THE STATISTICS OF BIRMINGHAM'S WAR

2 Medical

• Birmingham University became the 1 st Southern General Hospital with branches or 'auxiliaries' around the city. Overall 122,653 sick and wounded passed through by Armistice Day. The

Edgbaston site alone dealt with 64,000 patients. Dudley Road Hospital dealt with 53,896.

• During the war 762 ambulance trains were unloaded in Birmingham.

• From August 1917 to the end of the war, 500 shows were mounted at the

Rowland Mason Memorial Hut at the university campus in order to entertain the troops.

• The Carpentry Branch of the Lady Mayoress's depot made 624 crutches, Alan Tucker

MORE FROM THE MUNITIONS TRIBUNAL

by J.P.Lethbridge

On 2 July 1917 the Birmingham Munitions Tribunal heard the case of a young man who was accused of often taking half days off without permission from his job as a metal roller's assistant. Professor Tilyard, who was chairing the tribunal, asked the youth what excuse he had for his absenteeism.

The youth described his foreman as a bully and a slave driver who constantly used bad language. The youth asked for a leaving certificate on health grounds so he could find more suitable work.

What decision did the tribunal make? Did it

(a) tell the youth to join the army and see what happened if he went absent without leave because the sergeant swore at him?

(b) fine the youth and if so how much? (c) grant him a leaving certificate? (d) tell the company to get the foreman to wash his mouth out with soap and water? or (e) some combination of the above?

OTHER CAMPAIGNS

3 German South West Africa (now Tanzania) by Bob Butcher

This is the least known of all the minor campaigns, doubtless due to it being conducted exclusively by South Africa at the request of the British Government. It commenced on 20 August 1914 with three widely separated thrusts, two by sea, the other by land. Some progress was made but after a month or so the campaign had to be suspended while a rebellion by some pro German  Boers

was suppressed. After a three month lull, it restarted in earnest in November. It took the form of operations in two zones, the Northern and the Southern.

In the south considerable marching was involved but that part of the German colony had been captured by April 1915 although the enemy had managed to get away. In the north the capital, Windhoek, fell in May and the campaign was brought to a successful conclusion on 9 July.

Artillery does not appear to have had the importance that it did in other theatres but the South Africans made skilful use of mobile groups of mounted infantry, especially in the north. These exploited their mobility to manoeuvre the enemy out of a position instead of charging it. The lack of sufficient logistical transport prevented several opportunities being exploited as the nature of the country meant that everything had to be transported from South Africa. Horsed units had to be deployed near water rather than for tactical considerations. It is probably true to say that had adequate transport been provided, the campaign could have been ended sooner.

The lack of trained staff officers was felt at the Defence Force HQ in South Africa and sometimes in the field. That HQ kept a strict eye on economy and vetoed the construction of a short length of much needed light railway on the grounds of cost. Demobilisation commenced before the end of the campaign.

The South African military organisation was looser than in Europe which makes it difficult to be specific about the size of the force employed. It seems, however, that at one time or another nine mounted and three infantry brigades and some miscellaneous units saw action although as  many figure of 33,000 troops has been mentioned, sometimes as a total and sometimes as an average. Only white combat troops were used by either side as it was hoped not to involve the black man in a white man's war. Nevertheless considerable numbers of black carriers were employed.

Various official sets of South African casualty figures differ so much that I cannot reconcile them with any degree of confidence. My best guess is that battle casualties (dead and wounded but not prisoners or missing) amounted to about 800. Non-battle casualties (accident or sickness) were very much higher.

29^th Division in Warwickshire and North Oxfordshire

 

At our last meeting, Elizabeth Higgins drew attention to a commemorative event which was due to take place on the 18th March 2007 at the 29th Division Memorial, which is situated on the A45 near Stretton-on-Dunsmore in Warwickshire.Evidently, the 29th Division was inspected by the King at this spot on the 12th March 1915 before setting off for Gallipoli.

The question then arose, in my mind, as to what geographical connection the 29th Division had with the Midlands (most Divisions have a direct connection, e.g. 48th (South Midland) Division, etc.). The answer is rather interesting.

As members will know, the Regular Army was serving all over the British Empire on a rotational basis, and after an urgent return to this country it was necessary to form some new Divisions to accommodate them. Three new Divisions were formed, 27th, 28th and 29th. The 29th Division was formed in the Warwickshire area, and consequently the soldiers were billeted in the local towns and villages.As a result, the men formed a close relationship with the local population, and although they were only in the area for a very short period ( Jan. — March 1915) before leaving via Avonmouth for service in Gallipoli, the people decided to remember their stay and the subsequent sacrifices made by

erecting a memorial. The 29th Division Memorial is the only dedicated Divisional Memorial in the U.K.

All the Infantry Units, except one, were regulars and very experienced; these were formed and based as follows:

86^T" BRIGADE

2nd Btn The Royal Fusiliers (City of London) 1st Btn. The Royal Munster Fusiliers

Both based at Coventry

1st Btn. The Lancashire Fusiliers 1st Btn. The Royal Dublin Fusiliers

Both based at Nuneaton 87TH BRIGADE

2nd Btn. The South Wales Borderers

1st Btn. The Kings Own Scottish Borderers

            1st Btn.       The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

            1st Btn.       The Border Regiment

All based at Rugby 88TH BRIGADE

1/5th Btn. The Royal Scots (The Queen's Edinburgh Rifles) (TF) 4th Btn. The Worcestershire Regiment

Both based at Leamington

2nd Btn. The Hampshire Regiment 1st Btn. The Essex Regiment

Both based at Warwick

There were also support units of Cavalry, Artillery, Field Ambulance, Engineers, Veterinaries, Signals, etc. In addition to the main town bases mentioned above, men were billeted at Kenilworth, Stratford, Bedworth, Stockingford, Dunchurch, Southam, Long Illington, Kineton, Shipston, Henley-in Arden and Banbury.

The 29th Division suffered 34,101 casualties (killed, wounded, sick or missing), many of whom would have been based briefly in the Midlands.

Sources:     1.       British Regiments at Gallipoli

Ray Westlake (available in W.F.A. Branch Library).

2. The Story Behind the Monument

Chris. Holland and Tony Jordan P.J. Curtis

ANSWER: (e) The youth was fined ten shillings, about fifty pounds in our terms. To quote Professor Tilyard--'lf every foreman who uses bad language is a bad foreman I do not know where we should be'. As for the request for a leaving certificate the hearing was adjourned so the boy could get a medical report.

BOOK OF THE MONTH: Number 65, GOODBYE TO ALL THAT by Robert Graves. One of the classic personal accounts of the war. The famous author was a junior 'temporary gentleman' in a regular battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers on the Western Front: Bob

The Bulletin of the Birmingham Branch of the WFA

Compiled by Bob Butcher

March 2007