Name: Sidney GillD.O.B: 1865, BirminghamEnlisted: October 1914Age: 48 yearsRegiment: 12th Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers & Labour CorpsRank: SergeantServed: France

Service: Due to his age Gill spent much of the war at Battalion and Brigade Headquarters carrying out administrative work. In April 1918 he was transferred to the Labour Corps where he helped to build and maintain roads, buildings, railways, camps, trenches, ration and ammunition dumps...

Name: George Knight YoungD.O.B: 21st June 1894, LambethEnlisted: August 1914Age: 19 yearsRegiment: 10th Stockbrokers' Battalion, The Royal FusiliersRank: PrivateServed: France

Service: Young arrived in France in July 1915. Having previously studied at the Guildhall School of Music as a singer he was attached to the divisional theatre company and spent much of the war entertaining the troops. In 1916 he was recalled to his battalion and saw active service in the trenches at Berles-au-Bois, South-West of Arras.

Name: Harry StintonD.O.B: 1890, HaggerstonEnlisted: 21st May, 1915Age: 25 yearsRegiment: 7th Battalion, The London RegimentRank: PrivateServed: France

Service: Stinton arrived in France in November 1915. He took part in the defence of Vimy Ridge on 21st May 1916, in the Battle of the Somme at Flers-Courcellette in September 1916, in the Butte-de-Warlencourt in October 1916 and in the Battle of Messines Ridge on 7th June 1917, during which action he was wounded.

Name: Philip Noel WrightD.O.B: 24th November 1896, HampshireEnlisted: 5th April 1915Age: 19 yearsRegiment: 21st Public Schools Battalion & 11th Service Battalion, The Royal FusiliersRank: PrivateServed: France

Service: Wright arrived in France in October 1915. In April 1916 he was transferred to the 11th Royal Fusiliers. He took part in the Battle of the Somme at Montaubanon 1st July 1916 and at Thiepval on 26th September 1916, during which action he was wounded.

Name: Horace Charles Blake WurrD.O.B: 2nd March 1898, HackneyEnlisted: 1916 (given his date of Birth it is likely that Wurr was Conscripted into the army in 1916)Age: 18 yearsRegiment: 25th Legion of Frontiersmen Battalion, The Royal FusiliersRank: PrivateServed: East Africa

Service: Wurr joined the 4th draft of reinforcements for the 25th battalion. He sailed from Plymouth on the 25th July 1917 joining the battalion at a camp near Lindi on 18th September. He saw service with the Battalion’s Lewis Machine Gun team until he was wounded in action on 17th October 1917.

Role: Tommy is here to guide you through the exhibition. He will share some of the real experiences of soldiers from the Royal Fusiliers in the Great War, as well as telling you a little bit about what life was like for the men…

Name: Tommy AtkinsD.O.B: 1898, Tower HamletsEnlisted: 4th August, 1914Age: 18 yearsRegiment: 4th Battalion, The Royal FusiliersRank: PrivateServed: France

soldiers from the Royal Fusiliers in

1898, Tower Hamlets

ammunition dumps... during trenches

Finally you’ve got to your billets. If you’re lucky you might get a cup of steaming hot tea. Sometimes I’m not sure whether to drink the tea or soak me feet in it.

Now, as all soldiers do, you waits for your orders, this time to move up into the front line.

The Docks are busy places. Cargo ships unloading food and munitions from all over the world and soldiers sent out in return, in ocean going liners. Some will go to Africa like Wurr, others to Greece and Gallipoli, but most of them will be heading for France like Stinton, Wright and Young.

“When you receive this letter I and my fellow Fusiliers …will be “en route” for the front. At last after all this bother and deferred hope we arrived at the time”Young, 28th July, 1915

As you gets a bit closer to the front line you has to leave the transport behind. You’re transport now will be your boots. After a few miles your feet starts to get a bit sore and after a few miles more they starts to hurt.

Now you’ve got to France it’s too late to change your mind. To get you to the front line the army uses different types of transport, even London Omnibuses, painted khaki of course, just like everything else in the army.

London Buses were used in France for the Transport of Men, Munitions, Ambulances and Pigeon Lofts. Almost 1200 Buses were requisitioned along with their Drivers and Mechanics.

A troop train will carry you and your mates to the docks. A lovely third class carriage stuffed full of men and all their gear, if you’re lucky you might even get a seat.

“In front of us for miles we could see road winding in and out without any sign of our possible destination, made one feel rather fed up” Wright, 20th November, 1915

“This time I’m not as lucky, instead of a packed 3rd class carriage, I have been blessed with a cattle truck, and with 46 packed in one of these delectable compartments there isn’t much pleasure from travelling” Wright, 14th November 1915

So, your Battalions been mobilised, the training’s over, no more playing at soldiers, it’s for real now. The first place you’ll be heading to is the railway station.

Another troop train, this time a French one. They take 8 Horses or 40 men, I think the horses gets a better deal than us. They’re cold, drafty and smell of cattle, ‘eau de Frisian’ we calls it. No seats either, just some straw on the floor.

by kind permission of Paul Reed greatwarphotos.com

“We had to march by platoons about 50 yards apart to minimise the danger of shell-fire”Wright, 22nd November, 1915

Left – Troop train, 1st Battalion Ireland, 1921Above – from St. Omer to Popperinghi, sketch from Sgt S. Gill’s diary, 1914

Postcard of a Troop Ship heading into Folkestone from Boulogne

Right – 3rd University and Public Schools Battalion

“It was quite late at night when at last we set sail…it was not long before we were out in the channel, escorted by several war ships no lights were shown, except when the ships were signalling to one another” Stinton, November 1915

soldiers sent out in return, in ocean going liners. Some will go to Africa like Wurr, others to Greece and Wurr, others to Greece and WurrGallipoli, but most of them will be heading for France like Stinton, Wright and Young.

last we was not

long before we were out channel, escorted

war ships no lights except when the ships

signalling to one another” Stinton, November 1915

Route March, 17th Empire Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, November 1915

As you gets a bit closer to the front line you has to leave the transport behind. You’re transport now will be your boots. After a few miles your feet starts to get a bit sore and after a few miles more they starts

Another troop train, this time a French one. They take 8 Horses or 40 men, I think the horses gets a better deal than us. They’re cold, drafty and smell of cattle, ‘eau de Frisian’ we calls it. No seats either,

So, your Battalions been mobilised, the training’s over, no more playing at soldiers, it’s for real now. The first place you’ll be heading to is the railway station.

Postcard of a Troop Ship heading into Folkestone from Boulogne

“When we went for a bath, it meant a march of seven or eight miles. Who at home would ever dream of going seven or eight miles for a bath?”Wright, 13th December 1915

“We were very lucky in our billet here, being very comfortable in a large room over an estaminet... We frequented the room downstairs quite a lot, and we used to sit round the fire ‘quite at home’ reading, writing letters or chatting over a cup of coffee”Wright, 28th November 1915.

“Leave line for new position. Heavy rain when we reached there and severe rifle and MG fighting. Slept whole night on damp ground in wet clothes and feel pretty rotten” Wurr, 28th September 1917

Accommodation, or billets as the army calls them, are the places where we get to sleep. The best ones are with the local families, with the chance of a home cooked meal. Usually we ends up with an old barn or a tent.

When we’re in the front line we has dug outs to rest in, usually jam packed with men and equipment. Sometimes we only have a hole dug into the side of a trench.

“Breakfast was brought up soon afterwards, consisting of hot bacon and a drink of tea.” Wright, 1st July 1916

In the front line we has to cook our own food. It’s not easy as any sign of a fire will have Old Fritz sending over a couple of shells.

“Four men went in at a time, each one standing in a tub...the water would be allowed to spray over the men for half a minute...The bathers would lather themselves with soap as quick and as best as they could...the water would be turned on again for another half a minute, to rinse the soap off...you pass to another room where a clean change of underclothes is given”Stinton, February – March 1916

“Those that had no brazier and wished to cook food or make tea managed to do it getting a small tin or making a hole in the fire step and filling them with a mixture of candle, paper or rag or a bit of sacking then lighting it...One candle broken into small pieces would be just enough to boil a pint of tea or fry a couple of rashers of bacon”Stinton, November – December 1915

Getting a bath is not as easy as it sounds. Proper baths are miles behind the line, sometimes we can go for weeks without one.

“Sometimes the fellows looked rather questioningly at the ‘stew’ and, perhaps shut their eyes when eating it” Wright, 27th April 1916

The army does its best to keep us fed. Out of the line we gets hot meals, most of the time. Sometimes we have to make do with bread and jam.

‘Our little Grey home in the west’ Etaples -Sketch from Sgt. S. Gill’s Diary, 5th May 1916

‘Sleeping Quarters’ - Sketch from Pte. H. Stinton’s Diary

‘Inside my billet at Stern’ - Sketch from Sgt. S. Gill’s Diary, 31st March 1918

‘Bath House at Brewery’ - Sketch from Pte. H. Stinton’s Diary

Sketch of the orderlies from Pte. H. Stinton’s Diary

Advert from The Gasper, the Unofficial Organ of the Public Schools Brigade, Royal Fusiliers

Recipe for Tapioca Pudding and sketch of a Mobile Field Kitchen from ‘Cookery Notes’, kept by Pte. G. Anstee, 6th Battalion RF

Accommodation, or billets as the army calls them, are the places where we get to sleep. The best ones are with the with the chance of a home cooked meal. Usually with an old barn or a tent. pint of tea or fry a couple of rashers

ecember 1915

it” it”

“The orderly’s job was to bring to the other men all their food from the cooking wagon...and after serving it out, to return the Dixie or boiler in which food was cooked, clean and full of fresh water, back to the wagon. This had to be done at breakfast, dinner and tea time and in the evening before retiring to sleep” Stinton, November 1915

“At the end of the yard was a ramshackle old barn with holes in the walls, tiles all loose and doors hanging off their hinges, the woodwork of which was in rotten condition. We were very much surprised to learn that this place was to be our living quarters”Stinton, November – December 1915

“Breakfast afterwards, consisting of hot bacon and a drink of tea

The Casualty Clearing Station is a proper hospital with all the equipment needed to treat badly hurt soldiers, it’s just in tents and huts though.

Reproduced with permission of the Council of the National Army Museum, London - No 10 Casualty Clearing Station near Poperinghe

“Getting to the large shelter that was being used by our regimental doctor I went to have my wounds dressed…the doctor was very busy…he had blood splashes all down the front of his white coat. Those of us who were able to walk were asked to go to another dressing station about a mile away”Stinton, June 1917

“I retired to the dressing station, had my wounds dressed and lay on a stretcher sipping a cup of hot tea waiting for the next ambulance to arrive”Wright, 26th September 1916

The first place to head for is the Regimental Aid Post. You might be able to walk here or be carried on a stretcher, either way they’ll patch you up and either send you back to the line or up the evacuation chain.

If you can still walk you’ll have to make your own way to the Advanced Dressing Station, only those that’s in a bad way go on a stretcher.

“Getting to the dressing station we found it full up with stretcher cases. We walking cases [were] advised…to walk to another dressing station…some four miles away. I was in no hurry to start, so I sat on a stone…I had been sitting there some time…when one of the ambulance drivers called out that he had room beside him if I cared to go…I felt myself fortunate to be able to ride, for as we went along, I saw hundreds of wounded chaps walking along the road”Stinton, June 1917

“On arrival…my leg was again dressed, and I was inoculated against tetanus. I gradually began to feel better…I remained in this place until early evening when some Red Cross wagons took me with some others to the 29th Casualty Clearing Station”Wright, 26th September 1916

“After we got passed Ypres we got very few shells and in a short time we pulled into a hospital compound near Poperinge made up of large tents. The stretcher cases were placed in rows on the floor…the most serious cases were sent right away to hospital trains. There was a shortage of proper ambulances so some of us had to travel in large army motor lorries”Stinton, June 1917

“29 C.C.S. was eventually reached and I received some very kind treatment from the doctor and sister who took charge of me. I… had a good nights rest till morning when I was awakened rather early to go away in a train at 6 o’clock”Wright, 26th September 1916

If they send you on from the Casualty Clearing Station you must be in a pretty bad way. In which case you’re in for a bit of a treat, a train journey to the sea-side and a bed in a base Hospital.

“Arriving at the hospital…a more careful inspection was carried out, bullets and shrapnel were probed for. My arm was probed but no shrapnel was found. What they did get out was a piece of strap and shirt that had got forced into the wound when I was hit”Stinton, June 1917

From here you might be lucky, like Stinton, and get sent home on a hospital ship. Or if you’re unlucky, like Wright, be declared fit and sent back to your battalion.

To assess and treat the many thousands of men who got injured in battle the army has set up a system of evacuation. Various stations will treat your wounds and pass you on down the line if needed.

Reproduced with permission of the Council of the National Army Museum, London -British and German wounded, Bernafay Wood, France, 19 July 1916

Reproduced with permission of the Council of the National Army Museum, London - Tenderly carrying a “blighty” case to an aid post through the maze of trenches at Passchendale [sic]‘, 1917 (c)

Ward 6, 15th February 1916 – 30th March, 1916 - sketch by Sgt. S. Gill

Letter to the mother of Sgt.F.J. Hills, 3rd City of London Battalion, RF informing her of Hill’s injury and a medical certificate with details of the shrapnel wound to his shoulder, October 1915

bullets and shrapnel were probed for. My arm was probed but no shrapnel was

piece of strap and shirt that had got ”

hospital ship. Or if you’re unlucky, like Wright, be declared fit and sent back to your battalion.

Ward 6, 151916

Young was a singer before enlisting and joined a concert party to entertain the troops. Gill and Wright saw many concerts and films and seemed to enjoy most of them.

When there’s nothing else doing we has a bit of kick about. Stintonlikes playing football and Gill enjoys most sports, watching that is, not taking part.

Most of us takes the time to write home and we always looks forward to parcels from friends and family. All these blokes have kept diaries but Gill and Stintonlike to draw as well. I ain’t no artist but I think they’re blooming good. Others, what have had a bit of education, are writing their own newspapers with stories and poetry.

When we’re out of the line we likes a bit of entertainment. We has Concert Parties, Picture Shows, Sports Days and of course wine and beer at an estaminet. There is another sort of, ahem, entertainment for those that wants it, usually found by following the red light.

“Went to boxing competition, our boy Coombs beaten by Bigger man giving away 20lbs”Gill, 15th April 1916

“Saw football match in afternoon “37th Brigade”: v. “A[rmy] Ordnance Corps”. A.O.C won 4-2. v. good game”Gill, 16th April 1916

“We had nothing to do that afternoon and we stood about, miserable and cold until someone made a ball of old sacking, and picking sides, we had a football match, in a field in the rear of the barn. The game warmed us up, despite the fact that it was now snowing hard, and in a very short time there was several inches of snow. It became too bad to play any longer so we filled in our time before tea, by pelting each other with snow” Stinton, November – December 1915

“Went out and explored the town [of Durban, South Africa…] Received two weeks pay...Visited the Zoo and wrote home...Went to a big concert in Durban Town Hall and were allowed out to 11.30 instead of 10 o/c”Wurr, 30th August – 4th September 1917

“I decided to pay my first visit to an “estaminet”, a small café. I sampled the vin rouge and the vin blanc which appeared to be coloured water with a slight flavouring to tempt the tongue. After this first attempt at French wine I decided to not risk a second experiment” Wright, 18th November 1915

“In the evenings we used to have some good concerts amongst ourselves and any French people that may have come into the estaminet, to drink wines or beer sold at the place. The place was very cosy, being warmed by a large fire”Stinton, November –December 1915

“Every evening from 400 to 500 soldiers come to see the show and I am certain that it is doing a tremendous amount of good. A lot of men say that it is just like being at home, so comfortable and cheery is the place”Young, 12th January 1916

“Several of us patronised the show, it was Cinderella or the Sleeping Beauty I’ve forgotten which but it wasn’t at all bad!” Wright, 24th – 30th January 1916

“He was with me for six months employed in the splendid work of entertaining tired and thoroughly bored troops”Divisional Staff Officer on Young, 1916

Leisure

Right - ‘Estaminet Interior, Fosseux’ -Sketch from Pte. S. Gill’s Diary, June 1917Below - ‘Lille Gate, Ypres’ - Sketch from Pte. H. Stinton’s Diary

Right - Concert Programme saved by Sgt. S. Gill, 17th June 1916

Far left - Field Service PostcardLeft - Page from Pte. H. Stinton’s DiaryCentre - Silk postcard Right - Monday 8th July, 1918 - Sketch from Sgt. S. Gill’s Diary

Leisure

Right - ‘Estaminet Interior, ‘Estaminet Interior, Fosseux’ -Sketch from Pte. S. Gill’s Diary, June 1917S. Gill’s Diary, June 1917Below - ‘Lille Gate, Ypres’ ‘Lille Gate, Ypres’ - Sketch from Pte. H. Stinton’s Diary

Most of us takes the time to write home and we always looks forward to parcels from friends and family. All these blokes have kept diaries but Gill and like to draw as well. I what have had a bit of education, are writing their own newspapers with stories and poetry.

about, miserable and cold until someone made a ball of

warmed us up, despite the fact that it was now snowing

“I “estaminet”, a small café. I sampled the vin rouge and the vin blanc which appeared to be coloured water with a slight flavouring to tempt the tongue. After this first attempt at French wine I decided to not risk a second experiment” Wright, 18

Leisure

Most of us takes the time to write home and we always looks forward to parcels

what have had a bit of education, are writing their own newspapers with stories

When there’s nothing else doing we has a bit of kick about. Stintonlikes playing football and Gill enjoys most sports, watching that is, not taking part.

December 1915