LOOKING BACK 1965

When I happened upon this diary which I had kept during the Kaiser War
1914-18 and re-read it after the lapse of half a century I wondered how it was that I could have, in the concluding sentence, described those times as 'enjoyable:'.
The tragic elimination of a large proportion of a generation, including the best of the young men at that time, undoubtedly resulted in the poor leadership by lesser men from which this country has since suffered and which led it into a Second World War. How then could I have described the times of the First World War as enjoyable?

I was twenty-two years old in 1914 and a 2nd lieutenant serving in the 120th Battery (5th Division) at Newbridge in Ireland. When war was declared a small nucleus was detailed to remain al the station to wind up affairs. I can remember that those people who were detailed to stay behind were in a state of despair because they were convinced that, by the time they joined up again, the war would be over! The one thing of which the ordinary person was certain was that no modern war could last for more than a few months on account of the expense.

Promotion in those days was slow; one could expect to reach the rank of captain in not less than fifteen years of service, so it is not surprising that one felt a little
proud to find oneself commanding a battery at the age of twenty three! The command of a battery was perhaps the pick of all regimental commands. By reason of the tactical role, a Gunner automatically enjoyed certain privileges: for example he had to spend a considerable portion of his time in observation posts, chosen as places which gave the best view of what was going on.

When trench warfare set in. a broad strip of France and Belgium, about 6,000 yards deep became a sort of 'world apart'. Living in this world was undoubtedly dangerous but there were many compensations. The peculiar circumstances and the common purpose seemed to bring out in most people their very best characteristics: courage, unselfishness, good hum our and so on; and then there as the total absence of all the conventional and social worries of ordinary civilized life. In spite of having to sleep for months on end in a hole in the ground and in spite of the appalling mud in winter.
I kept in excellent health during the whole of the three years I was at the front, except for a couple of days in the exceptionally severe winter of 1916, when we were in action at Marrieres Wood on the: Somme.

I had to spend a long time at a forward observation post for a wire-cutting task and came back very cold. Later, aches and pains got so bad that I could not move; and I had to send for the brigade medical officer. He produced some pills which brought me out in a muck sweat and in 48 hours I started to get better again. Perhaps I mentioned this indisposition when writing home, and it may have caused my mother to have spoken to her relative Sir Francis Bingham was head of the military side of the Ministry of Munitions.
Anyway, in the late summer of 1917. I unexpectedly received an official order directing me to forthwith to a department of the Ministry of Munitions.

I remember that I spent my last night at the front at the battery observation post.
A typical “All Quiet on the Western Front“ night with very- lights lobbing up to light up no-man s-land. And occasional outbreaks of small arms fire here and there, and faint rumble of transport taking supplies up to the forward areas.
I realised then that I was looking at this strange world for the last time and it was with regret and feeling rather like a deserter that on the following morning I handed over command of the battery, said goodbye and rode away.

The word 'enjoyable' in describing these times was obviously not the right one but it was probably intended to record the many privileges and unique experiences which participation in the events on the front had afforded.

The years since 1914 have seen such prodigious changes in every aspect of life that it becomes more and more difficult to believe that one was an eye witness to the appearance and methods of war in 19114the French cuirassiers with breastplates and plumed helmets, the poilus with blue and red uniform and their enormous packs, the long rifle with outsized bayonet of the French territorial's, the first military airplanes with rival airmen shooting at each other with revolvers, the Boer War pompom as the official anti-aircraft gun. the German soldiers in their Pickelhaube, the mass of horses and wagon lines stretching in a band at a reasonably sale distance in rear of, and roughly parallel to the front lines - wagon lines came in for an occasional shelling my groom Driver Crease was killed in that way but generally speaking during trench warfare they were not much molested. It was at night when ammunition and supplies were being taken up to the front that the horses and transport dropped in for a bad time.

At almost the earliest possible age of l8 '/2 years, I got my commission and, after a month's course of gunnery at Shoeburyness, was posted to 120th Battery at Ballincollig in southern Ireland. My battery commander, whom I thought was a silly old man, took an instant dislike to me and it was fortunate for me that at his time for retirement came along a few months after I joined.
He was replaced by Major Holland and things for me began to look up again.
Major Holland was the very finest type of Officer and we subalterns should be grateful
To him for his wise leadership, his efficiency and innate kindness to us (he was the first Gunner Officer to be Killed in the War on the very first encounter with the Germans on 23rd August 1914)
It is astonishing to think back to the circumstances of the young officer in 1914, he had to provide his own uniform and equipment which was comprehensive: 2 suits service dress, full dress, frock coat, mess kit, blue patrol tunic, sword, belt, revolver, uniform and boot cases etc. My parent kindly paid for my outfit which I think cost about £100. The pay of a 2nd Lieutenant was 5s.7p a day which amounted to approximately £100 a year and my parents gave me an allowance of £160 a year. Then there was if lucky, two months leave during which I could live free.

On the debit side there was mess bills which absorbed an absolute minimum of £6 10s. a month, and one had lo pay for laundry and give soldier-servant and groom each 15s. a month.
This remuneration for a job invoking responsibility, after having to provide all own clothing and equipment, not mention having to pay for all the preliminary education, does not seem to have been exactly generous; however it sufficed then to permit of a very full life. I was never in debt and cannot remember ever feeling short of cash. In spring, summer and autumn one was very fully occupied with training, practice-camp and manoeuvres, but winter was the time when furlough could be taken and at Christmas time in 1911. 12 and 13. 1 spent my two months each year at Osberton.

In those days the horse was the end-all and be-all of life. 1 had a good government charger and General Bewicke-Copley ("Commander South at Cork) very kindly gave me a black hunter mare (Biddy) and still better my grandfather gave a chestnut hunter (Marourene). I shipped the latter two horses and groom to England each year and to back up hired a horse from Bellamy of Grantham as well; and so it was (frost permitting) four day's hunting and two day's shooting each week of one's leave. More hunting of course on return to Ballincollig. Everyone hunted whenever possible, even the orderly officer who. however, was required to inform the orderly sergeant where the next meeting was!

When I returned to Ireland early in 1914 I hadn't a notion that the country was heading for a major war. Training started as usual and my parent came out in June to see our practice camp at Glen Initial in County Wicklow. It was soon after his visit that the Curragh Mutiny happened, u most peculiar affair in which a meeting of all officers was Called and presided over by some' high-ranking officer from the Army Council.
At this meeting officers were required to choose-between obeying orders to march against Ulster, or being dismissed from the service. Exception was made for anyone whose home was in Ulster and any such could 'disappear' for the period of hostilities! Also 2nd lieutenants were required to seek their parents' advice before making a decision my father cabled back from Portugal where he was staying at the time 'Cannot advise fighting loyal Ulstermen'. Thus it came about that every officer (bar one) chose dismissal and we put on mufti and command of the brigade was handed over to the Regimental Sergeant-Major.

Within a few days, however, the whole position changed; war with Germany became imminent, the dismissals were declared to have been all a mistake, officers gladly put on uniform again and all thought turned to the matter of mobilisation. And so in due course to France and Belgium when on 23rd August 1914, the 120th Battery found itself with the advanced guard at the Mons Canal and fired the first 18-pounder rounds of the 1914-18 War.



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