Great military history from Great War Huts - a First World War heritage project based in Suffolk, UK.
About the Great War Huts project: Part of a groundbreaking First World War visitor centre; Great War Huts is a heritage project preserving a number of original First World War Barrack Huts, based in the heart of Suffolk, UK.
The rapid expansion of the British Army between 1914 and 1918 was a remarkable achievement. Millions of men signed up or were later conscripted. Accommodation had to be found for all of them and Wooden Huts were the answer. The Veterans who fought in the War have all gone and the surviving Huts are some of the few tangible reminders of a truly great British achievement. Great War Huts is a remarkable project which seeks to preserve a number of original First World War Barrack Huts and record building methods, original archive material and create a register of surviving examples.
J'ai un smle n1 mk3 , c'est une arme dont je ne me séparerai jamais. Puissant , precis , efficace et il est tellement beau. Une fois qu'on le connaît bien on ne sort pas du 9 dans un c200 à 200 metres . 👍
It would interesting Jo Hook might study the query re the casualties at the Battle of Le Hamel a battle planned to protect infantry from the threat of artillery machine gun and bayonet . In terms of a tactical victory it was a spectacular success. However the total casualties were c1,300 with Australians having c 800 men killed. The yardstick of assessing casualties is 1 dead for every 3/4/5 wounded. At Le Hamel this assessment was reversed with death rate of more than 50%. This seems be a basic failure of Monash’s aim of protecting the infantry.
It was good to hear about the recruiting. It is plain as a pikestaff that the majority would come from the cities, that’s where the most people live. Also the myth about all the Aussies being bronzed 6 footers, they were only an inch above the Brits.
Hi you were talking about the green and red dog tags . I joined the royal marine commandos in 1987 and we were still issued the green and red dog tags we were not issued the metal ones until 1990. I still have my green and red ones now and also my metal ones
my great uncle howard cyphus was at the hospital in clifton, recovering from trench foot. however i have a photo of him then but without the blue armband but a patch sawn on instead, was this also done? regards
Thank you for a great tour! I restored a 1916 SMLE No1 Mk III* with a new old barrel and it took a long time to fix the draws but now it performs beautifully. I marvel at the technology of that time, and remember my great grandfather and great uncle who were in the Royal Irish Fusiliers in WW1, my great grandfather surviving but my great uncle KIA in the attack on the chemical works near Fampoux France during the Battle of Arras April 1917.
Superb explanation! Very useful to me making a little diorama commemorating 11 April 1917 when my great uncle was KIA in the attack on the chemical works by the 1st BN 7th RIF and the 2nd Seaforth Highlanders, 10th BDE, 4th Division and trying to sort out all the various box art and the equipment for that day. Very much appreciated. Great insights for me now as I paint the figures.
It's fascinating how much they had to carry, yet how little they really posedsed. I always thought the idea of carrying so much when they went over the top, to be a rather silly practice. In battle, the less extra weight not needed, the better.
Assault troops would wear Fighting Order (FO). This was simply ammunition carriers, water canteen, entrenching equipment, bayonet, respirator and the 'haversack', which usually contained your days emergency ration, spare socks and eating kit. Which of those items would you NOT want to be carrying?
I heard that Alfred Hitchcock was a member of an engineer unit of the Volunteer Training Corps, as I understand it his putties didn't fit too well. I think when it comes to wartime it means something to be able to put on a uniform and drill and make it known that you are available for service to your country, even if all they do is have the volunteer guard some spot no one cares about, especially if you are otherwise unable to serve in the military.
To think that if ww1 didn't happen would have ended with the SMLE no3 and the end of the 303 rimmed. Replaced with p-14 276 rimless 7mm. best bolt action built I think was the m1917 which is the closest to what the new rifle would have been.
I remember from the novel Storm of steel, where the author mentioned the british helmets flying through the air like spinning tops, i guess the vacuum of a blast catching under the rim
My Grandfather William John (Jack) Tracey served in Salonica with the Royal Irish Rifles, 10th Irish Division. Previously he served in Gallipoli and latterly in Egypt and Palestine
I can't understand that only the rifling twist direction, stopped the fouling with nitro compared to black powder? The Metford rifling was very different to the Enfield rifling in depth and twist. There was a great amount of experimental work carried out, before they settled on the Enfield rifling, even in the Mk 3 Martini Enfield.
finest bolt action ever made I have 6 one in 308 32 rounds a minute for accurate fire 50 rounds a minute for throwing out fire power and one I have seems like a mark 3 jungle type carbine style
You see the pictures of the newly convalescent and you can't help but pity them. Their ill-fed hollow eyed looks stare at you and they look haunted. By 1915, it was absolutely clear to these men that they were going to be fed back into the meat grinder no matter how many times they were wounded... That every day that they recovered their strength and healed was just one more step back towards Hell itself. And this isn't a criticism of only the British Army. EVERY military during both War One and Two would 'recycle' men back to their units. This was why the US instituted a 'three strikes' policy in time for Vietnam... three wounds and you got sent home permanently. And, of course, nowadays with relatively secure transport it's comparatively easy replace a casualty [well, compared to a two week trip by troopship anyway]. I'm not at all sure what the UK or other NATO nations' policy about this is, but I'm guessing that it's similarly compassionate.
Hi from Canada, I purchased a .303 Mk 4 in 1975 in Nfld Canada for 45$ Put a scope on here and downed many Deer. stamped 1943 with "Surrey" stamped on the Barrel...Gotta love LEE Enfield armories...OBTW still have a box of ammo bought in the eighties...
Mine now! That is all I said way back when taking my Grandfathers 1912 Lee/Enfield in my hands. No joke! I hunt to this day with it. Food in the freezer. Never jammed or misfired. It can still accurately over a mile within 6 inch radius. It did and continues to be one of the most reliable front line weapons of war.
Absolutely loved the history presented on these rifles. My only caveat is the Mk.IV No.1 Savage produced lend/ lease rifles stamped US Property. Us colonists were obviously tasked with helping the British out during WWII to supply some of these beautiful rifles. For me, having my great grandfather come from England in the late 1800s and I'm 3rd generation born American, I'm excited to have a lend/Lease rifle that works beautifully. It obviously helped some British soldiers during that conflict.
I think the British were far more grateful when we finally got into WWII two and a half years after the war began... even if it took Pearl Harbor and both Germany and Russia declaring war on us to finally get us to have boots on the ground engaged in the fighting.
Excelente video!! muy Didáctico e instructivo. Nos permite transportanos en el tiempo a una época Histórica de la vida Militar. Cuando ser soldado era mucho más duro que ahora. Un cordial saludo desde Argentina.
Very good information I have 4 of them one is the #5 I am proud to own them I reload and keep the brass separated for each rifle because of very liberal chamber sizes I love them all but the rifling has seen better days because of the old corrosive powders and primers but thank you for a great video
Imagine 20000 of these, scattered about noman's land on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. So sad. All these little personal items they used all the time. That stuff is so closely connected to each man. Everyone who's been on holiday with only a small suitcase knows how dear your personal belongings are to you. The daily rituals like brushing your teeth, shaving, cleaning, and also taking it off an putting it back on, buttoning shirts, buckling belts, tieing shoelaces. I always have to thing of the last time they'd do that, unaware or maybe not, that this time, they would die the way they dressed this morning or night or whenever they happened to last put on their kit. Sad beyond words.
My Grandfarther was In the Prince of Wales Lenster Regerment First Canadians I know what a mouthful , he started his service wearing a Glenderry black with black silk band and ribbons with a dark blue square patch with the cap badge on these were used in working dress and field dress karki in blues they wore the blue home helmet with there Regerments shield badge on the front . After the war he was posted to the second Battalion which was decimated as a Sargent , He sometimes told me promotion was faster in his days looking at my two tapes . He was sent to Colchester have a photo of him in a Sargents Mess Photo with the then Prince Edward . At this time they now wore both the Field service cap and the Tamoshanta and in blues the blue service helmet there Pipers wore the Lenster tartan kilts with the Scotis stile service jacket in dark green with blue cuffs and collar and epilets Dark blue was the faceing colour of the First Lensters the Tamoshanta also had the blue patch behind the cap badge three feathers of the Prince Of Wales . They did alot of Recruting in London from the Irish who had emigrated there there is a pub in London called The Lenster Regerment as this is where the Recruting Team were based and dud quite a bit of successfully Recruting there . I wonder why .
