WESTERN FRONT ASSOCIATION

Herts & Beds Branch

NEWSLETTER June 2014

NEXT MEETING: FRIDAY27thJUNE

“Top Secret! British Boffins in World War One”, David Rogers

Early in the war the Royal Society Council offered its services and that of its Fellows to aid Government work. It appointed a War Committee and within weeks, separate committees for physics, chemistry and engineering were charged with addressing many issues. The supply of prescription drugs to pharmacies was resourced as was help from Fellows in industry, including, Sir Alfred Fernandez Yarrow (shipbuilder) and Sir Henry Solomon Wellcome (Managing Director of Burroughs Wellcome & Company). Other Fellows, such as the future Nobel Laureate Sir Alexander Fleming, worked in a French laboratory investigating bacterial infection of wounds. Another, John Alexander Sinton, is the only known Fellow to be awarded the VC.

David Rogers is a scientist by training, obtaining a doctorate in chemistry before working for a Fellow of the Royal Society for his post-doctorate. He went on to spend many years in British industry working for a multi-national company.

This is our final meeting before the summer break and I hope for a good attendance. Our AGM comes up in September and with it the Members’ Evening. I know that our secretary is hoping for three people to come forward with short talks.

MAY MEETING REPORT

Graham Goodladgave us a lucid account of the career of General Joseph Joffre, the French commander-in-chief at the start of the war. There is no biography of him currently in print, an oddity considering that he commanded the largest force then in existence, some two million men. Born in 1852 to an artisan background, Joffre was an artillery man who saw service in the Franco-Prussian war and then in colonial postings. He became Chief of the General Staff in 1911 with wide powers. The French army’s officer corps at that time was split along catholic conservative/liberal republican lines, with memories of the Dreyfus affair still fresh. In the new atmosphere in French politics, Joffre’s secular and republican views did him no harm.

The French plan in the event of war with Germany was Plan 17, essentially an all-out attack on the Franco-German border which made little allowance for developments in weaponry. But it was thought necessary to take pressure off France’s ally, Russia, whose mobilisation was expected to be slow. Nor would the French government allow an attack into Belgium. The result was the Battle of the Frontiers in August 1914, with 200,000 French dead. At first, Joffre misread intelligence reports on the German advance, but then abandoned Plan 17 and made good use of the railways to send troops west. He worked well with the British commander, Sir John French, and successfully appealed to him at a crucial moment to fight on the Marne. Seeing a gap between the 1st and 2nd German armies Joffre drove forces through, obliging the Germans to withdraw, a crucial point in the war. This set up the Marne battle, following which “Papa” Joffre was something of a national hero. But his career afterwards was an anti-climax, marked by battles of attrition. When the Germans attacked at Verdun in 1916 it was the start of the end of his career. He had neglected the Verdun forts, probably influenced by the failure of the Belgian forts in 1914 to stop the German advance. He was dismissed in December 1916, becoming a Marshal of France, but his role was little more than ceremonial.

Joffre published two volumes of memoirs and died in 1931. In his memoirs he commented that he did not know who won the Battle of the Marne, but he did know who would have been blamed had it been lost!

NEWSLETTER QUIZ

The answer to quiz 245 was Sergeant Alvin York, Congressional Medal of Honor. Chris Collier won and sets quiz 246:the letters A V V and V V K appear on a war memorial in Belgium. Where is it, what does it commemorate and what do the letters mean (in English!)

LEIGHTON BUZZARD RESEARCH

Just received from Colin Ashby: I am compiling information on the men and women in the Leighton Buzzard and Linslade area which has taken me a year so far. I have details of just under 2,400 men and 6 women on an excel worksheet though still have gaps but I am quite glad to share this information, it will also form part of the IWP Great War Project and I am trying to work out the best way to present it in a book. I think I have researched myself into the ground and need to widen my scope. What would be the best way to take what I have forward? If anyone can help Colin please contact him at

ATTENDANCE LIST/GIFT AID

When signing in for a meeting, please check to see if your name is on the attendance list before putting your name at the bottom. This helps me when doing the Gift Aid claim to our friends at HM Revenue! Further, if you haven’t signed a Gift Aid declaration, please do so. Ask me for help.

SIMON GOODWIN

Those of you who attended last month’s meeting will have signed a get-well-soon card for Simon, who has some serious eye trouble. Simon has written to thank everyone for their good wishes, and to say how much he appreciates the kind thoughts. Good luck Simon!

HERTS ARCHIVES AND LOCAL STUDIES

My thanks to Gareth Hughes for advising me that HALS are having an event on 5th July, 10am-2pm, probably at Herts University, on how to research your First World War ancestor. Anyone interested in more information should contact:

A LETTER TO AN UNKNOWN SOLDIER
Our secretary, Geoff Cunnington, draws my attention to this:

DIARY

12 Sept: Members’ Evening and AGM

SEMINAR: Sunday 21st September, Milton Keynes

10 Oct: “In a Hole in the Ground; Tolkien and the Trenches”, John Garth

14 Nov:“Empire, Faith & War:The Sikhs and WW1”, Parmjit Singh

12 Dec:“Pyramids Fleshpots: Middle East Campaigns 1914-16” Stuart Hadaway

Venue: Room SP101, 1st Floor, Sports Hall, St George’s School, Carleton Road, Harpenden, AL5 4TD. Doors open 7.30pm, 8.00pm start. Requested donation min. £3.50. Tea, coffee & biscuits at half time. Note: park in the main school car park and walk round to the Sports Hall at the back.

CONTACTS

Chairman & Newsletter Editor

Andrew Gould: 01908 643669

Secretary

Geoffrey Cunnington: 01582 762897

Treasurer

Clive Mead: 01582 508699

NEXT ISSUE

Copy by1st Septto Andrew Gould, 1 Drovers Way, Newton Longville, Milton Keynes, MK17 0HR.Email: