One Hundred Years Ago Today...

A hundred years ago today the 3rd Battle of Gaza began, amongst those who failed to return were three men from the local area, all members of the local Territorial Force serving in the 1/5th Battalion Essex Regiment.  

On 23rd July 1915 some 20 officers and 649 'other Ranks' of the 1/5th Battalion Essex Territorial Force sailed on the S.S. 'Grampian' for Gallipoli in the 161st Brigade as part of the 54th (East Anglian) Division landing on Suvla Bay on the 10th of August 1915 to face their introduction to the Great War. Here the battalion fought through the heat of the summer into the snow of winter departing to Mudros on the 27th of November 1915. Six officers and one hundred men had remained in position throughout their time on the peninsula, twenty seven had died in action plus ten from disease and one hundred and thirty three had been wounded including the Commanding Officer who never returned to action.
From the cold of Gallipoli the battalion served in the warmth of Egypt, much of the time being bored while guarding the Suez Canal. By March 1917 however the battalion saw action at the first battle of Gaza where they attacked the 'Green Hill' successfully in spite of advancing over 4000 yards of open ground, heavy casualties resulted but all were recalled because of misunderstandings regarding the position elsewhere.
The 5th participated in successful action during the early morning of November 2nd 1917. At five minutes to three in the morning the 5th Battalion attacked Zowaid Trench and the Rafa Redout from their positions on the beach to the west of Gaza.  Darkness, smoke from the guns, dust thrown up from the beach, desperate and deadly efficient Ottoman defending plus the general 'fog of war' caused confusion and the battle was not won for many hours. The cost was terrific as an entire Turkish Division had been brought in to defend the position leaving the battalion losing 2 officers and 73 other ranks killed and having 7 officers, including the replacement Colonel wounded for a second time and 172 other ranks wounded. 

Among the dead lay Serjeant William George Ambrose who fell attacking Zowaid Trench. Also there were two more Braintree and Bocking men Private Arthur William Gosling and Private James Joseph Willis.
William George Ambrose was born in Braintree in1896 and by 1911 lived in Woodfield Road. His father worked at Crittalls and William found employment as an office boy, possibly a rather tedious job for an energetic young man. With his father also being a serjeant in the 1/5th Battalion Essex Territorial Regiment it is no surprise to see William enlisting at the Drill Hall in Victoria Street when he was fifteen years of age. His photograph shown here reveals him to be a man of action and it is no surprise that he was serjeant also by the time he was 18 in 1914. For many men the Territorial Force was the only way to get away from the daily routine, meet mates and have a bit of excitement. The Battalion was dedicated to 'Home defence' however when volunteers for 'overseas action' were called for many were keen to answer that call.   Nineteen was the enlistment age and many who volunteered for overseas service were below that age, some well below!  William George Ambrose was an experienced fighting man of 21 years of age when he died leading his men attacking Zowaid Trench at Gaza. His body was recovered and now lies in the well cared for Gaza War Cemetery. 

Private Arthur William Gosling off similar age to Ambrose was the son of a milkman living in Stine Cottage, Panfield Lane. Arthur had been employed as a painter with Gobbold and Millbank before the war.  He too had joined the regiment possibly full of excitement and sharing the patriotism of the crowd but he also fell during this battle and was said to have died of his wounds, unfortunately however his body was never recovered.  The damage from artillery often making identification impossible.  He is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial.
Private James Joseph Willis was 19, he lived in Maltings Lane of Bradford Street and worked for Baileys the grocers in the High Street on the corner of Sandpit Road. James had left his job when 16 years of age and enlisted (by lying about his age probably) in the 5th Essex and was early in the war. He too fell somewhere during this third battle of Gaza and died of his wounds, his body also was never recovered for burial and he is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial.

The Men Who Marched Away.

This is the draft of the item I wrote for the museum.  The boss has edited the entire piece but I cannot find it on the laptop.  I suppose there are not that many changes bar of course the grammar!  It was intended as a brief introduction to the Great War which as you must know by now began on the 4th of August 1914 as far as this nation was concerned.
 

Gavrilo Princip’s action in assassinating the Archduke Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, meant little to most Essex people that June day.  With summer at hand the people’s thoughts probably centered on day trips to the coast, Southend by rail a mere three shillings and sixpence ‘Third Class,’ or possibly a day at a local fair or fete.  However by the August Bank Holiday as they returned cheerful to town news of the long awaited European war being at hand dampened their enjoyment somewhat.

The towns and district around the small towns of Braintree and Bocking shared the same patriotic fervour as the rest of the nation that day war was declared on the 4^th of August 1914.  The Band marched through the streets playing patriotic tunes and enthusiastic volunteers made their way to the Drill Hall in Victoria Street eager to ‘do one’s duty,’ either for the sake of the Empire or to protect ‘gallant little Belgium.’  Many ex-servicemen, some with experience of the Boer War, also re-joined the colours; their experience a boon to the fledgling troops who took a militaristic pride in their uniform once that is they received one.  It is unlikely any among them had any comprehension of what full scale industrial war between mighty powers would entail. 

The Territorials were already on exercise when war was declared and took up positions throughout the county in defence of the much dreaded invasion.  Business was hit badly, Crittalls alone watched well over a hundred reservists and Territorials leave for the fight.  The long hard struggles over wage rates became struggles to create munitions with the common belief, even at very high levels, that the war would be, as the Kaiser himself claimed, ‘over by Christmas,’ a belief that was soon proven false. 

Over the next four years the district shared the traumas and despair of war.  The majority supported the war effort and those who did not suffered badly from all around.  Pacifists and conscientious objectors were widely despised, the more so as the death count mounted.   While many continued to offer themselves as the war progressed and a short war faded into distant memory the need for men increased.  Some favoured conscription, others, usually unable to serve themselves, demanded all young men should enlist.  Insistent women stood at factory gates seeking young men for the colours, others offered white feathers to men in the street and young women refused to ‘walk out’ with a man who would not enlist.  Harassment from such as they and noticing the treatment of soldiers by their officers or army doctors also inclined many to rush into the munitions factories for ‘war work’ in the factories rather than ‘in the field.’  Employers not involved in ‘war work’ ‘did their bit’ by sacking men of army age, whether single or married, who did not enlist, and the pressure of middle class women attempting to enrol farm hands had the opposite effect in Essex as the men were annoyed and tore down recruitment notices.  The most vociferous patriot is usually the one staying at home.

The absence of reliable news coverage plus a strict censorship enabled rumour to become something of an art form.  The best example being the small company of the Russian Military Representatives who landed near Aberdeen and were transported south by train, soon this had become 80,000 Russian troops heading for the front.  There were claims that through the blinds, always lowered on troop trains travelling at night, lit cigarettes illuminated Russian beards!  The much feared invasion offered constant rumours of enemy landings, something that worried Essex people who were in the forefront of any invasion.  For this reason a million men were stationed in East Anglia partly to defend against invasion but also preparing for transport ‘to the front.’  Troops from many parts were billeted on the district; even small houses with families had up to six men with them.  This could be an advantage to the householder if she gave lodging to cooks who enabled the family to eat better than usual!  The great disadvantage being that many became family friends and their loss felt almost as grievously as they families itself. 

Over the next few years the people of the district spent many anxious moments awaiting news of their men.  Official reports clashed with tales from returning wounded from the same regiment, months could go by with no news whatsoever.  Knowledge of a soldiers regiment participating in a ‘Great Push,’ with no acknowledgement of his whereabouts caused great suffering for months on end in many homes while the distant rumble of guns in Flanders a constant worrying reminder of what their men endured.  Many women as well as men however benefited from the high wages found in munitions work.  Crittalls, paid their women employees the same as the men and provided medical care which lessened absence and gave a degree of security to the workers.  Lake & Elliott were among those leading the munitions drive along with other East Anglian companies creating a factory making fuses entirely staffed by female labour.  Women from all social strata and backgrounds took up routine factory work, mixing somewhat uneasily, while others became voluntary nurses at local war hospitals.  The social classes in service at home and abroad mixed together in ways unknown for some time.

The people of the Braintree and Bocking, Finchingfield and Coggeshall, Wethersfield and Bardfield in town and village faced the fear caused by a new kind of war, one fought in the air.  The experiments of Jack Humphreys at Wivenhoe alongside the other air pioneers had by 1914 produced the early machines that were to change war forever.  This change was noticed in Essex by the dark slender shapes of Zeppelins whirring by high above dropping bombs from the dark heights.  Zeppelins flying higher than aircraft crossed the North Sea to attack the Britain with a degree of impunity as defences were inadequate to deal with the threat.  The citizen was now in the front line and the citizen did not like it!  In spite of the ‘Blackout’ incendiary devices were dropped on Braintree with a bomb damaging windows in London Road while others fell harmlessly nearby.  On the night of March 31^st 1916 Braintree suffered heavily. That night Kapitanleutnant Alois Bocker brought his airship, ‘Zeppelin L 14’ to Braintree arriving around eleven in the evening.  He dropped a bomb which landed on Number 19 Coronation Avenue.  Inside Ann Herbert was killed while asleep in the back bedroom while her daughter and two children survived even though they crashed down from the first floor to the ground.  Next door the chimney collapsed into the house killing the sleeping Dennington’s and their three year old niece Ella, while the entire street suffered concussion damage from the explosion.  Kapitanleutnant Bockers ‘L. 14’ continued to drop bombs causing little damage but now the townsfolk knew what modern war offered.        

High wages were available and women spent much on cigarettes and lipstick earned through long working.  Many men were saddened however as beer increased in price and decreased in strength!  Panic buying was reduced as some degree of price control was installed.  However shortages arose and most folks took to an early ‘grow your own’ policy.  Bread being in short supply by 1918 and lack of coal supplies hurt many during the later winters.  Shortages became more important as German submarines began to take a toll of British shipping during 1917.  The greatest dread however was the knock on the door.  The inoffensive telegram boy saw many sad sights as wife or mother received news of her husband, brother or son, wounded, missing or killed.  The telegram Boy must have been a dreaded sight during those long hard years.  It is no surprise some telegraph boys were overcome with the distress that faced them at the doors and quite unable to deliver the telegrams.  Nine men from South Street, three from Bradford Street, five from Coggeshall Road, three from Notley Road and three from Rayne Road fell.  No part of town was untouched

The four long years of war left around ten million dead.  Nations were damaged physically and politically.  Men returned changed and often found the promised jobs gone, wives and families unable to cope with their hardened attitudes and disturbed physical or mental disabilities.  Shell shock, guilt, both of actions taken and the guilt of surviving, the loss of a steady wage and for some a regular meal also hurt many.  For years after the war many returning soldiers, lived among the ‘down and outs’ of society, many of them officers!   Single women, often widows with children could find few men to replace the ones lost.  The high rates of pay in a munitions factory ended in 1918 and the women returned home with few jobs to replace the war work.  Cultural attitudes, changing before 1914, exploded after the war.  Hair was bobbed; skirt hems raised and for those with money a time of jollity prevailed as an effort to live life took over from death.  The majority suffered bankrupt Britain’s ‘austerity’ however, the poorest suffering most.  The men hailed as heroes found no homes built for them, jobs rare, and the rewards of victory, and they believed they had indeed won a victory, taken from them. 

Was the war worth 750,000 British men dying?  Society changes would have come anyway, slower perhaps but inevitably.  Could the United Kingdom have avoided war by allowing an aggressive Germany to dominate Europe in 1914?  Could Britain have morally stood back when Belgium’s neutrality was ignored?  Surely this war would have had to be fought one day?  These men did indeed give themselves in a great cause, they did save the nation and the people back home could indeed be proud of their efforts.  Can we be proud of how they were treated afterwards?  

Braintree & Bocking Great War Memorial

.

Lt. Col. T. Gibbons, D S.O. Wee Book.

With the 1/5th Essex in the East.

by Lt. Col. T. Gibbons, D S.O.

There is nothing like first hand accounts of an incident or occasion and Lt. Col. Gibbons book gives us a fascinating insight into the 1/5th Essex Regiments time during the Great War.  The Colonel makes no pretence to be an author, well educated though he was, he merely wishes to put on record, before it is forgotten by himself and lost in the peace that followed.  His book emerged in 1921, soon after the conflict, and covers his beloved battalion as they took on the Turks, Austrians and Germans, and anyone else who got in their way!

In 1909 the British Army was reorganised on a more modern footing.  Local regiments, and the local connection was strong, regiments were divided into two battalions, one would serve at home for three to five years and the other abroad.  The local Militia were transformed into the more professional but part time Territorial Force with the aim of defending the homeland in time of invasion.  A third element was the army based in India giving a total membership of just under half a million men.  General Haig, who assisted Lord Haldane during the reorganisation demanded a million men as all generals saw the German war approaching, he was to be disappointed!
Essex had its two battalions and added to each were the Territorials.  Each was linked to the first battalion and in this town we had the proud 'F' Company of the 1/5th Battalion Essex Regiment.
The militaristic attitudes of the time, in which Imperialism was the order of the day, was felt strongly here as elsewhere.  Young men enjoyed the comradeship and adventure, plus the 'holiday' of camping during training days while playing at soldering.  Such men had few other outlets for their energy in the days before the First World War, money was short, work hours were long, and all were admired by the girls when in uniform!  The 5th had its HQ in Chelmsford and many local towns supplied a 'company' for the Battalion. 

When war was declared on August 4th 1914 the 5th were at Clacton on the summer exercises as part of the Eastern Division.  For the next few months confusion reigned as the nation geared up for a long awaited but unexpected war.  The main issue at the time was the possibility of civil war in Ireland, the major European was came as a surprise.  When things settled down in 1915 the regiment was on home defence duties in East Anglia.  Many had volunteered for overseas service despairing that the war would be over before they were overseas, the duty of 'home service' was seen as 'demeaning' by many. However by July they were aware action in the East, most likely Gallipoli awaited them and on the 22nd they left Plymouth Docks full of excitement for the Mediterranean.  Those who remained were the older married men destined for home defence alongside those considered too unfit or too young for action.  Their turn would come later.  The Battalion sailing as part of the renamed 54th (Eastern Division) was 29 Officers and 649 other ranks strong.  It was said many were young men, too many actually younger than they ought to have been for active service!  The then Major Gibbons joined the S.S 'Grampian' with the rest under the command of Lt Col. J.M. Welch. T.D.

The Gallipoli campaign was a shambles.  Churchill, as First Lord of the Admiralty joined with others in pushing for an attack on the Dardanelles by aged Battleships of the British and French fleets thereby forcing Turkey to surrender.  An absurd idea spoiled somewhat by the sinking of two ships and damaging of several others.  Some time later General Sir Ian Hamilton was sent out to attack the peninsula, he had no staff, no maps, no aerial photography and no army!  By the time he had arrived the small bad of Turks occupying the area had been massively reinforced, strong defences installed and the Turks were defending their homeland, and 'Johnny Turk' proved to be a very determined and competent soldier not given to running away!
The battalion landed on Suvla Bay on August 10th while serious fighting roared on the heights above them.  For the next 17 weeks the battalion along with the rest of the Division fought high on the hills, losing men to bullet and shell but mostly to disease.  The difficulty of burial in the hard ground, unsanitary conditions, flies swarming over the food all led to serious dysentery which laid the toughest men low.  The fighting on the hills lasted from the heat of autumn into the floods and snow of December when the battalion was relieved and headed for Egypt.  Of the 649 men and 29 officers who landed in August only 100 men and six officers had 'stood it' for the whole time.

The battalion moved to Egypt where it took a small part in guarding the railway during the short 'Senussi rebellion in 1916.  After Gallipoli their duties here were not onerous and Gibbons, by now Commanding Officer after replacing the wounded Welch, found time to visit a few historical landmarks and reveal his knowledge and reading of history.  The men also did such activities although many preferred the few miles walk to the beach for sea bathing!  At the end of this time Gibbons took his men to the far end of the Suez canal defences where they toiled making trenches in thin sand.  Their language at this point is not mentioned!  The sand is fine, much finer than elsewhere it appears and ruins everything, especially your 'Bully Beef.'  However being in such a place meant patrolling the Sinai looking for Turks encroaching.  Night patrols could easily get lost and attempts were made to find the way home by the Polar Star, taking the young men from Essex into a world far removed from that they had known.  These men probably never travelled far from where they were born, although rail travel had encouraged many to move, however the idea that one day they would traverse a desert was unlikely to be one they grew up with.  

During March 1917 the battalion now with a strength of around a thousand men marched along the coast of Sinai towards the Holy Land.  So impressed with this is Colonel Gibbons that he devotes a short chapter to those who previously marched this way.  Abraham, Egyptians, Hittites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, and Muslim armies all made their way back and forth, now the 5th Essex joined the unseen throng.  The Colonel rejoices in this, biblical knowledge, probably along with a classical education enabled him to note the History of the world around him and it is clear he really enjoyed this!  
However at the end of the march the battalion once again returned to the fight.  The many replacements who joined no doubt included wounded or sick from Gallipoli who had recovered, others were less experienced and thorough training had been undergone at Suez.  The men were now fit, disciplined and regarded themselves as an efficient fighting force.  Their chance came at the First Battle of Gaza.  Here they, alongside the sister battalion the 1/4th Essex, were deployed to attack Green Hill, while the 6th and 7th Essex attacked to their right.  Some 4000 yards of bare ground had to be covered, cover did not exist anywhere yet the men pressed on and as they came within range casualties were indeed heavy.  Colonel Gibbons himself was shot in the thigh and could only lie their watching proudly as his men did not hesitate until they took the enemy position.  All however was in vain.  The 'fog of war' led the Generals in charge to fear for their outstretched force and they called a halt at the very moment victory was at hand.  It all had to be done again, twice!  The second battle was a rushed affair in which the 5th took little part and led to a change of leadership when General Murray, competent and successful up to this time was replaced by General Allenby, sent out after his Arras attack had ended. His stature however enabled more constructive planning for the third battle in which the 5th took a major part.  Their attack, this time from shoreline of the Mediterranean took them into the enemy positions and after heavy fighting and many losses Gaza was taken.  Colonel Gibbons had returned in time for the battle only to be hit once more in the hands.  Heading for medical aid in the dark misty atmosphere he was not easily recognised and was amused when he overheard one man complain "It's not right sending old boys like him out to fight!"  

Gibbons describes the 5th adventures as they head north along the coast, past Jaffa and the many orange orchards, fighting the last great battle of Megiddo and the continued journey north following the Calvary who raced ahead bagging thousands of surrendering Turks.  Allenby had sprung a surprise by feinting to attack over the Jordan towards Damascus and instead sent the cavalry over Mount Carmel through Haifa and routed the enemy.  The 5th marched north through Lebanon and soon the war against the Turkish forces was over and thoughts turned to home!  On November 11th 1918 the armistice in Europe was declared but few men rejoiced.  Happy that the war was over and glad to know they would soon be home they also counted the cost of the men left behind on Gallipoli, Gaza and elsewhere.  Not all had been found and identified, not all lay in a decent grave.  Soldiers memories never leave them though they cannot reveal them to non soldiers, sometimes the soldier cannot allow himself to remember his war.

Throughout this book we see a man of his time.  An educated middle class officer, proud to be British and proud of the way his men stuck with extremely difficult situations and 'stuck it like Britons' at that! His stiff upper lip, his understanding and care for his men shine through as does his desire to do the best for all he meets.  His job was to fight this war and do his duty properly, he may have to kill but he would rather be at peace, and attitude many soldiers still carry.  He understood the pain and suffering of war but just got on with the job, determined to do whatever must be done no matter the cost.  The impression left is of an officer who a soldier would be happy have as leader, especially a territorial soldier.  While not a professional writer he writes a book that takes you into the mind and heart of a Territorial Officer of the day.  This book gives witness to the action of the 5th Essex, it also gives witness to the man.  This book is worth a read for that alone.  He wrote his memoirs so that the sacrifice of his men should never be forgotten and I doubt he ever forgot them himself.  His books dedication reads, 

'To my Comrades, 

on both sides of the veil.'    

.

Research?

I have spent much of today in northern Israel fighting the 1918 Battle of Megiddo.  Now naturally I realise I must indicate to the less intelligent among the congregation that I was not actually participating in the fighting myself, I was merely reading about it.  I was trailing the advance of the 5th Essex Battalion after the battle of Jaffa and discovered the part they played in this major 'Mother of all Battles.'  Actually while here can I remind those mentioned previously that the 'Jaffa' in question being battled over is in fact NOT an orange, or indeed an orchard of that succulent citrus fruit, it was the town after which those fruits were named that I meant.   Also I suppose I must indicate that I failed to find much depth in what the 5th achieved in this advance as the reports tended to concentrate on the Cavalry taking major targets, the RAF bombing the communications centre and lesser regiments taking all the credit.  Tsk!  

This is a wee job I began some time ago and returning to it I discovered just how illiterate I am! What appeared to be acceptable at the time turns out to be meaningless drivel!  Now I realise what sub editors, or critics if you prefer, are for.  It didn't help that I had lost my place in all the books, mags and websites I had been using and have to spend hours attempting to find them all again.  Bah! 

For some the Great War was spent in France and Flanders, usually bored, often cold, damp and shot at.  For the 5th the war was spent in the delight of Gallipoli, Egypt and 120 degrees of heat in the Sinai as they approached Gaza.  After three attempts and a new commander they finally passed that historic town and ventured north to Jaffa, not for oranges remember.  I have yet to find out if any of the original 649 men and 29 officers made it to the end.  As they left Gallipoli only 6 officers and 100 men had survived that escapade.  As the war progressed the losses were made up with replacements from Britain, often no longer Essex men alone merely anyone who was available.  A quick calculation shows the 5th battalion lost a total of 332 men dead by wars end.  Around three others would be wounded, often more than once, and no count can ever be made of those who died from their exertions during the next forty years, often long before the next war came to be.  

.