‘Black is typical of the terrible days through which our country is passing, and the depth of sorrow into which we have been plunged; red, is the blood that has been shed; but golden is the kindness of the British people, and never can the Belgians forget the generosity and warmth of their reception’. Belgian […]
While some families lost sons and husbands, as listed on many war memorials, many more were nevertheless affected in numerous other ways. The Davies Family, who came to the Isle estate in Bicton shortly before the war, illustrated this very well: In a way typical of many agricultural workers, their life involved many moves from […]
Just nine months into the First World War, Church Stretton found something to celebrate. “In the presence of a large gathering of townspeople and visitors, the splendid new gates were opened at the entrance of Church Stretton’s Recreation Ground.” The day was Monday 24th May 1915. The other day, in the company of Genevieve Tudor […]
During the First World War, the west side of England was relatively safe from aerial attack and more airfields were desperately required for the rapidly expanding Royal Flying Corps (RFC). New squadrons were being formed as fast as possible and pilots had to be trained to equip them. In 1915, to the north-west of the […]
GO DOWN FIGHTING He fought for his country He fought for the truth He fought back his fears He fought with his youth He fought back his tears With thoughts of his wife On the battlefield bleeding He fought for his life A CHILD’S VIEW On the big dresser in the parlour at […]
Below is a selection of poems, inspired by the First World War, written by Meg Pybus COLUMNS The orderliness of it all Helmets All the same One in front of the other Leading ranks banked filing together Advancing In three ranks Commanded Running Before falling Sprawling Today A universe Still, white graves, composed […]
When the First World War began, the army was in the middle of field trials for an improved version of the Boots, ankle, General Service (BGS). They were designed to be hard-wearing and long-lasting rather than comfortable. They were worn with long puttees – rolled round the legs from the top of the ankle boot […]
As more and more men were taken off the land to be sent to the Front, attention turned to women as possible agricultural labourers. As early as 1915 the Board of Agriculture considered this, but it was January 1917 before the Women’s Land Army, was officially set up. In the Borough of Wenlock, things were […]
Visitors to this website may have noticed the line of weary soldiers trudging across the header of the screen. These figures are taken from a postcard issued by the 6th battalion of the regiment for Christmas 1916. There is a marked difference in tone between this and other, earlier regimental postcards. In 1914 there was […]
Did even the Government in 1914 believe ‘it would be over by Christmas’? For two years it lamentably failed to address our greatest strategic vulnerability – the dependence on imported food for 60% of the nation’s diet. In 1914 we produced 19% of our wheat (today 83%). The Germans had imposed duties of 33% on cereals […]
