-
For Armistice Day 2004 - August 1914
4 August 1914 saw the
outbreak of the war that the British public was led to believe
'would be over by Christmas'. In the patriotic and propaganda-led
fervour of its early stages, young men looking for excitement and
adventure became sucked into a whirlpool from which there was
little chance of escape.
Posters, newspaper
advertisements and other propaganda did much to stir the
conscience of those who had failed to sign-up immediately:
.........
- The
Call
-
- Who's
for the trench -
- Are
you, my laddie?
- Who'll
follow French -
- Will
you, my laddie?
- Who's
fretting to begin,
- Who's
going out to win?
- And
who wants to save his skin -
- Do
you, my laddie?
-
- Who's
for the khaki suit -
- Are
you, my laddie?
- Who
longs to charge and shoot -
- Do
you my laddie?
- Who's
keen on getting fit,
- Who
means to show his grit,
- And
who'd rather wait a bit -
- Would
you, my laddie?
-
- Who'll
earn the Empire's thanks -
- Will
you, my laddie?
- Who'll
swell the victor's ranks -
- Will
you, my laddie?
- When
that procession comes,
- Banners
and rolling drums -
- Who'll
stand and bite his thumbs -
- Will
you, my laddie?
Jessie
Pope
.........
- ...Now your
country calls you
- To
play your part in war
- And
no matter what befalls you
- We
shall love you all the more.
-
- So
come and join the forces
- As
your fathers did before.
- Oh
we don't want to lose you
- But
we think you ought to go
- For
your king and your country
- Both
need you so.
-
- We
shall want you and miss you
- With
all our might and main
- We
shall cheer you
- Thank
you, kiss you
- When
you come back again.
.........
Executions
- 1914
Private
Thomas Highgate - Royal West Kent Regiment - desertion - 8
September 1914
Private
George Ward - Royal Berkshire Regiment - cowardice - 26 September
1914
Private
Edward Tanner - Wiltshire Regiment - desertion - 27 October 1914
Private
Archibald Browne - Essex Regiment - desertion - 19 December 1914
.........