Ballymena 1914 - Mud, blood and bluster

And it was not just the enemy causing casualties, mother nature herself contributed to the roll call of pain and suffering. In the wars of the 19th century, standard procedure dictated wars of movement with campaigns taking place during spring and summer months with the combatants retiring to winter quarters with the worsening weather.

But with the Western Front now consisting of an unbroken line of increasingly strong trench fortifications running from the Swiss border to the North Sea, war was no an all-year-round affair.

While the Germans expended great energy on the construction of deep shelters for their troops in anticipation of a long defensive struggle, the British and their French allies viewed their lines as little more than a jumping off point for the next offensive to beat the ‘hun’ back to Berlin. This attack minded ethic meant that Allied trenches were nowhere near as well appointed as those of the enemy.

Exposure to the elements was just another burden for the average front line ‘Tommy’ to bear. As the Ballymena Observer reported in January 1915:-

Private William Allen, Alexander Street, who was serving at the front with the Royal Engineers, is now invalided to No. 11 Field Ambulance, suffering from syncope as a result of his strenuous experiences in the trenches.

Private Dick McCormick of North Street is home from the front suffering from frostbite. He was with the Royal Irish Rifles.

Syncope is due to a temporary reduction in blood flow and therefore a shortage of oxygen to the brain. This leads to light-headedness or a ‘black out’ episode, a loss of consciousness.

While conditions in the trenches varied with the time of year and weather, it is fair to say that trench life was generally squalid. There was a steady accumulation of filth which was inevitable from living a semi-subterranean existence and this was worsened as men were unable to wash or change for days or weeks at a time.

Vermin such as rats and lice were very numerous; disease was spread both by them, and by the maggots and flies that thrived on the nearby remains of decomposing human and animal corpses.

Troops in the front lines were also subjected to flooding with the water in their trenches sometimes rising to waist height. It was common for men to suffer from exposure, frostbite and trench foot, a wasting disease of the flesh caused by the foot being wet and cold for days on end.

There were few comforts for such troops but one constant throughout the war was the doling out of the famous rum ration. In post conflict hearings, one medical officer expressed the opinion that this daily ritual had done more to win the war than anything else!

At home there were those who took a distinctly dim view of alcohol in all its forms.

At the annual meeting of the Vestry held on Wednesday, April 7, the following resolution was passed, Rev. T. Dowzer M.A. Chairman.

“That the Vestry of St. Patrick’s Church, Broughshane are unanimously of the opinion that prohibition of intoxicating drink should be carried out by the Government during the time of the war and also that this prohibition should be applied to all officers, NCOs and men of the British army and navy. Ballymena Observer April 9, 1915

While Tommy might have a tendency to ‘go large a bit’ when home on leave or while enjoying the delights of a smoke-filled French or Belgian ‘Estaminet’, there was little chance that he could over-indulge in the front line trenches.

Stories of men being liberally dosed with strong alcohol to imbue them with ‘Dutch Courage’ can be dismissed. In the words of one soldier: “The rum ration warmed us up and helped morale but the idea of being drunk in the front line is plain stupid.” (1.)

If they were to survive the mincing machine of the Western Front, soldiers needed all their wits about them.

Death could come in a variety of forms, with shellfire being by far the biggest killer. Barrages could bury men alive or vapourise them entirely. Jagged chunks of red hot metal sliced through flesh in an obscene fashion, removing heads and limbs with terrible ease. Gas, snipers, grenades and the scything machine guns, used so skilfully by well trained German specialists, all contributed to the horror.

Going ‘over the bags’ was often a Gethsemane as troops were fully exposed to all the defenders’ firepower. Ballymena man, David Larkin wrote home with an account of one such attack. His words were published in the Observer.

Information has been received from Private David Larkin, Hill Street, of the 1st Btn. RIR

“I am in a hospital wounded. I got it on 11th March at Neuve Chapelle, a bullet through my left forearm and a piece of shrapnel shell in the upper part of my right leg. It was something dreadful to see how some of the men were suffering. I had to crawl on my hands and knees to the dressing station. “I shall never forget that battle. My company suffered most, there are only four of us left out of 100 and I consider myself lucky getting off with wounds. The Germans were cut to pieces and lost thousands. They deserved all they got for man, woman and child are all alike to them. “It would make your blood run cold to hear the people of Neuve Chapelle tell of the cruel treatment they received at the hands of the Germans.”

Larkin’s perception that the Germans had ‘lost thousands’ is not borne out by history which records that after an initial ‘break-in’ to the German lines at Neuve Chapelle, swift counter-attacks wrought a terrible toll on the British.

But the last paragraph of his letter is worth quoting for its insight into the spirit of comradeship which existed almost universally amongst the ‘poor bloody infantry’.

Larkin says: “I had a letter from A.... about a parcel that she and a few others had sent me but of course I was not there to receive it. It will not be lost. Some of the boys will get it and it will be divided up between them. That is the way we all do when the owner is away wounded. You would be surprised how a little parcel brightens up the troops. They are pleased as schoolchildren.”