Being British, the Royal family have always played a large part in my life. Whatever big event is happening, me along with many others, look to see what the royal family is doing about it or what they think about something. But that has not always been the case - When the first world war broke out, there were quite a few countries housing a royal family. They included those in Germany & Russia, both being cousins of our very own King George V. If you had any doubts about King George being of German heritage, his family name Saxe Coburg Gotha certainly proved it and quite a large proportion of the British public cast doubts about which side King George was really on. In 1917, King George decided that he wanted to change his name and the royal family became the house of Windsor, at the same time giving up all German titles.
King George spent much of the war visiting troops, both on the front line, with many visits to the Weston Front over the course of the war and to those injured in hospitals. He also realised how important morale was at home and could see how much more work women were taking on in factories and so paid a lot of visits to these all around the country too.
Queen Mary was also seen to be visiting injured soldiers in hospitals and made headlines after she had placed austerity measures at the palace, ensuring that they were all in it together, no matter what the class.
But it was not just the King and Queen that helped the war effort, for they passed this onto their children too. Probably one of the most famous acts was with Princess Mary and her Princess Mary's Christmas Gift Fund. Over £100,000 was raised, allowing for every British soldier and sailor to receive a gift on Christmas morning 1914. As well as creating this, she also joined her mother to many of the hospital visits as well as visiting various welfare organisations. Princess Mary was keen to promote the Girl Guides, VAD's and the Land Girls and I believe these organisations received more volunteers as a result. In June 1918, she began a nursing course at the Great Ormond Street Hospital, working two days a week on the Alexandra ward.
Prince Edward VIII was commissioned in the 1st Battalion the Grenadier Guards shortly before the outbreak of war. However, Lord Kitchener refused to allow him to fight on the front line itself due to him being the heir to the throne. Prince Edward later joined the British Expeditionary Force in France and was seen as a great morale boost to the soldiers fighting.
Perhaps the member of family whose first world war experience is very rarely heard is that of Prince Albert who as a sub-lieutenant, saw and fought first hand in the Battle of Jutland whilst serving on Collingwood. In November 1917, he had a duodenal ulcer operated on but that didn't stop him. In 1918, Prince Albert was appointed Officer in Charge of Boys at the Royal Naval Air Service training camp at Cranwell. He then transferred to the Royal Air Force and became Officer Commanding Number 4 Squadron of the Boys Wing. In August the same year, he completed just two weeks training before taking command of a squadron on the Cadet Wing. On the 23rd October, he notably flew across the channel to Autigny, a first for somebody of the royal family to have done so in what would be seen as a war zone.
This led to them doing even more during the second world war and in conflicts after this and has moulded the royal family we know today. A royal family that seem very down to earth and one that are more than willing to play their part.
No comments:
Post a Comment