Page 51 - Clarion February 2018

World War One Heroes Paul French

We are used to seeing film of soldiers marching to There were musical instruments in the trenches
the front and singing to keep spirits up, to create a as men took them when they went to the
rhythm and to ease the boredom and tiredness. front .Harold Triggs was a musician who took his
Music played a much bigger part in life in cello into the trenches. It was a modified
uniform in the trenches and behind the lines. On instrument, much more compact than the normal
the Western Front marching bands were often sent cello but did the job. Harold played in the
to accompany the troops, concert parties would trenches at Ypres and so did many others on hand
regularly be put on by soldiers themselves and made instruments built from whatever they
almost every division had its own entertainment could scrounge. In such a bleak environment
troop. people needed music.
It is recognised today that singing together has Back in England was someone who felt that
many outcomes What has become a therapy has serving soldiers had a right to culture like
always been used by those experiencing difficult everyone else. Lena Ashwell was a musician,
situations. A significant use of music came from impresario and suffragette who used her contacts
the adoption of new words to the tune of an to help convince the War Office that culture could
existing song which everyone already knew. be and should be delivered to the Front.
Army regulations meant it was impossible for In 1915 the first concert tours started and
soldiers to question or challenge their situation or performed 39 concerts in two weeks. Performers
to freely express discontent and anger. Only by roughed it because there was no option and their
writing their own words could they express an audiences respected the fact that well known
opinion or comment performers made great efforts to entertain.
The writer has a personal favourite; “Hanging Amongst these was Ivor Novello, composer of the
on the Old Barbed Wire “ The verses vary but very popular song “Keep the home fires burning”
essentially the song ridiculed any rank not found who performed in smoke filled canteens to the
in the combat zone. delight of his audience. Concerts were held
For example, if you want the C.O. wherever space could be found, horse hospitals
We know where he is, we know where he is, we know canteens and mess tents it really did not matter to
where he is. the performers.
If you want the C.O. we know where he is Over four years 600 artists, well over half of
He is down in a deep dug out them women, performed in France Malta and
We’ve seen him we’ve seen him down in a deep dug Egypt, often giving three shows a day. In one
out. week in Ismailia in Egypt 13,000 men attended
We’ve seen him we’ve seen him down in a deep dug concerts.
out. The material delivered ranged from poetry
Soldiers could make fun of as many non- readings string quartets, operatic arias through to
combatant ranks as they wished by a simple Shakespeare and lectures on a wide range of
change in the verse. Something not mentioned yet subjects. The latter was considered very
is black humour which has always been essential important and had the backing of Lloyd
to get people through hard times and is found in George the Prime Minister. He argued that
the final verse. Imagine a new battalion marching
up to replace an old one at the front. Just replace those who returned at the end of the conflict
C.O with Old Battalion and rework the last two would build the future and that they should
lines and you get. not be deprived of education just because
If you want the Old Battalion they were serving their country.
We know where they are, we know where they are, we Should you wish to see a good example of
know where they are how songs can throw a light on the stupidity
If you want the Old Battalion we know where they are pathos and sadness of The Great War watch
They are hanging on the old barbed wire
We’ve seen them we’ve seen them hanging on the old the film ‘Oh what a lovely War’
barbed wire
We’ve seen them we’ve seen them hanging on the old Paul French
barbed wire.

Cleobury Clarion - Page !51 - February 2018