great war women - an intergenerational project for · pdf filein january 1918 the government...

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GreatWarWomen:homeandabroadProjectsforPrimarySchools–byTriciaRestorickWomenwerethemothers,sistersandwivesofsoldiers.Theywerehome-makers,workersandcarersofreturningwoundedmen.Someworkingwomentookonadditionalresponsibilityintheworkplace.Othersleftalifeofleisuretobecomewage-earnersforthefirsttime.Feelingsofpatriotism,alongingforadventureorasenseofvocationinspiredotherwomendonserviceuniformsathomeandabroad.Asarelated,butseparatephenomenon,womenalsoappearedinwartimepostersencouragingmentoenlist.Numerousexamplescanbefoundonthewebandprovidecolourfuldiscussionpoints.PostersfromothercountriesengagedintheconflictwillhelptoincludechildrenfrombackgroundsotherthanUK.

ThesenotesprovidesuggestionsBUTthemostlivelyandimmediateresourcesaretobefoundinyourownlocality.Localnewspapersofthetimeareinvaluablesourcesbuttaketimetostudyonmicrofiche.YourlocallibrarianmightbeabletohelpandwillcertainlyguideyoutoalocalRollofHonour,picturearchiveetc.andsuggestresourcesalreadyinuse.Thesuggestionsgivenherearegroupedtoshowwomenrespondingtowartimeconditions:

inthehomeonhomeserviceservingabroad

WORLD WAR ONE

1916-1918

Our Heritage - Our SchoolsOur Community 2016-2018

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TheHomeBackgroundissuestoconsider: 1.Inadditiontotheroutinedrudgeryofrunningthehomewomenoftenhadtocopewithoutthedomesticandfinancialsupportoftheirhusbandsand/orworkingsons.Partofasoldier'swageswerepaiddirectlytothefamilybutthereductioninhouseholdincomeswascompoundedbyincreasingfoodprices.Insomeindustrialareas,childrenwereallowedtoleaveschoolbeforetheofficialschoolleavingage,ortoreducethelengthoftheschooldaysothattheycouldsupplementthefamilyincome.

2.In1917theGermansadoptedatacticofunrestrictedsubmarinewarfareandaimedtosinkallshipssupplyingBritain,whethertheybelongedtoBritain,Americaoranyothercountry.Theeffectsweredevastating.EssentialsuppliesbegantorunshortandinApril1917Britainwassixweeksawayfromrunningoutofwheat.InJanuary1918theGovernmentintroducedrationing.

3.Womenwerethemaincarersformenreturninghomewoundedorinjured.Themenreceivedaweeklypensionbasedonthedegreeoftheirincapacityandanallowanceforeachchild.Womenalsoenduredtheuncertaintiesandworrywhenmenweredeclared'missinginaction'.

4.Menwhowerekilledduringthewarleftbehindwives,parentsandfamilies.Theimpactoftheselossescreatedprofoundchangestofamilylifeandthatofwidersociety.Onpages5and6areexamplesofnewspaperreportsofcasualtiesoftheBattleoftheSommemadeintoremembrancecards.Theyimplyfamilieswhosuffered.

Suggestedactivities:1,2and3.Changingpatternsoffamilylifearegoodtopicsfordiscussionandforimaginativewriting.Thegradualbuild-uptorationinghighlightedsocialdifferences.Forexamplethedependenceofpoorerfamiliesonbreadwasnotsokeenlyfeltinhouseholdswhichcouldstillaffordawiderrangeoffoodstuffs.Menwhohadbeenwoundedorinjuredweresometimesunabletotakeuptheirpreviousemployment.Theyoftenfeltinadequateandangry.

4.Yourlocalwarmemorial(s)andRollsofHonourwillhavelistsoflocalmenkilledinthewar.

• ChildrenwillbeabletolookupnamesandaddressesontheCommonwealthWarGravesCommissionwebsiteandcross-referencetothe1911Censustoseethefamilymembers.

• Analysisoftheregimentsmentionedonthewarmemorialwillshowthatmenservedinawiderangeoflocalandnationalbranchesoftheservices.

• Menwhodiedveryearlyinthewarwereoftenregular(ie.full-time)soldiers.Deathsin1915andearly1916wouldincludevolunteersencouragedbyKitchener's"YourCountryNeedsYou".

• In1916conscriptionwasintroducedandservicebecamecompulsory.Atthispoint,'Conscientiousobjectors'becomearichveinforstudy.

• Ifafulllistofdatesofdeathisavailable,atablewillshowwhichyearsofthewarweremostcostly.

Resources:Alltheissuesdescribedabovehavegoodinternetcoverage,forexample:

• Foodshortagesandrationing:http://www.mylearning.org/wwi-food-shortages-and-rationing/p-4628/andhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/0/ww1/25235371

• Localnewspapersandinternetsourceswillgiveanideaofpricerisesinyourarea.• Formenwhodiedinthewar:www.cwgc.org• 1911Census:www.ancestry.co.uk• ImperialwarMuseumresourcesrelatingtowomenhttp://www.iwm.org.uk/history/women-in-

wartime

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OnhomeservicePriortotheGreatWarwomenwerealreadyemployedinlargenumbers,especiallyinthetextiletradeanddomesticservice.Thewarwastogivewomennewandmuchwideropportunitiestotaketheirplacewithintheworkforce.Manysoughtworkoutofneedintheabsenceoftheirmen-folkbutotherssimplyseizedanopportunitypreviouslyclosedtothem.Ineveryareaofnationallifewomensteppedforwardtotaketheplaceofmenservingtheircountrywhilstalsokeepinghomesfunctioning.

• Womendonneduniformtobebusconductressesandtodeliverpost;• 258,300womenworkedoutdoorsintheLandArmy;• Womenworkedincoalmines,onbuildingsitesandasdocklabourers;• 900,000womenworkedinmunitionsfactoriesexposedtoeverykindofdangerandriskedtheirlives

andhealthonbehalfofthewareffort;• Bettereducatedwomenwhohadnotpreviouslyworkedbecameclerks,teachers,laboratory

workers,shopassistantsandadministratorsofvoluntaryorganisationsraisingfundsforthewareffort;

Onthenegativeside,somewomenwhohadpreviouslybeeninserviceinthehousesofthewealthywerethrownoutofworkaspayingwagesbecamemoredifficult.In1914,theWomen'sSocialandPoliticalUnionabandonedthesuffragecampaignandardentlysupportedthewareffort,urgingallwomentodothesame.SomeWSPUmemberssetuplocalbranchesofTheWomen'sTemporaryEmploymentBureauandencouragedwomentoentertheworkforceinplaceofmen.

IWMQ28190IWMcaption:'Femalebricklayersatworkonabuildingsitein

LancashireduringtheFirstWorldWar'

IWMQ-27846IWMcaption:'TwowomenmunitionsworkersoperateashellcaseformingmachineduringtheFirstWorldWarattheNewGunFactoryofthe

RoyalArsenal,Woolwich,London.'

IWMQ-28191IWMcaption:'WomenworkinginthelaboratoryofachemicalworksofBrunnerMond&Co.Ltd.,Northwich,Manchester,September1918.'

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ServingabroadWomenalsoservedthewareffortinmoredirectwaysasnursesandmembersoftheWomen'sAuxiliaryArmyCorps.Women'snamesoccasionallyappearonlocalwarmemorialsbuttherearewell-documentedstoriesaboutnursesEdithCavell,NellieSpindlerandBettyStevenson,spiesLouisedeBettigniesandMarthaCnockaert,artistsFloraLionandOliveMudie-Cooke.

• Thepre-war-trainednursesoftheQueenAlexandra’sImperialNursingService(QAIMNS)servedfromtheoutsetinmanytheatresofwarincludingFrance,Belgium,Greece,andIraq.Bytheendofthewar10,400hadservedwithQAIMNS.Theirworkinmilitaryhospitalsanddressingstationsnearthefrontlinesresultedinsomeofthembecomingcasualtiesthemselvesandonehundredandfortyonenursesareknowntohavedied.

• Qualifiednurseswho,beforethewar,hadjoinedtheTerritorialForceNursingService,wenttoserveinmilitaryhospitalsinUKandabroad.FiguresforTFNSvary.IanHay[SirJohnHayBeith]gives7,117ofwhom2,280servedoverseas,whileElizabethHaldanegivesafigureof8,140withthesamenumberservingoverseas.

• WomenjoiningtheVoluntaryAidDetachment(VADs)weretrainedbytheRedCrossandworkedasnursesintheUnitedKingdomfromtheoutbreakofthewar.AfterApril1915,ascasualtiesincreasedandtheneedformorehospitalsgrew,VADsalsoworkedinmilitaryhospitalsontheWesternFront.LikemembersofQAIMNSsomelosttheirlivesandnonewerefreefromthedangersofdiseaseor,whenabroad,fromenemyattack.

• AftertheextremelyheavylossesontheSommeinthesummerof1916,manymeninmilitaryadministrativepostsweretransferredtocombatroles.TheirplacesweretakenbymembersofQueenMary'sAuxiliaryArmyCorps.Bytheendofthewar10,000officersand52,000otherranksofhadworkedintheQMAACundertakingeverytypeofofficeanddomesticemployment,workinginbakeries,ordnance,motortransportdepotsandasgardenersinmilitarycemeteries.InFranceairraidswereaconstantthreatlateinthewarresultinginlossoflife.InoneraidaloneinMay1918sevenwomenwerekilled.

OnlineResourcesForimagesofwomeninWW1see:http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/search?query=women&items_per_page=10&f%5B0%5D=contentDate%3AFirst%20World%20WarFornursesinWW1see:http://www.scarletfinders.co.uk/index.htmlForimagesofwomenatworkinWW1see:http://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-women-war-workers-of-the-north-westandForstoriesaboutwomensee:http://www.iwm.org.uk/history/12-things-you-didnt-know-about-women-in-the-first-world-warandhttp://www.iwm.org.uk/history/5-inspirational-stories-of-women-in-the-first-world-warFortheworkofwomenwarartistsandphotographers:http://www.iwm.org.uk/history/6-stunning-first-world-war-artworks-by-women-war-artistsandhttp://www.iwm.org.uk/history/british-women-photographers-of-the-first-world-war

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R fm WALTER MORR IS ON J OWETT 4 th B t n , N ew Z e a l a n d R i f l e B r i g a d e

(E ar l o f L i v e r p oo l ' s Own)

Wa l t e r ' s f a t h e r F r an k wa s a dr ap e r i n Br a d f o r d a n d S i l s d e n b e f o r e o p e n in g a sh op n ex t t o t h e Y or k sh i r e Ro s e on C o a ch S t r e e t , Sk i p t o n . Wa l t e r ' s m o t h e r c am e f r o m N e s s f i e l d , I l k l e y . A f t e r l e a v i n g s c h o o l W a l t e r w o r k e d a s a s h o p a s s i s t a n t i n t h e

b u s i n e s s b e f o r e em i g ra t i n g t o N ew Z e a l a n d . T h e NZ R i f l e C o r p s wa s e n g a g e d a t F l e r s - C o u r c e l e t t e o n 15 S e p t em b er . Wa l t e r w a s

wo u nd ed an d t a k en t o t h e d r e s s i n g s t a t i o n a t De r n a n c o u r t bu t d i e d t h e r e t w o da y s l a t e r . H i s b r o t h e r s e rv e d w i t h t h e L ee d s R i f l e s

a n d s u r v i v e d t h e wa r .

G u n n e r WI LL IAM DUFFEY 1/6 th D uk e o f We l l i n g t o n ' s R e g i m e n t

Wi l l i am Du f f e y wa s 22 w hen h e d i e d o n 16 S ep t emb e r 1916 d u r in g a n a t t a ck o n th e G e rma n s t r o n gh o l d a t T h i e p v a l .

H i s b od y w as n o t r e c ov e r e d a n d h e i s r e memb e r e d on t h e T h i e p va l Memor i a l t o t h e Mi s s i n g o f t h e S omme .

H i s b r o t h e r - i n - l aw , T h om as G a l l a gh e r , wa s r e c ommen d e d fo r h ome s e r v i c e wh en h e en l i s t e d in 1915 a t th e a ge o f 36 . H e s e r ve d w i t h a L a b ou r C ompa n y u n t i l Ju l y 1918 h e wa s

compu l s o r i l y t r a n s f e r r e d t o t h e 18 t h S co t t i s h R i f l e s a n d s e n t t o F r a n c e . He su r v i v e d t h e wa r a n d w as d i s ch a r g e d i n

Ma r c h 1919 .

P t e ARTHUR ANDERTON 8 th B tn D uk e o f W e l l i n g t o n ' s R e g i m e n t

A r th ur f i r s t s aw s e r v i c e a t G a l l i p o l i w h e r e h e d i s emb a r ke d o n 24 Nov emb e r 1915 . T h e 8 t h B t n We s t R i d i n g Re g t wa s w i th dr aw n in Ja n ua r y 1916 , t r an s f e r r e d t o E g y p t a nd th e n t o F r a n c e i n Ju l y 1916 . A r t h ur d i e d on 14 S ep t emb e r a n d

i s r ememb e r e d o n t h e T h i e p va l Memor i a l t o th e Mi s s i n g o f S omme .

P t e HERBERT LAKE 1/6 th D uk e o f We l l i n g t o n ' s R e g i m e n t

H e r b e r t a n d h i s b r o th e r Se t h en l i s t e d i n th e We s t R id i n g T e r r i t o r i a l s i n 1914 a n d c r o s s e d t o F r a n c e i n A p r i l 1 915 . Se th w a s k i l l e d s i x wee ks l a t e r l e a v i n g a w i d ow an d t h r e e ch i l d r e n i n K e i g h l e y . Th e i r o l d e r b r o t h e r , W i l l i e , s e r v e d a s

a d r i v e r w i th t h e We s t R i d i n g A r t i l l e r y . H e r b e r t d i e d on 18 th S e p t emb e r d u r i n g a s a t t a ck on th e

T h i e p va l R i d ge wh i ch wa s t o f a l l t o B r i t i s h t r o o p s o n 25 t h Se p t e mb e r .

H i s b od y w as r e t r i e ve d f r om t h e b a t t l e f i e l d i n M ay 1919 w i th 5 o t h e r s f r om h i s Compa n y . T h e y a r e n ow b u r i e d t o g e th e r a t L on s d a l e C eme t e r y , A u t h u i l l e .

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S g t JAC K INGHAM Mi D 3005 , 6 t h B tn W es t Y o r k s h i r e R e g im en t

(B ra d f o r d T er r i t o r i a l s)

Wh i l s t J a c k ' s a d d r e s s wa s Ch a r l e s t own , Ba i l d o n h i s p a r e n t s l i v e d o n S t S t e p h e n ' s R oa d , Bow l i n g . On 15 J u l y 1916 Ja c k ' s b a t t a l i o n wa s a t t a c k i n g t h e L e i p z i g Sa l i e n t f r om Au t h u i l l e o n c e a g a in . F o ur o f f i c e r s a n d 50 o t h e r r a n ks b e c ame ca s ua l t i e s . On t h e s ame d a y th e b a t t a l i o n wa s

s t r e n g th e n e d b y t h e a r r i va l o f 289 men o f t h e D LI : s uc h wa s th e a t t r i t i o n r a t e i n t h i s s e c on d p h as e o f t h e B a t t l e o f

t h e Somme . Ja c k ' s n ame i s o n th e T h i e p v a l Mem or i a l .

P t e ARTHUR ANDERTON 8 t h B t n Du k e o f W e l l i n g t o n ' s Re g i m en t

O n 14 t h Ju l y A r t h u r ' s B a t t a l i o n a t t a c k ed en em y t r e n c h e s k n o wn a s t h e Wund e r W e r k a t 6 . 30pm h a v i n g a r r i v ed in p o s i t i o n a f ew

h o u r s e a r l i e r . T h e a t t a c k r ea c h ed an d h e l d t h e e n em y t r e n c h an d wa s r e g a r d e d a s ' a c o m p l e t e s u c c e s s ' b u t t h e c o s t w a s h i g h . E i g h t o f f i c e r s a n d 25 0

m e n we r e c a s u a l t i e s . A r t h u r ha s n o k n own g r a v e b u t i s rem em b e r ed o n th e T h i e p v a l

M em o r i a l t o t h e M i s s i n g o f t h e S omme .

P t e GEORGE ARC HER 5 th B tn Yo r k sh i r e R e g i m e n t

T h e Yo r ks h i r e Re g im e n t ( k n own as t h e G r e e n Howa r d s) r e c r u i t e d l a r g e l y i n E a s t a n d Nor t h Yo r ks h i r e a n d G e o r ge ' s

r o o t s i n Sc a r b o r o u gh ma y h av e l e d h im t o ch o o s e t h i s r e g im en t . G e o r g e h a s n o kn ow g r a v e a n d i s r ememb e r e d o n

t h e T h i e p va l Memor i a l t o th e Mi s s i n g .

H i s w i dow Amy w as ma r r i e d a ga i n i n 1918 t o Ch a r l e s C op l a n d , a w id owe r w i t h f ou r c h i l d r e n .

P t e ERNEST A DDI SON

10 t h B t n T h e K in g ' s (L i v e r p oo l R e g i m en t )

On 9t h A u gu s t 1916 E r n e s t ' s Ba t t a l i o n wa s o r d e r e d t o a t t a ck t h e v i l l a g e o f G u i l l e mon t a t 4. 20 am . C as ua l t i e s we r e v e r y h e a v y , e s p e c i a l l y amo n g s t o f f i c e r s a n d t h e m en

we r e w i th d r awn b y a 2n d L i e u t e n an t b a ck t o t h e i r own f r on t l i n e t r e n ch . Th e v i l l a g e wa s v e r y s t r o n g l y d e f e n d e d w i t h

we l l - p l a c e d ma c h in e gu n s . No t u n t i l Se p t e mb e r we r e Br i t i s h t r o o p s a b l e t o t a ke th e v i l l a g e .

E r n e s t h a s n o k n own gr a v e a n d i s r e memb e r e d on t h e T h i e p va l Memor i a l t o th e Mi s s i n g o f t h e S omm e .

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PleasetellusaboutyourPrimarySchoolprojectscommemoratingWW1

Thisisaninter-generationalprojectfromthe

Golden-OldiesCharity(1121600).Youcanfindoutallaboutourworkwitholder

peopleacrossEnglandandWaleson:

www.golden-oldies.org.uk

thewebsiteforthisWW11916-1918programmeis:

www.ourmemories.org.uk

contactuswithyourprojectdetails:

grenville@ourmemories.org.uk