Trench Lincs 27th September 2026
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Good Morning,
Welcome to this week's Trench Lincs and I hope it finds you all in good spirits?
I have returned to ‘Good ol’ Blighty’ after my week in Italy and what an excellent trip it was. I am now attempting to catch up on my email inbox and at the same time, edit the 100’s of photos I have taken whilst away.
I have decided not to write a day by day account of the Italian tour, as I think you will be fed up with it all in about 6 weeks-time!, but as the tour progressed, it became apparent that a number of themes kept cropping up including – memorialisation and Mussolini’s use of Great War memorials to bolster his rise to power in the 1920’s, the RAF’s role in 1918, the exploits of Erwin Rommel, the CWGC cemeteries, the Austro-Hungarian border fortresses and most importantly, the sheer scale of the front involved.
From the Swiss border in the west to the Adriatic Sea in the east, the front stretched for some 400 miles as the crow flies. When you add in the peaks and valleys involved, the size of the area was enormous and as a result, it is estimated that the Italians put into the field very nearly 6 million men, and the Austro Hungarians 7-8 million men, and yet, such were the losses, that the Germans sent significant reinforcements to the area, and the Italians required support from France, Britain and even the USA as the war came to its conclusion in late 1918.
As a result of the fighting in the Isonzo Valley, in the Julian Alps, on San Sisto Ridge, the crossing of the Piave and Vittorio Veneto, some 4 million casualties were incurred by all of the combatant nations.
As a comparison, the entire Western Front was just over 400 miles long, and the British major offensive of 1916 on the Somme battlefield, had a front of just 16 miles. You will find more below.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS.
(TOMORROW) Next Meeting - Lincoln & North Lincolnshire Branch, WFA – Monday 28th September 2026 - Doors open 7.00pm for 7.30pm start - Royal Naval Association Club, Coulson Road, Lincoln, LN6 7BG.
Nick Shelley presents a new talk, "Motorcycle Despatch Riders in1914", based on the book "Two Wheels to War" published by Helion in 2017, researched and written by Nick and his brother Martin.
"In 1914 the Army had just begun to mechanize the work of despatch rider signallers. So when war was declared in August 1914, urgently and at high pace, hundreds of volunteer motorcyclists, many riding their own machines, were recruited to join the BEF in France. Against all odds, they not only helped to save the BEF during the Retreat from Mons, but also helped to prevent the fall of Paris in September. Furthermore, from October 1914 they played a part in keeping the BEF intact when the opposing armies dug in across Belgium and France to create the Western Front.
Nick Shelley's talk tells the story of those 1914 motorcycle despatch riders through the eyes of just one Signals Company - the motorcyclists, officers and men of the Signals Company attached to 5th Division.
The talk originated in Nick's partnership with his brother. Martin Shelley, deeply knowledgeable about early motoring and enthusiastic about vintage vehicles, decided to research the brothers Cecil and Alick Burney. They founded a motorcycle firm in 1912, and Martin knew they were among the very first to answer the Army's call for motorcyclists by bringing motorbikes they had designed and built to the service of the Army. Less than 3 weeks after enlisting they came under fire at Mons. Between the heatwave in France in August, and the harsh Christmas weather in Flanders, 400 motorcyclists followed the Burneys to France.
Nick and Martin's research identified the Burney brothers' exact contribution to this campaign, and found much evidence about the original 12 motorcyclists attached to 5th Division, their friends and families, and their colleagues in arms. His story about them is illustrated with original photographs and documents from many sources, including letters from the front.
Just as the motorcycle despatch riders were not trained soldiers, Nick Shelley is an amateur historian. He studied English literature at Cambridge and worked with offenders as a Probation Officer for many years. Later he retrained in civil law, and for a few years before retirement had a successful legal practice dealing in legal costs, making many court appearances, either as an advocate or as an expert witness. In his spare time, he rode and tinkered with 1920's motorcycles and enjoyed researching the lives and achievements of early motoring pioneers, such as the despatch riders. The project was not only on paper - Nick and Martin built connections with many of the motorcyclist’s families, including six of their sons and daughters and other family members who shared first-hand knowledge of these men."
Nick recently presented this talk to Spalding & South Lincolnshire Branch, WFA, where it went down extremely well, attracting a larger than normal audience for the branch. At the heart of the talk are the photographs and highly descriptive letters home (which in 2026 should come with a "listeners discretion is advised" warning as they are at times pretty graphic in their description of events) -written by Captain W H L Watson which he published in his - initially uncensored - classic first published in 1915, "Adventures of a Despatch Rider" in which he tells the story of the 12 despatch riders - with nicknames like "Huggie", "Spuggy" and the ironically named "Fat Boy" - of 5th Signals Company. This is a talk not to be missed!
Nick will have copies of the book "Two Wheels to War" written by his brother and himself for sale at £20.00 per copy. Hardback, 296 pages, fully illustrated and containing the full biographies of the men, their machines, and more besides. One for every WW1 historian’s bookcase.
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The next meeting of the Friends of the Lincoln Tank Group will be held on Thursday 29th October at the Royal Naval Association Club, Coulson Road, Lincoln, LN6 7BG at 7.30pm.
The speaker on this occasion is me!
Jonathan D’Hooghe will present a new talk – “The Importance of the Battle of Cambrai and the Men Who Made it Possible”
This talk will take a look at the opening of the battle of Cambrai on November 20th 1917, but more importantly, the talk will examine why it was so important to the BEF and the BEF’s development of warfare, that would eventually lead to the defeat of the German Army one year later, and who were the main characters behind it all?
Everyone welcome, especially new faces. You do not need to be a member of FoLT to attend meetings, but members of FoLT pay just £10 a year and receive £250 of membership benefits from Ancestry and the British Newspaper Archives. It is well worth joining.
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Next Event - Spalding & South Lincs Branch, WFA is on Thursday 22nd October 2026 at 7.30pm.
Full details to follow shortly.
Spalding & South Lincolnshire Branch WFA continues to meet at the Spalding Baptist Church, Swan Street, Spalding, PE11 1BT. Meetings continue to be held in the evenings of the fourth Thursday in the month, and doors open at 19.00 hours for a 19.30 hours start. Meetings are held in a pleasant main room of the Church and there is ample - unrestricted - on street parking in front of the building. Free refreshments are served at the end of the meeting. Finally, please note that, for security purposes the main double front doors are kept locked as we cannot monitor them from our meeting room, therefore, you may need to ring the doorbell located on the single door to the right of the main double doors in order to gain entry.
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The East Midlands (Nottingham) WFA branch will hold their next speaker event on Friday 9th October 2026 at 7.30pm. The branch meets at St. Peter’s Church Hall, Church Street, Ruddington, NG11 6HA and all visitors will be made very welcome.
Dr. Derek Clayton will present: “The Battle of the Sambre: Crossing the Canal.”
A detailed look at the events of the last week of war on the Western Front when the BEF successfully crossed the Sambre and Oise canals.
The canal crossing where Wilfred Owen was killed on 4th November 1918.
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The Leadenham Military History Group’s next meeting will be on Tuesday 27th October at 7.30pm at Leadenham village hall.
The speaker on this occasion is James Handley who will speak about – “Storm Over Yorkshire – The 1644 Battle of Marston Moor.”
Probably the largest battle in terms of manpower fought on British soil. James will also bring along a selection of English Civil War militaria.
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Another group who meet at the Royal Naval Club, Coulson Road, Lincoln, LN6 7BG, is the Lincolnshire Aviation Society.
The next meeting of LAS will be held on Thursday 15th October at 7.30pm.
Talk Title – Flying, Fighting & Reflection – The Life of Battle of Britain Fighter Ace, Wing Commander Tom Neil DFC & Bar, AFC, AE
Tom ‘Ginger’ Neil was one of the elite band of RAF fighter pilots who were later to become known as ‘The Few’. During the Battle of Britain, he flew Hurricanes with 249 Squadron, destroying at least fourteen enemy aircraft for which he was twice awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross; he was then just twenty years old. Tom then went with the squadron to help defend the besieged island of Malta, after which he returned home to lead 41 Squadron, the first unit to be equipped with the new Spitfire XII, as the RAF went on the offensive in north-west Europe. He then served in a liaison role with the Americans during and after the D-Day landings. After the war, Tom remained in the RAF and became a test pilot before commanding 208 Squadron, a Meteor jet fighter-reconnaissance squadron, in Egypt’s troubled Canal Zone, for which he was awarded the Air Force Cross. On leaving the RAF, Tom became a successful author and his time was always in demand by the media and public alike as he became a voice and face of ‘The Few’. Tom died in 2018, three days short of his ninety-eighth birthday. Here, using first-hand accounts from the man himself, Peter Jacobs talks about the remarkable life of Tom Neil.
The Speaker – Peter Jacobs
PETER JACOBS served in the Royal Air Force for thirty-seven years as an air defence navigator on the F4 Phantom and Tornado F3, after which he completed staff tours at HQ 11 Group, HQ Strike Command, the Ministry of Defence, and the RAF College Cranwell. He has written twenty-three books on military and aviation subjects, including Flying, Fighting & Reflection – The Life of Battle of Britain Fighter Ace, Wing Commander Tom Neil DFC & Bar, AFC, AE.
Everyone welcome especially new faces.
See Peter's article below for further information.
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The Peterborough Military History Group meets at the Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery in Priestgate, Peterborough, PE1 1LF, on the second Wednesday of every month, 7.30pm to 9.30pm.
Everyone welcome, especially new faces.
Wednesday October 14th, - Jo Fedorak will present - “The German V2 Rocket Programme of WWII.”
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Jonty Wild spotted this talk that is being held in Sleaford on Tuesday 29th September, and wondered if Peter Garland might like to book the speaker for a Lincoln or Spalding WFA talk?
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As September draws to a close, I am reminding readers once again about the Lincoln and North Lincs WFA Christmas Lunch which will be held on Saturday 12th December at the White Hart Hotel in Lincoln.
The cost is £25pp for a three course lunch (excluding drinks) and there are just 2 seats unsold at the time of writing. Please email me or see me at the meeting tomorrow night if you would like to attend. First come first served.
I will be sending out the menu and asking for payment next month.
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I will start this week with a topical note from Tony Nutkins, who as ever, is kind enough to drop me a line to say how much he has enjoyed TL.
Tony writes; ‘Excellent edition of Trench Lincs as usual Jonathan and the contributions and information all top class.
My wife Lynne's grandfather, 16396 Private Harold Barker York & Lancaster Regiment, was awarded a DCM in Italy - 28th June 1918 for repairing telephone lines under fire.
Citation as follows:
16396 Private Harold Barker York & Lancaster Regiment attached Signal Section.
For bravery and devotion to duty on June 15th and 16th 1918.
During the intense enemy barrage, he worked continuously on a main telephone line which was cut to pieces. His companion was killed while working but Private Barker carried on mending the line unaided until another man was sent to help him. The second man was killed while mending the line with him but Private Barker put the line through alone. Upon his return he immediately volunteered to go out through a barrage to mend another line although he had had nothing to eat for over fifteen hours. Private Barker showed throughout absolute disregard of danger and a devotion to duty hardly to be surpassed.
Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for the above.
(Signed) H. Gordon Brigadier General Commanding 70th Infantry Brigade.
[What a wonderful citation to have in the family Tony – Ed]
Loos is a very important battle for the 1/18th Londons (London Irish Rifles), the first major assault that they were involved in after arriving in France in March 1915 and what a job they did.
The London Irish Rifles Regimental Association Loos Day parade will be at the Territorial Force Memorial near the Bank of England next Sunday, 27th September, form up at 10 am. [TODAY – Ed]
Have a good week and possibly a brief rest after all your travels? [Rest? – wishful thinking Tony! – Ed]’
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Next up is Bill Pinfold who has been out and about and writes in about a visit to Cardington, which, to say the least, produced a treasure trove of history, accidents and intrigue.
Bill comments; ‘Many thanks for another enlightening issue of Trench Lincs on Sunday, I always have to smile when you apologise at the start that it is a brief one, it still has plenty of content it seems to me. Many thanks for your diligence and fascinating research. [Thank you Bill – Ed]
You may have covered Cardington cemetery before, but if not then the following should be of some interest. [We have covered Cardington’s history and the airship hangars, but not the cemetery – Ed]
On Sunday I took my son to the Bedfordshire Steam Fair, traction engines and stuff, and noticed a CWGC sign on the gate of Cardington village cemetery as we drove past, so took the opportunity to stop by on the way home. It is funny how you can visit a graveyard with no particular expectation of what will be found and then it reveals an amazing wealth of history. Cardington is one of those.
Cardington, just south of Bedford, will be known to many for the two great airship hangars that are clearly visible from the Midland Railway line up to London. I know it also as the place where my father first had to report when he started his National Service with the RAF in the early fifties. The village has three cemeteries - an original old one beside the church of St. Mary the Virgin, an extension cemetery across the road which is where the military graves are, and a new additional parish cemetery.
The airship hangars at Cardington.
My first surprise, for which I kicked myself as it is something I should have known, is that there is a large white tomb which is the memorial to the people lost in the crash of the R101 airship in 1930. Their remains were returned from France and interred together in this very impressive monument, with their names engraved on the sides. Photos are attached.
The crash effectively ended Britain's plans to utilise airships to maintain communications across the empire, as reported with some marvellous old film clips at https://migflug.com/afterburner/r101-airship-disaster-1930-britain/
The CWGC maintains 17 graves at the site, 16 from WWII and just one from WWI. But he is a 7th Lincolnshire Regiment man, Private 43358 Albert George Faulkner who died 16th October 1919.
Albert was originally from Aymestrey in Herefordshire, born in 1891 to Benjamin and Alice Faulkner and was the husband of Madeline May Faulkner, of 50, Newfenlake, which lies midway between Bedford town centre and Cardington village. He had been wounded in the spine in France two years previously and that was his cause of death, as noted in the attached Obit from the Leominster newspaper.
There are two pension record images for Albert Faulkner, which seem to imply he also spent time with the ASC and the North Staffs, echoed by his MIC records which say he enlisted on 28th September 1914. He was also awarded a Silver War Badge.
Separately there stands a memorial cross to the men from Cardington who died in the World Wars. None of the men named on that are buried in the cemetery.
The WWII graves range from 1940 to 1947 and are mostly RAF VR although a WAAF and a parachute regiment man are included.
The second thing that caught my attention, though, were the additional lines of graves for servicemen killed after WWII. There are about another 20 graves that are not CWGC listed for RAF personnel from the 1950s through to the 1980s (plus one from 1938). I was pressed for time so just took a couple of photos of ones that caught my notice, including a pair who died on the same day - which I figured would have been together in an accident.
Well, that was a very false assumption. Both men died on 28th November 1957 and for the first there are lots of details, but for the second there is mystery.
Wing Commander Henry Gordon Francis Larsen died that day at Hucknall whilst testing the "Flying Bedstead". I consulted my friend Greg Harrison, 100 Squadron RAF Association Historian, and he tells me:
"The experimental vehicle wasn't on the strength of the RAF at the time, although rather interestingly, it had been allocated an airframe serial - XK426. Reference to the appropriate Air-Britain Register shows that serial as being "Rolls-Royce Thrust Measuring Rig to Contract 6/Eng/7814." As I'm sure you're well aware Bill, the "Flying Bedstead" trials ultimately resulted in the Harrier V/STOL aircraft. Sqn/Ldr Larsen was one of a group of pilots being instructed on VTOL techniques at the time of his death, when the device he was piloting struck the gantry above to which it was tethered. Incidentally, his DFC (details of which appeared in the London Gazette on the 2nd of June 1944) was awarded when he was a pilot with 28 Squadron and the citation reads thus:
"This pilot has taken part in many reconnaissance’s and has displayed great skill and determination throughout. He is an exceptionally able leader, whose readiness to undertake the more dangerous and difficult tasks has set an example which has proved inspiring. His untiring efforts and high standard of efficiency have been reflected in the great success of the squadron he commands."
At the time the squadron were equipped with the Hurricane Mk.IIC, and based at Ramu in Burma. Of historical interest is the fact they were the last RAF unit to leave Hong Kong, in June 1997."
Larsen died at Hucknall in Nottinghamshire, is buried at Cardington south of Bedford, but was actually based at RAE Thurleigh north of Bedford, where experimental aircraft development took place. And he lived at Perring Close, Sharnbrook (not "Herring" as stated in the press article attached) which is of interest to me as it is not 100 yards from where I am sitting writing this to you now.
The Flying Bedstead that led to the Harrier VTOL aircraft.
The second man who died that day lost his life in Lincolnshire, but I have not yet found out how. He was 4135673 Senior Aircraftman Norman Alger and his death on 28th Nov 1957 was recorded at Sleaford. Alger was a married man and originally from Wakefield in Yorkshire, which is where his widow returned after he died. Greg Harrison has kindly checked RAFweb for me and that says:
"He was serving at RAF Cardington at the time of his death, the circumstances of which have yet to be ascertained, however his death was registered in Sleaford. He is buried in St. Mary's Churchyard, Cardington."
So for some reason Alger was away from his base at Cardington and died on service somewhere in the Kesteven area. Perhaps he was visiting Cranwell or Digby or the like. I cannot find any newspaper reports of road or air accidents there that day. I haven't forked the money out for his death certificate from GRO yet, given he is not my direct family, but that is a future option. One other curiosity is the report of the South Wales Argus of 15th Dec 1955 which shows he was one of four RAF men investigated in Singapore on a possible robbery
charge. It seems that he was not convicted as he remained in RAF service until his death. I would welcome any info that your readers may have.’
If you can add anything about Alger and his life and death, please drop me a line.
Thank you very much Bill. It is always worthwhile stopping at any churchyard, they are a treasure trove of history and stories and it is beholden of us all to keep their memory alive.
Lest We Forget.
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Norfolk is a popular destination for TL redaers, and this week, we have news from John Pritchard and Jo Stacey.
John starts off; ‘Shirley and myself have had a 10-day stay in Norfolk recently, where during this time I found a few interesting war memorials.
At Langham there is a "dome" which was used for gunnery training at Langham Airfield, which is very unique and far advanced at the time it was built during WWII. It is a little museum which is packed with information about this military installation and the Beaufighter squadron stationed there; you can even have a try at shooting down a German aircraft!
Opposite the church at Langham is a memorial set into the wall which gives the names of the men from the small village who died during the Great War.
Inside the church there is a small plaque which is unusual as it is giving thanks to the village residents for looking after the soldiers during WWII.
The two war memorials at Mundesley are positioned on and beside the Coastguard Station.
The one on the wall is for the soldiers who were lost during the Great War from the village, in addition, there are plaques for the horses and nurses who lost their lives. The other memorial (a bomb on a plinth) is for the soldiers from the bomb disposal teams who were killed whilst clearing bombs and mines from the beach at the end of WWII. There are four separate plaques listing the soldiers rank, names and date of death.’
Thank you John and you have raised, once again, a very pertinent point. Service deaths did not end on VE Day, and the clearance of the nation’s beaches was a long and dangerous process.
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Jo Stacey and family have been staying in Heacham, Norfolk and their tour of the church and churchyard is detailed in Jo’s report.
Jo sent in her report as a Google Doc, so rather than me download it all, then copy and paste it back into Mailchimp, here is the link to Jo’s article, which I hope you will click on and read.
Heacham WW1 .docx - Google Docs
The tale of Robert Bobbins is very tragic and well worth a couple of minutes of your time. Thank you Jo.
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Matt Colley has been closer to home and reports from St. Wulfram’s church in Grantham. Matt writes; ‘A recent visit to St. Wulfram’s Church in Grantham revealed a memorial to the Machine Gun Corps, which had its training centre at nearby Belton Park.
In 1914, despite the British Army’s bitter experience in the Boer Wars, all British Infantry Battalions were equipped with just two Maxim machine guns. In February 1915 this was increased to four per battalion.
The experience of the early days of the Great War and the First Battle of Ypres highlighted the need for special tactics and organisation when deploying machine guns.
The BEF had already set up a Machine Gun School at Wisques in France in an effort to train new Regimental Officers and machine gunners to both replace those men lost in the fighting and to increase the number of men with the necessary skills.
On 2nd September 1915 a proposal was made to the War Office for the formation of a single specialist Machine Gun Company for each infantry Brigade, by bringing together the guns and gun teams from the four Battalions of each Brigade. They would be replaced at Battalion level by the new light Lewis machine guns and thus the firepower of each Brigade would be substantially increased.
The Machine Gun Corps (MGC) was created by Royal Warrant on 14th October 1915, followed by an Army Order on 22nd October 1915. The companies formed in each Brigade would transfer to the new Corps. The MGC would eventually consist of Infantry Machine Gun Companies, Cavalry Machine Gun Squadrons and Motor Machine Gun Batteries. The pace of reorganisation depended largely on the rate of supply of the Lewis guns but it was completed before the Battle of the Somme in 1916. A Base Depot for the Corps in France was established at Camiers.
A Machine Gun Training Centre was established at Belton Park and with a camp nearby at Harrowby, (both outside Grantham). Belton Park began its work on 18th October 1915, a few weeks after the 11th (Northern) Division had left the site to go to serve in Gallipoli. [Including 6th Lincs – Ed]
In 1914 the light Lewis gun was still in an experimental stage. It was a shoulder-held or bi-pod mounted air-cooled light automatic weapon weighing 26 pounds and loaded with a circular magazine containing 47 rounds. The rate of fire was up to 700 rounds per minute, in short bursts. At this rate, a magazine could be emptied very quickly. The Lewis was carried and fired by one man, but he needed another to carry and load the magazines. Lewis guns were supplied to the army from July 1915, initially to six selected Divisions and then to more as they were produced in increasing numbers. The original official establishment was 4 per infantry Battalion (and 4 per Cavalry Regiment), but by July 1918, infantry Battalions possessed 36 each and even Pioneer Battalions had 12. This very significant increase in battalion firepower enabled new and successful infantry tactics to be devised.
Shortly after the formation of the MGC, the originally issued Maxim guns began to be replaced by the Vickers .303 inch gun. The Vickers was fired from a tripod and was cooled by water held in a jacket around the barrel. The gun weighed 28.5 pounds; the water another 10 pounds and the tripod weighed 20 pounds. Bullets were assembled into a canvas belt, which held 250 rounds and would last 30 seconds at the maximum rate of fire of 500 rounds per minute. Two men were required to carry the equipment and two more men to carry the ammunition.
According to the Memorial a total of 160,500 officers and men served in the MGC, of which 62,049 were killed, wounded or missing. (Although other sources put the number serving as 170,500 including the Old Comrades Association wreath – photo attached). It is easy to see why the MGC was nicknamed the “Suicide Squad”.
There is also an Old Comrades Association Standard by the Memorial.
Beneath this Memorial in a locked case is a Book of Remembrance – a photo of the visible page is attached with a photo of the Memorial.
As well as this Memorial there are memorials to the Corps at Belton Park, in London at Hyde Park Corner, and on the face of the town hall at Albert in Somme, France, and there is a memorial to the MGC (Cavalry), in Cheriton Road Cemetery at Folkestone.
Credit for much of this information must go to the Long, Long Trail website, which has far more detail on the MGC’s units.
A quotation from George Coppard’s autobiography: “No military pomp attended its birth or decease. It was not a famous Regiment with glamour and whatnot, but a great fighting Corps, born for war only and not for parades. From the moment of its formation it was kicking. It was with much sadness that I recall its disbandment in 1922; like old soldiers it simply faded away“. And with that “fading away” the MGC’s records were also scrapped, ensuring that any research was made extremely difficult.
The Vickers Machine Gun Exhibition at the Pavilion, Bisley is holding an event showing the story of the Vickers machine gun in the aptly-named 'Vickers Room' in the Pavilion Bisley at the home of UK shooting, Bisley Camp, Surrey, GU24 0PB. The event runs from Friday 2nd October to Monday 5th October 2026.
This will be a full museum-quality display of key items from the collection and this will be the first time some of these items have been on display.
As well as understanding the gun itself, they will show how it was used, the stories of the people who used it, how they were trained, how it changed over time and what other roles it had. This is a FREE entry event but tickets need to be booked so the organisers know the numbers of people visiting and when.
Full details on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/s/the-vickers-mg-exhibition/1646541086321999/
Thank you Matt, and there will be more about the MGC from Matt next week.
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Robin Sayer’s photos from Cromer last week sparked some kind words and very interesting images to be sent in by Peter Jacobs.
Peter writes; ‘Thank you Jonathan for another excellent and most informative TL. Each week I find a piece in your article will spark a memory of someone or something, and this latest edition is no different.
Now, I should say from the outset that I am mindful the focus of TL is the Great War and so it is not my intent to turn this piece too ‘light blue’ in WWII, but when I saw Robin Sayer’s piece from Cromer mentioning Squadron Leader R G A Barclay it prompted me to share a few images with you that your readers may find to be of interest.
I will not take up space here writing about George Barclay (he was known to his colleagues as George) because the link you provided in TL says it all, but before I describe the images attached I should first mention that I have long been an admirer of 249 Squadron, in particular its role during the Battle of Britain, of which George Barclay played a significant part. Indeed, over the years, I have been privileged to have met, and dined with, several former squadron members that we now remember as ‘The Few’, and on many occasions the name George Barclay would come up – he was that highly regarded by those who knew him at the time!
The first image (above) shows a relaxed pose by four of 249’s pilots sitting on a fence with ‘pipes various’. It was taken at Boscombe Down in August 1940, soon after the squadron had moved south from Yorkshire to join the battle. I got the image from Pat Wells (second from right). George Barclay is furthest left; Percy Burton is next to him and Bryan Meaker is furthest right. It is a rarely seen and most poignant image because only Pat Wells would survive the war. Hence, the second image, which shows good friends Bryan Meaker (left) and Percy Burton, both of whom were killed within hours of each other on 27 September 1940. (below)
The third image is of George Barclay (right) with Tom Neil, with both proudly wearing the ribbon of the DFC; note Tom has the rosette showing a Bar to his DFC. This image was taken at North Weald in early 1941 shortly before 249 Squadron moved to Malta. Both Tom and George were just 20 years old at the time the image was taken and between them they had accounted for some 20 enemy aircraft destroyed - probably several more!
So, ‘light blue’ bit over – it’s something a bit different, but I make no apology for including some great images that deserve to be seen and for keeping the names of George Barclay, Tom Neil and others in our minds. Indeed, my next talk to the Lincolnshire Aviation Society is about Tom. Thanks, again, for TL. I look forward to it every week!’ [You are very kind Peter – Ed]
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I turn now to my first thoughts about my trip to Italy. As mentioned above, the sheer enormity of the area that was the Italian Front is what really hit me. Driving northwards up into modern day Slovenia and up to Caparetto (Today Kobarid) made me start to realise the extent of the Isonzo valley (Today Soca Valley).
The Isonzo Valley looking north from Caparetto.
We are as a nation, very Anglo Centric in our Great War thinking and as the British army was really only involved from late 1917, we may have read about the San Sisto Ridge, the crossing of the Piave or the battle of Vittorio Veneto which ended the war, but the idea that there were 12 separate Battles of the Isonzo between the Italians and the Austro-Hungarians passes most of us by as a footnote of history.
However, in just the 11th Battle of the Isonzo, 18th August-13th September 1917, the Italians suffered 160,000 casualties and the Austro-Hungarians more than 105,000, whilst the Italian artillery fired more than 3,000,000 shells during this phase alone.
The casual reader of the fighting in Italy may start to grasp the scale of the fighting, something which I admit I had not fully understood, and nor had I fully understood the terrain in which the men fought.
It was these enormous losses and the belief that the liberal politicians negotiating the Treaty of Versailles, had not gained for the Italians the territory they deserved for their efforts and sacrifice, that Mussolini used in October 1922 to come to power when he marched on Rome, and then to consolidate his power into a dictatorship over the nation by 1926.
Mussolini’s rise to power as a leader of a victorious nation in the Great War is in many ways the opposite to Hitler’s rise to power in a defeated nation, in which he used a different narrative. Hitler and his National Socialists used the idea that the German army in 1918 was not defeated militarily, which it was, but was ‘stabbed in the back’ by the weaklings, defeatists and of course, the Jewish bankers on the Home Front.
However, Mussolini used remembrance of the First World War to strengthen Fascism by linking wartime sacrifice to Fascist nationalism and presenting his regime as the heir to Italy’s wartime experience.
Key to this was:
Celebrating the fallen: Fascist ceremonies honoured Italian soldiers killed in the Great War. Memorials, monuments and commemorative events portrayed the dead as heroes who had sacrificed themselves for the nation. This helped create a culture of patriotic duty and sacrifice.
The immense Fascist war memorial at Redipuglia.
Promoting the idea of a “mutilated victory”: Although Italy was on the victorious Allied side in 1918, nationalists argued that Italy had not received all the territory it deserved. Mussolini exploited this resentment, claiming that the liberal governments had failed to secure the rewards that Italian soldiers had fought for. Fascism presented itself as the movement that would restore Italy’s national greatness.
Connecting Fascism with the veterans: Mussolini emphasised the supposedly transformative experience of the trenches. Fascist propaganda portrayed former soldiers as disciplined, masculine and willing to sacrifice themselves for the nation—qualities Fascists claimed were needed in peacetime Italy. The Blackshirts also drew heavily on the imagery and culture of wartime military service.
Fascist iconography adorns the walls of the onsite chapels at Redipuglia.
Using wartime rituals: Military-style uniforms, marches, flags, salutes and mass ceremonies gave Fascist politics a quasi-military character. Public remembrance therefore became not just about mourning the dead but also about demonstrating loyalty to the Fascist nation.
Controlling the meaning of the war: The regime increasingly presented the First World War as part of a longer national struggle culminating in Fascism. The message was essentially that those who had sacrificed themselves for Italy had created a debt that living Italians had to repay through national unity, discipline and service to the state.
Creating a cult of sacrifice: Fascist propaganda blurred the distinction between the sacrifice of wartime soldiers and sacrifice for Mussolini’s regime. This helped legitimise ideas such as obedience, militarism and willingness to die for the nation.
Conclusion: Mussolini did not simply commemorate the Great War; he politicised its memory. By portraying the war as a heroic national sacrifice that had been betrayed by liberal politicians, Fascism could depict itself as the movement that would complete the work of the soldiers and restore Italy’s greatness.
On the tour, we visited a number of these Mussolini inspired national monuments to the fallen. The two most powerful were the vast memorial and ossuary at Redipuglia and the enormous memorial park and ‘Arc de Triomphe’ at Asiago.
REDIPUGLIA.
The memorial is a series of steps, the riser adorned with the names of the dead (below) and the leading edge of each step containing the word 'Presente' multiple times. The translation of which is of course Present or Here - suggesting that the dead are still with the nation and the struggle.
The depth of the riser adorned with the names of the dead gives you an idea of the scale of the memorial, and the effort rrequired to walk to the top!
To the rear of this image are two museums and a chapel.
The Redipuglia memorial is built on a battlefield site and also contains regimemntal memorials, photogrpahic boards showing the construction of the memorial and a very well preserved set of battlefield concrete bunkers which I will come back to in the weeks ahead.
ASIAGO
The memorial arch can be seen from miles away.
Inside the chapel building it is a labyrinth of corridors with every wall covered in the names of the Italian war dead - below.
All arms of the Italian forces were commemorated.
The Alpini, mountain troops.
Bersaglieri - Light Infantry
The infantry regiments
The Artillery regiments.
Of course, the tour was not all work and no play! Cheers.
Next week, I will take a look at British remembrance on the Italian Front and highlight the three CWGC cemeteries that we visited.
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Our regular finisher is another colourised photograph from Chris Seager at Colour by CJS.
Second Lieutenant Willson Kenwick Nunnerley
Willson was born into a prosperous farming family in Ellesmere, Shropshire in 1898, and was educated at a local Grammar School and then at Rossall boarding School in Lancashire. After leaving school he worked on his family’s farm, which may have seen him exempt from military service, but he enlisted towards the end of 1916 joining the Royal Flying Corps, and was commissioned in April 1917.
Wilson trained to be a pilot and was posted to 13 Squadron in France on 17th September 1917. The squadron was equipped with the two seat RE8 aircraft, and was tasked with vital but dangerous low altitude work flying Artillery Spotting and Contact Patrol missions as well as Photographic reconnaissance.
Despite the dangers Willson flew many missions without injury in the autumn and early winter of 1917. Then came the Battle of Cambrai and a period of intense operations.
Flying at very low level, often in appalling weather and fog the risks he faced were greatly magnified but he came through that period unscathed and his good fortune continued when he was lucky to survive a serious crash when landing in high wind on 2nd December.
Wilson's luck finally ran out on 5th December 1917. He took off at 9am on an artillery observation mission in the Arras area. He was attacked by an enemy aircraft at 7,000 feet and shot down in flames.
He was seen to jump from the burning aircraft without a parachute and his observer, 25 year old 2 Lt George Carter also died in the crash. The two comrades are buried next to each other in Duisans British Cemetery, Etrun.
Willson Nunnerley was 19 years old.
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In Memoriam the Lincolnshire Regiment 27th September.
1914
6342 Private Edward Williams, 1st Battalion. Remembered on the La Ferte Sous Jouarre Memorial, France.
9590 Private John William Williamson, 1st Battalion. – Ditto. –
1915
9794 Private James Alexander Gray, 2nd Battalion, aged 21. Buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
13721 Private F Sansam, 7th Battalion. Buried in Voormezeele Enclosure No.3, Belgium.
8218 Private S J Stocking, 1st Battalion. Buried in Etaples Military Cemetery, France.
13026 Private Walter Holvey, 7th Battalion. Remembered on the Menin Gate, Belgium.
1916
Eight men are recorded as having died on this day.
1917
Seven men are recorded as having died on this day.
1918
Five men are recorded as having died on this day.
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.
[Apologies for not having recorded all the names above. Time has beaten me this week – Ed]
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I look forward to hearing from you.
Until next week,
All best wishes
Jonathan
© Jonathan D’Hooghe
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