OCCUPATION OF THE RHINE

by Frank Gardner

At the Armistice the Army numbered 3,500,000 men. It had to demobilise at the same time as meeting its existing and new commitments including providing an army of occupation for the Rhineland. Enough soldiers to meet these commitments had to be retained for the time being but those surplus to requirements could be released as quickly as the machinery permitted. The strength of the army was reduced by            ¾ million within two months.

The criteria for retention were length of service, age and number of times wounded. Only men who had joined after 1 January 1916 (i.e. after conscription) were under the age of thirty-seven (later reduced to thirty-five) and were entitled to fewer than three wound stripes were to be retained for the army of occupation. Thus all the original volunteers were eligible for release unless, of course, they were regulars who still had some time of their engagements to serve.

Meanwhile the ' British Army of the Rhine' was being formed from regulars, men eligible for retention under the criteria and 18 year old conscripts. It was ready by 1 February 1919 by which time demobilisation was proceeding at the rate of 35,000 per day. This resulted in a shortage of competent battalion commanders whilst many of the NCOs lacked the necessary experience and authority to maintain discipline in peacetime conditions which required a different approach than in wartime.

The 130,000 strong BAOR, commanded by General 'Wully' Robertson began its advance into Germany on 15 June. A process of reduction began almost at once and by April 1920 the BAOR consisted of seven battalions and a cavalry regiment with supporting arms. Its total strength was then rather less than 15,000 all ranks.

The British occupied Cologne-- Bonn area, the inhabitants of which were friendly and seemed pleased to have the British there rather than the French who, of course, had a score to settle. The formal peace treaty with Germany was signed in June 1919 but the occupation lasted until December 1929.

OTHER CAMPAIGNS

7. Salonika

by Bob Butcher

The aim of the Anglo French force that landed in the Macedonian port of Salonika in October 1915, was to help the Serbs who had repulsed the Austrians but now faced the Germans and Bulgarians. The Greeks had originally given permission for this but changed their minds at the last minute although they did not oppose the Allies. The British advance stopped at the Bulgarian border on government orders. The French, who were keener on the expedition than the British, continued farther in but were forced back.

It was too little too late and the Serbian army had to make an epic retreat across Albania to the Adriatic coast when their country was overrun. The Allied force no longer had any strategic purpose but nevertheless stayed on and retired back to Salonika where it constructed a vast entrenched camp. As for the most part it remained inactive, the Germans called it their largest POW camp.

By 1917 the Allied force had grown to six French, six British, six Serbian and one Italian divisions (The Serbian divisions were composed of those who had survived the ordeal of the retreat through Albania and who had recuperated in Corfu and been re-equipped). There was also a Russian brigade but this had become infected with revolutionary trends. An Allied advance towards the border proceeded only very slowly, the British, on government orders, limited themselves to a subsidiary operation in April when they commenced unsuccessful and costly attacks west of Lake Dojran.

By 1918 the Greeks had thrown in their lot with the Allies and joined in the last Allied offensive which commenced in September, the main part being played by the Serbs and French. Again the British confined themselves to attacks west of Lake Dojran. These were also unsuccessful but the Bulgarians retreated three days later. On 30 September they were granted an armistice.

On government orders the British had not played a major role in the campaign and their battle casualties amounted to 23,787 killed, wounded, missing or prisoner. Their non-battle casualties, however, came to no fewer than 502,543, malaria accounting for most. The British Government and General Staff disliked the campaign and the British Salonika Army was a 'Forgotten Army'. The troops certainly endured considerable hardships in a wild country with extreme climates and no leave.

 

The Bulletin of the Birmingham Branch of the WFA

Compiled by Bob Butcher

August 2007

Musings from Ozz

Jonathan Dale

On my recent trip to Australia I found it quite remarkable, how strong the Australian’s are on “Remembrance”.  It is not just a question of civic memorials, but it was fascinating to see how local communities still remembered and commemorated the Great war with museums and exhibitions. King’s Park, overlooking the Swan River in Perth has a “Memorial Road” which is planted with trees, of the local variety. Each tree has a plaque naming and remembering individuals and units and these are tended by the local school children every year.

Another thing that hit me is illustrated by the picture. This is of the War Memorial in a small mining town called Kalgoorlie, in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia and the difference is typically Australian, I think.  JD