World War Wednesdays: Canadian Soldiers on Leave, WWI

     Something that is often ignored in the histories of the First World War is the role that leisure time played in the soldiers' lives. I recently came across the work of Sarah Cozzi and was fascinated to read that she has put a great deal of research into how Canadian troops spent their leaves overseas, and the information for this post comes from her Master's thesis, "Killing Time: The Experiences of Canadian Expeditionary Force Soldiers on Leave in Britain, 1914-1918," and “'When You’re A Long, Long Way From Home:' The Establishment of Canadian-Only Social Clubs for CEF Soldiers in London, 1915-1919," an article for the Canadian War Museum.

     To begin, it is important to mention that neither the Canadian government nor the military authorities involved themselves in the soldiers' off-duty time. However, Cozzi asserts that those periods of leisure spent by Canadian soldiers overseas played an important role in shaping their experiences of the First World War.

A fully laden troopship leaving Folkestone Harbour for Boulogne

     From the very beginning of their military experience, Canadian soldiers enjoyed social amusements and lighthearted activities. Cozzi mentions records of troopships headed to Great Britain that were bolstered by boxing tournaments, egg and spoon races, wheelbarrow races, concerts performed by crew members, bagpipers, impersonations, and instrumentalists. Upon arrival, the men originally stayed in 'temporary'canvas tents while barracks were being constructed, but work was slow and the troops had to be billeted in private homes in the surrounding English villages. Cozzi writes that "By the start of their first winter in England, Canadian troops had established themselves as a permanent facet of wartime life in Britain. With the arrival of subsequent contingents, the Canadian pressure would increase and the CEF's geographic dispersal throughout Great Britain would widen."

     Cozzi also describes the CEF's system of leave grants: "Recruits were expected to spend the majority of their time in camp, where much of their day was spent learning how to soldier... However, despite the limited off-duty time available, there was still opportunity for soldiers to obtain leave passes, allowing them to travel past the boundaries of their camps and to venture into the surrounding villages. As always, however, men could be recalled to their units at a moment's notice, and had to remain ready should they be requested to do so. Leave passes were much sought-after commodities,and were considered a luxury to which everyone looked forward to with eager anticipation... Upon first arrival in England, soldiers were handed leave passes, with all ranks assigned six days' leave upon disembarkation, allowing them free passage anywhere in the British Isles. But no more than twenty percent of the numbers of a unit were allowed to travel at any one time."

    London quickly became the main destination for service personnel, which presented a host of problems generally caused by a large influx of young men with free time and access to alcohol. A number of groups both locally and from back in Canada began to recognize the need for organized and wholesome social gathering places. The Red Cross, YMCA, and Canadian War Contingent Association (CWCA) operated in both England and France, but were predominantly concerned with providing basic necessities and food to the men rather than tending to their off-duty hours.

     Canadian-only leave clubs were established in London as early as August 1915, the first and most influential of which was the King George and Queen Mary Maple Leaf Club. It was developed by Lady Julia Drummond of Montreal as a place where the men "would have a warm welcome, congenial companionships and board and lodging at a reasonable rate; and where those who came from France could have a chance to get 'cleaned up' after the hardships of trench life." Famed author and poet Rudyard Kipling was an early supporter. The Club's first home was that of British socialite and philanthropist Ronald Grevile, located at 11 Charles St. in London.

     It was, in principle, "solely, wholly, and only a Canadian Club, a Canadian Institution opened by Canadians, managed by Canadians and financed by Canadians" but maintained a strong British imperialist connection. The first Club building was open only to privates and non-commissioned officers and could accommodate up to 110 men. It boasted a billiards room, two dining facilities, a lounge, and a smoking room. British and Canadian newspapers were available in addition to writing materials, and imperialist art decorated the walls.

     Cozzi describes the services offered by the Club: "Meal prices ranged from an affordable eight pence each for breakfast and lunch, while dinner, often consisting of soup, meat or fish course, vegetables, and dessert, cost a mere shilling. For breakfast soldiers would be treated to porridge, and either sausages, bacon, eggs or fish, bread and butter, and tea or coffee. For lunch, they could expect a meal consisting of cold meat or meat pies, potatoes, cheese, and dessert. A hot bath, pyjamas, and a bed for the night cost the soldier an additional shilling per night. Men could also have their laundry done and their kit cleaned and stowed away for safe-keeping. Organized around the needs of the men. breakfast was served as late as 1000 hours to allow tired soldiers the chance to sleep in. As well, soldiers leaving for the front were housed separately so that they would not disturb other men when they departed at 0400 hours to catch the early morning train back to their units. Soldiers could also rely on the club to keep them informed of military matters. The army, recognizing that a large number of Canadian troops frequented the institution, used the club's bulletin boards to post orders."

     I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into the soldiers' private time. If you did and are interested in reading more, the full article is available here: http://www.canadianmilitaryhistory.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/5-Cozzi-Maple-Leaf-Club.pdf
     Thanks for reading,
Delany (@DLeitchHistory on Twitter)

World War Wednesdays: Music of the Second World War

Fay McKenzie dancing the jitterbug with a serviceman at the Hollywood Canteen.

    
     One of the most popular aspects of history (and one of my favourites) is social/cultural history because it really allows us to get a glimpse of life was like for people in the time period of study. In the case of the Second World War, this aspect is of particular interest because it was the first conflict that occurred when technological advancements allowed for the popularity of media such as radio, film and music. An especially interesting component of this is the manner in which these media were used by government organizations to influence the perspectives of the people through propagandistic means. This week's post will focus on a few major elements of music during the Second World War from the various sides of the conflict.

America

Popular pop trio The Andrews Sisters

     The U.S just like any other country was able to utilize the exponential growth of the technological age to compose music for various reasons.
With the war brewing through the 1940s, initiatives to help the soldiers continue fighting arose. With drafting numbers reaching close to 500,000, the Army along with other Defense institutions began to make military bands which would serve the purpose of boosting morale in the Home Front, while at the same time keeping Patriotism and Nationalism at an all-time high. The first patriotic war song of WWII in the U.S was “God Bless America” written by Irving Berlin for a World War I wartime review, but was withheld and later revised and used in World War II. There were many other popular patriotic wartime songs during this time like, “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square” by Glenn Miller and “Arms for the Love of America” by once again Irving Berlin in 1941.
     After successful incorporation of music into the war efforts, more was needed in order to keep hopes alive and stable both back in the U.S and in the Home Front. Various times music was used as a tool for battle in the war, whether it was to entertain or to recuperate the soldiers during the war. More importantly was the impact that the music during the 1940s had on the people then and the effect that it continues to have now.
    


V-Disc 39A, "Moonlight Serenade", by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra, November 1943

     V-Disc ("V" for Victory) was a morale-boosting initiative involving the production of several series of recordings during the World War II era by special arrangement between the United States government and various private U.S. record companies. The records were produced for the use of United States military personnel overseas. Many popular singers, big bands and orchestras of the era recorded special V-Disc records.

     One of my favourite examples of American WWII music is the song "There'll Be a Hot Time in the Town of Berlin" performed by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters in 1944. Here's a link to the song from its Decca recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vQo70E42gY

Britain

Dame Vera Lynn

    
Before the war, BBC radio had had quite an elitist approach to popular music. Jazz, swing or big band music for dancing was relegated to a few late night spots. During the war, the BBC was obliged to adapt, but not without conflict. The BBC establishment reluctantly increased the amount of dance music played, but censorship was severe. The American hit "Coming in on a Wing and a Prayer" for example was censored because of its almost blasphemous mix of religious words and a foxtrot melody. BBC heads were also worried about American-style crooners undermining the virility of British men. The BBC establishment tried hard to stick to the jaunty tone which they felt had helped to win the first world war - so George Formby and Gracie Fields were very much played on the radio. Indeed, these two stars were undoubtedly more heroes to working-class people in Britain than was Winston Churchill, since they were seen to "come from the ordinary people."
     The most famous single performer was Vera Lynn who became known as "the forces' sweetheart".
She has become known for performing such songs as "(There'll be Blue Birds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover", "We'll Meet Again", and "When the Lights Go On Again".
     "We'll Meet Again" is a very powerful song which reminds us of the relationships built and torn apart during the course of the war. I've included a ling to Vera Lynn's performance of the song along with a touching video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHcunREYzNY

Germany
 

German composer and infamous anti-Semite Richard Wagner

     The Nazi government took a strong interest in promoting Germanic culture and music, which returned people to the folk culture of their remote ancestors, while promoting the distribution of radio to transmit propaganda. The Nazi government had an obsession with controlling culture and promoting the culture it controlled. The Nazis were determined to the concept that German Culture was the greatest in history, but as with all parts of art Hitler took an interest in suppressing the work of all those considered unfit while promoting certain composers as proper Germans. Therefore, the Government officially acknowledged certain composers as true Germans while seeking to eliminate Jazz and other styles seen as inferior.
     Even when new songs and other media were released which seemed to be free from a propagandistic message, there was still an underlying theme present which adhered to Nazi ideology. The example I've included is this catchy little clip from the 1936 film Gluckskinder with  song called "Ich wollt, ich war ein Huhn", which means "I wish I were a chicken". It's not exactly from wartime but it was released during Nazi leadership. Even if you aren't a German speaker, you can still note the traditional appearance and role of the female character. There is also a portion of the song which discussed various areas in Germany, which is in accordance with the ideas of German regionalism prevalent at the time. Here's a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hgUx9h3nU4

     Overall, the music of the Second World War is one of my favourite things to study. I hope you enjoyed hearing some of the different pieces, and maybe even remember some of them!

    Thanks for reading,
    Delany