ARTICLE WANSTEAD VILLAGE DIRECTORY JANUARY 2014
World War One
Anyone contemplating the local impact of WW1 might want to pause to reflect for a few moments
at the winged ‘Victory’ memorial on the High Street (designed by the renowned sculptor Abbott
Trent, an Associate of the Royal Academy, and born in Forest Gate). The names inscribed include
those of 192 “men of Wanstead” who fought and were killed in WW1 “at the call of King and
Country.”
The reports of the Medical Officer for Wanstead Urban District Council give the
population at that time as around 16,000. The figure for those killed represents roughly one to every
15 households. The figure does not include the many more who were maimed and who are not
mentioned on the memorial at all. It is often forgotten that the term ‘basket case’ was first coined
in WW1 to describe men who had lost all four limbs.
A whole generation of young men was lost. In all about 1 million UK citizens died, including many
civilians killed by disease. There were also many casualties who fought for the British Empire. Every
continent was affected by the War. Some put the world wide toll as high as 15 million.
The Government has set aside £50 million for commemorations and Redbridge Council has begun
planning events to mark the centenary. Our group, the East London Humanists, has urged the
Council to ensure that the plans involve everyone, including both the religious and the non-religious.
Humanists are not all pacifists. However our view that this is the only life we have does mean that
we place particular value on the life of everyone in the here and now. UKAFHA (The United Kingdom
Armed Forces Humanist Association) is one of the largest belief groups in the Forces. One of its
patrons, broadcaster Dan Snow, leads the campaign for Humanists to be allowed to participate in
the Armistice Day ceremony.
Our group’s view is that there is little positive to actually celebrate about WW1 and that any form of
glorification should be avoided. Many will have difficulty thinking now of any possible justification
for the huge slaughter perpetrated on all sides. However a set of events which still carries an
important positive message today were the truces of Christmas 1914 when opposing soldiers
greeted each other in no-man’s land, exchanged gifts and even played football together. Perhaps
they appreciated that they had more in common with each other than they did with the politicians
who sent them to fight.
We should also remember that some brave voices did resist the tide and spoke out against the war
at the time. One voice was that of famous Woodford resident and suffragist Sylvia Pankhurst. She
was a signatory to the open ‘Christmas Letter’ sent in 1914 to the women of Germany. The words of
the letter still ring true today: "The brunt of modern war falls upon non-combatants, and the
conscience of the world cannot bear the sight. Is it not our mission to preserve life? Do not humanity
and common sense alike prompt us to join hands with the women of neutral countries, and urge our
rulers to stay further bloodshed?” Perhaps Sylvia Pankhurst is deserving of a ‘Mandela’ moment, an
official acknowledgement that a one-time ‘enemy of the state’ was in fact the voice of reason and
progress?
Our group has made various suggestions to commemorate the centenary. These include poetry
readings and displays of works around the Borough by the great WW1 poets. We have suggested
sprucing up the Sylvia Pankhurst memorial in Woodford. There are already plans by the Council to
remember those awarded the Victoria Cross. Our group thinks that the 306 soldiers who were shot
by firing squad for alleged cowardice should also be commemorated. Many were only young boys
suffering from shell-shock. They were finally pardoned by the Government in 2006 and are now
represented by the poignant ‘Shot at Dawn’ statue at the National Memorial Arboretum in
Staffordshire. We believe that a local ceremony would be a fitting way to remember that war causes
mental as well as physical scars, something that was not so widely understood 100 years ago.
We should also remember the victims of more recent conflicts. It is not entirely coincidental that
some of the most troubled states, such as Syria and Iraq, were artificially created by the Western
powers when the Middle East was carved up at the end of WW1. We should ensure that any
commemoration involves all of our different communities, including the many who have come here
to seek refuge from war. Our suggestion is a modern re-enactment of the Christmas truces, including
the symbolic exchange of gifts between communities to celebrate our common humanity and our
common desire for peace.
Our next public meeting will be a forum where everyone will have a chance to share their views on
WW1 and how it might be commemorated.
Paul Kaufman
Chair East London Humanists
www.eastlondon.humanist.org.uk