Memories of the Great War: The personal account of Alfred Thomas Higginson

The First World War has, over the years since 1918, been the subject of many books, articles, films and television programmes all vividly illustrating the progress of hostilities and the appalling conditions endured by the troops in all the theatres of the war and especially on the Western Front. The struggle of human beings to overcome the natural and man-made obstacles and perils of trench warfare are dealt with but the significance of these is not often fully comprehended by the reader or viewer. It is only when one reads a personal account of life 'under fire' that the problems that beset the troops in France and Belgium and their personal views of the war is more clearly understood.

The following account was written by a young soldier, Alfred Thomas Higginson, who lived at New Union Farm, Out Rawcliffe. He recorded, in a small notebook and in a clear, steady hand, his experiences during the period of his recruitment and training in the Army in 1916 followed by his service in France with the Royal Artillery until his return to England on medical grounds later in the war. His feelings about and descriptions of army life could no doubt be repeated by many thousands of his comrades who were also plucked from their homes in the English countryside and despatched to a completely new world of army life both in camp and at the battle front.

The original notebook is now in the possession of Mr John Higginson, a great-nephew of the writer, to whom we are indebted for his permission to reproduce this local and personal view of the Great War.

The account has been split into two parts, the second part of which will appear in Volume V of the Journal.
(Editor)

The first start to becoming a soldier was I and my brother, Joseph, going to Fleetwood where we attested under the Derby Scheme. On the 30th day of January 1916 we were medically examined by Dr Penman and his son, and then sworn in to serve our king and country by Captain McCarty. We were then told our group numbers and when our group would be called up for service. We then proceeded back to our home, both of us being soldiers now, and the next step was whether we could get any grace before joining the army. My father then sent our appeals in to Garstang - I got till May 17th so as to help with the seeding. During this time we got word to appear at Garstang Town Hall for our armlets, a cloth band with a red crown on it for us to wear so as to let people know we had enlisted - we never wore them, Joseph getting exemption through being a cowman till a certain date and then he had to appeal again. I received my calling up papers from Garstang a few weeks previous to report at the Town Hall, Garstang on 17th May 1916. I was twentyfour years of age when I left home to join the army. I bade by Father and my Mother good day at the gate, along with my brothers and sisters.

 I walked to Pilling station and with several more from Pilling went by train to Garstang. When we arrived at the Town Hall there was quite a big company of young men all waiting to report. We were told to wait an hour or so, that leaving us with a little time on our hands to get something to eat and drink, or have a walk. I had a stroll with Fred McNeal and James Clarke of Out Rawcliffe James got killed later on in France - to Garstang Mill bridge, and talked about all three keeping together if we could, but that couldn't be as we found later on. We went back and the time was now near for us all to report. That was not such a long job, each man receiving a big envelope full of our attestation papers, sealed up for us to take with us Lancaster. We were then marched to the station and taken to Lancaster. James Clarke and myself were the only two from Out Rawcliffe that I knew. From Pilling there was James Brown and Tom Cookson (Mill Tom) and Fred McNeal. There was a young Swindlehurst from Cabus, Joe Gornall's son-in-law. It was better when you has someone that you knew for the first break out. We arrived at Lancaster alright and went to the Bowerham Barracks, that being our destination. A gloomy place it was too. There was a large number of men here waiting for their Medical inspection (the Medical Board) before being sent away to their different depots. When our turn came for inspection we had to strip starved (sic) naked and queue up in front of a door where the doctors were examining. I think they let us put our overcoats on while we were waiting. My turn came to go into the room stripped naked in front of two young doctors, they tested every part of my body and I was told to jump over a form. I received a medical history sheet with all my physical defects on. We then came out of the room and presented the papers to an officer seated at a desk and he posted us to our various regiments. I was put in the Royal Field Artillery and was sent away that night to Fulwood Barracks, Preston.

I arrived at Preston before midnight and got into barracks alright, got a bed for the night with some soldiers in the infantry barracks. My first night away from home it was a bit hard but with being young I got over it pretty fair. The first thing I noticed most in the morning was the bugle sounding reviellie (sic). We were civilians yet in a sense, as we still had our civilian clothes on. We were shown the cookhouse where we went for our breakfast, we had to line up and take our turn, it seemed different to being at home - no fancy cakes or pie, just bread and dripping and fried tomatoes and a bit of bacon and a bowl of tea. A large number of recruits were now coming in to barracks, a fair lot being Welsh lads. We hung about for a day or two before we got our uniform, our chief job was sitting on the flags and watching recruits drilling at gun-drill and riding drill. Then we were called up into formation and marched to the hospital for inoculation, being still in our civi (sic) clothes. About the third day I had been there we were taken to the quarter stores and given our kit including greatcoat, pants, puttees and spurs, boots, shirts, cleaning brushes, button stick etc. Next we were taken into the office, one man at a time before the officer commanding. He shouted our names out and stepping into the room he asked us various questions about our occupations in civil life, and he sized us up for the gunners and drivers. With being tall I was posted as a gunner. Next morning we started soldiering on the square and riding school, gun-drill for the gunners and riding-drill for the drivers battery-orders.

That first day we were shown our sleeping quarters in Fulwood Hall Lane, under canvas - it was funny in civis (sic) the first few days under canvas. We had a roll-call every morning in camp and then marched into the barracks for breakfast. The first night in a tent I shall never forget. There was a heavy dew and it was a bit cold. My bed the first night was three blankets and my civi (sic) clothes for a pillow, in a new pitched tent on the long grass. I was cold all night and was glad when morning came. I dressed and got out of it all the time shivering with cold in my body, I was all of a tremble my legs and hands. I could not stop for a while till the sun came out and then I got to feeling warmer. With sleeping at home with my window always shut and plenty of clothes it was a big change in an open tent on the grass with three blankets only for a bed. Then after we got our uniforms they gave us bed-boards and trestles and a palyass (sic) and a pillow stuffed with straw and now, having a greatcoat we were quite comfortable. Letters were shouted out to us every day at noon at the office tent if you wanted to get your letters you had to be quick and listen for your name to be called out. Now we march into barracks on the square and fall in when the barracks fall in and then we are sent into the stables to clean out, groom and water and feed, with not having enough shovels we have to use our hands to shake the bedding up and clean the dung up. After stable dismiss. It was a bit awkward, water was not near at hand and if one wanted to wash his hands after stables he had to go to the wash-house and that made him have to be at the end of the line for breakfast. Cleaning our boots and buttons, shaving and washing were our next jobs after breakfast, ready for parade, this being a big muster of men on the square in our different sub- sections and our drill instructors as well, all lined up on parade, every sub numbered off and a roll call. Then we were marched off by a sergeant in charge of a sub-section for the various duties. The Sergeant Major was a great figure in these big parades at morning and noon, his voice ringing out the orders. Gun drill was one of my chief duties, besides we had physical jerks, lectures and musketry, the art of using a rifle, that was a thing that troubled me a course or two, it seemed like handling a lump of lead. I could not get into the various positions it has to be held, the slope, order and present arms. After a while it came to me and then seemed quite easy, I thought it simple when I had got it learned.

Towards the end of my stay at Preston I was put into the battery squad, this being a week's special drill before being passed out. test was taken by an officer and he was very strict, but a few days after I passed I missed at the first attempt, the out under a sergeant, he gave the orders more clearly and was very patient with us. Some men failed again this time I don't know how they would go on, I got my seven days' leave and came home. I had my byke (sic) at the Withy Trees Hotel and, tying my kit- bag on behind I made for home. My seven days passed quickly but I had a pleasant time, my mother feeding me on the best she had, but when I used to sit down to a good meal that going back always came to me, but I didn't show it.

When my time was up Jack Jenkinson of Old Union Farm took me back on his motor-cycle. We were marched off to the public baths in Preston to have a bath and after that were sent to Woolwich to the Royal Artillery Depot. This was my first long train journey in my life and it was a nice ride, if I had been a civilian instead of a soldier. A band from the barracks met us at Woolwich station and played us to the barracks. These were a great mass of buildings, larger than Garstang is, stores, stables, parade grounds, canteen, cook-houses, barrack-rooms, wash-houses and a great lot of other buildings.

I stayed here a little over a week through being put on two drafts for France. The first one I was attending there was into the teens of men attending. The reason for such a big lot was in case the men down for draft went sick or other causes, the draft then being filled up by the attending men. If not needed they were put down for the next draft. I was on the top of the roll for the next draft, there was one or two leaving every week for various war fronts. We were marched up on to the square in front of the Quarter Master's Stores for our pay books and active service kit, one bandolier with 50 rounds of ammunition, one pair of goggles, one gas helmet, one water bottle, one mess tin and one haversack for our spare clothing, the kit bag being taken from us here and we had to hand in our other pair of boots, which we got at Preston, same with tunic (jacket) and all spare kit. We had only one suit now that what we stood up in, the one pair of boots that we were wearing were getting hard worn so we had them exchanged for a good new pair, one blanket, one ground sheet (rubber) one jack-knife, one tin helmet, two identification discs with our rank, name and number and regiment. All this took a good while. Then a roll call and every man given his pay book. Then we were marched off and dismissed for our tea, it now getting on in the afternoon. After tea we had to fall in again on the square. Another roll call, a big lot of shouting going on now by the Officers, numbering us off then numbering by fours, dressing up into a straight line the officer looking down the line and if one man was stood a bit too far out he got a bawling at, to stand back a bit. Then, after all was in order, the Officer commanding Royal Artillery, Woolwich, inspected us, this over the band of the depot was waiting in front of the barrack gates to play us to the station. We were then marched off in fours, keeping in step, out into the road. It is good to keep in step when there is a band in front, we arrived at Woolwich station after a lot of shouting and handshaking by women and children and others. I think it was at Paddington we changed for Southampton and here a very strict guard was kept over us by the officers and N.C.O.s. These were the places where some men deserted and got away.

The journey to Southampton was soon covered and it was about eight o'clock when we got there, the train taking us right up to the ship, a covered station of wood sidings. We just walked about fifty or sixty yards to the ship and the gangway was down ready for us to walk up. We were soon on board the 'African Prince', darkness was now on, the wind was blowing and howling and the sea appeared rough. Guns and ammunition were being lowered into the hold by a crane, there were no lights about anywhere, everything being done in pitch darkness so as not to draw any submarines. The anchor was now drawn up quickly and the ship soon put out to sea. We were all given a lifebelt and ordered down below to the forecastle. Getting our blankets and greatcoats out we got down on the floor, there being no hammocks or bunks. It just appeared to be a small cargo steamer and we were soon slipping and rolling about on to one another as the ship was being tossed about like a cork. No one was allowed to go up on the top deck as waves were splashing over her decks, everybody seemed to be sea-sick, doors were banging all the night through and sleep was a poor affair I half slept. The voyage took all night before we reached Le Havre, it being daybreak when we dropped anchor a mile or two out on account of the rough sea that was still running. The white chalk cliffs were a fine sight as we lay out of harbour. Breakfast was now being issued out to us, a tin of bully-beef to each man and a few hard biscuits and a drop of tea, without milk or sugar. Through the ship being buffeted about it made us worse sea-sick when we started to go up the steps on to the deck. Our last meal we had had at Woolwich the day before and with not having anything in our stomachs we felt rotten. We wanted to eat and couldn't on account of being still sea-sick, but we shoved a bit down, and the ship moved away to the dock. We were soon on shore, thank God, and we sat down and rested a while in the dockyard. It was nice to be on land again. Frenchmen were working on the docks and their language seemed funny to us, we didn't understand a word they said.

"Fall in", an officer of ours shouted and we fell in, a roll-call being taken again to see if we were all still there and, there being none missing, we were then marched off through Le Havre, over a bridge and out into the country, a distance of four miles to Harfluer. I thought we were never going to land here, the roads were dusty, with trees on both sides of the road. Now we met transport lorries coming and going to the docks for supplies. We also saw a couple of big dogs pulling little two wheel carts laden with something, with a Frenchman walking along side. Harfluer was now reached, afternoon it had got, and here was a base for the Royal Artillery, there being a large number of wooden huts. We were marched up to one big hut, it would be a receiving room I think, now another line up and a roll-call, all correct again, dismiss, dining room for some late dinner, bully-beef, hard biscuits and tea, each man lining up with his mess tin and getting a pint of tea. I believe this would have a little milk and sugar in. This over we were shown our quarters, bell tents, with as many as we could put in, we were a tight fit, all round in a circle with our heads round the out side and our feet to the pole in the centre. We arrived here on Wednesday afternoon and stayed till Sunday night. It was nice country all about there being a lot of woods. One of the days here was a passing out test again. We were taken on to a hill something like Preesall Hill, but flatter on the top. Here were about six guns with a lot of officers and sergeant majors. I felt a bit windy as I didn't want to miss passing. About half-a-dozen men at a gun at a time, every man being given an order by a sergeant major by himself at the gun, those that failed had their names taken and number, and ordered to double to the rear to fall in a line by themselves. My turn came, I stood by the gun by myself, I got an easy test setting the range-drum. I did it accurately. I just forget whether I did another order or not - some got the dial-sight to set, anyway you'll do, dismiss to my place where I was stood before. I felt happy that was over as the rumour was that those that failed were put in the trench mortar batteries (suicide clubs) they went by. This over we were taken to another place for several gas tests, these were a nuisance, a gas chamber with our helmets on and the place shut up so as no gas could escape, and we stood up in there with our heads in an helmet, slavering and spitting, we couldn't get any air and then tear gas, we only needed our goggles for that. The other days we were marched to the docks at Havre for fatique (sic) work at a big dump of empty shell cases. a couple of acres, and was stacked up such a height. It covered about We filled wagon after wagon as they were soon back from the ship with it being close to. They were taking them back to England. One night at Harfluer there was a boxing contest. Several matches were boxed by gunners and N.C.0.s. It was very interesting as I had never seen a boxing show staged before. There was champions both of the army and navy and that night passed off well.

Sunday came and this was the day we were to leave for the front. It was about three or four in the afternoon that we were being formed up again for away. Here there were a Y.M.C.A., Soldiers' Home, a Woodbine Willie Hut - I think that was the name. We got a pay-day of five francs, the money being different to English but it soon came to us the value of different coins. I received a big parcel here, it had been sent to Woolwich by my mother and it was sent on to France. We were all lined up in front of the office, the Officer Commanding came out and inspected us with our tin helmets on we looked funny, he made a little speech and told us we were going to the firing line, told us to do our duty and kill as many Germans as we could and not to trust them. If we got any prisoners in our hands we had not to show much mercy with them. He also alluded to them sinking our food ships and hospital ships and also firing on life-boats. He got excited at the finish and then said "Good-night, boys and good luck to you all". The sergeant in charge gave the order "In fours, quick march", and we were soon at the station of Harfluer. It would now be about seven o'clock. We went right through the station on the platform to the far end of a siding and our train was waiting there in the darkness. There being no platform we had to walk across the metals to get to the trucks. It was strange as we did not load up in the station where it was a covered one and lit up, with its platforms. We were now running about on the metals along a long row of cattle trucks as they were called. They were big vans with one sliding door. We all got in and soon filled them We had to be down to it on the rough floor of planks to be most like a lot of cattle. comfortable. We had our blanket now in use and our overcoats, some putting his down and another having his over the two. Well this van was a very large one and there was between thirty and forty men like sardines, there not being room for all to lie down comfortable. Some had their heads between another's legs, cramp was bothering lots and their legs were huddled up and grumbling was going on all night. I had very little sleep till morning side and then I had to give in and sleep. We were passing stations and passing through some long tunnels. Our van was in darkness only for a match being lit for a fag now and again and the place was full of smoke from the cigarettes with the door being slided to within a foot for a bit of fresh air as there was no other form of ventilation, bar the other sliding door on the other side of the van, but that was fastened on the outside and we couldn't open it. We were now passing through a station and the French porter had his trumpet instead of a flag as we have in England. He came alongside all the trucks and the night being cold and frosty, he was putting all the doors to. He put ours to, with a bang and it was overcoming and stifling now, with a lot of the men smoking fags and there not being a window or a shutter. The door would have to be opened a bit for fresh air with the truck being full with soldiers with all their equipment. Two men nearest the door got their hands and shoulders to work, they could grip nothing, with it being a sliding door the Frenchman had banged it fast about two foot past the side of the door. So there was over two feet of the door to be shoved back before there was one inch of the door open for air. Things were now getting hot and stuffy, it was making us gasp as the smoke of the fags was still with us. One or two were still smoking but there was a shout, "Stop smoking or we shall all be dead before morning if we can't open the door", but they kept on smoking. The two men could not make the door budge a bit so another had a try and he missed, then they got their jack knifes out and started cutting little holes in so we could get the end of the knife, when shut, in the hole and prise. They must have been nearly an hour working away and it was now past biding. We were all a bit alarmed and with being in pitch dark it made it worse. We daren't strike a match now, everyone was quiet, there was no grumbling or cursing now same as there was earlier on. I thought about home, here I was fastened up like a thief in a mill and would perhaps be dead in the morning if the door was not opened soon. They were still cutting and carving at the door and a jack knife is a very dull knife, but very strong in the blade. Anyone who has ever been fastened up without means of possible ventilation can realise the sensation with nearly forty men in a railway van made of two thicknesses of wood.  Our lungs were heaving and something seemed to keep rising up in our chests.  I shall never forget that as long as I live.
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