O
O.C.
Guest
How the big manufactures used the war in selling their products
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O
O.C.
Guest
The Hidden sadness and heartbreak of the Great War away from the Trenches and fighting has rarely been told. So very briefly I will tell you my account on what I have read from newspapers of the time on which I have built a picture up I will try to put in words.
The men who came back on leave often received a tremendous welcome from the Family and friends.......but some were not as lucky and found the wife and family gone for some reason or other.......and then the sad task of finding out what had happened......only to find out the wife had died and his family put in care or his wife had run off with another man and in a few cases the soldier came back from leave with his rifle and hand grenades (till this practice was stopped) and quite a few people were shot.
One Birmingham soldier could not stand the noise neighbours were making and threw a hand grenade at the persons house. He got 9 months in prison
The soldier who had received a "Dear John" letter (A letter of rejection from girl friend) often just did not know were to go and passed leave by, staying France or were he had been sent.
The Great Flu Epedemic that swept the World in 1918-19 killed millions of people but where the soldier was abroad in some cases till 1920's keeping the peace in Germany he survived and came home to nothing, with wife and family gone. Many mens minds snapped and they were often found wandering the street with nowhere to go and nowhere to stay, the Salvation Army helped all they could for men in this position and set up soup kitchens and found them rooms, but it was not till a picture appeared in the newspapers of men sleeping on church pews that this was bought to the nations attention then all kinds of charities sprang up to help the men of the armed forces. Where the mans wife had died the children were put in Barnardos or other Charitable Organizations he got the help from the Salvation Army to trace his kids and get rehoused. One of the Clubs that were set up was the Union Jack Club were soldiers could get a bed for the night and relax, it was founded by donations from the nation and many homeless soldier headed their when he got off the train in London but with the amount that passed through it could not cope and the same type of clubs began springing up in every city. For the able'd bodied he had a chance to move on but it was very difficult for the man that was maimed in some way or other and had to rely totally on charity to survive. Thousands of the "Well Off" in society opened their homes as Convalescent Homes to help these men till they could once again got out into World, with their head held high. While this was only a very small percentage of the hundreds of thousands of men who came back home its worth remembering these men as well as the men who died.
The men who came back on leave often received a tremendous welcome from the Family and friends.......but some were not as lucky and found the wife and family gone for some reason or other.......and then the sad task of finding out what had happened......only to find out the wife had died and his family put in care or his wife had run off with another man and in a few cases the soldier came back from leave with his rifle and hand grenades (till this practice was stopped) and quite a few people were shot.
One Birmingham soldier could not stand the noise neighbours were making and threw a hand grenade at the persons house. He got 9 months in prison
The soldier who had received a "Dear John" letter (A letter of rejection from girl friend) often just did not know were to go and passed leave by, staying France or were he had been sent.
The Great Flu Epedemic that swept the World in 1918-19 killed millions of people but where the soldier was abroad in some cases till 1920's keeping the peace in Germany he survived and came home to nothing, with wife and family gone. Many mens minds snapped and they were often found wandering the street with nowhere to go and nowhere to stay, the Salvation Army helped all they could for men in this position and set up soup kitchens and found them rooms, but it was not till a picture appeared in the newspapers of men sleeping on church pews that this was bought to the nations attention then all kinds of charities sprang up to help the men of the armed forces. Where the mans wife had died the children were put in Barnardos or other Charitable Organizations he got the help from the Salvation Army to trace his kids and get rehoused. One of the Clubs that were set up was the Union Jack Club were soldiers could get a bed for the night and relax, it was founded by donations from the nation and many homeless soldier headed their when he got off the train in London but with the amount that passed through it could not cope and the same type of clubs began springing up in every city. For the able'd bodied he had a chance to move on but it was very difficult for the man that was maimed in some way or other and had to rely totally on charity to survive. Thousands of the "Well Off" in society opened their homes as Convalescent Homes to help these men till they could once again got out into World, with their head held high. While this was only a very small percentage of the hundreds of thousands of men who came back home its worth remembering these men as well as the men who died.
O
O.C.
Guest
Union Jack Club Poster, I have enlarged the print so it can be read better
jennyann
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
Cromwell, thanks for posting the above story. I am old enough to remember the
effect these men had on our society and how families and orgnaizations tried to help some of them. Many suffered such terrible injuries and were never the same again and many were pitied and didn't want to be pitied and drifted off as tramps into the countryside forever lost to their families. I knew families who had a brother or uncle living with them whom they supported because they were unable to restart their lives due to their experiences in battle. Then there were all the heartbroken women who would remain spinsters all their lives as they had lost their husbands and boyfriends in the Great War. These women were also victims in many ways. They had written letters daily to keep up the spirits of their boyfriends, brothers and husbands
only to receive a visit from the Telegraph Boy with the dreaded yellow telegram.
The day the telegram arrived at my Father's house reporting the death of
their eldest son and brother was very rarely recounted but it's effect changed the family forever.
effect these men had on our society and how families and orgnaizations tried to help some of them. Many suffered such terrible injuries and were never the same again and many were pitied and didn't want to be pitied and drifted off as tramps into the countryside forever lost to their families. I knew families who had a brother or uncle living with them whom they supported because they were unable to restart their lives due to their experiences in battle. Then there were all the heartbroken women who would remain spinsters all their lives as they had lost their husbands and boyfriends in the Great War. These women were also victims in many ways. They had written letters daily to keep up the spirits of their boyfriends, brothers and husbands
only to receive a visit from the Telegraph Boy with the dreaded yellow telegram.
The day the telegram arrived at my Father's house reporting the death of
their eldest son and brother was very rarely recounted but it's effect changed the family forever.
O
O.C.
Guest
Jennyann, Thanks for the reply, the papers of the time were full of stories like the above.
In those days people had large families unlike today (my father had 15 children)
and the accounts of women when their husband was killed and the effects it had on them were heartbreaking. They had no means of support what so ever and many went over the edge.
But more stuck it out and raised their kids the best way they could than went under.
In the 40's my mother was told, "you can walk out of this room now and we will take care of ya kids" after my father died..........but she d'aint.
My father deserted his kids from his first marriage when his wife died as he could not cope
This was the human tragedy after the war which has been forgot...........shell-shocked men staggering along the streets well in the the 1950's while kids who did not know any different "took the mickey" out of them............I was one of those kids...but has since made up for in a thousand fold and have helped 100's of people to trace their relatives for the Great War sending them snaps of the gravestone's etc.
In the poster campaign they had posters covering every subject and every charity and one that springs to mind was the one charity that appealed for money to help the horses of which there were 1000's in France working in the most appalling conditions know to man....but not one single horse was ever bought back.
This little cutting out of the paper was a Barnardos Ad and I have wrote the words out as its hard to read the ad
And what of Friend?
Is their part only to sit at home and weigh the measure of Love's sacrifice?
Is it enough to read the Roll of Honour with wet eyes
Is it enough to thank and pray ?
In our minds is the ever-swelling army of those,
When these lovers leave behind.....The widows and the fatherless
Can we accept the sacrifice, repay the accompanying debt
Since the war began Dr.Barnardos have admitted 5076 children
A large proportion being children of soldiers and sailors,
And each day brings more children clamouring at the door
Let us discharge our debt of honour by helping the homes to let them in
and so support the little ones of those men who gave their lives for usÂÂ
In those days people had large families unlike today (my father had 15 children)
and the accounts of women when their husband was killed and the effects it had on them were heartbreaking. They had no means of support what so ever and many went over the edge.
But more stuck it out and raised their kids the best way they could than went under.
In the 40's my mother was told, "you can walk out of this room now and we will take care of ya kids" after my father died..........but she d'aint.
My father deserted his kids from his first marriage when his wife died as he could not cope
This was the human tragedy after the war which has been forgot...........shell-shocked men staggering along the streets well in the the 1950's while kids who did not know any different "took the mickey" out of them............I was one of those kids...but has since made up for in a thousand fold and have helped 100's of people to trace their relatives for the Great War sending them snaps of the gravestone's etc.
In the poster campaign they had posters covering every subject and every charity and one that springs to mind was the one charity that appealed for money to help the horses of which there were 1000's in France working in the most appalling conditions know to man....but not one single horse was ever bought back.
This little cutting out of the paper was a Barnardos Ad and I have wrote the words out as its hard to read the ad
And what of Friend?
Is their part only to sit at home and weigh the measure of Love's sacrifice?
Is it enough to read the Roll of Honour with wet eyes
Is it enough to thank and pray ?
In our minds is the ever-swelling army of those,
When these lovers leave behind.....The widows and the fatherless
Can we accept the sacrifice, repay the accompanying debt
Since the war began Dr.Barnardos have admitted 5076 children
A large proportion being children of soldiers and sailors,
And each day brings more children clamouring at the door
Let us discharge our debt of honour by helping the homes to let them in
and so support the little ones of those men who gave their lives for usÂÂ
O
O.C.
Guest
The War Bonds which you could buy.........the folk from Aston and Nechells could just about buy food let alone War Bonds.......with all bonds the Government are on to a winner as folk move, die or lose them and the Government then has got ya money. My Mother was destitute after WW2 and had a few war bonds which she could not cash till the 50's
O
O.C.
Guest
Never saw that before Aston ..Great
jennyann
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
It is truly mind boggling what we, on this forum, have been privileged to share with the contributions from Aston and Cromwell especially regarding WW1 and WW2 memories. I don't think many people of our era have seen very much of what has been presented here. I for one am very grateful to be able to see the posters, photographs and read the stories. As we have learned people and places are forgotten over the decades and the stories of the mistreatment of soldiers and livestock, etc. are buried forever in so many cases.
We are lucky enough to have a 24 hour cable channel here in Canada that covers so many aspects of War History over the last l00 years. You can be drawn into some of the really old footage very easily and are often amazed at it's content. You can also see from time to time the documentary films showing the arrival of the American soldiers at the end of WW2 at the main concentration camps in Germany and Poland. Nothing is cut out of these films and they are truly what I would call fascinatingly dreadful but you have to watch because you cannot believe in the carnage and waste of human life on such a scale and also the endless men that were walking skeletons and who had to somehow find away to "join" the human race again after being locked up in an earthly hell for so long.
We have watched as my father-in-laws' regiment of the Seaforth Highlanders out of Vancouver and posted overseas to Pirbright, celebrated Christmas Day in Apeldoorn, Holland after a big battle near the end of the war and fancy we see Gerry's Dad sitting at one of the tables in a bombed out church where the officers, ever mindful of their men, served them their Christmas Dinner. He was there but never talked about the battles he was in over the five years he was with the Regiment in WW2.
I did hear today that there are only three or four WW1 soldiers alive in Canada and the
Government has decided that when the last soldier passes on that there will be a special celebration of his life in the nation's capital, Ottawa and he will represent the thousands and thousands of Canadian soldiers who gave their all in WW1. There is a web site here for Canadian soldiers from WW2 to have their memories posted for posterity. It seems to be a great project. It must be completed because most of the remaining soldiers are now in their 80's and there are somewhere in the region of 200,000 left in Canada.
We are lucky enough to have a 24 hour cable channel here in Canada that covers so many aspects of War History over the last l00 years. You can be drawn into some of the really old footage very easily and are often amazed at it's content. You can also see from time to time the documentary films showing the arrival of the American soldiers at the end of WW2 at the main concentration camps in Germany and Poland. Nothing is cut out of these films and they are truly what I would call fascinatingly dreadful but you have to watch because you cannot believe in the carnage and waste of human life on such a scale and also the endless men that were walking skeletons and who had to somehow find away to "join" the human race again after being locked up in an earthly hell for so long.
We have watched as my father-in-laws' regiment of the Seaforth Highlanders out of Vancouver and posted overseas to Pirbright, celebrated Christmas Day in Apeldoorn, Holland after a big battle near the end of the war and fancy we see Gerry's Dad sitting at one of the tables in a bombed out church where the officers, ever mindful of their men, served them their Christmas Dinner. He was there but never talked about the battles he was in over the five years he was with the Regiment in WW2.
I did hear today that there are only three or four WW1 soldiers alive in Canada and the
Government has decided that when the last soldier passes on that there will be a special celebration of his life in the nation's capital, Ottawa and he will represent the thousands and thousands of Canadian soldiers who gave their all in WW1. There is a web site here for Canadian soldiers from WW2 to have their memories posted for posterity. It seems to be a great project. It must be completed because most of the remaining soldiers are now in their 80's and there are somewhere in the region of 200,000 left in Canada.
O
O.C.
Guest
As long as folks are intrested I shall keep posting Jennyann, here is a rare War Bond postcard that was sold if you could not afford war bonds which was another way of raising money for the war effort
O
O.C.
Guest
The Salvation Army were well prepared when the war broke out having vast stocks of beds and benches and large halls for their meetings and they quickly adapted to the task that lay ahead by providing shelter food and clothing for the troops and the wounded, this photo was taken prior to the Great War
O
O.C.
Guest
Evangeline (Eva) Booth b 1860- 1950d daughter of the founder of the Salvation Army William Booth
The Salvation Army girls in France became known as the Doughnut Girls for all the tea and cakes they dished out to the troops
Bottom photo General William Booth and his daughter
The Salvation Army girls in France became known as the Doughnut Girls for all the tea and cakes they dished out to the troops
Bottom photo General William Booth and his daughter
M
mazbeth
Guest
I admire the Salvation Army so much, and especially their equality of the women, who worked shoulder to shoulder with the men (have read 2 books about their beginnings and they were extremely interesting)..
William Booth's wife, Catherine, Evangeline's mother, was quite ill, but strong spiritually, and her husband, eventually, was 'forced' to say, ''some of my best men are women.'' 8)
Interestingly, I found this pic on my online travels recently, (concerning the Great War)
SalvationArmy cooking station
William Booth's wife, Catherine, Evangeline's mother, was quite ill, but strong spiritually, and her husband, eventually, was 'forced' to say, ''some of my best men are women.'' 8)
Interestingly, I found this pic on my online travels recently, (concerning the Great War)
SalvationArmy cooking station
O
O.C.
Guest
Mazbeth thanks for that pic which I appreciate. I have a ton of material to yet post most of it is quite rare but its juggling with what to post in, but I am pleased as to how this thread is going
M
mazbeth
Guest
Dear Cromwell, you are doing brilliantly (I know how it is having to decide how much to share, and when, from my forum), ...
I find what you post extremely interesting, and very poignant, a lot of it...
I only wish my mom was online, as I'm a bit of a go-between for her at the moment...
she's a typical 76 year old who thinks she wouldn't grasp the internet...she blooming well would...she's an intelligent lady who I am grateful to as she passed her love of reading on to me.
she would remember many of the posters I'm sure.
I find what you post extremely interesting, and very poignant, a lot of it...
I only wish my mom was online, as I'm a bit of a go-between for her at the moment...
she's a typical 76 year old who thinks she wouldn't grasp the internet...she blooming well would...she's an intelligent lady who I am grateful to as she passed her love of reading on to me.
she would remember many of the posters I'm sure.
O
O.C.
Guest
Their was The Red Cross for Nurses, The Blue Cross for Animals, and the Green Cross which were The Womens Reserve Ambulance (The Green Cross Society)and the Ivory Cross for dental work
O
O.C.
Guest
Remember
O
O.C.
Guest
One of the organizations that did a terrific job helping with the troops welfare and comfort was the YMCA who set up fund raising schemes for Huts and equipment for the soldiers at home and abroad and even schemes for helping them get back into work when they were disabled and when the war finished.
They provided shelter,food hot drinks, put on cabaret and film shows for the men.
Their was the Blue Triangle and the Red Triangle
The Red Triangle was The Young Mens Christian Association
The Blue Triangle was The Young Women's Christian Association
The third photo shows the first YWCA hut to be erected in France and this postcard could be bought by the troops and sent home. It was at Embarkation camp No 1,Base section 5ec No1 AEF France
For pic shows a film being shown to officers in a YMCA hut somewere in France
They provided shelter,food hot drinks, put on cabaret and film shows for the men.
Their was the Blue Triangle and the Red Triangle
The Red Triangle was The Young Mens Christian Association
The Blue Triangle was The Young Women's Christian Association
The third photo shows the first YWCA hut to be erected in France and this postcard could be bought by the troops and sent home. It was at Embarkation camp No 1,Base section 5ec No1 AEF France
For pic shows a film being shown to officers in a YMCA hut somewere in France
O
O.C.
Guest
YMCA Hut week poster and a typical YMCA hut and at the bottom small pic to show what was on the other side of the postcards that were for sale in the YMCA huts
The Huts were also used as Post Office's as the poster on the back wall shows
The Huts were also used as Post Office's as the poster on the back wall shows
O
O.C.
Guest
While this thread is "Posters from the Great War" I feel I have to explain things you do not understand or confuse ya, best way to do this is with a picture.
First photo shows an group of YWCA nurses holding up a sheet with SOS written on it and the end of the war in 1918.......so what does it mean ?
Second photo, is a typical YWCA canteen
Third Photo Shows a scene from a newspaper 1917 in a YMCA dining room, every table had a little flag with the letters S.O.S on which you could run up or down if you wanted to place an order. this became quite a joke with the women and the first pic shows they want attention
First photo shows an group of YWCA nurses holding up a sheet with SOS written on it and the end of the war in 1918.......so what does it mean ?
Second photo, is a typical YWCA canteen
Third Photo Shows a scene from a newspaper 1917 in a YMCA dining room, every table had a little flag with the letters S.O.S on which you could run up or down if you wanted to place an order. this became quite a joke with the women and the first pic shows they want attention
O
O.C.
Guest
The Women behind the man
O
O.C.
Guest
This poster has a small amount of truth in it, but it was not as dramatic as shown on the poster.
White tape was used once or twice to guide the troops to the tea huts but it was mainly done with signs
White tape was used once or twice to guide the troops to the tea huts but it was mainly done with signs
O
O.C.
Guest
Images like this in the first few weeks of the war whipped up the patriotism in people and swelled the ranks in the recruiting stations as quiet a few folk could not read or write, an image like this was better than a thousand words they could not understand.........a lot of psychology was used in the posters which was used in a lot of ways.....mainly to make you feel guilty
O
O.C.
Guest
Very few people did on the killing fields of Flanders what the Reverend Neville Talbot with his friend Reverend Phillip Byard Clayton nickname "Tubby" did for the British Soldier.
Everybody who knew went or passed through the town of Poperinge knew it as "Pop" which the Germans captured on 4th Oct. 1914 but driven out 11 days later by the British. It soon became a very important military venue were Training camps, depots, military hospitals etc sprang up among the hop fields with thousands of refugees passing through the area every week fleeing from the bombardment of Ypres (Wipers to the troops) and although "Pop" was bombarded frequently, thousands sought relief and relaxation in the restaurants and bars that did a roaring trade.
This is where Rev. N. Talbot senior chaplain for 6th Division set up a house that could be used as a church club which he opened in 1915 after persuading the army to rent it for the duration of the war (it had been hit several time by artillery fire)
He got his mate "Tubby" to take charge of the project which was set up as a club for "EVERMAN" were men could relax in comfort and walk in a peaceful garden at the back, and in the attic he made a little chapel in case anyone wanted to use it.
It was named Talbot House after Rev N. Talbots brother who was Lt. Gilbert Talbot killed at Hooge on July 30th 1915.
Except for a few months when it was closed by heavy shelling in remained open till the war finished and then given back to its owner, but the story does not end there.
In 1919 The Christian Movement Toc H was set up to help men and women to try rebuild their lives in the harsh days after the war with no employment and little food and trying to regain the comradeship they had in the trenches, branches sprang up in every part of the World with the aim......................
"Aid people through their life", "to think fairly" "love widely, to witness humbly, and to build bravely"
Talbot House was purchased from its owner in 1926 and today you can or anyone can stop there if a bed is needed for the night, and when I was there in 1990 it was a very humbling place and very thought provoking (today the situation might have changed as it has become very popular with the visitor's to the battlefields on the Salient and ya might have to book in advance )ÂÂ
Photo is of Tubby Clayton in the 40's-50's ( note he is wearing an Home Guard Badge)
Everybody who knew went or passed through the town of Poperinge knew it as "Pop" which the Germans captured on 4th Oct. 1914 but driven out 11 days later by the British. It soon became a very important military venue were Training camps, depots, military hospitals etc sprang up among the hop fields with thousands of refugees passing through the area every week fleeing from the bombardment of Ypres (Wipers to the troops) and although "Pop" was bombarded frequently, thousands sought relief and relaxation in the restaurants and bars that did a roaring trade.
This is where Rev. N. Talbot senior chaplain for 6th Division set up a house that could be used as a church club which he opened in 1915 after persuading the army to rent it for the duration of the war (it had been hit several time by artillery fire)
He got his mate "Tubby" to take charge of the project which was set up as a club for "EVERMAN" were men could relax in comfort and walk in a peaceful garden at the back, and in the attic he made a little chapel in case anyone wanted to use it.
It was named Talbot House after Rev N. Talbots brother who was Lt. Gilbert Talbot killed at Hooge on July 30th 1915.
Except for a few months when it was closed by heavy shelling in remained open till the war finished and then given back to its owner, but the story does not end there.
In 1919 The Christian Movement Toc H was set up to help men and women to try rebuild their lives in the harsh days after the war with no employment and little food and trying to regain the comradeship they had in the trenches, branches sprang up in every part of the World with the aim......................
"Aid people through their life", "to think fairly" "love widely, to witness humbly, and to build bravely"
Talbot House was purchased from its owner in 1926 and today you can or anyone can stop there if a bed is needed for the night, and when I was there in 1990 it was a very humbling place and very thought provoking (today the situation might have changed as it has become very popular with the visitor's to the battlefields on the Salient and ya might have to book in advance )ÂÂ
Photo is of Tubby Clayton in the 40's-50's ( note he is wearing an Home Guard Badge)
M
mazbeth
Guest
when I worked in the city mission in the '80's I used to visit an elderly couple and the man used to talk of being in Toc H and Tubby Clayton. I'm afraid I hadn't heard of it then.
M
mike-g
Guest
Dont know if this is the place to post this
O
O.C.
Guest
Thats fine Mike as that was the Birmingham Municipal Technical School which was turned into a recruiting centre in 1914 Suffolk Street (I have enlarged the photo)
O
O.C.
Guest
Using Kitchener on a Tobacco ad.
I often wonder how the war would have gone if Kitchener had not drowned when his ship struck a mine
I often wonder how the war would have gone if Kitchener had not drowned when his ship struck a mine
O
O.C.
Guest
A couple who were responsible for putting a few poster up, Female Billposters in a village