Page 166 - The Bugle 2018

Rifles Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum
BY THE SUMMER OF 1918,
GERMAN TROOPS WERE WITHIN 60 MILES OF PARIS
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In 2018 our main exhibition was 1918 War and Peace. This was the last in our 5 exhibitions covering the Great War. It showed the contri- bution the soldiers of Berkshire and Wiltshire made countering the German Spring Offensive which started on 21 March 1918 and in the Allied Hundred Days Offensive which was the series of Allied attacks from 8 August to 11 November 1918, and then demobilisation and the deployment of soldiers to Russia in 1919.
The Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht (Kaiser’s Battle), was a series of German attacks along the Western Front from 21 March to 7 August 1918. The German attack began on 21st March 1918 near St. Quentin in north eastern France. The 2nd Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment recorded in its war diary on the 19th March that, “information was received from prisoners captured that the enemy was expected to attack on the night 20 / 21st and preparations were made accordingly”, but there was not enough time. The first German bombardment took place at 0430. According to 8th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment’s War Diary there was thick fog, and visibility was very poor “about 10 yards”. The German assault was led by battalions of specially trained soldiers, or Stormtroopers, who were young and fit and armed with grenades, light firearms and flamethrowers, supported by heavy artillery fire. Initially the Germans were successful, and the Allies suffered heavy losses. By the summer of 1918, German troops were within 60 miles of Paris. But by the 8th August the Allies were able to counter-attack starting with the Battle of Amien. The entry in the diary of 5th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment for 24th August is typical of this period of fighting “Zero hour 4.55a.m. During night much gas put
over. A concentration of gas shells seriously inter- fered with troops forming up for attack... Barrage opened and 3 Coys A B and C advanced to attack, with D Coy in support. Village of MEAULT taken and brown and green lines occupied according to plan. Fog interfered with operation during early hours. 3 tanks went with Battalion and cleared centre of village. Positions in green line dug in and maintained, positions heavily shelled, many prisoners and M.Gs taken.”
On 6th October Germany requested an Armistice for the first time. On the 10th November 1918, the Kaiser abdicated making Germany a republic and its government agreed terms. Germany signed the Armistice at 5am on 11th November 1918 and a ceasefire came into effect at 11am on 11th November 1918.
When the news of the ceasefire reached the Allied troops, many celebrated. Corporal Waites of the 1st Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment explained “we set fire to 3 large barrels of tar” as “we could scarcely believe the wonderful news, it seemed so unbelievable after 4 years of war”. However, others were more muted in their reaction. The 8th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment’s war diary notes that the news “was received very quietly by troops”.
In addition to the main exhibition, we had in July and August The Rifles Touring Exhibition “I am a Rifleman”. Based on the themes of Innovation, Self-discipline, Mutual Respect and Forward Thinking it showed the Rifles from 2007 to the present day. The centre-piece of the display is the story of how in 2010 Rifleman James McKie earned his Conspicuous Gallantry Cross.
In April and July we hosted 2 events specially for families called World War One at The Rifles Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum. In 2014 we had had a successful event based on mobilisation. In 2018 we looked at what happened to soldiers at the end of the war with demobilisation and the search for work.
In May we had “Tales from the Trenches”. For this event for children we engaged a story teller to recount events inspired by our archive collection.
Like many military museums our team of volun- teers in the Archives Department has been kept busy by the continuing public interest in the service of their relatives, mainly, but not only, in the Great War.
As the Autumn approaches we are waiting the final instructions from the Army Museums Ogilby Trust on how our records from the Great War, considered to be 1900 to 1929, are going to be digitised. When this process is complete we are expecting to be able to have easier access to the records in the sense that they can be searched on computer and we will have more material that we are able to market to contribute to the sustaina- bility of the Museum.
We are beginning to bring together our exhibition for 2019. After 5 years of the Great War it is time to move to a new campaign. 2019 will be the seven- ty-fifth anniversary of significant battles in Burma, a campaign in which the Royal Berkshire and the Wiltshire Regiments took part.
Carina Taylor the Assistant Curator explaining the 1918 War and Peace Exhibition to a reporter from the British Forces Broadcasting Service
“WE COULD SCARCELY BELIEVE THE WONDERFUL NEWS, IT SEEMED SO UNBELIEVABLE AFTER 4 YEARS OF WAR”
172 REGIMENTAL MUSEUMS
THE RIFLES