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THE STATISTICS OF BIRMINGHAM'S WAR (From 'Brazier and Sandford') by Alan Tucker
No 1 Military By October 1914 28,521 men had enlisted in the New Army About 148,000 Brummies joined the Forces during the war This figure represented about 54% of all men of military age At the end of the wan 530 members of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment were released as P.o.W’s About 11,000 Brummies were killed during the war *Eleven won the Victoria Cross.
OTHER CAMPAIGNS 2. The Cameroons (now Camroon) by Bob Butcher
On 29 August 1914 the Colonial Office, perhaps emboldened by the Togoland success, ordered the invasion of the German West African colony of the Cameroons. It was to be carried out by local forces from neighbouring Nigeria. However, the French and the Belgians also decided to invade from their African possessions. The campaign took the form of concentric advances on the capital, Yuanda. Part of the British force landed from the sea, the other, smaller, 'Northen' part from Nigeria. The French advanced from Equatorial Africa and the Belgians from the Congo. This was a tall order as the capital was well inland and the colony was larger than Germany itself. The opening moves showed that the campaign was not going to be a walkover and the British suffered several reverses. In one they even lost two guns, always considered to be a most serious matter. After a delay the advance continued but it was 1 January 1916 before the main British column finally occupied Yuanda. The northern and south eastern columns reached it about a week later, something of an achievement considering that they had started hundreds of miles apart and no overall tactical control could be exercised. The last German post fell on 18 February 1916 and the bulk of the enemy force crossed over into Spanish Muni where they were interned. It had been hard going all the way and the Official History lists seventy separate actions involving the British alone and four Battle Honours were awarded: Duala, Garua, Banyo and Cameroons 1914--1916. It was not an artillery war but the enemy handled his machine guns very effectively. The African soldiers on both sides fought well. At first the enemy fought rearguard actions, the main bodies slipping away under cover of small holding parties when seriously threatened. Later more serious resistance and counter attacks were met. At the beginning of the campaign the British force consisted of four African battalions and ten African-manned guns, a total of 235 British officers and NCOs and 2460 African ranks. By the end, it had doubled to the equivalent of seven African battalions and an Indian Army battalion and eleven guns. The approximate 'rifle' strength was 4,600 and there were about 45,000 African carriers. (The Franco-Belgian force was about the same in size.) The African soldiers were from the Nigeria, Gold Coast, West Africa and Sierra Leone battalions and the Gambia Company of the West African Frontier Force. There was also a half-battalion of the West India Regiment as well as the Indian Army battalion. 24 British and 197 African were killed or died of wounds; 20 British and 557 Africans were wounded; 6 British and 84 Africans died of disease; 34 Africans were missing, prisoner or drowned. 151 British and 434 Africans suffering from disease were 'invalided' (presumably evacuated) a figure not considered to be excessive for a tropical campaign. The African carriers almost certainly incurred a higher sickness rate than the soldiers.
THE FORTUNE TELLER by JP Lethbridge On Saturday 3 February 1917 Mrs Nina White visited a London spiritualist, Susan Fielder, aged forty-three, and paid her five shillings, about twenty-five pounds by our standards, to read her palms and look into a crystal ball for her. Susan Fielder told Mrs White that she saw a fair man, a lieutenant who was abroad wearing khaki and a fat, dark woman. She told Mrs White that 'You are going to have the time of your life.' Mrs White informed the police and Susan Fielder was charged with fortune telling, then a criminal offence under the Vagrancy Laws, and tried at the Marylebone Police Court on Saturday 24 February 1917. Mrs White gave evidence and Susan Fielder was found guilty. What sentence did the magistrate impose? Was it: A prison term and if so how long? A fine and if so how much? A probation order and tell the police to catch some real criminals such as burglars? Answer below.
BOOK OF THE MONTH: CASTLES OF STEEL by Robert Massey. The latest addition to the Branch Library, this is a first rate account of the Royal Navy in the Great War. Informative and very readable: Bob
Answer Two months without the option of a fine which was normally given to fortune tellers. The magistrate saw the prophecy as encouraging adultery, a massive problem in war time Britain.
Sir Arnold Watersby Hannah Weaves News Reporter -Sutton Coldfield Observer Sutton Coldfield will honour its VC war hero at a memorial service to mark the 150th anniversary of the first Victoria Cross investiture Sir Arnold Horace Santa Waters VC CBE DSO MC won the medal in November 1918 — the highest award for gallantry and bravery that can be bestowed on a member of the British and Common-wealth forces. Born and educated in Plymouth, Sir Arnold died aged 95, on January 22, 1981 in Four Oaks. He joined the Royal Engineers as a Second Lieutenant in 1915 and served in World War One. Staffordshire-based author and researcher, Peter .Elkin has uncovered the brave arts which led to his decoration. The Digest of Citation reads: `Sir Arnold's field company was building a bridge over the Oise-Sambre Canal, near Ors in France. From the outset they had come under heavy -artillery and machine gun fire-at dose range “The building party-suffered severe casualties in addition to the bridge being damaged. On hearing that all his officers had been either killed or wounded, Sir Arnold-went forward person ally, to supervise the bridge's completion.” "During this time he worked on cork floats, all the time under extremely intense fire from the enemy, at point blank range. The success of this operation was entirely due to his bravery and the example he set, even though it seemed possible that he could escape death under the enemy fire." The presentation of the Victoria' Cross was decided by King George V who, after seeing his record, ruled that a Bar to the Distinguished Service Order would be" inadequate for such a deed.” Sutton residents are invited to join the service at Lichfield Cathedral on June 10th to remember and honour their hero. Mr Elkin is keen to hear from the families or descendants of any VC recipients who will be treated as his guests of honour at the memorial service. For further information please contact Peter Elkin on 07941 907547 or -email: peterelkin@hotmaiI.com Chairman’s Note – We have made contact with Peter Elkine and all will be welcome at the service. JD |
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The Bulletin of the Birmingham Branch of the WFA Compiled by Bob Butcher |
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February 2007 |