110 years on: Stories and Objects from The Great War

This month marks 110 years since the start of the First World War in July 1914. The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regiment expanded at the outbreak of war to meet the demand for more manpower. In addition to the regular 1^st and 2^nd Battalions, nine Territorial and Service battalions fought on the Western Front, with a further sixteen battalions in reserve, supplying replacement men. World War One – also known as the ‘Great War’ due to its enormous scale and devastation over land, sea, and air – took the lives of over 6900 Argylls and left many times that wounded. It is important that we remember the war and all those that gave their lives in it. This month’s blog explores five different WW1 objects from our museum collection, and each is accompanied by a photograph of the object type used in real time during the war.

Trenches

Trenches were long, deep, and narrow ditches designed to protect soldiers from enemy artillery and attacks. The Frontline trenches were made with traverses (twists and turns) to increase protection from enemy shelling, and were strengthened with dugout shelters, fire-steps, sandbags, drainage, parapets and parados. Telephone lines, periscopes, machine gun posts, sanitation stations, and braziers were installed. The trench lines were duplicated further back as support and reserve trenches, and the whole complex network was linked by communication trenches.

The space between opposing front lines was known as ‘No Man’s Land’. During attacks, soldiers would climb over the trench wall with bayonets fixed to their riffles, setting off in successive ‘waves’ across this space towards their objectives. Soldiers would be met with heavy gun fire and bombardment, resulting in mass casualties. The Germans had dug and strengthened their trenches much more deeply which meant they often survived bombardment and were ready to repel attacks. Shell shock, now known as PTSD, was not uncommon after experiencing the trenches, as soldiers were trapped in the trenches for long periods of time under constant bombardment.

The below picture is a page from a book of sketches, poems and notes, drawn, composed and written by Sergeant Syndey Oldham, 14th (Service) Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, during WW1 between 1916 and 1919. It includes Trench Philosophy as shown in the picture, as well as sketches of horses, trench rats, French women, and death of a small girl. Oldham’s sketchbook gives an insight into life in the trenches during the First World War.

Kilt Aprons

Throughout the war, the Scottish soldiers wore the Highland uniform which included a kilt. As a traditional and proud symbol of Scottish culture, the kilt helped to raise moral and self-esteem. However, the use of the kilt caused some serious challenges for the soldiers who wore them as the kilt posed practical and health related issues in the harsh conditions of the Western Front. For instance, kilts left soldiers legs exposed which was a significant disadvantage in the cold, wet, and muddy trenches at the front. These trench conditions led to health issues such as trench foot and frost bite, as well as other illnesses related to prolonged exposure to wet and unsanitary conditions. When wet and muddy, the kilt would get very heavy, and the dirt stuck in the kilt could cause the soldier’s leg wounds to become infected. Additionally, the kilts would often be infested with lice. Kilts provided the perfect breeding ground for lice, particularly in the folds and pleats, which increased discomfort and trench fever.

Kilt aprons were introduced to the soldier’s uniform as a response to the issues posed by the kilt. The apron was worn over the kilt to prevent mud and dirt from sticking to the tartan material and thus trying to reduce the risk of infection and lice. By providing an extra layer, the apron helped to keep the kilt drier and cleaner by preventing direct contact with the unsanitary conditions of the trenches. However, the aprons did not provide complete protection as the sides and the pleats of the kilt were often still exposed to the mud and moisture of the trenches. This meant that the apron had limited abilities to keep the kilt clean and dry, and therefore did not help to reduce the issues of lice infestations.

In theory, these kilt aprons were a good solution to the challenges posed by the Scottish kilts, however, in practice they often caused the same issues as the kilts themselves. For instance, the kilt aprons did not give any extra protection to the soldiers exposed legs, and did not provide any protection against the cold, wound infections, trench foot, trench fever, and frostbite. The aprons would get wet and muddy and would then be an extra weight to the soldier’s uniform, and with no regular washing facilities it was hard to maintain cleanliness.

Periscopes

Periscopes were a frequently used and incredibly useful tool during the First World War. A periscope uses two mirrors placed at 45-degree angles at either side of a long box or tube to change the reflection of the light so that you can see something without looking directly at it. These were used in the trenches so that soldiers could look over the side of the trench without exposing themselves to enemy snipers. The WW1 periscope could be quite short so that it could easily be carried around the trenches.

Greatcoats and Trench Coats

There were different types of coats for soldiers to wear during WW1. Greatcoats, worn by British forces since the Crimean War of the 1850s, were heavy and long wool coats that were useful for keeping soldiers warm. However, they were not the most practical since they were heavy and awkward making it hard for soldiers to use their equipment whilst wearing them. The officer’s greatcoat pictured below belonged to 2^nd Lieutenant Alexander “Campbell” MacCormick, 4^th and 14^th Battalions Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Campbell was killed in action on the 10^th of October 1916 when he was shot in the head whilst leading a small raiding party into a section of German trench. Two soldiers from the party took his body back to the British lines when they left the German trench. The coat is dated from October 1915 and has attacked rank pips (2^nd Lt) and named clothing label.

Trench coats were shorter in length and made from fabrics that were lightweight but still weather resistant. They were designed to protect from the wind and rain, and supplied in large sizes so that layers could be worn underneath including other coats such as greatcoats. During World War One, trench coats were issued only to British officers and Warrant Officers first class, and so were not available to soldiers of lower ranks. The khaki and beige colouring of the coat helped to camouflage the officers, helping them to stay as concealed as possible. There are two designer companies that still to this day argue over their claim to the invention of the trench coat: Burberry and Aquascutum. Trench coats continue to be an iconic and popular fashion accessory today, and Burberry continue to lead trench coat production in styles for both men and women.

Rum Jar

Below is picture of a British rum jar that originally held sweetened demerara rum. The letters S. R. D. are stamped on the side meaning ‘Supply Reserve Depot’, however, the soldiers often joked that the letters stood for ‘Soon Runs Dry’, ‘Seldom Reaches Destination’, or ‘Service Rum Diluted’. At the discretion of their commander, soldiers could be given 2.5 fluid ounces (one-eighth of a pint) of rum.

They may also be given rum on the recommendation of their medical officer. When emptied, these jars were later used to hold water.

We can learn a lot from photographs of the past as they can often help us to understand how objects were used in real time. Photographs help us to envision different objects and equipment in use and shows us not only how they were used, but by who and when, and can even explain why an object was used in certain situations. Photographs provide a visual record of events, and it is so interesting to be able to pair them with some of the physical objects that we care for in the museum collection.

You can see many objects from this era throughout the museum. If you have any objects, photographs, or stories you would like to donate to the museum, please email: museum@argylls.co.uk

Written by Caitlin Stewart, Digital Content Volunteer