1919 – AFTER THE GREAT WAR

Medina was the last city of the Turkish Empire to fall to the Allies and the Arab states in the Great War. Fakhri Pasha was the commander of the Turkish army and Governor of Medina from 1916 to 1919. From 1916, Medina had been besieged by the Arab armies, who had previously been a part of the Turkish Empire and had revolted against the Turkish Sultan. Pasha had been ordered to defend the holy city of Medina and to protect the single-track narrow gauge Hejaz Railway on which his entire logistics depended. The railway was constantly subjected to sabotage attacks by Arabs led by Lawrence of Arabia (T.E.Lawrence). When the Turkish Empire withdrew from the Great War on the 30^th October 1918, it was expected Pasha would also surrender. He refused to do so and simply refused to accept the Armistice of Mudros. He is reputed to have had a vision, in a dream, from the Prophet Mohammed who had ordered him not to submit. He refused the direct order, from the Turkish Minister of war, to hand over his sword. The Turkish Government was upset by his behaviour and he was dismissed from his post, but he again refused to obey the decision. He kept the flag of the Turkish Sultan high in Medina until 72 days after the end of the war between Turkey and the Allies. Eventually Pasha and his men were faced with starvation and the remaining garrison surrendered on the 10^th January 1919. Abdullah I of Jordan and his troops entered Medina on the 13^th January 1919.

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The Peace Conference opened on the 18^th January 1919 in Paris. Initially delegates from twenty seven nations participated in the negotiations but Germany, Austria, and Hungary were excluded. Russia was also excluded as they had negotiated a separate peace with Germany in 1918 when they signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. The conference eventually comprised delegates from Britain, France, the United States and Italy. The four main negotiators of the “big four” were: – David Lloyd George of Britain, Georges Clemenceau of France, Woodrow Wilson of the United States and Vittorio Orlando of Italy. Negotiations between the “big four” did not go smoothly. Wilson believed the fourteen point plan he had proposed would bring stability to Europe and Germany expected a treaty based on these fourteen points. The French wanted the defeated nations to be severely punished and believed Wilson’s plan too lenient. The British public also wanted Germany to be severely punished although Lloyd George had similar views to Wilson. An agreement was finally reached after prolonged discussions but it was a compromise that left nobody happy with the outcome. One of proposals was to create the League of Nations, which was accepted on the 25th January 1919. When Germany complained about the severity of the Treaty of Versailles, they were reminded of the harshness of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk they imposed on the Russians in March 1918.  Germany tried to have a number of articles withdrawn in June 1919 but they received a reply that they would have to accept the treaty within twenty four hours, or face an invasion of Allied armies across the Rhine. Germany reluctantly agreed to sign the treaty.

The Germans were summoned to Versailles to sign the treaty (Treaty of Versailles) on 28^th June 1919, which was officially the end of the Great War.  The signing date was significant as it was five years to the day that Franz Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated in June 1914. During the war, John Pershing, the American commander, continued his American offensive against the Germans on the 11^th November 1918 until the 11.00 am ceasefire. He was convinced that unless Germany unconditionally surrendered on German soil they would not accept they had lost the war. With this in mind he argued that within twenty years Germany would become a warring nation again and the war would have to be fought a second time. After the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, Winston Churchill came to a similar conclusion but for a different reason. He argued Germany would end up bankrupt if the financial reparation terms were implemented, another regime would rise up to take Germany to war again. Both arguments were ignored and the treaty conditions were imposed. Indirectly, the signing of the Treaty of Versailles was the beginning of the Second World War although hostilities did not begin until September 1939.  The final treaty bore little resemblance to Wilson’s fourteen points.

Germany ratified the Treaty of Versailles on the 8th July 1919 and the United Kingdom ratified the Treaty on the 21st July 1919. However, as later events were to establish Germany was neither pacified nor conciliated, and the subsequent political events would lead to the Second World War.

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On the 21^st June 1919, the scuttling of the German fleet took place at the Royal Navy’s base at Scappa Flow in Scotland, after the Great War. The German High Seas Fleet was interned there under the terms of the armistice whilst negotiations took place over the fate of the ships. The German High Seas Fleet had surrendered and been escorted into the Firth of Forth on the 21^st November 1918 and moved to Scappa Flow between the 25^th to the 27^th November 1918. During the negotiations over the fate of the ships and fearing the ships would be seized and divided amongst the Allied powers, German commander, Admiral Ludwig von Reuter, decided to scuttle the fleet. When the scuttling was carried out on the 21^st June 1919, intervening British guard ships were able to beach a number of the ships, but 52 of the 74 interred vessels sank. Many of the vessels were salvaged over the next two decades and were towed away for scrapping.

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A Banquet in Honour of The President of the French Republic was hosted by King George V and held at Buckingham Palace during the evening of the 10^th November 1919. The very first Armistice Day was held in the Grounds of Buckingham Palace on the morning of the 11^th November 1919. This set the trend for a day of Remembrance or Remembrance Day for decades to follow. However, a wood and plaster temporary Cenotaph was erected in Whitehall, London, following an outbreak of national sentiment in 1919. It was replaced by a Portland Stone structure and built between 1919 and 1920 as the United Kingdom’s national war memorial. The Remembrance Day ceremony, to commemorate the Armistice, is conducted on the Sunday closest to the 11^th November each year.

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War Diary of AA Laporte Payne Jan 1919

EXTRACTED FROM.

Brigade Diary, Personal Diary, Operation Orders, Note Books, Memoranda

Correspondence

—————–

January 15, 1919

Harfleur

Everything here is in chaos. I have 1200 men in the wing which I have to look after.  The returns are enough to frighten a whole division.  My best sergeant-major has gone to England which is annoying.  The demobilisation question is a hard nut.  You can imagine the conditions in a base camp like this.  We shall be broken up soon I hope.  Then I may get up the line.

January 28 1919

I am the last major to stay on here, and the Colonel and I probably leave on Sunday. The Depot is to be closed down.  Last night I dined in Havre with the Colonel.

The weather is foul again. It is very cold and it has been trying to rain again snow.

95^th Brigade R.F.A. Stamp 31/1/17.

SECRET.

B.M.203

21^st DIVISIONAL ARTILLERY

ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUPPORTING THE BELGIANS.

INSTRUCTIONS NUMBER 1.

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Reference Sheet HAZEBROUCK 1/100,000

1. (a) In the case of a hostile attack in a Westerly direction the 62^nd Inf. Bde. will occupy the Reserve Line from ELVERDINGHE (exclusive) to the PYPEGAALE – EYKJOEK Road (exclusive), the 110^th Inf. Bde. thence to where the defence Line meets the inundations near Fm. 1000 yards North of the first O in OOSTVLETEREN.Should this alteration take place, 62^nd Inf. Bde. will extend Northwards to OOSTVLETEREN (exclusive).
3. (b) Should the hostile attack be developed in a Southerly direction, from POLLINGHOVE and ELSENDAMME, 110^th Inf. Bde. must be prepared to form a defensive flank from OOSTVLETEREN (inclusive) to about road junction 400 yards North of O in CROMBEKE.
4. 64^th Inf. Bde. and 126^th Field Coy. R.E. will move to PROVEN in Divisional Reserve.
6. In the case of the hostile attack mentioned in para 1 (a) taking place, the 21^st Div. Art. will be disposed as follows:-Reference Map 1/20,000 Sheets 20 S.W.)                                                            19 S.E. ) Batteries will occupy the following positions:-A/95 (18 Pdrs)           A.17.a.8.7.C/95 (18 Pdrs)          A.4.d.8.4.Brigade H.Q. with 62^nd Inf. Bde. at A.16.c.1.3.94^th Brigade R.F.A. (Major Synott) will support the 110^th Infantry Brigade.            D/94 (4.5 Hows)       S.26.c.3.6.                                                (S.26.a.1.5. – (2 guns)
7. Bde. H.Q. – with 110^th Inf. Bde. at CONVENT ST SIXTE, moving forward later to EYKHOEK, if more convenient to Brigadier.
8.                   C/94 (18 Pdrs)          S.20.c.15.15
9.             B/94 (18 Pdrs)           (S.26.a.0.6. – (4 guns)
10.             A/94 (18 Pdrs)           S.28.c.9.2.
13. B/95 (18 Pdrs)           A.11.c.5.0.
14. D/95 (4.5 Hows)       A.17.b.5.4.
15. 95^th Brigade R.F.A. (Lieut Col. FITZGERALD, D.S.O.) will support the 62^nd Inf. Bde.
16.                                                             27 N.E. )
17.                                                             28 N.W.)
19. In case of the hostile attack mentioned in Para 1 (b) taking place, the 21^st Divisional Artillery will be disposed as follows:-95^th Brigade R.F.A. (Lieut Col. FITZGERALD, D.S.O.) will support the 62^nd Inf. Bde. C/95 (18 Pdrs)          A.4.d.8.4.D/95 (4.5 Hows)       S.26.C.35.60. – S.26.c.20.60.Brigade H.Q. with 62^nd Inf. Bde. at CONVENT ST SIXTE.94^th Brigade R.F.A. (Major Synott) will support the 110^th Inf. Bde.B/94 (18 Pdrs)           S.26.c.6.7.            D/94 (4.5 Hows)       X.28.d.2.4.Bde. H.Q. with 110^th Inf. Bde. at CONVENT ST SIXTE, moving forward later to EYKHOEK, if more convenient to Brigadier.
22. C/94 (18 Pdrs)          X.29.a.5.4.
23.             A/94 (18 Pdrs)           S.26.b.2.9.
26. B/95 (18 Pdrs)           S.28.c.9.2.
27. A/95 (18 Pdrs)           A.17.a.8.7.
29. Position of Div. Amm. Column, Signalling, Medical and other Administrative details will be issued later.
31. Div. Artillery H.Q. will be established at PROVEN.
32. Alternative Positions will be reconnoitred. These alternative positions should be at least 1000 yards in rear of the positions mentioned in paras 3 and 4. In case of necessity, these alternative positions will be occupied instead of the positions mentioned in paras 3 and 4.
34. List of Observation Posts, and of alternative positions, also proposed zones of fire of Batteries, to be forwarded to this Office as soon as possible.
36. Wagon Lines should be arranged for, and positions forwarded to this Office.
38. The Div. Art. will be held in readiness to move at six hours’ notice.
40. Acknowledge.J.M. Sinclair Major R.A.31/1/17.Distribution:-            95^th       do                  5     “                           21^st Div “Q”       1   “21^st A.A.C.                 4     “                           War Diary           2   “
41. 21^st Div. “G”              1       “
42. Trench Mortars         5    “                           File                      1   “
43.             94^th F.A. Bde.            5 Copies                    VIII Corps R.A. 1 Copy
45. Brigade Major, 21^st Divisional Artillery.

Major Hyslop

I am sorry to have to tell you that your son was killed this morning in the trenches, he was orderly officer and was going his rounds of the sentries, a sentry reported to him that a party of the enemy were in sight behind their lines working at some fortifications, your son ordered rifle grenades to be fired at them and was looking over the parapet to observe the effect of the grenades when he was hit in the head and killed instantaneously. I can’t tell you how sorry I am to have lost him, he was a most promising young officer and brave almost to recklessness and though he has only been with us a short time was liked and esteemed by all his comrades.  His effects will be sent to England as soon as possible.

Deeply sympathising with you.

P.S. He will be buried this afternoon at a Farm known as Ration Farm about two miles from Armentieres near Bois Grenier which we have made into a cemetery and have a number of men buried there.

No Major Hyslop shown in the Feb 1915 Army List with H.A.C.

Letter to Mr. Dowsett 31 January 1915

COPY.                                                                                                                     31 Jan. 1915.

My dear Mr Dowsett,

I am indeed grieved to have to tell you the saddest news you could have.  Your brave boy was shot yesterday and passed away without regaining consciousness.  I know what a terrible blow this must be to you and Mrs Dowsett and that even the knowledge that he has proved himself a man of whom we are all proud is small consolation to your sorrow.  He was always so keen, always plucky and cheerful, always to be counted upon and the conditions out here have tested all the qualities to the full and in none was he found wanting.  His Regiment has lost a fine soldier and our Company a man we can ill spare.

I need not tell you what a sorrow this is to me personally, or how deeply I feel for you in yours. No one knew him better than I did or can more truly appreciate his true worth.

He was in the Fire Trench and was shot in the head while pluckily trying to locate a sniper who was firing on the trench, and I know it will be some consolation to know that while everything possible was done he can have suffered no pain or even consciousness. His section brought him down from the trench in the evening and he was buried last night in a grave dug by four old members of his section and myself in a little cemetery we have made here in Kemmel where the other brave men lie.  The service was read by our Colonel in the presence of most of the Company and every man and officer as he departed saluted our comrade and perhaps many of us wished that when our time comes it will be with as clean a record and in as fair a fight.  We have put up a small cross inscribed, Sgt T.W. Dowsett, No 2 Company, H.A.C. Killed in action Jan 30. 1915.

I will see that a more permanent cross is made and that the grave is cared for and will send you a photo or sketch of the spot. Would I could do more for a one I have known so long and admired so much.  We are collecting his personal things and will send them to you and our captain is writing to his mother.  If there is anything more I can tell you or do you can count on my doing so.  At least he was ready when his country needed him and he died the finest death a man could die.  I know we all feel with you and mourn our loss today

With my deepest sympathy,

Yours sincerely

(sgd) H.P.G. MAULE

Not shown in Army List Feb 1915 but in a later List is shown as 2/Lt from 21 Feb 1915.

Lieut Col Grove.

It is with the greatest regret that I have to tell you of the death of your son this morning. He was directing fire upon a small party of Germans he had seen, and on turning round to give an order must have exposed his head, for he was shot in the back of the head and died at once.  He cannot have suffered at all for he was dead when the men got to him.  He was a very brave fellow and was doing well.  I have had the small things from his pockets packed in a small box which will go by post to-day, and I enclose a list of the contents.  The remaining things will be sorted out and sent home to you later when we come out of the tranches.

Several of us were present at Nation Farm and amongst many of our men. The service was read by our padre Rev. F. Stewart.  We will have a suitable wooden cross put up to mark the grave as a temporary measure & the little cemetery is well looked after.

Letter of Sympathy 31 January 1915

Chaplain.

I feel that I must send you a note of heartfelt sympathy. It seems but yesterday when I met your boy when he joined us here & he spoke of you wondered if it would be possible for you to come and see him.  His death has come as a shock to us all.  He died at his post of duty, faithful unto death.  We buried him this afternoon beside some of his comrades in the military cemetery near where he fell.  Several officers and men attended the service and saw his body laid reverently to rest.

I know I cannot enter into the depth of your sorrow but the knowledge and memory that your boy gave his life in his country’s cause, in the cause of peace, will bring comfort and strength to you. He has earned the reward of the faithful unto death and of the Peacemakers, “They shall be called the children of God.”

COPY.                                                                                                                   31^st Jan. 1915.

Dear Mrs Dowsett,

It is with the greatest possible regret that I have to write and inform you of the death of your gallant son Sergt T.W. Dowsett.  He was “Killed in Action” on Saturday 30^th January (yesterday) whilst in the trenches with his company.  The gallant fellow was shot through the upper portion of the head at 7-45 a.m. and although his comrades and I did everything that was possible for him he never recovered consciousness but passed peacefully away at 9-30 a.m.  We carried his body back to Kemmel the same evening and buried him in a small portion of a field set aside as a cemetery for the British troops.  He lies there side by side with some of his comrades.  The Colonel read a most impressive funeral service and he was laid to rest at 7-45 p.m. surrounded by a large number of his comrades which included many officers, and all the officers and non-commissioned officers of his Company.  We placed a small wooden cross at the head of his grave upon which Mr Maule (who is also writing to you) had written a suitable inscription.  The actual position of the grave it will be quite easy for us to indicate to you at any time.

I have given you all the above details because I thought you would like to know them. Any further information you may desire I shall be most willing to supply if possible.

The whole of his personal belongings found upon him at the time of his death was carefully taken care of and will be forwarded to you at an early date.

In conclusion I need only say that every member of the Regiment send to you and to all his relatives their deepest sympathy. You have lost (I know) a dear son.  We have lost a brave and gallant comrade, loved by every member of his company and particularly so by the members of his section he so cheerfully led.

Believe me, with deepest sympathy, to be

Yours very truly,

(sgd) ERNEST GARNSEY, Capt H.A.C.

(officer commanding No 2 Company)

1. Garnsey appears in the Army List.

HA Titcomb letter 30 January 1919

HAROLD ABBOT TITCOMB

SALISBURY HOUSE

LONDON E.C. 2.

TELEGRAPH AND

CABLE, “TITCOMB, LONDON”

CODE, BEDFORD MCNEILL

R.A.F. Repatriation Records,

43 St Cross Road,

Winchester, 30^th Jany 1919

F.W. Lanchester Esq., M. Inst. C.E.

41 Bedford Square, London W.C. 1.

My dear Lanchester,

I have had a most exciting experience in the R.A.F. As you know I was offered a Commission by General Trenchard for the purpose of undertaking intelligence observation work for one of his bombing wings in the I.A.F.  I gladly accepted this but after signing up the papers and going through as a “special case” of the M.G.P. (General Branker) I was called back and informed that no Commissions could be given to Aliens so they offered me the next highest rank, that of Warrant Officer 1^st class being informed that this would make no change in the kind of work I was to attempt.  You are now hearing from me a fully fledged Sergeant Major.  I went over to France and reached the Antigny-la-Tour about three hours after General Trenchard had made his farewell to that Headquarters.  The Armistice was on, and so I was returned to England.  In order to enable me enter the Air Force, someone had me down as having the trade of a “Master Clerk” so my present work consists in an attempt to learn routine clerical work appertaining to the service.  I am doing this as best I can; but, as I informed my Commanding Officer (Major Moser) who is a very fine man, I feel I am unable to do him justice as a pen-pusher.

In some way it seems a pity that the war did not last a little longer so that the Germans could have had the thorough thrashing which was just about maturing. In that case perhaps our Armies would have occupied Germany or large portions of it, and this might have delayed or obviated the feeling that the War is over entirely.  This feeling, I am sorry to say, prevails to a great extent amongst all ranks as far as I can see; and you are doubtless aware of this from the ordinary statements in the press.  The men feel that the fighting is really over and that therefore they ought to be demobilised more rapidly than is being done.  The poor chaps are tired out and “fed up” with things in general and are anxious to get back to their jobs again.  One would think that if a very large percentage of the Forces could be demobilised and allowed to have a month or two holiday in civil life, there would then be a fair chance of recruiting a volunteer Army which could handle the situation and permit the rest of the Forces to be demobilised in their turns.  Meanwhile I do not see why it would not be a possible solution to the difficulties with clerical staffs to substitute for them civilian clerks; otherwise there is bound to be discontent among such clerks who through no fault of their own were put into the positions they now hold and feel they are absolutely the last on the list for demobilisation.

What is your opinion of the future outlook for business in England.  I have found that the present elements and factors are so numerous and contain so many unknown quantities that I am unable to write any equation which could be solved by mental process of my own; and this applies not only to Great Britain but also to the rest of our civilised World.  The present epidemic of strikes, if carried to logical conclusion, might result in every one of us demanding, no work, double pay and as a minimum that each and every human being in the World ought to have breakfast in bed each morning at, say, 9-O’clock: I think I shall start agitating for this.

If you ever see Sir Arthur Duckham please give him my kind regards and tell him I would not have missed meeting any of the fine men I have come across in the Air Force for anything.  I consider it a privilege to have met them in the ranks, and also the many fine Officers with whom I have come in contact.  Everyone has treated me splendidly.

I hope this finds you well and flourishing. I shall give myself the pleasure of seeing you when next I have a chance to come to town.  My own office is closed for the present so that you had better address me here or to my home in Kensington.

Sincerely yours

Harold A. Titcomb

No 306596 (!).

S/M R.A.F.

Report of Drifters off Cape Helles 22 January 1919

S.O. 9^th Div of Drifters

D “Northesk” II No 2022

Cape Helles.

Jan 22^nd 1919

Captain K

H.M.Y. “Paulina”

Sir,

I have the honour to enclose herewith copy of a letter I sent to S.N.O. (H) H.M.S. “Pelorus” regarding vessels in my Division. To this letter I have received a reply that the S.N.O. will come to Helles on Friday and discuss the subject.

Since reporting to you on January 3^rd the following vessels have been blown down in turn and cleaned their boilers: –

“Northern Scot” No. 2425.

“Comely” No. 2387

& since advising the new S.N.O. I understand “Ebenezer” No. 2294 has commenced.

It is difficult to clean boilers successfully at Chanak owing to having no proper tools and in some cases the boilers are bad due to being considerably overdue.

Knowing the quantity of vessels requiring boiler-cleaning at Mudros I am anxious that the vessels in my Division shall clean their own boilers and make good defects whenever it is possible, but I feel it my duty to advise you of defects which require immediate attention and which cannot be done by the enginemen.

With the exception of Drifters “Ten” No 1052 and “Victoria II” No 766 – who have been to Mudros for boiler cleaning and defects – my Division have had no opportunity of getting necessary defects done or engines overhauled and since Oct 24^th they have been running continuously.

All vessels are continuing to carry-on with their duty but these defects are now giving trouble and demand “little stand-offs” which have hitherto never been necessary.

There is no defect which could not be made good in 2 or 3 days at the most & if arrangements could be made for one vessel at a time to go to Mudros or Aquarius (Ismud) and have their defects done I feel safe in saying the Division will be able to carry on as a whole as long as they are required.

The list of more or less important defects as given me by the Enginemen are appended, but the principle defects which are known to me are as follows: –

“Northesk II” No. 2022.  Last Boiler cleaning Oct 20. (now nearly 2 months overdue).

Defects: – Flange of Main Steam pipe cracked.  This was cracked by                       H.M.S. “Abercrombie” while grinding in the seat & valve of Engine                        Stop valve.

This crack is getting worse and is almost sure to break in time and will                    probably do serious injury (if not fatal) to the engineman working the                  lever.

L.P. Piston to be drawn for examination – has not been drawn for 15                      months.  M.P. Slide Valve and Spindle Bracket – the bracket is                              knocking & wearing valve.

“Northern Scot” No. 2425.  Defects: – Capstan requires new pinion wheels, as                                difficult to anchor.

Two or three small grinding-in jobs.

“Prime” No. 2289. Last Boiler cleaning Sept 24^th 1918.

Defects: – Main & Intermediate stop valves leaking badly; joints gone,                    rapidly becoming worse and requires urgent attention.

Several other small defects.

“Ten” No. 1052.  Has boiler cleaned & has no defects.

“Hopeful” No. 2386.  Last Boiler cleaning Oct 20^th 1918.

Defects; – nothing important, but has three or four small jobs requiring                    attention.

“Comely” No. 2387.  Defects: – Capstan, 2 new pinion wheels required; this vessel can                  now only use her capstan by hand power and cannot anchor in bad                              weather.

The nature of present duty & the exposed anchorages makes it                                important this capstan should be attended to.

No engine defects.

“Ebenezer” No, 2294.  Now boiler-cleaning; this vessel should be boiler cleaned                           every six weeks without fail as she carried no fresh water boiler tank;                        until she blew down yesterday (Jan 21) she had been running on salt                water since Oct 24^th last & her boiler is in very bad condition.

Defects: – several minor defects as per list; has had no overhaul since                      1917 (May.)

“Victoria II” No. 766. Has boiler cleaned & has no serious defects.

“Northesk II” & “Prime” have the defects which may be dangerous to the enginemen & as both require boiler cleaning, I suggest they may receive first attention.

I have given particulars at length as I am anxious to keep the Division going as long as they be required.

I have the honour to be

Sir

Your obedient servant

Reginald H. Palmer.

Lieut. R.N.V.R.

S.O. of Div.