Launton Historical Society

reporting…

In September, Stephen Barker spoke about trench humour in the First World War. Stephen has been our speaker before, most recently about the Somme. He is a museum consultant, advising particularly on military heritage. Stephen described his talk as partly reflective, partly anecdotal. He looked at the way soldiers regarded the war and their part in it, which was different to the way we see it today. Firstly, the veterans did not see themselves as heroes. Neither did they use the word ‘horror’ about their experience. They were not victims -they believed in the War and did not see it as futile in any way.

Largely blokes in their teens and twenties, the soldiers had ingrained patriotism but they didn’t make a fuss about it. A poster saying ’alf a mo Kaiser represented a soldier with control of his destiny in the forces - the humour of the free man under arms.

The soldiers’ humour was influenced by Music Hall, where lyrics and jokes were embedded in reality. It was a humour that touched everything with ridicule and light-hearted cynicism. Young officers took the brunt of dark humour. A 19 year old might be in command of a platoon of 40 men and he had to win them over, singing and exchanging ribaldry.

There was no truck for conscientious objectors. However, there was also no truck for those giving out white feathers. A group of women gave these to men out of uniform to shame them publicly, and perhaps shame them into enlisting. The Oxford Times commented on this practice, saying that the women were juvenile and ill advised.

In August, September and October 1914 there was the largest military recruitment drive ever - Kitchener’s Army. Britain’s army was seen as gifted amateurs. The German posters show smugness about the efficiency of their army. But our army was not duped by war talk, and the men seemingly showed no hated for the enemy. They just got on with the job out of duty. But they did poke fun at the cultural traditions of the enemy, their blutwurst and sauerkraut. The French army was apparently baffled by the British dull comedic spirit.

Concert parties were a source of humour. But these didn’tstart until 1916. There was vaudeville, songs and cross dressing and the most famous was the Diamond Troupe of the 29th Division. The Times reported in 1918 that they were appearing at the Court Theatre in Sloane Square, and every item in the programme had been performed under shell fire in France. Pierrots also featured in concert parties - Italian 16th century comedy. We learnt that Peter Kay started his comedic life as a pierrot in Blackpool. It was really interesting to hear this talk - not about the grimness of war but about how the soldiers saw their situation and, above all, an insight into their fortitude.

By the time you read this Alastair Lack will have talked about Oxfordshire Country Houses, and on 28 November Steve Webber will be speaking to us about Blockbuster - In the Beginning.

All are welcome to our meetings, always the last Thursday of the month at 7.30pm (except December) in the Parish Hall.

Gwen Skinner