give our warmest thanks to all members for your ongoing attendance and interest shown during 2019.
Although the centenary years have ended I’m sure we will continue to be absorbed by this momentous, world changing, war that altered the path of so many lives and families, directly affecting all the population of the UK and its Dominions in one way or another. We will continue with this aspect of special historical interest and monthly remembrance with the help of a variety of top speakers. I can report that we have such speakers arranged for February (14th) with Professor John Bourne, talking Tolkien, then in March (13th) we have Dr Jessica Meyer on the subject of WW1 casualties, their immediate rescue, treatment and removal to better facilities at the rear, unfortunately our April speaker Geoff Spring has had to cancel for health reasons but I’m confident of finding a replacement by the next meeting.
Ralph Lomas
Tonight’s speaker
The Gallipoli Oak: A Story of a Family’s Unique Legacy to a Lancashire Fusilier by Dr Martin Purdy
In March 1922 a Lancashire businessman stepped from a cruise ship onto the Gallipoli peninsula. He was accompanied by a host of other pilgrims equally as desperate to visit this Mediterranean outpost as he and his wife, but what made James Duckworth stand out was the fact that he stepped ashore with a bucket of water containing the sapling of an English oak tree.
Unlike many of their fellow travellers, the Duckworths were not in search of a grave (their son Eric’s body had no known resting place) but a mark on a map drawn up from a collection of precious letters and drawings showing where the 19-year-old had last been seen slumped dead in the Ottoman wire.
The Duckworths would ultimately decide against planting the tree sapling on the spot marked on the map, but instead choose a nearby Imperial War Graves Cemetery called ‘the Redoubt Cemetery’. This cemetery contained the bodies of many of their boy’s comrades from the 42nd East Lancs’ Division, including many from Eric’s own platoon of the 1/6th Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers.
Duckworth Snr wrote. “A large obelisk memorial, visible far out at sea, is to be erected on Cape Helles and the work is well in hand. Whether politics dictates that future control of the peninsula is to be Turkish, British or international, this narrow strip of land, washed at times by the sunny and at times stormy seas of the Aegean, in sentiment at least will remain ‘forever England’.”
The ‘large obelisk’ would go on to bear the engraved name of his son upon it, along with the names of 21,000 more British servicemen who had died as part of the Gallipoli campaign and had no known grave. Still, unlike the other names engraved, this young East Lancastrian would have an additional memorial - one that had crossed the seas in a bucket and become the concern of a family of Turkish gardeners.
Dr Martin Purdy, who co-authored the book The Gallipoli Oak with Ian Dawson, tells the story of this unique and still thriving Lancashire memorial and the large number of local men whose sacrifices it has helped to keep alive.
A former newspaper editor, Dr Martin Purdy is an expert in the social and cultural impacts of the First World War. Born in Rochdale borough and now a resident of Ramsbottom, he has worked as a freelance WW1 expert for the like of the BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are? franchise for many years and had numerous magazine, newspaper articles and academic works published on a wide variety of themes related to the conflict. In 2008 he wrote a book for the BBC (republished in 2013) on how to research servicemen and women of the Great War and then use the information to plan a battlefield tour. He has also co-authored two acclaimed WW1 books, “Doing Our Bit” and “The Gallipoli Oak” – the latter being the focus of his talk for us. A Doctor of Philosophy, and lead historian at the Westfield War Memorial Village Lancaster, Martin fronts the award-winning folk and storytelling trio Harp & a Monkey, who toured an acclaimed Arts Council funded WW1 show around the country during the centenary of the conflict - a show that aimed to challenge common misconceptions about the war.
Last Month’s Talk
As the Branch held its December meeting, Kate Willis gave it a seasonal flavour as she included how Christmas celebrations were held throughout the war by the soldiers at the Front. Her talk also included pictures of the various ways the men and women of the Armed Forces were given relief from the strains of combat.
Although the Kaiser believed his army would be victorious before the leaves fell and the French President was confident his troops would be home to gather the harvest in time for Christmas, Kitchener warned that the conflagration would last for at least two years. The stalemate in the west, formed by the inability of either side to outflank each other and the flooding of the Belgian lowlands, brought about a stand-off that would last for four years. During that time on the Western Front the Allies and the Germans faced each other in a continuous line of trenches which only marginally changed until the final year of the war, excluding the retreat to the Hindenburg Line and the Spring Offensive.
As the British Army began to receive more men, many of whom were volunteers and family men, the oncoming of the Christmas period made all the combatants on both sides reflect on being away from their loved ones. Society as a whole wanted to ensure that these men would be able to have some token to remind them of the families at home over the holy period and have some form of celebration of Christmas in their enforced trench existence. The Christmas Truce of 1914 has been well documented and the degree of fraternisation including the ‘football match’ is still debated on as to what actually happened.
In 1914 Princess Mary organised a personal Christmas box for each member of the armed forces, containing tobacco or cigarettes with toffees, acid drops for non-smokers and a card from the Princess (photo above). Serving nurses received chocolates instead of smoking material. Also welfare units such as nurses would follow their relevant units throughout their campaign-In late 1915, the Serbian Army was pursued through Albania by the Austrians and several British nurses were with them as they headed for the coast. The conditions were grim.
Kate then gave examples of how serving personnel received or organised functions to soften the blow of the continuing hardships of war. The comforts for soldiers continued throughout the war.
Often non-combatant units such as the RAMC performed Christmas pantomimes for the troops to which they were attached (see photo below of a pantomime concert party). For example, 85 Field Ambulance performed pantomimes for every unit in 28 Division in Salonika. The essence of Kate’s talk was the many photographs Christmas cards, pantomime programmes and other materials which were strikingly brilliant. Those who were present enjoyed these photographs and images that in themselves brought back the essence of the period. It is difficult to expand on the information that Kate provided, or correlate the images and items shown on the screen, for the benefit of members who were unable to attend.
After the talk the audience enjoyed a buffet and wine supper, with the granddaughters of Branch Chairman Ralph Lomas ably assisting in its preparation.
Terry Jackson
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Chairman’s Editorial
Anticipating our December meeting this coming Friday 6th can I ask if you would try and be in the room before 7.30pm at the latest as I need to start our guest speaker approx. 7.40pm.
Please note that the main gates are now to be opened at 7pm but if closed please press the buzzer button marked BAR, by the gate, and Les (our Steward) will open up. This earlier start gives everybody more time on arrival to get settled. We still have to respect security issues surrounding our venue.
For this meeting we welcome back Kate Wills who gave us an interesting talk quite a while back on how our troops entertained themselves in Salonika.
This is our Xmas social night and immediately after the speaker/raffle there will be a cold buffet with wine and soft drinks. The Branch Committee of Andy McVeety, Joan Tomlinson, Phil Hamer and myself offer our thanks to all our members for your ongoing attendance and interest shown during 2019.
Beyond December I can report that we now have speakers arranged right through until next April with Dr Martin Purdy, Professor John Bourne, Dr Jessica Meyer and Geoff Bridger speaking respectively on Gallipoli, Tolkien, RAMC and the RGA. An interesting variety of subjects. Ralph Lomas
Tonight's talk
Christmas in Khaki by Kate Wills
Kate Wills is from Northampton, where she is speaker secretary for the county branch.
Her interest in the Great War stems from her grandfather, who enlisted in the 7th Ox & Bucks LI on 2nd September 1914. After a short spell in the Somme sector, he was posted to Salonika in late 1915, where he remained until the Armistice. She is particularly interested in concert parties and entertainments on active service, and welcomes any information you may have to share on this subject.
Christmas in Khaki is takes us through each Christmas of the war in company with soldiers and nurses of the BEF, told in their own words, such as those of Lt Jeffrey Blake, attached to D Battery, 235 Bde R.F.A. 47th (London) Division:
25th December 1915: “Well here I am in the Mess as we call it, consisting of a room with one or two windows out, and a bucket with holes in it for a fire place; nevertheless we are looking forward to a good dinner... I am quite fit, but the mud, oh dear me, it is knee deep & runs over my knees into my boots. The rain too is awful, it rains all day, & as soon as I get out of my tent, I am really soaked... got slightly gassed the other day on the road... The French paper boys here do not shout, but blow an infernal trumpet, which annoys me very much, but when the English papers are out, they shout ‘Paper!’”.
It is talk about ordinary people caught up the extraordinary circumstances of war, far from home. There is action in the trenches, but also the chance of a dose of fun and laughter. Princess Mary’s Gift Tin, fundraising at home for our men and women at the front, British, French and German Army Christmas cards, and art and illustrations from the frontline also feature.
Last Month’s Talk
The Branch welcomed back our old friend Clive Harris. Clive is an eminent battlefield guide and has taken many of our members over the sites of the Western Front. However, Clive is keenly interested in Gallipoli and looked at several figures who had taken part in the 1915 campaign and subsequently in the final advance that culminated in the Armistice of 11 November 1918.
The Gallipoli campaign, unfortunately, failed due to several factors. In retrospect populist historians have always been quick to blame the officers for much of the actions which ultimately led to a withdrawal from the peninsula. However, many of those officers went on to play a decisive part in the success of the Army on the Western Front and Clive looked at the actions of some them in the final three months of 1918.
In early 1918 the British were forced to retreat during the Spring Offensive- Germany’s desperate attempt to secure a victory before the influx of the American forces and the fatal strangulation of Germany’s ability to offset the crippling effect of the Blockade. Eventually the enemy attack was stemmed and the Allies were able to plan for their own offensive. It was to evolve into the ‘100 days’ campaign
The 100 days had seen a precursor when Australian and American forces, aided by British tanks attacked at Le Hamel on 4 July 1918, led by John Monash, a Gallipoli veteran. He had been involved in the capture of Lala Baba Hill on 6 August 1915. He played an important role in planning what was the first major use of combined arms.
On 8 August the assault at Amiens saw 16,000 Germans surrender. Ludendorff foresaw the inevitable turning of the tide when he described it as the Black Day of the German Army. This was followed up by attacks on the Canal du Nord, the Hindenburg Line, and Selle and ultimately forced the Germans to ask for an armistice on 11 November. Clive considered how several of the officers who had served in Gallipoli were much more successful in the final assault, causing the self-believed invincible German Army to sue for peace.
Sir Aylmer Gould Hunter Weston was involved with the initial landings at Gallipoli and in the 3 unsuccessful battles at Kythira. Subsequently on the first day of the Somme, 1 July 1916, he was a Corps commander facing the Hawthorn Redoubt at Beaumont Hamel. A series of mines along the front were scheduled to be detonated along the front at 7.30am. Hunter Western compromised with HQ for a 7.20am explosion. Thus, when the mine went up the enemy were forewarned of the imminent assault. However, during the 100 days he led his Corps back to Le Cateau where he had been stationed in 1914, in the British Army’s second major battle of the war.
Bernard Freyberg VC DSO &3Bars Born in London, moved with his parents to New Zealand when he was three. He was a strong swimmer winning awards He saw service under Pancho Villa in the Mexican Revolution. He returned to England and served with the Royal Naval Brigade. At Gallipoli he swam ashore north of the main landings to light distracting flares for which he was awarded the DSO. On the Somme in November 1916 he led his men on an assault that captured 500 prisoners. .For this action he was awarded the VC. After fighting in the Spring Offensive of 1918, he was awarded a bar to his DSO. He led his men to capture the bridge at Lessines one minute before 11am on 11 November, receiving a second bar. After the war he served as Governor General of New Zealand and also served with distinction in World War Two receiving a third bar to his DSO.
Sir Walter Pipon Braithwaite served in the second Boer War and following staff appointments was made Staff Officer for Haig at the War Office. At Gallipoli he was Chief of Staff to Hamilton where the Australians found him arrogant and he was recalled to London. His son was killed on 1 July 1916 which greatly affected him. He subsequently commanded 62nd Division (2nd W Riding TF), a unit of which took the bridge at Riqueval. Post war he reported on the conduct of Staff Officers for Haig. He held command posts in India and of Scottish and Eastern Commands. He arranged the details for Haig’s funeral in 1928, was a commissioner of the CWGC 1927-31 and a governor of Chelsea Hospital 1931-35.
Sir William Eliot Peyton After serving in in the Sudan and Boer War saw action in Gallipoli including the charge at Scimitar Hill, Suvla. He then served in Egypt and was Haig’s Military Secretary before taking command of 40th Division during the 100 days up to the Armistice.
George Raymond Dallas Moor VC MC & Bar was born in Australia and commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the Hampshires. On 25 April 1915 he was in the landings at V Beach. Following action on 5 June south of Krithia, he was awarded the VC for stopping the retirement of an adjoining unit. It was said that he shot several of his own side dead which removed the threat of being overrun. He was invalided to England suffering from dysentery. Returning to duty in France he was awarded an MC in 1918 for carrying out daylight reconnaissance along the Divisional front under heavy machine gun fire from the enemy. He was awarded a bar to his MC when in October 1918 near Pijpestraat he took charge after the unit’s commander was wounded and enabled them to reach their objective. Unfortunately he died of Spanish Influenza on 3 November 1918 aged 22.
Charles Edward Hackett was a sergeant in a bayonet charge that cleared the Helles lighthouse in April 1915. He was awarded the D.C.M. for his gallantry when he assumed command of and led his company during an action at The Transloy Ridges on the 18th October 1916. At the time he held the rank of Sergeant but was acting C.S.M. During this action he captured several prisoners. Shortly, after he was commissioned in the field as an officer and was to be awarded two Military Crosses for his bravery. His first Military Cross was as a 2/Lieutenant, when during the battle at Arras (14th April 1917) he was responsible for repelling a strong enemy counter-attack. Although wounded he continued to lead his me. His second Military Cross was awarded during a raid on the 8th August 1918. With the Acting rank of Captain, he rushed an enemy post capturing two prisoners. He then went out again with a small party and brought back 11 prisoners and a machine gun, having killed one enemy with his pistol.
William Ralph Peel was a descendant of the founder of the Metropolitan Police. In August1915 with the Green Howards (Yorkshire Regiment). He was instrumental in their capture of Lala Baba Hill in August 1915. He was promoted to command 10th Manchesters. He was awarded DSO and bar, the latter being for the capture of Hautmont 8 November 1918.
Rosslyn Erskine Wemys Served with the 2nd Cruiser Squadron and was Governor of Mudros. He led the British landings at Helles and Suvla Bay. He rose to 1st Sea Lord in December 1917 and encouraged Keyes to make the Dover patrol more proactive. This led to the Zebrugge Raid. He was the senior British representative at the signing of the Armistice on 11 November 1918. He annoyed Lloyd George by arranging for the war to end at 11AM. The latter had wanted an afternoon time so that he could announce it in Parliament, (Well he would wouldn’t he? TJ).
Other participants in both Gallipoli and the 100 days included Henry Horne who accompanied Kitchener to the Dardanelles in November 1915 to organise the evacuation: Julian Byng who controlled the actual evacuation and then led the 3rd Army to take Cambrai in 1918; William Birdwood was involved in both the landing and evacuation of the Gallipoli forces. He led 5th Army in the hundred days, liberating Lille in October and Tournai in November 1918.
Clive summarised by indicating that although the Gallipoli campaign ultimately failed, without the participation of all those who took part, without their efforts in the 100 days victory would not have been achieved.
As usual Clive gave us an entertaining and in depth account of the major players, putting an end to the lions and donkeys myth.
Terry Jackson.
Sir John Monash
Aylmer Hunter Weston
Bernard Freyberg
Walter Braithwaite
William Peyton
George Dallas Moore
Capt CE Hackett
William Peel
Rosslyn Wemyss
William Birdwood