Trench Lincs 4th May 2025
- trenchlincs
- May 4
- 26 min read
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Good Morning,
Welcome to this week’s Trench Lincs and I am pleased to let you know that in this lovely weather, TL contributors have been out and about for us and you can read about a number of churches and memorials below.
Last week we noted that it was both ANZAC Day, 25th April, and St. George’s Day, 23rd April. We have previously covered the myth of St. George and his appearance on the battlefield in 1914 to save the BEF from defeat and for this week, Peter Garland has kindly taken the story of St. George one step further and writes the following for our enjoyment;
‘Origins of St George.
St George was an early Christian martyr and soldier. Believed to have been of Greek origin, having been born in Cappadocia (now in Turkey) around the year AD280. Historical writings say he became an officer in the Roman Army, eventually becoming a member of Emperor Dioletian's Praetorian Guard. He was executed - beheaded after being severely tortured - in the Palestinian town of Diospolis (now Lod, or Lydda in modern day Israel) in AD303 following the Diocletamic persecution of Christians in the Roman Army who refused to renounce their Christian faith and make sacrifices to the Roman pagan gods, an act which led to the creation of several military martyrs. It is said his execution took place on April 23rd, AD303. According to the historian Donald Attwater, this is an undisputed historical fact which takes precedence over other accounts that exist.
It is said that a witness to his suffering convinced Empress Alexandra of Rome to convert to Christianity, which sealed her fate as she too, was executed for her new found Christian faith.
He was canonised as a Saint by Pope Gelasius in AD494 who wrote that "he was one of those whose names are justly revered among men, but whose acts are known by God" and his remains are said to be contained within a sarcophagus within the Church of Saint George in Lod (Lydda) in Israel.
The legend of St George slaying the dragon with his lance "Ascalon" (after which Winston Churchill named his personal aircraft during WW2) first arises several centuries after his death in a Middle Ages compendium of Saints lives called "The Golden Legend" which arose from an 11th Century Georgian (the country, not the time period) source translated by the 13th Century Archbishop of Genoa, Jacobus ed Voragne. In the story, the city of Silene (Libya) was being terrified by a dragon that demanded offerings of dozens of sheep in return for peace. One day, having become bored with mutton, the dragon demanded human female flesh, which it apparently developed a taste for, so much so that it demanded the King sacrifice his daughter to it. The legend says that St George heard about this, and galloped to the rescue of the princess on his pure white horse, killing the dragon with his lance "Ascalon" (although some versions say he captured the dragon, and placed a strong collar on its neck, by which the princess led it through the town with St George telling the townspeople to be afraid of it no longer, inspiring them by his courage to convert to Christianity; the dragon being killed later).
A good story, but, as it post-dates his death by several centuries, it’s clearly a clever myth created to demonstrate and teach the Christian ethos of good always overcoming evil to ordinary folk. The dragon representing evil, the knight in shining armour riding to the rescue on his white steed representing good.
The story of St George first arrived in England during the 9th century, brought back from the Bible lands by returning pilgrims and mercenaries, but the road to him becoming Patron Saint of England probably commenced during the reign of Edward 1st (1272-1307) who incorporated the emblem of St George (red cross on a white background) into his personal banner. Edward III (1327-77) revered St George and is said to have owned a relic containing the Saint's blood. When Edward created the Order of the Garter as the highest chivalric order of England, he incorporated the Saint's emblem in the Order's Garter Badge and Chain. However, it was really Henry VIII who popularised him as the official Patron Saint of England, decreeing that the Cross of Saint George should be the official flag of England.
Previous to these events, the Patron Saint of England had been St Edmund, or Edmund the Martyr, Anglo-Saxon King of East Anglia who was martyred by Viking invaders who, after Edmund refused to renounce the Christian faith under torture, tied him to a tree and used him as target practice. Some in East-Anglia still believe St Edmund should be our Patron Saint and celebrate by flying his White Dragon flag on November 20th, St Edmunds day. After all, he was a true Anglo-Saxon Christian martyr, who actually did live and rule here, and whose belief in the Christian faith never wavered in the face of adversary.
In this, his story is similar to that of St George, who never actually set foot on our green and pleasant land, but, unlike St George, St Edmund’s story is not embellished by tales of rescuing a princess from an evil dragon.
St George had, for many centuries, also been held to protect soldiers in battle. In order to elicit his protection, they would place his emblem on the front and back of their tunics. Certainly, from around 1100 onwards, he has been held to protect the English Army in battle. Indeed, it was said that his protection helped the English to gain victory at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. Furthermore, you should all be familiar with those famous lines from Shakespeare's "Henry V", which the bard had the King speak at the Battle of Harfleur, "Once more unto the breach dear friends! God for Henry! England and Saint George!". But it was not just the army St George was said to assist. He was one of the "Fourteen Holy Helpers" that the Roman Catholic poor looked upon to protect and help them during times of hardship, particularly against deadly infections such as the plague.
An interesting fact regarding Shakespeare; it is claimed he was born on or around Saint Georges Day in 1564, and died on Saint Georges Day in 1616!
Another interesting fact; it is not just the Christian world that venerates St George. You may be surprised to learn that some Muslims regard him as a "Martyr of Monotheistic Faith". His story is told in writings penned by Al-Tha 'Iabi and Ibn Al-Athir, although they differ from the Christian version in claiming he was a Palestinian. He is also venerated by the Druze, and Lebanese, Palestinian and Syrian Christians.
England shares St George with, (deep breath:) Bulgaria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ethiopia, Georgia, Lithuania, Malta, Palestine, Portugal, Ukraine and the states of Catalonia and Aragon. He is also the Patron Saint of Beirut, Genoa, Moscow and Venice, and others besides.
Several centuries after his death, an apparition of St George is said to have aided the BEF's retreat from Mons in 1914, and inspired Naval Commanders during the Raid on Zeebrugge. St George also inspired King George VI to create the George Cross, the design of which features St George on his horse, lance in hand, slaying the dragon. The King incorporated it as the highest award for non-operational bravery or courage in the UK and its colonies, "for acts of the greatest heroism or for most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger not in the presence of the enemy".
So, certainly celebrate St George, but treat the dragon legend and his image as a knight clad in shining armour, shield and lance in hand, with a pinch of salt. However, inspiring, it is just not true.’
Thank you for the historical background to St. George, Peter.
St. George appears to aid the BEF outside Mons in 1914.
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As many of you know, my eldest son and his family live in rural outback Australia, but each small town community has a war memorial that we would recognise in the UK. On April 25th, many folk get up before dawn to attend their annual ANZAC Day service and 2025 was no exception.
Here are two photos from Halls Creek.
And here is the town memorial where my son lives in Kununurra photographed on my last visit in 2023.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS.
Next Meeting - Lincoln & North Lincolnshire Branch WFA - Monday, June 2nd - Doors open 7.00pm for prompt start at 7.30pm - Venue: Royal Naval Association Club, Coulson Road, Lincoln, LN6 7BG.
Joanna Costin presents “Answering the Manpower Question”.
More detail to follow in due course.
Please note that there is no branch meeting in May.
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Woodhall Spa Country Show - Sunday - May 18th - Volunteers Required.
Along with some of our other WW1 colleagues/local organisations - including Editor Jonathan - Lincoln Branch WFA will be putting on a display in the Heritage Tent at this wonderfully friendly local country show to promote the Branch and its activities. Peter Garland is organising our stand, and is looking for:
a) Volunteers to help out on the day. If you can just manage a couple of hours, that would be good, but a whole day would be greatly appreciated.
b) If you have any interesting WW1 related items that you could loan to us for the day that would contribute to a creating a good display, we would be pleased to hear from you. All items loaned will be well looked after and safely returned after the event.
c) As in previous years, we like to send visitors away with a freebie, so if you have copies of Stand To! or the Bulletin gathering dust around the house that you no longer require, please let me know.
If you can help out, contact Peter on 07933-287316.
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The East Midlands (Nottingham) WFA Branch meets again on Friday 9th May at 7.30pm at St. Peter’s Church Hall, Church Street, Ruddington, Nottingham, NG11 6HA. All welcome.
The speaker is Grant Cullen who will speak about ‘The Tragedy at Quntinshill.’
This rail tragedy is still the worst accident for fatalities in British history. On May 22nd 1915, a troop train heading south near Gretna Green, collided with a stationary train, the next northbound express then collided into the wreckage of the first accident.
Two-hundred and thirty, mainly men of the 7th Royal Scots bound for Gallipoli, were killed and another two-hundred and forty-six were injured.
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Next Meeting - Spalding & South Lincolnshire Branch, WFA – Thursday 22nd May, - Doors open 7.00pm for prompt start at 7.30pm - Venue: Spalding Baptist Church, Swan Street, Spalding, PE11 1BT.
May 22nd - Grant Cullen presents “The First Air War”.
Further details to follow.
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The Leadenham Military History Group’s next meeting will be on Tuesday 27th May, at Leadenham Village Hall with a start time of 6.30/7.30pm.
From 6.30pm there will be a display of Military Vehicles in the village hall car park and surrounds.
At 7.30pm Ian Prince will present “WWII May to September 1945 Asia-Pacific Theatre.”
As we celebrate VE Day on 8th May, our very Anglo-Centric view of the Second World War often means that we forget that the war against Japan continued until mid-August 1945 as it was primarily an American theatre of war.
I have had the great pleasure in acting as a ‘Guinea Pig’ audience for Ian’s dress rehearsal for his upcoming talk and I can thoroughly recommend Ian’s talk to you. It is well researched, beautifully illustrated and extremely thought provoking with regards to the use of the Atomic bomb. I will say no more, but I do hope that you will attend on 27th May.
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The next presentation in the Friends of Lincoln Tank 2025 season of talks will be held on Thursday 12th June. Please note that there is no branch meeting in May.
Andy Burn will present “Fray Bentos, the action, the crew and the forthcoming film.”
Trapped: The Story of Fray Bentos - The Tank Museum
The venue will be, as ever, The Royal Naval Club, Coulson Road, Lincoln. The entrance fee for the event is £5.00 payable on the night on the door. Doors will open at 7.00pm for a 7.30pm start and I hope many of you will be able to join and support us on the evening. Refreshments will be available at the bar and there is plenty of parking available on site. Don’t forget you do not need to be a member of FoLT to attend. All will be warmly welcomed – old and young. See you all then.
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Another group who meet at the Royal Naval Club, Coulson Road, Lincoln, LN6 7BG are the Lincs Aviation Society.
I now have great pleasure in advertising their forthcoming events, which take place on the third Thursday of each month - entry is £2 for members and £3 for visitors.
However, for their May event, there will be an evening visit to Metheringham Airfield on Thursday 15th May, meet at 6.45pm. Ray Sellers will be our guide for the night and this event is open to everyone and will double up with the Lincoln WFA’s branch May outing.
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May 8th will be a day of Victory in Europe celebrations and commemorations across the nation and as part of those celebrations, there will be an afternoon of events at Leadenham village hall.
Starting at 4.30pm, there will be an unveiling of a plaque at the village hall. The LVH trustees have sponsored a memorial plaque to mark RFC/RAF Leadenham Aerodrome which operated from 1916 until June 1919 and provided home defence against the threat of Zeppelin attacks.
Following the unveiling at 4.30pm, Bar opens at 5.30pm.
Games, activities and a family BBQ from 6pm.
Church bells will ring around the nation at 6.30pm
Lighting a Lamp of Peace and the Beacon at 9.20pm
1940s Period dress is optional!
If the fare on offer at Leadenham on 8th May doesn’t tickle your fancy, why not try my village pub, The Joiners Arms at Welbourn on VE Day.
A Grumpy German! – God Forbid, are there any others?
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For more than 15 years, the Lincoln and North Lincs WFA branch has run an annual tour to various locations on the Western Front and this year it is proposed that the tour departs on Sunday 12th October, takes in the annual service of remembrance at the Hohenzollern Redoubt on Monday 13th October and then spends three days, possibly on the Somme battlefields, before returning home on Friday 17th.
However, time stands still for no man, and the volunteer drivers of recent years now find themselves the wrong side of 70 years of age and can no longer drive a 17 seat mini bus.
Therefore, for the 2025 tour to happen, the branch committee are looking for new blood. Are there two volunteers to drive in the UK and on the continent a 17 seater bus, or four volunteer drivers to drive two 9 seater people carriers as in 2024?
If you would like to volunteer for this role or receive more details about the role and the tour, please let me know, and I will pass on your interest to Mike Credland and Peter Garland.
STOP PRESS - One volunteer has come forward to drive a 9 seater people carrier but the branch would still require three more drivers. To drive the 17 seat mini bus, which would only require two drivers, those drivers would need a D1 on their driving licence.
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You may recall that in February I visited both Greetwell and Branston churches only to find that on the day of my visit, both were locked and I was unable to gain admission. Charles Anderson subsequently provided some information for us on these churches, and now, he has gone one step further by letting me have these two word.docs that describe the various memorials that reside within these churches
Please click on the links.
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Chas Parker, who gave an excellent talk at Leadenham last week about the Royal Observer Corps, has been in touch and comments; ‘On a recent visit to relatives at Winteringham on the banks of the Humber we visited the church and I noted these memorials.
1. Plaque for the Dudding family who were well known in health circles in the Scunthorpe area when I was young. We have a Colonel and a Surgeon-Admiral included. I've not had time to research these people further at the moment but the naval officer sounds to be an interesting character.
2. Great War memorial plaque.
3. Very low key Second World War memorial plaque.
I will leave Chas to carry out further research on the Dudding family but my very quick search revealed that they both served in WWI, Thomas in the RAMC and John in the Royal Navy, where as a Surgeon-Commander, he had served aboard HMS Hood between 1922 and 1924.
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Many of you well read in the historiography of the Great War will have read about the infamous Bull Ring at Etaples near Boulogne. Here, newly arriving soldiers and convalescing wounded men were put through their paces by notoriously bullying instructors who made lives hell for many.
What really upset many of the men who passed through Etaples was that these instructors guarded their cushy rear echelon jobs jealously, and despite being bullies of the highest order, many of them had never set foot in a trench at the front.
At the end of the war together with the slow pace of demobilisation, eventually mutiny was in the air. Michael Doyle, who has not enjoyed the best of health lately takes up the story; ‘I am fine, still continuing my research, and of course keeping in touch with my many friends within Great War circles, tomorrow is of course ANZAC Day, my late father back in the day, would be donning his medals and his sprig of Rosemary, and walking into downtown Canberra to the makeshift soup kitchens and celebrating dawn with his fellow Ozzies.
I normally attend Welford Road Cemetery for the occasion to pay my respects on behalf of my dear old dad, but unfortunately, I am just not up to the drive down into Leicester city centre at the moment, maybe next year.
I hope all remains well with you, I always enjoy your weekly missive, as do the many friends that I forward it on to, you have quite a large unknown audience, 16 at the last count, one with quite famous connections, a Justice of the Peace, Martin Pantling, his great uncle was none other than John Thomas Pantling. I have attached a story written by Martin Pantling for your interest. [Thank you for your kind words and help Michael! - Ed]
Was he a Hero or a Coward?
John Thomas Pantling was my Great Uncle. His story has a ‘Dickensian’ feel to it:
In 1876, at the age of 27, Susan Pantling (John’s mother), signed herself over to the Workhouse in Wellingborough. Her four children, all under 9 years old, entered with her. The bottom had fallen out of her life when her husband, an Agricultural Labourer, was diagnosed with tuberculosis. The family were living in Oundle at the time. Susan’s husband, John Pantling, could no longer work and had to return to his parents in Irthlingborough to be cared for. He died in 1881. His wife and children had to find a means of survival and the Workhouse appeared to be the only answer. They stayed together at Wellingborough Union for over a year but then Susan was offered the opportunity to become the domestic help at a lodging house in Wellingborough owned by George Rivett. Sadly, she was only allowed to take her two-year old son with her. The three older children remained in the Workhouse.
After only a short time Susan entered into a relationship with George Rivett and between 1878 and 1891 she had six children with him. All were registered as ‘Pantling’. One of these children was John Thomas, born in 1887. In 1891, whilst pregnant with her 7th child by George Rivett, Susan became estranged from him and ended up giving birth to her baby, my Grandfather, in Wellingborough Workhouse. The younger children, the ones who could not work, joined her. So John Thomas Pantling had his first taste of life in the Workhouse at the age of five.
In the 1890’s Susan’s eldest son, one of those who had experienced the hardship of life in the Workhouse, was working in a shoe factory in Kettering. Through his work he met an older man called James Thomas Chapman who had recently become a widower. James had a young daughter who needed to be looked after. She was to become Susan’s lifeline and passport out of Wellingborough Workhouse. The situation would lead to a new home for her very young family in Kettering and eventually, a new husband for Susan.
Around 1896 the group were once again in difficulty. Those who were of working age had been labouring in shoe factories in Kettering but work had become short and the family income was not enough to sustain everyone. They decided that work prospects might be better in Leicester and so the family set out on foot with the few belongings they could carry in search of a better life. John Thomas was about ten years old at the time. They found accommodation firstly in Shirley Street, Belgrave and then Linden Street. James Chapman and Susan Pantling were married at St. Peters Church, Belgrave in 1898. Family members, including John Thomas, also found work in Leicester shoe factories.
It is against this background of social hardship and the struggle for survival that John Thomas Pantling’s character and temperament was formed. As a young man he was a member of the Union of Boot & Shoe Operatives and he developed a growing loathing for what he saw as injustice. John was a lifelong socialist and was actively involved in the local ‘Temperance Movement’. He had connections with St. Marks Church in Belgrave and that could explain where his later radical tendencies were first nurtured.
John was living at 53 Victoria Road North, Belgrave with the rest of the Chapman/Pantling family a few months before war was declared on Germany in August 1914. He was a shoe pressman by trade. John had married his long term girlfriend Edith Annie Culley in April 1914 at Leicester Register Office. She lived in Archdeacon Lane – very close to St. Marks Church! Sadly, John’s service record is one of those that were lost in WWII bombings and so the detail of his involvement is sketchy. However, he did enter the Theatre of War in France at the age 27 on 9th September 1914 with the Leicestershire Regiment and so was part of the British Expeditionary Force who were sent out early to assist the French in holding back the Germans whilst new recruits could be trained. This meant that he was almost certainly already a trained soldier; John’s location has yet to be found in the 1911 Census and this would suggest that he was serving overseas with ‘the Tigers’. It is also likely that he was still held in the [Special] Reserve in 1914 and therefore would have been called up immediately. [An Old Contemptible - Ed]
John later served with the London Regiment and ended up with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps on munitions duties towards the end of the war. [The Ordnance Corps became 'Royal' in 1918 - Ed] His regimental movement indicates that he would have fought at the front and, at some stage, was wounded/injured or taken ill or both and ended up on lighter duties. He certainly served overseas for the majority of the war. John was a seasoned soldier and, being in his thirties, he would have been respected by the men who served with him. On return to the battlefield after injury he will almost certainly have been subjected to the same kind of bullying and oppressively inhumane treatment by officers and NCO instructors that the new recruits suffered at the Etaples Base Camp. The Camp became known as ‘The Bull-Ring’ to the men, the training designed to not only ‘knock them into shape’ but also to put the fear of God into them about the consequences of cowardice and insubordination. John would probably have been angered by what he saw and humiliated by what he had to endure.
The family story that was passed down to me by an elderly cousin of my father who I met in the early 1990’s was that John was shot as a deserter in 1919 after the authorities found him hiding in a field at the end of the war. His death certificate could not confirm this. It said that he died of influenza. The reality of his story is very different and it makes him something of an unsung hero rather than a coward.
References to John can be found in a book called ‘The Unknown Army’ written by social historians Gloden Dallas and Douglas Gill in the 1980’s. The book is about the unrest amongst British troops during WWI – something that the authorities were at pains to cover up. The social historians had advertised for information in the national press and many ex-‘Tommie’s’ came forward to give eye witness account of the social unrest that was emerging towards the end of WWI. The book reveals that John Pantling was a leader in the biggest mutiny in British Army History (The Calais Mutiny of 1919).
In 1919 John Pantling was a private in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps based at Calais and apparently was both well-known and popular with the men. Towards the end of the war he had been distributing copies of the banned ‘Daily Herald’ to troops in the Ordnance Depots around the area through an arrangement with a local newsagent.
At the end of the war demobilisation was on the minds of everyone and there was concern among the men about who would go home first. It had been a hard, bloody and inhospitable experience for all and of course, those who went first were most likely to get the best jobs. Government priority was to send the miners home first (understandable really), those who had the promise of a job to go to and finally those that were at the front. The problem with the latter priority was that the average life expectancy at the front was only a matter of weeks and so those in that position as war ceased were likely to have only been serving King and Country for a short time. The longer term soldiers like John Pantling, many of whom had been wounded, were placed on munitions/ordnance duties away from the front. The prospect of them going home was highly unlikely.
John Pantling was a co-founder of the Calais Soldiers and Sailors Association (a union for serving servicemen) and he became their spokesman in negotiations with the Army Authorities in sorting out better working conditions for the men e.g. reducing the working week from 6.5 to 6 days, better food and accommodation and presenting the soldiers view on demobilisation. His knowledge of radicalism in Leicester and his lengthy army experience would have prepared him well for this role.
On two occasions however, John was arrested for supposedly inciting the men, the second of which led to his incarceration at the Bastille in Calais. He had delivered what was termed ‘a seditious speech’ to the men and was accused of being a ‘Bolshevik’. He faced court martial and being shot. John would have been very well aware of what might happen to him. When the news of his plight reached the Ordnance Depots in the Calais region 4,000 men went on strike, marched on Calais and demanded his release. The authorities, fearing mutiny and mass revolution, eventually gave in to the soldier’s requests and Pantling was returned to barracks. A fellow mutineer who was considered to be something of a ‘barrack-room lawyer’ warned that John could be rearrested at any time after the hostilities were over, court martialled and shot. The group therefore demanded that he was court-martialled whilst they still had some control. With reluctance the authorities agreed to the demand and John Pantling was acquitted of any wrong doing.
The social unrest of February 1919 in the Calais Ordnance Depots led to John Pantling suffering six days in leg irons in a cold prison cell. The sad thing is that he died two weeks later from influenza, four days after his 33rd birthday. He is buried at Les Baraques Military Cemetery, Bleriot Plage, Calais.
John almost made it home! His comrades said that his ill treatment whilst in prison was the main cause of his death. £150 was raised through a collection for his Widow – a lot of money in those days. He must have been a very special man to have commanded that kind of respect and, in my opinion, he was certainly not a coward.”
I am very au fait with the mutinies and unrest at Etaples but to have all of the background information on John Pantling’s early life and upbringing is a real bonus, and I thank Martin for sharing his family story with us.
John Pantling.
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With a granddaughter now living in Dukinfield and a daughter running the Manchester marathon, last weekend was the perfect time to catch up with Melody and hear about her new school and friends, and then to support and cheer on Amy as she ran her first 26.2 mile’s marathon.
On the way north, we stopped for a coffee, and that gave me chance to call in at St. Pauls at Compstall where the village memorial sits at the foot of the small hill which is the site of the church, which was sadly locked up at the time of my visit.
Compstall war memorial.
We picked up Melody at her new home and took her out for lunch and then into Manchester centre for some shopping and sightseeing. Whilst my wife and Melody explored the Arndale centre, I set off to visit some city war memorials that were on offer.
First was the Manchester Cenotaph that sits in the square where the main tram terminus now resides. The cenotaph is smaller than the one on Whitehall and very plain in its iconography and inscriptions, but does have the Manchester city coat of arms, which was also the Manchester regimental cap badge.
Adjacent to the cenotaph there are a number of smaller memorials to some quite obscure causes e.g. To the Italians who fought in the Great War 1915-18. I probably need to research why their memorial is in Manchester? Does anyone know?
Other than Manchester has a Socialist reputation, does anyone know why they remember the Soviet soldiers who died in WWII?
A short walk took me to the Manchester City Boer War memorial, a splendid rectangular plinth with four panels naming the city’s dead and their respective regiments in the 1899-1902 conflict. Sitting atop of the plinth is a beautiful relief of Tommy Atkins standing guard over a wounded comrade.
For me, this is a stunning memorial encapsulating everything that a memorial should contain. What do you think? Please let me know.
‘Tommy’, the poem by Rudyard Kipling, was written in 1890 and resonated with the British public just a short few years later when war broke out in South Africa. It neatly encapsulates the hypocrisy of a society that frowns upon the army until they are required to fight, sadly, a sentiment still with us today.
The Manchester Boer War memorial made me think of Kipling immediately, and for those of you who do not know the poem, here it is.
I went into a public 'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins," when the band begins to play
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins," when the band begins to play.
I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.
Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap.
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes," when the drums begin to roll.
We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' Tommy, fall be'ind,"
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind.
You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool - you bet that Tommy sees!
Next place for me to visit was Manchester cathedral. Again, about 80% of the cathedral was out of bounds as they were setting up hundreds of chairs for an event on Saturday night, but I was able to visit the military chapel.
A number of plaques and tablets memorialise the men of Manchester in every war from the 19th century to the modern day. Here are a selection.
After walking back to the car, we headed back to Dukinfield where I discovered by chance, two memorials to the local men of Dukinfield and Dukinfield Hall.
Another stunning Tommy memorial in Dukinfield with four panels commemorating the dead. [War memorials are not a dry and 'boring' subject! - Ed]
In Globe Square I found this memorial to the men associated with Dukinfield Hall.
Sunday was another lovely day weather wise and we drove from our hotel to East Didsbury Park and Ride and made the most of a very busy tram system all day to cheer Amy on in her run. I am pleased to say that she did remarkably well and finished in a time a little under 4 hours 30 minutes, which was the target she had set herself. It really was a superb achievement and I am very proud of her and admire all of the training she has done in the last few months.
A brilliant effort Amy!!
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I will finish this week with another wonderful piece of work by Colour by CJS, as I have mentioned before, there are many critics of the colourisers, but I am not one of them. I think the old black and white originals really are brought to life by this skilful process and this week it is the turn of Major George Bernard Ward MC and Bar.
George was from Long Melford, Suffolk. He was educated at Sudbury Grammar School, Malvern College and Birmingham University and before the war he worked in the brewing industry. George was a member of the Church choir and of the company of bell ringers, he was also Vice-President of the village club.
He enlisted in 1914 and after a period of training was granted a commission in the 9th Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment, before he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in November 1915.
He joined 2 Squadron in France in February 1916 and was given command of 10 Squadron in December that same year.
During his time with 2 Squadron he was awarded the Military Cross. The announcement in the London Gazette on 25th November 1916 read;
“When in one of three machines engaged on photographic reconnaissance, they were attacked by a formation of nine hostile scouts. A determined resistance was offered to this attack, which was beaten off, and the photographs were then taken. Whilst returning to the aerodrome this officer turned back alone to take some further photographs, and, observing six hostile machines approaching, he promptly attacked them at close range, and after a sharp fight brought one down and drove off the remainder. He then completed his photography”.
The award of a Bar to his Military Cross was announced in the London Gazette on 26th September 1917;
“For conspicuous gallantry in action. He flew over the enemy lines at a height of 100 feet under heavy fire, and carried out a very successful artillery reconnaissance, he has previously done very fine work”.
By the time that announcement was made George was dead. Flying A.W.FK8 no. B270 he was killed on 21st September 1917. "Attacked by four hostile scouts over the German lines, but his machine fell in the British lines and his body was recovered. His machine was completely smashed, and he died without regaining consciousness”. His observer Second Lieutenant W A Campbell died of his injuries.
His obituary in the times mentioned that he had brought down a number of enemy machines. A senior Officer wrote to his parents referring to the funeral, which he attended and described as being very impressive.
“The whole of his Squadron were there and many other Officers, and one of his aeroplanes circled overhead during the service. I feel I should like to express to you how much we feel the loss of your son in the Corps”.
He is buried in Chocques Military Cemetery near Béthune. George Ward was 26 years old.
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IN MEMORIAM - The Lincolnshire Regiment 4th May.
1915
9375 Corporal R Handford, 1st Battalion. Buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension Nord, France.
2089 Private John Pennick, 5th Battalion, aged 26. Buried in Packhorse Shrine Cemetery, Belgium.
1916
Private James Frank Faulkner, 4th Battalion, aged 18. Buried in Maroeuil British Cemetery, France.
1917
241342 Lance Corporal A Wheeler, 5th Battalion. Buried in Maroc British Cemetery, France.
241080 Private Norman Birdsall, 5th Battalion. – Ditto. –
241029 Private John Richard Hutton, 5th Battalion, aged 21. – Ditto. –
240788 Private George William Kitching, 5th Battlion, aged 20. – Ditto. –
241245 Private Riley Smith, 5th Battalion, aged 28. – Ditto. –
240489 Private Thomas William Slight Mould, 5th Battalion, aged 24. – Ditto. – [See below – Ed]**
45895 Private W J Pettit, 9th Labour Company. Buried in Cayeux Military Cemetery, France.
1918
51407 Private Oliver Stanley Hart, 1st Battalion, aged 20. Buried in Arneke British Cemetery, France.
1919
46194 Private J D Nicholls, Depot, aged 31. Buried in St. Sever Cemetery, Rouen, France.
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.
** As can be seen, six men of the 5th Battalion were killed on this day in 1917 and a further four men were killed the next day. I turned to Chris Bailey and Steve Bramley’s excellent book; “The 1st/5th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment in the Great War” and quote from it; ‘At 3.15 during the early hours of May 4th, a party of 30 German infantry attempted a raid on a bombing post situated in Nero Trench and held by C Company. The raid was preceded by a trench mortar and heavy rifle grenade barrage. The non-commissioned officer in charge of the post, Lance Corporal Arthur Wheeler from Louth, was killed during the bombardment and another man was wounded.
Private Albert Forster from Grimsby quickly took command and ordered the remaining men to retire to safety and take Wheeler’s body and the wounded man with them. He then covered their retirement by bombing the onrushing raiding party. His quick thinking disorganised the enemy and prevented the dead and wounded men from falling into enemy hands. Forster managed to obtain support from a nearby Lewis gun team ensuring that the raid was totally repulsed at considerable loss to the raiders.
During the preliminary bombardment to the enemy raid, another Lewis gun position received a direct hit which buried almost the whole team. All were killed or wounded by the blast except one man.
Private Fred Blakey and the unwounded man managed between them to get the gun to work. It was not until three days later, when the battalion was relieved, that it was realised that Blakey was also wounded in the foot, a fact he had concealed while he remained at his post.
Of the other members of the Lewis gun team, four died and are buried together in Maroc Cemetery along with Lance Corporal Wheeler. Privates John Hutton and George Kitching were both from Grimsby…….The other two men who died , Privates Riley Smith and Thomas Mould were both from Gainsborough.’
I look forward to hearing from you, all contributions eagerly sought and there will be a full report on the recent outing to York.
Until next week
All best wishes
Jonathan
© Jonathan D’Hooghe
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