A monumental sacrifice
PHILIP BROUGH recounts, year by year, the events of the First World War, and the Leek men who gave their lives in it
THIS in an account of the First World War, with particular emphasis on those places the names of which are inscribed around the top of the Monument; and the men from Leek who fell in those battles. No-one needs to be reminded that it was war with great losses. Some nine million people died as a direct result of the conflict; 750,000 of them were British; 421 came from Leek; more if the surrounding villages are included.
When war broke out, men flocked to enlist, but the number of volunteers was not enough. Recruitment was encouraged by what was called the ‘Pals’ Brigades’; that is, a promise that young men who joined up together, would stay together.
This decision rebounded with a vengeance when it was discovered that, during the heavy fighting, they also died together.
Whole towns discovered that in one day’s fighting almost every family had lost a son!
The demoralising effect of this can only be imagined.
The answer was to split the men up into different regiments and pals who joined together would serve in totally different units.
So, when one regiment/division suffered heavy casualties, the losses would be spread about over the country, and not be so devastating to any one area.
It followed that young men from North Staffordshire could serve in a Northumberland Regiment; and young men from Devon could serve in a North Staffordshire Regiment.
This makes it very difficult to trace local men, for the North Staffs Regiment would contain men from all over the Kingdom and North
Staffs men would be serving in other Regiments from other parts of the country.
What follows is therefore a brief history of the First World War, concentrating on the Western Front.
The scroll of foreign place names around the upper part of the Nicholson War Memorial in Leek (the largest war memorial in the country), always perplexed me as a child, even when my father told me that they were the names of battles. It is upon those battles that this account will concentrate.
JANUARY – Pressure in Europe is building up. The major powers start to form alliances including an agreement by the British, French and Russians to act together in any conflict with Germany.
FEBRUARY – A Russian politician tells the Tsar that Britain will be unable to support Russia if there is a European conflict. He also predicts that a war with Germany will lead to a Socialist
Revolution.
MARCH – Detailed Anglo-french discussions begin.
APRIL – Those Anglo-french discussions lead to initial preparations for a war with Germany.
MAY – Naval talks are held between Britain and Russia as to collaboration in the event of war.
JUNE – Kaiser Wilhelm II and Franz Ferdinand, the Austrian heir to the throne, meet to discuss Serbia and Russia. Franz Ferdinand then goes to Serbia, with his wife, for an official visit. In the midst of growing local tension (the Serbs want independence) they are both assassinated.
JULY – Austria issues an ultimatum to Serbia that would reduce independence to a minimum. Russia prepares for war; for if Austria seeks to increase its influence over the Balkans, Russia will too. Both the Austrians and the Russians begin full mobilisation. There are frantic attempts at mediation. Austria refuses to negotiate and bombards Belgrade. Other European nations threaten to form opposing alliances. The Austrians and Germans have doubts as to the British reaction to war, for it is less than a week since Lloyd George stated in the House of Commons that Anglo-german relations are better than they have ever been.
AUGUST – A German ultimatum to Russia expires. Russian mobilisation continues and the Kaiser declares war on Russia. Germany issues an ultimatum to the Belgians. The British cabinet agrees on war if Belgian neutrality is breached. Belgium refuses the ultimatum. Germany declares war on France. Germany invades Belgium and the British government issues an ultimatum to Germany stating that they must withdraw by midnight. Austriahungary declares war on Russia. Britain declares war on Germany. Britain and France declare war on the Austrohungarian empire. The war that no-one wants has arrived! The fighting begins almost at once. The British Expeditionary Force arrives in France and meets the advancing German army at Mons. The British withdraw to the River Marne. On the Eastern Front, the Germans win a great victory at Tannenburg.
SEPTEMBER – The Germans continue their push towards Paris. British and French troops retreat further to positions south of the Seine and Marne rivers. The French launch a counter attack. The Germans manoeuvre to meet them, leaving a gap. At this very early stage of the war, it is a ‘fluid war’ with armies manoeuvring as in earlier wars. British and French troops push into this gap and hold off German counter attacks. Paris is saved. The Germans retreat back to the River Aisne.
Hoping to take advantage of the German retreat, the Allies launch a series of offensives. The Germans, however, have dug in, creating a line of strong defences. French attempts at a break-through in Lorraine and near the Somme River fail. It is realised that frontal attacks on the German lines would lead to very high casualties and the assault is ended. Over 250,000 French soldiers die and a similar number of Germans. A stalemate has been reached and the Allies dig in themselves. Thus begins trench warfare.
OCTOBER – With stalemate, the only hope of a quick end is to outflank the enemy. The French seek to do this by advancing towards the Channel. The Germans meet the French near Arras. The Germans stop the French from reaching Lens. As much of the German army is now near to Paris, they are thought to be weaker in Belgium.
Here they advance only as far as the town of Ypres, which they take. The British Expeditionary force recaptures Ypres and a German counter-attack is launched.
British troops were to remain in possession of the town for the duration of the war, and the Germans made many attempts to dislodge them.
FIRST BATTLE OF YPRES (12 October to 11 November 1914)
The British advance north to Ypres and meet ‘head on’ the advancing German army.
Superior German numbers force the British into fierce defensive battles and British rifle fire prevents an enemy breakthrough.
The German offensive falters. On October 29, the Germans launch a new assault on Ypres and the British line is broken.
A counter-attack restores the situation.
On November 11, there is a third German assault on Ypres which is halted by artillery and an improvised force of infantry, In the deteriorating weather, the German offensive is called off.
The German drive to the Channel ports has failed. The Allies are left holding a deep salient overlooked by the enemy.
The casualties have been enormous. On October 24, the French recapture Zonnebeke but further south there is a German breakthrough near Gheluvelt. The British counter-attack and the line is held. On October 29, the Germans attack astride the Menin Road, forcing the the British back.
Most of the lost ground is retaken. The German attacks are renewed the following day but they make little progress. Although heavily dented, the British line is not broken.
On October 31, there is another German assault which is repelled but a second German attack overwhelms the defenders. By 11.30am, the British defensive line is pierced and the road to Ypres, four miles away lies open. A dramatic counter-attack forces a German retreat and the line is restored but at immense human cost. There follows a week of rain and cold weather.
The Germans concentrate their forces for a renewed effort and on November 11, twelve-and-a-half German divisions attack on a nine-mile front. The assault follows an intense artillery barrage. It enjoys little success except on the Menin Road, where a critical situation develops. British defences are over-run, opening a 1,000yard gap. German infantry exploit the breach and a potentially disastrous situation is averted by an improvised defence and counter-attack. Between October 14 and November 30, 1914, 2,298 officers and 51,807 men are killed, wounded or missing.
The onset of harsh winter weather and heavy artillery barrages make conditions for the exhausted infantry intolerable and a ‘deadlock’ situation arises.
NOVEMBER – The first battle of Ypres continues throughout November. The Germans lose 135,000 and the British over 90,000. The Allies success in holding Ypres leads to the creation of a large salient.
DECEMBER – The expected short war, which everyone thought ‘would be over by Christmas’, is not happening. A breakthrough is sought, but in vain.
There are further offensives on all fronts. The French launch an offensive from Verdun to Nieuport.
The realities of trench warfare became obvious. With strong defensive positions, trenches and machine guns, the Germans restrict French gains, in the First Battle of Champagne, to a minimum, while inflicting many casualties.