Next Meeting: Friday 13 November
Matt Brosnan - Hall of Remembrance
This talk will explore the innovative scheme to create a collection of large oil paintings to commemorate the war, originally envisaged to form a purpose built Hall of Remembrance. This scheme commissioned a wide array of artists and stressed the importance of the artist's witnessed experiences. The speaker will focus on the paintings Gassed by John Singer Sargent, and Travoys Arriving with Wounded at a Dressing-Station at Smol, Macedonia by Stanley Spencer. These paintings will be used to illustrate both the way the scheme worked and also how the personal experiences of these artists were translated into paint.
Matt Brosnan is an Assistant Curator at the Department of Art, Imperial War Museum. In 2008 he oversaw a display of a selection of the Hall of Remembrance canvases with accompanying sketches and letters. Before joining the Museum he completed an MPhil degree in Twentieth Century British History under the tutelage of John Bourne at the University of Birmingham. This included a study of 56th (London) Division on the Western Front 1916-1918, based on archival research.
October Meeting Report
Bryn Hammond - The 501-piece Jigsaw: Tanks in the All Arms Battle
An engaging talk that described how tanks were used in the eventual success of the BEF. This was an entirely new weapon. The commanders who used it had no previous experience to draw on, and the weapon's abilities (and limitations) were entirely unknown. Yet it had to be integrated into the existing methods of infantry, artillery and cavalry.
Tanks of WW1 had no way to communicate with each other, and messages could only be brought up on foot or horseback, and even then attracting the attention of those inside was a problem! Conditions inside were appalling: the noise of the engine meant that all communication had to be done by hand signal, and the heat was dreadful. On good ground a tank might achieve a speed of 3.8 m.p.h.
Famously, the first tanks were used on the Somme on 15 Sept 1916, but the problem was how to use tanks in conjunction with the "creeping" artillery barrage. The answer seemed to be to plan clear "lanes" in the barrage up which the tanks could advance in safety from their own artillery support. But with so many tanks breaking down, this left parts of the German front line untouched, with disastrous consequences for advancing British troops.
In spite of this disappointing debut, the British high command requested 1000 tanks, but this strained Britain's industrial capacity, and the matter was not seen as a high priority. In April 1917 tanks were in such short supply that training versions were used, which were not fully armoured. The attack at Bullecourt when (at the request of Tank Corps) there was no preliminary artillery barrage was a failure and left the Australians extremely wary of the new weapon.
During 1917 the Mark IV appeared. While an improvement, it still had a major steering deficiency in that it was necessary to stop the tank in order to change direction, which made it vulnerable to artillery fire. On the opening day of Third Ypres (31 July) 216 tanks were used, the first mass attack, and close support of the infantry led to success. However, the Germans were also learning and improved their defensive methods, and as the battle wore on, tanks achieved only local tactical successes. The Battle of Cambrai in November saw a great initial advance, but infantry co-operation broke down, and the German use of fortified villages was effective.
A useful development in 1918 was the introduction of "social activities" whereby infantry and tank crews could mix off-duty, and thus gain a better appreciation of each other's role, and needs. An important battle was at Hamel in July, where the new Mark V was used, the first tank that could be driven by one man and turned without stopping. Success there helped to convince the Australians (especially their commander, Lt-Gen. Monash) that tanks, while still auxiliary to other arms, were an important weapon. A major development was the use of wireless (morse) communication between tanks and aircraft. Major Trafford Leigh-Mallory (a senior RAF officer in WW2) was a leading advocate of this.
An interesting version of the Mark V was the "star" type which could carry troops in its extended rear section, although the bad ventilation system must have reduced their fighting effectiveness.
Bryn felt that overall the BEF's approach had been vindicated by events. The tank was never a "war-winning" weapon and had to be used in support of infantry, aided by artillery and aircraft. However, this did leave an unfortunate legacy in that the British Army in peacetime did not move on from this doctrine, while the Germans did!
As always from Bryn, an excellent exposition, well supported by photographs.
Newsletter Quiz
Answer to quiz no. 198: these were villages where all the men who went to war came home. Apparently there are thought to be 14 such. Won by Peter Lang who sets quiz question no. 199:- There is a replacement memorial statue to the 2nd Australian Division on Mont St Quentin. It shows an Australian soldier surveying the area. What did the original statue show, and how was it destroyed?
11 November
Westminster Abbey will hold a service on Armistice Day to mark the passing of the World War One generation. The service will be attended by The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. It will start just before 11am in order that the congregation can observe the two-minute silence. The service will recognise not only the military contribution in WW1 but also that of the civilian population. This year saw the passing of the three remaining UK resident veterans of the First World War: 108-year-old William Stone in January, and both Henry Allingham (113) and Harry Patch (111) in July. Our branch was invited to nominate a representative who had a family link to the war, and Tony Fleetwood (whose father was in the Gallipoli campaign) was put forward. Unfortunately he was not lucky in the ballot for tickets. The service will be broadcast live on BBC1.
June Wall
We were very pleased to hear from the St Nicholas Church that they would be naming their meeting room in the church hall after June, to honour her memory. The ceremony took place on Sat 31 Oct and Tony Fleetwood, Clive Mead and Geoff Cunnington attended to represent the branch. The Rev. Christopher Futcher gave a short and simple address to those assembled in the Meeting Room. He explained how the idea of re-naming the Meeting Room as the June Wall Room had come about at a meeting of the church group. He highlighted June's long and distinguished service to the St. Nicholas Church and everyone agreed wholeheartedly that June was always much more than just a 'tea lady'. A number of June's relations were present. Clive took some photos which we hope to show at a branch meeting.
Museum of Technology
Recommended to branch members is this museum located in the old high street of Hemel Hempstead. For opening times, see website: www.museumoftechnology.org.uk or tel. 01442 262541. A fascinating collection that includes a range of domestic, industrial, military and medical exhibits from 1850 to 1980.
Branch Diary
11 Dec: Mark Honigsbaum - Living With Enza: The Forgotten Story of Britain and the Great Flu Pandemic of 1918.
Venue: Room SP101, 1st Floor, Sports Hall, St George's School, Sun Lane, Harpenden, AL5 4EY. Doors open 7.30pm, 8.00pm start. Requested donation min. £3.00. Tea, coffee & biscuits at half time.
2010 dates: 8 Jan, 12 Feb, 19 March, 23 April, 4 June, 9 July, 3 Sep, 8 Oct, 12 Nov, 10 Dec.
