Chapter SixNewfoundland and the First World War

Part IThe Start of the First World War

The World at the Start of the 1900s

The world at the start of the 1900s was very different than it is today

The world was dominated by Europe: it was the center of the world; and Europe was ruled by 5 main countries: Austria-Hungary France Germany Great Britain Russia

The 5 Powers of Europe

These 5 countries often competed with one another for world power

They did this through many means, but mainly through building larger militaries, getting bigger Empires and forming alliances.

The last time a Great Power went to war with another was in 1871 (France-Germany)

Building Military Strength The 5 powers would try to be stronger

than the others by having the biggest and best military. This competition was called an Arms Race

Each Great Power tried to have bigger and better equipped armies; some Great Powers wanted Naval strength (ships) as well.

Empires The Political Strength of a country in those

days was measured by the size of their Empire

European countries (sometimes non-Great Powers) sent their armies all over the world to conquer land to rule. This was called Colonization

Asia and Africa were popular places to colonize.

Alliances To prevent war, the Great Powers aligned

themselves with other countries and Great Powers to form Alliances

An alliance is like a military friendship: countries promise to protect other members of the alliance in case of war

There were many alliances before 1914, but the main two were called the Triple Entente/Allies and the Central Powers

The Alliances of Europe

The Triple-Entente

France

Russia

Great-Britain

The Central Powers

Germany

Austria-Hungary

Italy (not a main power)

Other Notable Alliances Russia-Serbia German-Ottoman Empire (Modern-day

Middle-East) – A secret alliance that no other country knew about

Great Britain-Belgium (signed in 1839!!)

The Alliances of Europe (Again)

The Triple-Entente

France

Russia

Great-Britain

Serbia

Belgium

The Central Powers

Germany

Austria-Hungary

Italy Ottoman-Empire

Germany

Seen as the leader of the Central Powers

Young country (1871)

Really big army, small navy (wanted bigger) and small empire

Wanted to be a world power, but was too late to the Great Power game

Austria-Hungary

Very old country (1506)

Very large army, very small navy and NO OVERSEAS EMPIRE

Wanted to become bigger in Europe (take over other countries)

Russia

Very large country.

Biggest Army in Europe, but was poorly trained and poorly equipped

No Overseas Empire – wanted to expand its borders in Europe (become bigger)

France

Though to have the best Army in Europe (very big and well trained)

Very big overseas Empire (second in the world)

Wanted land back that was lost to Germany in the 1871 War (the last time 2 Great Powers went to war…)

Great Britain

Had the largest empire in human history (1/4 of the earth’s surface)

Had a very small army, but the largest Navy in the world (it is an island..)

Wanted: Rule of the seas and for there to be many Great Powers: not just 1

Conflicts Before 1914 Russia-Austria-Hungary: both wanted the same piece of

land in south-east Europe Germany-France & Great Britain: Wanted an empire France-Germany: France wanted its lost land back Great Britain-Germany: Both wanted rule of the seas Great Britain-Germany: Germany wanted to be the

greatest of the great powers; Great Britain didn’t want a single power ruling the world

Austria-Hungary

Very old country (1506)

Very large army, very small navy and NO OVERSEAS EMPIRE

Wanted to become bigger in Europe (take over other countries)

Section 2Newfoundland Goes to War

Newfoundland and the War When Great Britain declared war on the Central Powers,

Newfoundland was automatically at war too Newfoundland hadn’t had a military force since the

1870s The Government of Newfoundland decided to raise a

Regiment for overseas service with the British Army. This unit was to be called The Newfoundland Regiment

Regiment: A fighting force of about 800-1000 men

Creating a Fighting Force

Men from all over Newfoundland joined the British Army in 1914

These men ranged from fishermen, to trappers, to wealthy sons of businessmen

Creating a Fighting Force

No one thought the war would last long (“It Will Be Over by Christmas”).

Many joined out of love for Newfoundland and because they believed in the British Empire – this was called Patriotism

Propaganda Another tool governments used to get

people to join the army was called Propaganda

Propaganda: information used to promote a political cause or point of view (in this case, join the military)

Raising the Newfoundland Regiment

Propaganda was effective, and hundreds of men joined the Newfoundland Regiment

These men had no formal military experience – officers and sergeants were cadet leaders or prominent locals.

The first 500 men to join (named “The First 500”) trained in Pleasantville before leaving for England on 14 October 1914

The Newfoundland Regiment A problem with clothing materials gave the

Newfoundland Regiment its nickname British soldiers wore cloth wrap around

their lower legs to prevent them from stepping on their pants. These wraps were called Puttees and were supposed to be khaki, like the rest of the uniform

The Blue Puttees A khaki shortage meant that there was no

material to make khaki puttees Instead, the NL Regiment was issued

puttees made out of a blue fabric. Their nickname then became “The Blue Puttees”

This was the nickname they carried for the rest of the war

Section IIIThe Newfoundland Regiment at War

The War So Far

Neither side is winning the war by the end of 1914

Both sides have dug Trenches (ditches to fight in) that stretch from the ocean to the border of Switzerland. There is no way around them – only through

By the end of 1914, already 1 million men have died attacking each other’s trenches

The Regiment at War

The Newfoundland Regiment arrived in England in late 1914

Instead of going straight to the battlefields, they spend the next few months training in “modern warfare tactics”

Learned things like how to attack a trench, how to use machine-guns, grenades, etc.

1915

In early 1915, the Newfoundland Regiment receives orders to leave England…but they’re not going to France

Instead, they’re sent to Egypt where they will prepare to fight the Ottoman Empire

The Battle of Gallipoli

In 1915, the British Army makes a plan to knock the Ottomans out of the war

They will land an army by boat on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Suvla Bay – only 100 miles from the capital of the Ottoman Empire

It is hoped that the force will be able to surprise the Turkish Army and force them to surrender

Gallipoli

For months, the Newfoundland Regiment occupied trenches opposite the Turks.

Fighting was brutal, often being hand-to-hand

After a few months the British Force (including the Newfoundlanders) left the peninsula in defeat.

Battle of the Somme

The Newfoundland Regiment left Gallipoli and moved on to France

Fighting in this country was between two lines of trenches, known as the Western Front

Battle of the Somme

In 1916, British General Haig created a plan that he thought would end the war if it worked

Several-hundred-thousand soldiers would attack German positions on 1 July 1916 along the River Somme

The Newfoundland Regiment was given the task of being the second unit to attack the town of Beaumont-Hamel

Beaumont-Hamel

On 1 July 1916, British Forces left their trenches and attacked along the Somme.

The German soldiers, thought to be dead after weeks of shelling, were still alive and wiped out most of the first wave of attackers.

Beaumont-Hamel

Despite the initial failure of the attack, General Haig ordered more soldiers to attack

After watching a slaughter of 3000 men, the Newfoundland Regiment was ordered to attack the town of Beaumont-Hamel

Beaumont-Hamel

801 men of the Newfoundland Regiment left their trenches around 830am

Due to a communications problem, they were the only British soldiers attacking – thus they were the only target for the German machine-guns to aim at

By 9am, the Newfoundland Regiment was all but destroyed.

Beaumont-Hamel

Very few soldiers of the Regiment made it to the German lines

Of the 801 Newfoundlanders who attacked Beaumont-Hamel, only 68 were present at roll call the next morning

The entire Battle of the Somme was a failure; the war did not end in the summer of 1916

After July 1st, 1916

Although the Regiment was wiped out at Beaumont-Hamel, it was quickly re-formed (propaganda, recruiting, etc.)

It fought numerous actions and took part in many famous battles.

After July 1st

The Newfoundland Regiment was wiped out again at the Battle of Monchy-le-Preux in April, 1917.

They were given the title “Royal” after their actions at the Battle of Cambrai in November, 1917. From then after they were known as the Royal Newfoundland Regiment.

Sgt. Thomas Ricketts, VC (1901-1967)

Tommy Rickets was a NL soldiers who joined the army at age 15

By 17, he was a veteran of 2 years

Sgt. Thomas Ricketts, VC

Tommy Ricketts won the British Empire’s highest award for bravery, the Victoria Cross, for actions at the Battle of Ledgehem, 1918

He was the youngest Victoria Cross recipient in the British Army and the only member of the Newfoundland Regiment to receive it…ever

End of War

World War 1 ended on 11 November 1918 The Newfoundland Regiment returned home the

following year. Over 4 years of war, 1291 soldiers of the

Newfoundland Regiment died and 2314 were wounded.

By war’s end, the Regiment was considered an elite force of the British Army – not too bad for a unit only 4 years old

SECTION 3Newfoundlanders in Other Parts of the War

Royal Newfoundland Naval Reserve

On the outbreak of war, thousands of Newfoundlanders joined the British Navy

These sailors served all over the world on British Ships and were involved in prominent battles like the Battle of Jutland and the Battle of Zeebrugge (where they manned small landing boats for marines)

Volunteer Aid Detachment

Young women from Newfoundland volunteered for war service with the Volunteer Aid Detachment

They became war nurses who cared for wounded soldiers

These nurses often put themselves in great danger from being so close to the battles

Newfoundland Forestry Corps

Many young men travelled to Scotland in 1917 to cut wood needed for the war effort

Wood was essential to building military weapons (like rifles) and these men had the job of cutting the wood

Merchant Marine

Newfoundlanders also served in cargo ships that carried war supplies across the Atlantic Ocean to England.

These ships were constantly harassed by German Submarine attacks

Newfoundlanders in the Canadian Army

Some Newfoundlanders also joined the Canadian Army instead of the Newfoundland Regiment

One of these men was John Bernard Croke, who was awarded the Victoria Cross in 1918. He died of his wounds shortly after doing his brave deed

SECTION 4Newfoundland and the Home Front

The Home Front

Groups at home worked to send supplies, support, encouragement and materials to the troops who were fighting overseas.

Women’s Patriotic Association

Made bandages, knitted socks, scarves, hats, raised funds, visited families and cared for injured veterans.

15 000 members in Newfoundland.

Worked hard to support the soldiers who were fighting overseas.

Newfoundland Patriotic Association

300 volunteers (mostly from St. John’s)

Responsible for recruiting members for the Newfoundland Regiment, Royal Naval Reserve and Forestry Corps.

Existed until 1917, when it was taken over by government.

Conscription

The compulsory (forced) enlistment of citizens for military service.

In May 1918, the Newfoundland Government passed an Act requiring unmarried men aged 19 – 25 to register for service. As it turned out, these men never had to be shipped to war, and the Newfoundland Regiment was able to say that during World War One, it was completely a volunteer fighting force overseas in Europe.

Reasons for Conscription

1. Newfoundland’s pride was at stake. It was feared that the regiment would be taken over by the British or Canadians.

2. The British Empire was threatened and Newfoundland should support Britain.

3. Canada passed conscription in 1916 and Newfoundland should as well.

Reasons Against Conscription

1. The Government did not have the right to force people to fight.

2. It was a European war not a Newfoundland war.

3. The merchants were getting rich of the war effort while the working class risked their lives.

SECTION 5The Effects of the War

Financial Cost of the War

The war had cost Newfoundland 35 million dollars. It had to borrow 13 million to help finance the war and when the war ended Newfoundland had to pay disability allowances and pensions to the veterans. This debt would be something Newfoundland would never be able to recover from.

The Dead

Many men were killed or wounded during the war (1753). This affected the number of men who were working, fishing, etc. in the towns and villages, which would have many negative effects on the communities.

The Spanish Flu

There was a serve outbreak towards the end of the war and soldiers returning home brought it back to Newfoundland..

In a effort to contain the disease, public places were closed and special hospitals were set up.

People were buried in mass graves to keep up with all the casualties.

The epidemic claimed 25 – 30 million lives worldwide – more people than died in the war.

Women’s Suffrage Movement

Suffrage – the struggle of women to earn the right to vote.

Organizations like the WPA and VAD showed that women were resourceful and capable citizens. These organizations increased their confidence and desire to have voice and the right to vote.

Women’s Suffrage Movement

Had to overcome a great deal of contempt from men who felt and advertised their opinions that women should stay at home, to cook, to clean and raise their families.

In 1925, after a long struggle with powerful government men, Prime Minister Walter Monroe passed a law whereby all women 25 years of age could vote.

Women came to play a more important role in society after the war and many changes were to come as a result.