Backwards In High Heels

Grandad's First World War Experiences

Earlier I introduced you to my Great-Grandfather, William Thompson who I remember very well – we adored each other.

Lately I decided to look further into his time in the First World War. I knew the basics of the story from my family and that he had won a DCM. I am incredibly sentimental about such things and was incensed that it would appear my less sentimental Uncle had sold it. I do have his Cap badge though:

At the start of the First World War Grandad was just gone 15 and as such too young to sign up so he travelled from North Yorkshire to Staffordshire to sign up for the war after lying about his age, as many youngsters did.

That first night in barracks he was very homesick as the first meal served them was tripe. He detested tripe and suddenly realised how he’d miss his Mother’s cooking!

As for his four years in the trenches I know he quickly rose up the ranks. However, he was never short of an answer for his superiors which invariable got him into bother and he was demoted and promoted more times then people could remember.

Alongside being yo-yo’d in the ranks the common punishment handed out to him was to peel potatoes and a such he was given the nickname ‘Tatty’ (as in the Scot’s word, tattie, for potato) which stuck with him for life!

What I knew about the events leading to his DCM was that he was with a large gun at the front in a difficult situation so he sent his men back and would remain alone with the gun and remaining ammunition to give his men the best chance possible. He was not expected to survive yet reappeared to the amazement of his comrades but even more astounding he had run back with the gun over his shoulder. Being from Yorkshire he wasn’t going to leave a good bit of kit behind and his years of fell running paid off. That is as much as I knew, I did not know timescales or exact dates.

So this year as I surfed around the internet I found the Staffordshire regiment have a museum and I remember the family saying they believed the gun was kept for the museum. I wasn’t expecting to much but fired off an email to the curator with my scant details asking if there was any hope the museum could help me put more body to Tatty’s story. So imagine how I felt when later that afternoon I received this email:

Dear Ms Hobbs

I found the following in the book "Honours and Awards of the South Staffordshire Regiment" Which we sell in our shop.

"42811 Private W. Thompson (Richmond). 4th Battalion The South Staffordshire Regiment. Citation London Gazette 30.10.1918 page 12842. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty for four day's heavy fighting.

He was one of the Lewis Gun team, and on the first day the remainder of the team became casualties, and all the magazines were lost except the one on the gun. During each withdrawal he stayed behind with his gun, firing and unloading (should be re-loading)) his own magazines himself, until everyone else was clear. On the third day he took forward his gun, and by enfilade fire prevented the enemy for twenty-four hours from concentrating and organising an attack on his battalion. He showed fine courage and determination."

The curator also kindly sent me the following photograph of a Lewis Gun in the museum – we can’t confirm it is the very one but look at the size of it, weighs approx 12kg and he ran back with it after four days fighting alone!

Everytime I read the email I cry, as I do when I think of him faced with tripe for tea! I have never been able to watch War films but have seen The Trench twice and find it so utterly wrenching as I can just picture Grandad amongst it but I suspect it portrays the hell it was very well and suggest if you get the chance, watch it. This is how Grandad spent his teenage years, four years in the heart of war surrounded by fear and death.

I am now looking forward arranging a visit to the Staffordshire Regiment Museum , and what is particularly poignant is they have recreated a World War I trench system.

William+Thompson, DCM, World+War+One, WWI, First+World+War, North+Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Staffordshire+Regiment, South+Staffordshire+Regiment, world+war+one+trench, Lewis+Gun, The+Trench, Staffordshire+Regiment+Museum, tripe, tattie

And it's up....

The wardrobe is up and rock solid. And between my mum and myself we haven't put up some piddling wee wardrobe - no we are talking a 4 door, 3 drawer multiplex of a wardrobe.

We read the instructions (but didn't necessarily follow them), used the correct tools (not once did I resort to a shoe) and didn't swear (blatant lie).

To comply with British work standards, every innuendo involving the words bedroom, screwing, getting it up, banging and erection was made and we had three tea breaks. We also lodged our Union quota of tuts combined with head shaking.

A Big Bang

It has been like an episode of Changing Rooms here, only without the really bad taste and crying.

The room currently having a revamp is my bedroom. Gone is the furniture that has been with me since I was 18, a wardrobe with doors even more unhinged than myself.

So far it has been stripped, painted and a wood effect floor put down (a must with our menagerie). Last Sunday I put down the hardboard ready for the wood floor, and it was hard but satisfying work. There is something wonderfully therapeutic about banging nails in. It’s not a big room but it took me quite some time – rather than measuring it in hours and minutes it took one Allo Allo, a Bargain Hunt (regular size), a Keeping Up Appearances and Murder Ahoy!

I couldn’t have asked for a better line up of tv goodies to work along to. I think we British do farce so well and Allo Allo and Keeping Up Appearance are two great examples. Bargain Hunt was one of the half hour shows, when I appeared on it (have I not mentioned I am an international TV star?) we had a 45 minute show, oooh get me…An Audience With Beki must be following.

Murder Ahoy is one of my favourite films – starring Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple. Margaret Rutherford I think has the most wonderful screen presence and is the type of actress the modern system would never give time too. How I envy people who saw her as Blithe Spirit's Madame Arcati on the London stage.

For me her Miss Marple is the best and it is thought that Agatha Christie had her in mind when creating the character and indeed dedicated The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side to her. Margaret Rutherford’s Marple has exactly the right balance of ‘interested in others' (never a gossip!) and robust nature that the stereotype village spinster should have. These women still exist the length and breadth of England.

A totally different approach to Miss Marple was Joan Hickson which fitted beautifully into the 1980s television schedule. She brought a human edge to  Miss Marple to the fore in her reaction to post war Britain. The latest incarnation – Geraldine McEwan I cannot take to in the slightest. At times the new series almost declines into parody and Geraldine McEwan reduces Miss Marple a simpering old busy body– Miss Marple should be old school, striding out, stuff and nonsense woman!

Anyway, tomorrow my new wardrobe arrives which will mean I am let loose with an electric screwdriver…if there’s wi-fi access from casualty I’ll let you know how many shows it takes me to get it up in the bedroom, oo-er missus.

Changing+Rooms, decorating, sitcom, Allo+Allo, Keeping+Up+Appearences, Murder+Ahoy, Margaret+Rutherford, Agatha+Christie, Miss+Marple