Clothing during the First World War

At the outbreak of the first world war, a great influx of brave men, young and old alike, enlisted to help fight the enemy. They went marching off to war in a smart,new uniform. A uniform that was made in a factory, by hand, well before huge machines to do it themselves were made. With many factories now making uniforms instead of the latest fashions, the people of Britain were encouraged to make do and mend. This was to be a campaign that would last throughout the war and be used again in the next war. Women were expected to mend worn out items time and time again as well as taking something old and making something new out of it. 

But for those that bought or hired a seamstress to make up a dress seamed to follow a similar pattern. Gone were the long, narrow skirts, in their place was a skirt that was a whole 8 inches above the ground, that took a bell-like shape. This was a sign of the times, with many women taking on jobs that had previously been done by men. They needed to be able to move freely whilst doing manual work, not be restricted. The fuller skirt was seen as a waste of material by many,but not only was it more practical, but it also made a new war-time silhouette. The shorter skirt razed many eyebrows but needs must - the was a war on!

Also noticeably different was the colours and patterns. Less decorations could be seen on the dresses and they were made in drab colours unlike the previous bright and bold colours. This was due in most part to the lack of dyes available. It was seen, among the society ladies, as unpatriotic to have bright coloured dresses with feathers and beads as decoration and there are instances where a lady has been shunned by others due to the detail on her dress at a dinner. 

In terms of design of dresses, they took on a military theme, with many of the dresses sporting epaulettes or gold shining buttons.This was also the birth of the trench coat, that, to this day is still hugely popular.

For the poor, they carried on wearing the same drab and worn clothes they had previously done as they couldn't afford to do anything else. Yet they still keep there Sunday best just for church each week!

By the end of the war, with women going back to the home, the style of dresses reverted almost back to how it was pre-war. The only difference, some of the dresses were a shorter, although not 8 inches shorter. The fashion of the time had changed with the women's lives throughout the war, depending on what they were doing. Women would have to wait until the 1920s flapper dress before they would see the much shorter styles again.

A Day To Remember Them

On this day, Remembrance Sunday, it is a time for reflection. A day when millions of people around the world, pay there respects to those who fought for our freedom. Some of whom never came home, were injured mentally and physically as well as all those families affected by war. It is a day to remember the war dead on both sides for they are no longer enemies, to many of them, they were fighting a cause they believed in and for others they were too scared to go against the norm. 

Throughout the years, there have been many conflicts, some of which people thought were unjust. But today isn't about that - it is about all the brave men and women who signed the pledge to fight for Queen and Country what ever the cost may be. 

Therefore on this Remembrance Sunday, I would like to dedicate this post in memory of all those who fought to keep people like me safe and able to do the everyday things I do today. 

I would also like to share with you an unsigned poem that can be found at the Royal British Legion Club in Limassol, Cyprus:

Why wear a poppy?

"Please wear a poppy", the lady said. 
And held one out, but I shook my head.
Then I stopped and watched as she offered them, there, 
And her face was old and lined with care,
But beneath the lines the years had made
There remained a smile that refused to fade.

A boy came whistling down the street,
Bouncing along on carefree feet,
"Lady", he said, "Can I have one?"
When she'd pinned it on he turned to say,
"Why do we were a poppy today?"

The lady smiled in a wistful way
And answered, "This is Remembrance Day,
And the Poppy there, is the symbol for,
The gallant men who died in war,
And because they did, you and I are free,
That's why we wear a poppy, you see.

I had a boy about your size,
With golden hair and big blue eyes.
He loved to play and jump and shout,
Free as a bird he would race about.
As the years went by he learned and grew
And became a man - as you will too.

He was fine and strong, with a boyish smile,
But he seemed to be with us such a short while.
When war broke out he went away:
I still remember his face that day,
When he smiled at me and said, "Goodbye, I'll be back soon Mum, so please don't cry".

But the war went on and he had to stay,
And all I could do was wait and pray.
His letters told of the awful fight
(I see it still in my dreams at night).
With the tanks and guns and the cruel barbed wire,
And the mines and bullets, the bombs and fire.

Till at last, at last, the war was won,
"So that's why we were a poppy, son!"
The small boy turned as if to go,
The said, "Thanks lady, I'm glad to know,
That really did sound an awful fight,
But, your son, did he come back alright?"

A tear rolled down the faded cheek;
She shook her head but could not speak. 
I slunk away, feeling sick with shame,
And if you'd been me you'd have done the same.
For our thanks, in giving, is oft delayed,
Though our freedom was bought - and thousands paid.

And so when you see a poppy worn,
Try to think of the heavy burden borne
By those, who gave their very all
When asked to respond to their country's call:
That we at home in peace might live.
So wear a Poppy! Remember! Give!

Life AT War - Day By Day

29th September 1915

The first transcontinental radio telephone message has been sent, giving a new turning point in the war.

The British army has conquered Chilly Al Imara in Mesopotamia.

Children Of The Great War Part 2

At the outbreak of war, children's routines were very much unchanged. The would get up, wash with a jug of cold water, have breakfast, go to school, finish school, do any homework given and then go out to play until told to come in. However, this changed slightly, with more and more mothers going out to work in factories and other jobs. If families weren't lucky enough to live with grandparents, many children were left to see to younger siblings whilst their mothers were at work. This meant the eldest child was usually responsible for getting their brothers and sisters up, washed, breakfast for them and all at school on time. With mothers at work some children even had to join the rest of England in queuing at shops to get the food needed for the family.

As well as doing normal school subjects, children were also expected to help with the war effort at school. This included knitting scarves and socks for soldiers at the front line, collecting tin cans for recycling, working on the school vegetable plot and even in schools in the countryside helping with the harvest. Many children would also be expected to help with the housework after school so as a result of the war, many children had more responsibility.

Saturdays were usually the first time of the week where they had plenty of time to themselves. if they were lucky, their mothers might have been able to spare the money for them to go to the cinema, if not they would more likely be found playing with their friends in the street. Saturday night was bath night, so that everyone was clean ready for church in the morning.

Sundays for children normally consisted of church with the family in the morning and then Sunday school in the afternoon. Sunday school wasn't all religious studies all afternoon, instead many in the country took the pupils on outings either to the beach or somewhere else close by. For children from poorer backgrounds, these outings were much anticipated and were more often than not the only outings they went on.

Life seemed to go on as usual for the children of the Great War, except for a few minor changes except that many children were left anxiously working about their fathers, many of whom were away fighting on the front line. They were just carrying on as usual, waiting for their fathers to return.

Life AT War - Day By Day

25th September 1915

The Battle of Loos has begun. This long and devastating battle was to last until the 14th October. The British deployed Chlorine gas across to the German front line, however due to the strong wind current, this was quickly blown back across No Mans Land and back to the British Front Line. An estimated 59,000 British & 26,000 German casualties were the result of this battle.

The Second Battle of Champagne has begun.

Children Of The Great War Part 1

At the outbreak of war, many people across England didn't really want to go to war. Men thought of being heroes of war but not of the horrors war entailed. Women didn't want to have to send their husbands and sons off to war. Yet there was some that were looking forward to war, even if they didn't really understand what war was... and that was children.

For months before the outbreak of war, children had been reading and listening to adults about the pros and cons of war and if it was really going to take place. But what was life really like for children of the First World war ... In this series I intend to find out.

When war broke out, factories up and down the country were needed to make things for the war from uniform to munitions. Across England, the government was urging people to help with the war effort and this included factories as well. This meant that factories were no longer able to make children's toys. Before the outbreak of war, toys would more often than not have a clockwork mechanism and would be made from cloth, wood, leather, metal or china. However, soon after the outbreak of war, toys became harder to find, with household items being recycled to make home-made toys. Toys that children already had were prize possessions and highly sought after. The favourites were dolly's, teddy bears, large hoops, blow football, marbles and model sailing boats complete with string to guide them. Toys did however take a more wartime theme with patriotic uniforms for teddy bears, a trench football game and even Kill Kiel game, where the objective is to sink the German submarines. 

Many children also liked to read. Pre-war favourites included The Secret Garden and The Railway Children. The rainbow and Suzie Sunshine was also favourites to keep children entertained whilst Boys Own Annual and Penny War Weekly inspired boys with their heroic wartime stories and adventures, with them displaying the enemy as Germans. 

Sometimes, if parents could afford it, children could look forward to days out. Music halls regularly staged fund-raising events to help the war effort. Another popular past time was to go to the cinema - although they were very different to what they are today. They were in black and white and had no sound, so somebody would play appropriate music on a piano. Charlie Chaplin was the main star children wanted to watch but cinemas also showed newsreels so that people could keep up to date with the news. 

For children, whose parents couldn't afford to do these things, many of them would go out in the street and play with the friends with popular games being skipping, hopscotch and football. For the children of the Great War, life wasn't all doom and gloom, it was very much still an adventure but things were changing and new challenges faced families ...

Life AT War - Day By Day

1st September 1915

The German ambassador pledges to the US that German submarines will no longer sink liners without warning, providing safety of the passengers and crew - a consequence of the sinking of the British liner SS Arabic where 44 people were killed.