Resource Pack

Introduction:

This is roughly how we introduced the session…

Background to First World War - started almost 100 years ago on 28th July 1914 - ended on 11th November 1918 – all began with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Austria - within several weeks all the major European powers were at war due to their complicated network of alliances.

Although it seems a long time ago it’s still important to think about these events today - many young men from Leeds volunteered or were called up to join the army and fight for King and Country against the German and Austro-Hungarian armies.

Seemingly faraway dispute had big effects on the city of Leeds and its people - might be wondering why you’re sitting at tables that say Egypt and France - many Leeds soldiers in WW1 had no idea what to expect either.

In WW1 there were a number of West Yorkshire battalions, namely the Leeds Pals and the Leeds Rifles - we are going to focus on the journey of the Leeds Pals.

Lees Pals - general idea of a pals battalion was that the volunteers would join and serve with friends, relatives and workmates giving a feeling of comradeship – there were even illuminated buses used to gather excitement about recruitment.

Pals sent to Egypt on 7th December 1915 and France on 1st March 1916 - first time many of them would have left Leeds or been abroad.

Has anyone been abroad, maybe for a holiday? Did you miss home at all?

Leeds Pals definitely missed home - we have been looking at some of their letters and diaries - they frequently requested items from home and things that reminded them of Leeds and Yorkshire.

Case study of Harry Oldham - lived on Victoria Road in Hyde Park, Leeds - wrote a lot of letters to his brother while he was abroad in France - talked about how much he missed his mum’s cake.

Has anyone ever been to Egypt? How long did the journey take? How long do you think it took 100 years ago? – Approx. 2 weeks.

Discuss Egypt - Leeds Pals did not see much action - defending against the threat of invasion along the Suez Canal – in some of their

letters it even seems like they were having fun - but very different to Yorkshire! – Hot country of sea and sand

Discuss France – high expectations – soldiers closer to home but life in the trenches was very difficult and uncomfortable - long hours of boredom followed by bursts of combat - 750 of the 900 Leeds Pals who fought in the famous Battle of the Somme died.

Private Cosby - 3rd June 1916 – ‘very drab outlook at this point. Nothing to look forward to except a possible ‘Blighty’.’

To help ease the pain of missing home a committee was set up in Leeds called the Flag Day Committee – it raised funds to send soldiers home comforts while they were abroad - street collecting by Leeds children like you raised £33,000 for war funds!

Similar to nowadays - families and friends of soldiers still send reminders of home - 2008 the Mayor of Morley arranged for comfort boxes to be sent out to soldiers in Afghanistan.

Now we’re going to do some activities - throughout the session we want you to think about the question ‘why is it still important to think about WW1 today?’

Flag Day activity:

We borrowed these items from Artemis… Tins, ginger beer bottle, candleholder, and a rat for the middle of a table!

We bought modern equivalents for these items… Yorkshire Post, socks, playing cards, fruit pastilles, Yorkshire relish, football, notepad, pencils, soap, chewing gum, Yorkshire teabags, whistle, cream cheese, Yorkshire parkin, apples, sardines (the smell of, from daleair.com)

The following extract from a contemporary newspaper details many of the items sent out to soldiers.

We led the children with questions like… What does this item show about life abroad? Why do you think the soldiers would have requested this item? Why do you think the people of Leeds would have sent this item out to the soldiers?

Quote activity:

Each quote should link with at least one of the items in the boxes.

Extracts to print for Egypt tables…

‘Smashed a tooth with eating army biscuit’ (Private Yeadon)

‘I had a button and a pebble… you created a slight saliva which kept you from wanting a drink’ (Private Hollingworth)

‘The second day in Egypt, we stripped off it were that hot.’ (Private Dalby)

‘Our daily ration of drinking water was one mess tin per man per day… with that we had to wash and shave, wash our clothes and have a weekend tub’ (Private Pearson)

‘We are miles away from civilization. We see only soldiers.’

‘Though we have had some fine, warm days for bathing and have found it very enjoyable, it comes in very chilly at nights, and the wind is sometimes as cutting as it is at home in winter.’

‘Sir, Today, all of us members of the ‘20th

Battalion Rifle Bridge’ from Leeds received a gift from the funds in Leeds for soldiers out of the ‘Flag Day Fund.’ This is appreciated very much, not for the value of the gifts alone, but for the kindly thought of the people of Leeds who have subscribed to the various funds.’

‘Every medical unit should have an interpreter at hand. It is impossible to deal satisfactorily with the Arab camel drivers unless this is done’ (Lieutenant Bickersteth)

Extracts to print for France tables…

‘The first French words as we tied up at the docks was ‘doughnuts’, which sounded English enough to me. Small boys were selling doughnuts and they did a roaring trade, as anything was regarded as a luxury that was not on the army menu’(Private Arthur Pearson)

‘When we got to Dijon it began to snow… you can imagine the change from Egyptian weather is somewhat great’ (Lieutenant Bickersteth)

‘3 June 1916 – Very drab outlook at this period. Nothing to look forward to except a possible ‘Blighty.’ (Private Cosby)

‘Dear Father… nearly all the men about me are new as very few of the old lot are left… I

wish you could pop your head into our dugout now. We are having a bust up tonight… we have been lucky enough to get one onion, three carrots, two potatoes and one turnip, and these along with the bully beef and army biscuits are going to provide a real feast’(Corporal W. Arthur Hollings)

‘The things you have already sent us have been greatly appreciated. Every parcel is hailed with delight and each comfort is a link with the city that we all long for. Yours truly, C. R. Chappell.’

‘Our last evening in the village was like a gala night at Roundhay Park. There was the band on the green; there was the hearty laughter and the insistent burr of the broad West Riding twang; and there was much talk of Briggate and Boar Lane, and the Saturday morning Bond Street ‘crawl’. But we missed

the Yorkshire lasses- and there were no French demoiselles available as partners for the dance.’

‘One of the Leeds battalions at the front has just had its Sports Day, and an amusing account of the ‘’Bare-Back Mule Race for Subalterns (Entry Compulsory)’’ was received in the city this morning from one who took part’

Red herrings from Afghanistan…

‘Oh and the wet wipes are a god send as the local loo roll isn’t much cop, haha.’

‘Now while sitting on the floor of my room which is just no more than a mud hut style building… I am drawn to reflect about all my friends and family’

Postcard activity:

As well as the question from the hot seating activity, we put the following

questions on our PowerPoint: what did you find most difficult whilst abroad?

What do you miss the most about home/Yorkshire? What would you ask the

Flag Day Committee for?

We printed off these pictures to stick on the postcards…

Final presentation:

This is roughly what we said in our final presentation…

After all this the soldiers returned to Leeds. They finally got to experience all the things that they had missed while being away.

At the end of your time abroad are you excited to go back home? Yes? I know I usually am – but after a while do you start to wish you were away again? Yes? – So the reality of coming home doesn't always live up to the expectation…

This was certainly the case for many of the returning soldiers – faced a number of challenges e.g. shellshock, injuries, finding work, adjusting to their old lives – we used the headlines on the PowerPoint to prompt us on the challenges faced.