1915_ The Death of Innocence - Lyn Macdonald [358]
Yorkshire Regiment, 5th Battalion 156
Ypres, first battle 17
Ypres, second battle and Battle of Loos 491
British occupation 6, 176–81, 379–95, 405–6, 590
British withstand German attack 211–27, 232–57, 258–79, 324–5, 327
evacuation of civilians 276–8, 506–8
German offensive 182–95, 196–210, 278–9, 280–94
Zouave Wood 390, 424
*Notschrei Aus Den ArgonnenLiebeshandshuh’ trag’ ich an den Händen,
Liebesbinden warme meine Lenden,
Liebestabak füllt die Liebespfeife,
Morgens wasch’ ich mich mit Liebesseife,
Liebesgabendankesagebriefe,
Warmt der Liebeskopfschlauch nachts den Schädel
Seufz’ ich: ‘So viel Liebe – und kein Mädel!’
I wear love’s gloves on my hands,
Love’s leggings warm my thighs,
Love’s tobacco fills love’s pipe,
In the mornings I wash with love’s soap,
For loving gifts a thank-you letter,
Warm is love’s cap against my skull.
I sigh to myself: ‘So much love – and no girl!’
*The German expedition had been the Kaiser’s own idea. But his force had hardly set sail when word arrived that order had already been restored by a mixed force of British, Japanese and Russians. The situation was back to normal long before the German troops reached China. The Kaiser was furious.
*The old Emperor died the following March just before his ninety-first birthday, and in June of that year (1888), after his father’s sad reign of a hundred days, William became His Imperial Majesty Kaiser Wilhelm II.
*The Southport continued her leisurely progress and survived to do her bit for the war effort. She was requisitioned by the government in May 1917 and ran the gauntlet of German U-boats to bring wheat and foodstuffs from the USA and Canada to beleaguered Britain. She continued in government service until 1919, was sold to Greece, where she was renamed Tithis in 1923, and broken up in Italy in 1932.
*The unpronounceable Flemish name ‘Ploegsteert’ had quickly become ‘Plugstreet’ to the Tommies.
*This part of Belgium had been flooded in 1914 when King Albert of the Belgians had ordered the dykes to be opened to stem the German invasion.
*The 27th and 28th Divisions.
*General Joffre could think of many reasons why they should not and, when approached by the French War Ministry, flatly refused to spare a single man from his own armies. The components of the French division had to be found in North Africa, from a mixture of French Colonial troops.
*This was the pre-war custom, which was still in force in early 1915. As the war progressed and casualties increased the practice could not be maintained.
*They were termed ‘Nameless Cottages’ on British trench maps
*Whether or not he meant to mislead, the German prisoner had been misunderstood. A much smaller force of two Battalions was moving into the wood, although each one did belong to a different regiment.
*6 a.m. was by Berlin time, one hour ahead of Greenwich mean time used by the British Army.
*Haig’s order.
*The Germans who attacked the Worcestershires belonged to the 21st Bavarian Reserve Regiment. Their regimental history states, ‘During this advance Major Eberhard commanding the first Battalion was killed and his body was not recovered.’
*The 7th Division had been stopped well short of the Mauquissart Road and the British soldiers seen by the artillery observation officer were later thought to have been captured British soldiers passing, under escort, through the German lines.
*From the Rifle Brigade History. Sergeant-Major Daniels and Corporal Noble were both awarded the Victoria Cross.
*The practice of posting newly commissioned subalterns direct to service Battalions in training was discontinued in the summer of 1915 when young officers’ companies were formed and attached to reserve brigades for training purposes. Officer cadet Battalions were formed in 1916.
*‘Rise up, lads, evening is coming.’
*The Camerons renamed the wood during their tenancy and soon it appeared on British trench maps as ‘Inverness Copse’. In a matter of weeks they were pushed out of