The Last Voices of the Great War:
The Home Front
PROGRAMME LENGTH
1 hour
SCREENING DETAILS
Monday November 11th at 9.30am EST/ NZ
This program is one in a series that was produced from a project that aimed to record the
recollections of Britain’s last survivors from World War 1.
The recollections of those who lived in Britain during the war offers a unique insight into a
human dimension of this conflict that is often neglected or not available.
Any student of World War 1 will find valuable material in this program.
Denis Mootz
STAYING FOCUSED.
This is the data collection stage of the activity.
The detailed questioning is designed to ensure that students decode the visual and aural materials
presented to them in the video.
The video programs can be stopped at the end of each section. This will allow students to share and
discuss answers.
Introduction.
Note the constant dangers faced at home during the war.
Act 1.
How did the men and their families react to the outbreak of war?
Why did cities and towns compete with each other?
Why did young men rush to enlist?
What was the first glimpse most had of war?
Note Florence Billington’s comments on how long the war would last.
Note Ruth Armstrong’s comments about a child’s concerns about her father.
Note the experience of Lucy Walter of fare-welling her dad.
Act 2.
Note the details of zeppelin raids over England.
Note Ruth Armstrong’s recollections of her mother’s concerns about living under the
Germans.
Note the nick-name given to zeppelins.
How were the zeppelin raids turned into propaganda?
Note the details of the Battle of Loos.
Note how the Whiteheads reacted to the death of their son, George.
Note how women were employed during the war.
Note Daisy Collingwood’s comments about working in munitions.
What dangers did the women in the munitions industry face?
Why were children withdrawn from school and sent to work?
What were pay and conditions like?
What were other children encouraged to do?
Note Kathleen Barron’s job in the theatre.
Why were there cameras at the Somme?
How many people viewed the films made about the Somme? Impact?
What were the effects of the Battle of the Somme on communities?
Act 3.
Why was the spirit of patriotism in Britain diminished in late 1916?
Note Florence Billington’s description of the telegram boy’s arrival.
Note Kathleen Barron’s description of the postman’s arrival.
Note why it was difficult to come to terms with the news of a death.
Note details of the German U-boat blockade. Result?
What were conditions like for people in Britain in 1917?
Why was food production difficult?
Note details of the Women’s Land Army. Impact?
Note details of the Army Agricultural Labour Corps. Impact?
Note the battles of 1917. Impact?
Note Francis Billington’s reaction to the news of her sweetheart’s death?
Note the impact of widowhood.
Note events of 1918.
Why was the food crisis over in Britain in 1918?
Act 4.
Note the death toll for Britain.
Why did some refuse to celebrate the end of the war?
Note the Barron family’s reaction to the return of their son.
Why were many families ‘never the same again’?
EXTENSIONS.
Useful, interesting, challenging, books, sources and websites will provide materials to supplement and
complement the History presented in the video program.
The data collected here should be used in the notemaking below.
Some useful Internet sites:
Britain in WW1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_United_Kingdom_during_World_War_I
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/defence_of_the_realm_act_of_1914.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rationing_in_the_United_Kingdom
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/home_front_1914_to_1918.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recruitment_to_the_British_Army_during_World_War_I
http://www.firstworldwar.com/photos/homefront.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conscription_Crisis_of_1918
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Expeditionary_Force_%28World_War_I%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitchener%27s_Army
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_roles_in_the_World_Wars
Air Raids: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitchener%27s_Army
http://lewishamwarmemorials.wikidot.com/incident:air-raid-ww1-19-20-may-1918
http://1900s.org.uk/1914-18-ww1-air-raids.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/trail/wars_conflict/home_front/the_home_front_06.shtml
Battle of the Somme: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Somme
http://www.gwpda.org/memoir/somme.html#battle
http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/somme.htm
http://www.iwm.org.uk/server/show/nav.00o
U-boat blockade: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/unrestricted_submarine_warfare.htm
http://www.uboat.net/history/wwi/part2.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U-boat_Campaign_%28World_War_I%29
Munitions Industry: http://www.firstworldwar.com/features/womenww1_four.htm
http://www.1900s.org.uk/1914-18-ww1-munitions-factory.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/trail/wars_conflict/home_front/the_home_front_03.shtml
http://www.helium.com/items/405656-how-was-britain-organised-to-fight-world-war-1
Rationing: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/trail/wars_conflict/home_front/the_home_front_09.shtml
Children:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7082625.stm
http://www.cityfarmer.org/pathe.html
Women’s Land Army: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_Land_Army
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2116478
http://www.wartimememoriesproject.com/ww2/womenslandarmy.php
Army Agricultural Labour Corps:
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/GREATWAR/2000-05/0958326586
NOTEMAKING.
This is the collation stage of the activity. Students need to organise the field of information and begin to
explore its context.
Directions and /or Inquiry questions are provided for notemaking / summary exercises that
will follow the viewing of the video.
The materials / data for the summaries have been collected above.
The activity could be done in teams, groups, or by individuals, or as a class with teacher direction.
1. Draw up a timeline / chronological chart of the events described and discussed in this
program.
2. Note details of changes in government policies during WW1 in Britain.
3. Note details of changes to recruitment practices during WW1 in Britain.
4. Note details of changes to employment practices during WW1 in Britain.
5. Note details of changes to food rationing practices during WW1 in Britain.
6. Note details of the experiences of children during WW1 in Britain.
7. Note details of the experiences of women during WW1 in Britain.
8. Note details of the responses to grief during WW1 in Britain.
9. Note details of air raids on Britain during WW1.
10. Note details of the impact of the u-boat blockade on Britain during WW1.
ISSUES & INQUIRY.
Key issues and inquiry questions that have been raised by the video are addressed at this stage for
discussion and research.
1. Who suffered most because of food shortages in Britain?
Why did it take so long for Britain to introduce food rationing?
2. Why was it necessary to introduce conscription for military service in Britain?
3. What role did women begin to play in industry?
PROBLEMS of EVIDENCE.
Questions of reliability and validity of the perspectives, evidence and sources presented in the video
program need to be considered, tested and researched.
1. How important was the work of the Women’s Land Army?
2. Was there opposition to the introduction of food rationing in Britain during WW1?
COMMUNICATING.
The key issues and inquiry questions are potential topics for debate, essay writing, reports, historical
recount and explanation.
1. Write a REPORT on the Home Front in Britain during World War 1.
2. DEBATE the proposition that
World War 1 was of little importance to the cause of equality for women.
3. Explain the impact of the Battle of the Somme on the Home Front in Britain.