I read this with interest. Much of it is a panegyric excusing the 'upper classes' who have long been blamed for the messes made during this dreadful conflict. Snow makes some good points and debunks many misconceptions. On the other hand he uses some dubious 'statistics' while attempting to justify his conclusions. However, the fact is that well over 700,000 young British men and hundreds of thousands more German, French, Italian, Russian and other young men of various nationalities perished due to the uncaring incompetence and greed of their respective ruling classes. Snow makes the mistake of talking of German 'defeat' .. Germany was not defeated until 1945. WW1 was father to the bastard child that was WWll
So England fans should really sing "One world war and one world cup, do dah, do dah" when playing Germany?
Not quite a celeb fan but Max Hastings looks for the Addicks scores as his wife Penny was married to Michael Grade both she and her some a big fans still, he knew quite a bit about them although more of a rugger sort.
I was fortunate to help Max Hastings with his latest book "Catastrophy" and did some filming with him for an upcoming BBC documentary on the First Year of the war in Ypres
when is this on mate, I have mentioned before about my great grandfather and his story in Ypres when he got the his military cross would be really interested in this
I normally get an email a couple of weeks before so will PM you, what's your Great Grandfather's details I will see what I can turn up on him if you want.
Albert Oakman, Bedfordshire regiment, I have done research on him mate and very proud what I turned up , but I have no picture of him in uniform would love one
I am meeting Gordon Corrigan for lunch next week so will mention your support for Mud Blood and Poppycock
I would also recommend Forgotten Victory by Gary Sheffield, Tommy by the late Richard Holmes and anything by my mentor and influence John Terraine.
I've just finished reading Mud, Blood & Poppycock and can confirm it is an excellent read. I've also read Forgotten Victory by Gary Sheffield, which I can highly recommend. Anyone who is serious about wanting to know the truth about the Great War really should read these. I'm just about to start 'To Win a War' by John Terraine, who is another author I enjoy enormously and like Clive, was one of those who inspired me towards my becoming an historian, albeit a part time one who still has a 'day job!'
Good to see you post Tom Hovi and thanks again for the SE7 at war article for the Museum website. I am speaking at the Union Jack Club on the Kaiserslacht 6 February if your about, would be good to see you Steve
Albert Oakman, Bedfordshire regiment, I have done research on him mate and very proud what I turned up , but I have no picture of him in uniform would love one
Think this would be a great project to throw it open to all Lifers - tell the story or let us in on any of your relatives hat fought in the Great War - would be interesting & a tribute to see the range of service - army, navy, RFC etc & the battles they fought in.
My great grandad fought in ww1 in the beds regiment , his platoon (I think that's what they call them) was in ypres and the officer in charge was killed during an attack on a machinegun post
He then took charge of the remaining members of his team although he was only a nco and they continued their assault , they succesfully reached and secured the machinegun post taking several prisoner of war. For his bravery and taking charge of the guys he was with and completing their task he was given the military cross
He got injured twice in ypres and was hospitalised once for shrapnel and the other for the effects of gas
He returned to the front line after both and fortunately survived the war and returned to his home in welwyn garden city before settling in kidbrooke and carrying on with life until the second world war where he lost 3 sons in combat
This is all I could find about albert oakman and with the loss of my nan two years ago the stories are now gone
I have all his and my grandfathers medals along with some other bits which I will scan over the weekend as I would love to know more about if anyone can assist
Good to see you post Tom Hovi and thanks again for the SE7 at war article for the Museum website. I am speaking at the Union Jack Club on the Kaiserslacht 6 February if your about, would be good to see you Steve
Hi Clive - always a pleasure mate and anything I can do in future just let me know. I tend not to post too much on here as there is sometimes too much hate and unpleasantness from some quarters but happy to get involved on something I know about. Yes, Neil mentioned your talk at the UJC next month and I am planning to come along, so hope to see you then. Cheers Steve
A little bit about NLA's Gt Grandad I dug up, a very interesting character and a real snapshot of the Great War both military and social.
Albert William Oakman was born at 93 Whitby Road, Rye Park near Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire and yesterday would have been his 108th Birthday (21 Jan 1896)
He enlisted in the Bedfordshire Regt in 1914 very possibly before war was declared and is posted on the 12 May 15 to the Regular 1st Battalion who are at that time serving in the Hill 60 sector of the Ypres Salient. Service number 14433
He is steadily promoted whilst seeing service at Ypres, Loos and the Somme so I next pick him up as a Serjeant (note the military spelling of this rank) in July 1917 at Ecurie Wood Camp as a member of the sports recreation committee where he is tasked with organising Boxing and Football competitions for the Battalion.
This is particularly relevant given NLA's own interests and also a snap shot into the life of soldiering on the western front which equated to 60-65 days a year in a trench, around 40 of which were front line service and 300 days training for a modern war and resting whilst keeping fit.
The reference to his leading his men when his officer had been killed at Ypres that NLA mentions was likely to be the catalyst for his commission from the ranks as opposed to his citation for the MC as this medal was an Officer award, other ranks being awarded the equal Militay Medal as opposed to Cross.
He is commissioned in early 1918 joining the 4th Bedfords part of the famous 63 Royal Naval Division on 27th August 1918 UN time for the advance to victory.
He comes to notice leading his men into attack on the Capture of the Hindenburg Line when crossing the Canal du Nord on the 27 September 1918.
This brilliant victory was one of the penultimate punches against a retreating German Army that was to lead to a complete and total military victory on the Western Front regardless of the peace that was loss and political rise of national socialism a decade or so later.
It was for this decisive victory and more pertinently Alberts role in it at the small village of Cantaing that he was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry in the field.
He was promoted to Lieutenant in the last days of the war and on finally returning to the UK in 1919 settled in Welwyn Garden City where I grew up.
You should be very proud I will have a shufti about for a photo of him for you and take some pics of Cantaing when next there in April.
Excuse any typos grammar but I am on a smartphone on a train.
clive thank you for the call and thank you for filling the gaps that I had, I will scan all I have and email them to you, I will also post the pics of the medals and the big coin we discussed
he sounds like a truly extraordinary man and I am very proud of him,
Clive - great to see this story. Just to let you know I'm loving "The Greater Game", which I'm about three quarters through whilst on holiday. The individual stories really bring home some of the personal tragedies of war, with rich lives cut short and families devastated - which it can be easy to overlook in the big sweep of events and the statistics. The chapter on Colin Blythe (Deptford, Woolwich Arsenal, Kent CCC) and of course the one on Charlton and West Ham connections were particularly poignant.
Great to read about your great grandad. You should be justly proud of him, what a great story. I have been doing some research about my own grandad, born in 1890, who served in the Royal North West Kent regiment and was wounded twice, the second time seriously on the 3rd day of the battle of the Somme. I am going to do one of Clive's company's Somme battlefield walking tours in April, with Clive, which will be fantastic.
Great work on NLAs Grandfather Clive - fascinating read.
You should be very proud of his achievements NLA, to go through the whole conflict and taking part in most of the major engagements, yet still prepared to lead his men on the 'impregnable' Hindenburg Line during the last 100 days, takes some guts.
I've just got hold of a self published book by Historian Ian Walker - who's a North Stand ST Holder and an expert on The Battle of Loos, which started my whole fascintation on WW1.
Don't know if you can find any more info about his father Clive, but would be interesting to hear of his WW1 record.
950728 Driver E. J. "Johnnie" Walker MM who was in the RFA, January 1915 until June 1919. It would be great to give Ian some family feedback.
the most fascinating bit to me is I am 15 mins from where his life began, his medals were posted from enfield post office just 2 mins from my home yet I moved here of free choice and no prior knowledge that I had family from here
**for the info of addicted** Hi Nick, regarding 950728 Rifleman Ed Waller (not Walker you duffer!) we are still searching for a Military Medal Citation but I can tell you it was not for Loos but the March Offensive when he was near to Flesquieres (where D51 Deborah is kept that you visited) I have found out the following for you and Ian, I am sure he knows most of it,
Edward James Waller Born 7 July 1899 Lived at 14, Farley Road, Catford 6 January 1915 - Enlisted in the 5th (London) Royal Field Artillery (Territorial Force) On joining he was issued service number 1912 (later changed to 950728) Proceeded to France with B Battery 235 Artillery Brigade, 47th London Division Described as being 5ft 6, good physical build, dark hair, green eyes Arrived in France 15 March 1915 May 1915 – Battle of Aubers Ridge September 1916 – Battle of Loos 23 March 16 – Fever admitted to Field Ambulance 15 April 16 –Upset stomach admitted to Field Ambulance September/October 1916 – Battle of the Somme (including High Wood) 17 December 1916 – Synovitis admitted to Field Ambulance June 1917 – Battle of Messines July/November 1917 – Battle of Third Ypres (Passchendaele) 11 July 1917 – Tonsillitis, admitted to Field Ambulance 14 August 1917 – Charged with “Ill-treatment of a Horse” awarded 3 days Field Punishment No2 4 September 1917 – Wounded in action, remained on duty 19 September 1917 – Illness (Not Yet Diagnosed) admitted to Field Ambulance 11 October 1917 – 10 days leave to Blighty 29 October 1917 – Infection, admitted to Field Ambulance November/December 1917 – Battle of Cambrai 6 January 1918 – Synovitis Left Knee, Admitted to Field Ambulance 21 March 1918 – The German Spring Offensive *Military Medal Award for this action when the battery were holding the Flesquieres pocket for “Gallantry in the Field” May 1918 – Military Medal award confirmed (I am still searching for the citation) 29 November 1918 – 14 days leave to Blighty 23 April 1919 – Back to Blighty for good 17 June 17 – Discharged from the army 1926 – Re-joins the Territorial Army as a Rifleman in the 5th London Rifle Brigade, army no 6561670, trade given as a Clerk 1927 – Leaves the Territorial Army for good
My grandfather was taken prisoner in Ypres i think in 1917 ,reputedly by a German company/platoon containing someone called A Hitler ..will be going there in March to investigate
Comments
"One world war and one world cup, do dah, do dah" when playing Germany?
when is this on mate, I have mentioned before about my great grandfather and his story in Ypres when he got the his military cross would be really interested in this
Very good article from the Source, the history archive on the Museum site
He then took charge of the remaining members of his team although he was only a nco and they continued their assault , they succesfully reached and secured the machinegun post taking several prisoner of war. For his bravery and taking charge of the guys he was with and completing their task he was given the military cross
He got injured twice in ypres and was hospitalised once for shrapnel and the other for the effects of gas
He returned to the front line after both and fortunately survived the war and returned to his home in welwyn garden city before settling in kidbrooke and carrying on with life until the second world war where he lost 3 sons in combat
This is all I could find about albert oakman and with the loss of my nan two years ago the stories are now gone
I have all his and my grandfathers medals along with some other bits which I will scan over the weekend as I would love to know more about if anyone can assist
Albert William Oakman was born at 93 Whitby Road, Rye Park near Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire and yesterday would have been his 108th Birthday (21 Jan 1896)
He enlisted in the Bedfordshire Regt in 1914 very possibly before war was declared and is posted on the 12 May 15 to the Regular 1st Battalion who are at that time serving in the Hill 60 sector of the Ypres Salient. Service number 14433
He is steadily promoted whilst seeing service at Ypres, Loos and the Somme so I next pick him up as a Serjeant (note the military spelling of this rank) in July 1917 at Ecurie Wood Camp as a member of the sports recreation committee where he is tasked with organising Boxing and Football competitions for the Battalion.
This is particularly relevant given NLA's own interests and also a snap shot into the life of soldiering on the western front which equated to 60-65 days a year in a trench, around 40 of which were front line service and 300 days training for a modern war and resting whilst keeping fit.
The reference to his leading his men when his officer had been killed at Ypres that NLA mentions was likely to be the catalyst for his commission from the ranks as opposed to his citation for the MC as this medal was an Officer award, other ranks being awarded the equal Militay Medal as opposed to Cross.
He is commissioned in early 1918 joining the 4th Bedfords part of the famous 63 Royal Naval Division on 27th August 1918 UN time for the advance to victory.
He comes to notice leading his men into attack on the Capture of the Hindenburg Line when crossing the Canal du Nord on the 27 September 1918.
This brilliant victory was one of the penultimate punches against a retreating German Army that was to lead to a complete and total military victory on the Western Front regardless of the peace that was loss and political rise of national socialism a decade or so later.
It was for this decisive victory and more pertinently Alberts role in it at the small village of Cantaing that he was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry in the field.
He was promoted to Lieutenant in the last days of the war and on finally returning to the UK in 1919 settled in Welwyn Garden City where I grew up.
You should be very proud I will have a shufti about for a photo of him for you and take some pics of Cantaing when next there in April.
Excuse any typos grammar but I am on a smartphone on a train.
he sounds like a truly extraordinary man and I am very proud of him,
Clive - great to see this story. Just to let you know I'm loving "The Greater Game", which I'm about three quarters through whilst on holiday. The individual stories really bring home some of the personal tragedies of war, with rich lives cut short and families devastated - which it can be easy to overlook in the big sweep of events and the statistics. The chapter on Colin Blythe (Deptford, Woolwich Arsenal, Kent CCC) and of course the one on Charlton and West Ham connections were particularly poignant.
@NLA
Great to read about your great grandad. You should be justly proud of him, what a great story. I have been doing some research about my own grandad, born in 1890, who served in the Royal North West Kent regiment and was wounded twice, the second time seriously on the 3rd day of the battle of the Somme. I am going to do one of Clive's company's Somme battlefield walking tours in April, with Clive, which will be fantastic.
: - )
You should be very proud of his achievements NLA, to go through the whole conflict and taking part in most of the major engagements, yet still prepared to lead his men on the 'impregnable' Hindenburg Line during the last 100 days, takes some guts.
I've just got hold of a self published book by Historian Ian Walker - who's a North Stand ST Holder and an expert on The Battle of Loos, which started my whole fascintation on WW1.
Don't know if you can find any more info about his father Clive, but would be interesting to hear of his WW1 record.
950728 Driver E. J. "Johnnie" Walker MM who was in the RFA, January 1915 until June 1919. It would be great to give Ian some family feedback.
Hi Nick, regarding 950728 Rifleman Ed Waller (not Walker you duffer!) we are still searching for a Military Medal Citation but I can tell you it was not for Loos but the March Offensive when he was near to Flesquieres (where D51 Deborah is kept that you visited) I have found out the following for you and Ian, I am sure he knows most of it,
Edward James Waller Born 7 July 1899
Lived at 14, Farley Road, Catford
6 January 1915 - Enlisted in the 5th (London) Royal Field Artillery (Territorial Force)
On joining he was issued service number 1912 (later changed to 950728)
Proceeded to France with B Battery 235 Artillery Brigade, 47th London Division
Described as being 5ft 6, good physical build, dark hair, green eyes
Arrived in France 15 March 1915
May 1915 – Battle of Aubers Ridge
September 1916 – Battle of Loos
23 March 16 – Fever admitted to Field Ambulance
15 April 16 –Upset stomach admitted to Field Ambulance
September/October 1916 – Battle of the Somme (including High Wood)
17 December 1916 – Synovitis admitted to Field Ambulance
June 1917 – Battle of Messines
July/November 1917 – Battle of Third Ypres (Passchendaele)
11 July 1917 – Tonsillitis, admitted to Field Ambulance
14 August 1917 – Charged with “Ill-treatment of a Horse” awarded 3 days Field Punishment No2
4 September 1917 – Wounded in action, remained on duty
19 September 1917 – Illness (Not Yet Diagnosed) admitted to Field Ambulance
11 October 1917 – 10 days leave to Blighty
29 October 1917 – Infection, admitted to Field Ambulance
November/December 1917 – Battle of Cambrai
6 January 1918 – Synovitis Left Knee, Admitted to Field Ambulance
21 March 1918 – The German Spring Offensive *Military Medal Award for this action when the battery were holding the Flesquieres pocket for “Gallantry in the Field”
May 1918 – Military Medal award confirmed (I am still searching for the citation)
29 November 1918 – 14 days leave to Blighty
23 April 1919 – Back to Blighty for good
17 June 17 – Discharged from the army
1926 – Re-joins the Territorial Army as a Rifleman in the 5th London Rifle Brigade, army no 6561670, trade given as a Clerk
1927 – Leaves the Territorial Army for good
Hope thats of interest to you mate,
Clive