Friday March 8th, 1918
Parade 8am till 12 noon. Bath. Service afternoon. Raining. Went to EF Canteen spent 60 Francs. Tired out when back.
Morale
There has been much written about the morale of the British Army during the war and contrasting it with the Armies of its allies and foes. While the majority of the analysis is of the troops on the Western Front, it contains some interesting observations. Apparently the British had less leave than the French, less pay than Dominion troops and had similar (inadequate) food to both. However, while the British Army grouched about all these things and more, they were either more resigned to their lot or their morale was better than their peers. Their outbursts were practical cries for help rather than political.
Some have attributed this to a greater sense of loyalty or community – and singled out the regiments for providing this. ‘The rallying call of Lieutenant-Colonel Elstob³ on 21st March 1918 (‘The Manchester Regiment will hold Manchester Hill to the last’) or the notice in Mansel Copse cemetery on the Somme (‘The Devons held this trench, the Devons hold it still) are essentially British in their expression.’¹
Illtyd Davies had a variety of run-ins with authority during his time in Salonika. Twice he received Field Punishments Number 1, once Field Punishment Number 2 and a Court Martial (where the charges were dismissed and the Officer sent elsewhere). His fellow soldiers rallied round him each time – with extra rations from the cooks and whip-rounds to make up his forfeited pay. Davies’ morale was directly impacted by what he described as ‘nincompoop officers’. By early 1917, he commented, ‘There was less than fifty percent of the original NCO and men left. Malaria and dysentery had taken its toll. Our new replacement lieutentants were men in their late twenties, with sound common sense. No more men charged with trivial offences – we had become a fairly happy unit.’
This may be seen to reinforce the view that morale was aided in a variety of ways: Through the officers’ interest in the welfare of their men, the care and relief of bodies like the YMCA, canteens and entertainments such as the Divisional or Battalion sports. All these positive influences seem to be at play in Olasli in these early days of March 1918.
13th (Service) Battalion War Diary – 8th March 1918 – No 1 Sector, Olasli
Training as per programme. 2 OR struck off under GRO 1011 with effect from 3-2-18, 1 from 19-2-18 and 1 from 26-2-18
References & Further Reading
¹ Chapter 1, ‘The Nation in Arms (1914-18)’ by Ian Beckett from the book ‘The Nation in Arms’ edit by Ian FW Beckett & Keith Simpson (2004)
² ‘A Little Account’ by Illtyd Davies from the collections of the Salonika Campaign Society (page 37)
³ Photograph appeared in ‘The Sphere” 24/8/1919, site of 17th Manchesters.