The ‘Tommies’ of World War One was a nickname given to the British soldiers who fought in the trenches of the Western Front. What had started as a relatively small army in 1914 had soon increased to well over a million men from all walks of life. Their bravery and sacrifice in this war has led us to view them as tragic heroes, many of whom laid down their lives in the ‘war to end all wars.’ In their memory, it is important to learn who they were, what their life was like in the trenches, and why were so many willing to risk death in service to their country. Here are nine facts you might not know about them, with all the information taken from the Casemate Short History book Tommies by Rosie Serdiville & John Sadler.
It was not just patriotism that led many to join up
While 1914 saw a vast outpouring of patriotic fervor, it was not the only motivation to join up. Enlistment was a cure for unemployment, for boredom, and offered a chance to see the world. Plus it was a means of escape – many joined up to avoid life’s complications, adopting aliases.
The Tommies were given outdated uniform in 1914 which endangered their lives
In 1914 there were no steel helmets, and the men wore peaked caps that, while elegant, gave absolutely no protection. Their calves were encased in woolen wrappings or puttees (intended to prevent wet and dirt getting inside the boots). Wound round the leg from the boot upwards, they were tricky to get on and soon got very wet.
The British Army was initially the only volunteer force in the war
For the first two years of the war, Britain and the Empire relied solely upon volunteers. This was unique; all the other Great Powers needed mass conscription from the outset.
After conscription, it was very hard for people to avoid becoming a Tommy
When conscription was introduced in February 1916 all conchies had to appear before a military tribunal to explain why they believed they should be exempt. Most arguments fell on deaf ears; the mood of the tribunals was against them.
Tommies were the first to commonly wear wristwatches
Wristwatches had been around for a while but were regarded as a bit effete (although some officers had used them during the Second Boer War), and an officer with his pocket watch was a typical sight in the early part of the war. With the necessity for officers to have exactly the same time as one another, wristwatches were developed to withstand the rigours of trench warfare, with luminous dials and unbreakable glass. The British War Department began issuing them from 1917.
Many Tommies wrote dark comic poetry to pass the time
Many of the trench poets wrote fun poems to make light of their horrific situation. Poets such as John Walcote Gamble wrote limericks, like this one:
There’s a shallow wet trench near Houplines
‘Tis the wettest there ever has been,
There are bullets that fly,
There are shells in the sky,
And it smells like a German ‘has been’.
Egg and chips was a Belgian dish discovered by the Tommies
Locals would provide services for troops behind the lines, including providing them with food and drink. One such dish was egg and chips which proved so popular with the soldiers that they brought it home and it soon became one of our unofficial national dishes.
Troops craved books to pass the time
Books were much sought after and were a favoured form of comfort from home. In December 1915, The War Illustrated published an article about how soldiers found solace from reading and needed books to be sent from Britain.
Tyne Cot Cemetery was named after Tommy slang
The cemetery acquired its name from the Northumberland Fusiliers, who thought the German concrete blockhouses on the site resembled Tyneside miners’ cottages. Tyne Cot is the resting place of 12,000 men and is the largest Commonwealth War Graves Commission burial ground in the world.
For more fascinating facts and anecdotes on the history of the First World War’s British soldiers, read Tommies: The British Army in the Trenches, part of the brand new Casemate Short History series.
Follow