Formed on the basis of
'those who join together
should serve together'
Role of Kitchener
His role was to recruit
the British Public as he
foresaw a long war with
the need for hundred of
thousands of people to
enlist
Was on recruitment posters
with the slogan, "YOUR
COUNTRY NEEDS YOU"
THE SECRETARY OF
STATE OF WAR
Attitudes To Recuitment
Some people saw it as their CIVIL DUTY - With
people under age even signing up and lying
about their age
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS
These were people whose consciences would not let them fight
Propaganda was used to pressure these people into
fighting, whilst encouraging people to support the
war
INITIAL PATRIOTISM
Initial patriotism faded and, as the loses on the Western
Front mounted, so the numbers of people volunteering
dwindled
JANURARY 1916
CONSCRIPTION CAME
INTO FORCE
INITIALLY JUST
SINGLE MEN - LATER
INCLUDED MARRIED
MEN ASWELL
Techniques
Played on the patriotism of the British Public
RECRUITMENT POSTERS - PROPAGANDA
Used the idea of 'Pals Battalions' to recruit whole groups of people
Derby Scheme
Before over 1 MILLION
men had volunteered to
fight by the end of 1914 -
Throughout the whole war,
some 2.5 MILLION men
enlisted voluntarily
15th JULY 1915 - NATIONAL REGISTRATION ACT PASSED -
An attempt to stimulate recruitment by discovering how
many men were between 15 and 60 and their
occupations
11th OCTOBER 1915 LORD DERBY WAS APPOINTED DIRECTOR GENERAL OF RECRUITING -
HE CAME UP WITH THE DERBY SCHEME IMMEDIATELY
THE
SCHEME
WAS A
FAILURE
38% of single men and 54% of married
men who were not in 'starred'
occupations failed to come forwardd
Key Events And Battles
BATTLE OF THE SOMME
Many of the explosives that had
bombarded the Germans
trenches were 'duds
Much of the German
Barbed wire remained
intact
Worst day of fighting in
British History
20,000 killed on the first day
First Ypres 1914
20th October 1914 the
Germans made one last ditch
attempt to reach the sea and
launched the First Battle if
Ypres. The battle was bloody
and cost the British 50,000
casualties
Third Ypres - Battle Of Passchendaele 1917
Happened at the Village of Passchendaele
Main attack July 1917 using CREEPING BARAGE
British had initial
success but poor
weather made the
battlefield a swamp
Germans eventually captured it by
December 1918 - Taken 4 months to
advance 7 Miles
200,000 GERMAN CASUALTIES AND 250,000
BRITISH CASUALTIES
Second Ypres 1915
Historically significant for
being the ONLY MAJOR
OFFENSIVE INITIATED BY
THE GERMAN MILITARY ON
THE WESTERN FRONT
FIRST TIME GAS WAS USED
Attack not considered successful
as the Germans were never able
to actually take the town
Support And Opposition
SUPPORT
LIBERALS,
LABOUR,
CONSERVATIVE
SUFFRAGETTES,
TRADE UNIONS,
NEWSPAPERS
ANTI-GERMAN ATTACKS,
DEMONSTRATIONS,
VOLUNTEERS
OPPOSITION
INCREASED CASULTIES,
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC
PRESSURES
POLITICAL AND
INDUSTRIAL UNREST
INDIVIDUAL
POLITICANS
Conscientious
objectors and
quakers
Warfare On The Western Front - Nature Of Trench Warfare
Trench warfare
favoured being
defensive
Behind the front line lay support
Trenches and behind them
remained support trenches -
Deployed in 3 lines
Trench systems were SHORT, SHALLOW DUG OF TRENCHES
7 FEET DEEP where possible with strong points
with barbed wire in front of. Offered
protection from sniper fire and a place to
remain 'safe'
Tactics and Weapons
TANKS FIRST USED IN SEPTEMBER 1916
GAS WAS A NEW CONTROVERSIAL
WEAPON. CAUSED BLINDESS AND WAS
EASILY FATAL
Lee Enfiled
RIfle was
popular and
effective
The war ensued for so long partly down to the
defensive tactics used. Neither side favoured being
offensive - LED TO WAR OF ATTRITION
How Was Morale Kept Maintained?
A serving British solider
was paid 10 FRANCS A
WEEK
Food and Clothing was free
POSTAL AND PARCEL DELIVERY WAS
OUTSTANDING - Men were kept in touch with their
loved ones
Soliders got let home after
six months serving in 1918
Life Behind The Lines
CORPAL PUNISHMENT
WAS USED ON
SOLIDERS THAT
DESERTED THEIR POST
38,000 CASES OF DESERTION
BETWEEN 1914 AND 1920
TRENCH FOOT WAS COMMON
DISEASE
WAS
PREVALANT
Soliders had free time and
went to bars and clubs in
the French towns and
villages that they were
fighting near