Bristol Radical History Group: Deserters!

Deserters, Conchies and Mutineers

Date: Saturday 15^th October, 2016

Time: 2:30pm to 5:30pm

Venue: Central Friends Meeting House, Champion Square, St Judes, Bristol BS2 9DB

Price: Donation

With: Julian Putkowski, Lois Bibbings and People’s Histreh
The Remembering the Real World War One Group have issued a programme of their events for Oct-Dec 2016. Entitled Resisting the War, the full programme with a downloadable guide is here.

 

THE stereotype of World War 1 soldiers dutifully marching to their deaths was always a conservative mirage. Only a handful of books have drawn attention to the hundreds of thousands of British soldiers and military auxiliaries who rebelled, mutinied and challenged their commanders and political masters during the war. Among the most notable historians of soldiers' opposition to the war is Julian Putkowski, author of several works including British Army Mutineers 1914-1922 (1998). Julian will consider the ringleaders and ‘reds in khaki’ who organised these revolts inviting debate about the social interpretation, political significance and leadership of these mutinous outbreaks. Resistance was also very much evident on the home front. Professor Lois Bibbings will talk about her long-standing work on conscientious objectors (Telling Tales About Men: Conceptions of Conscientious Objectors to Military Service During the First World War (2009)), focusing on the different motivations of COs and on the legal-military machine which they opposed. Returning to mutiny, the Nottingham based People’s Histreh group will present their research into members of the Sherwood Foresters regiment who were sentenced to death or charged with mutiny. Come along and hear stories you won't hear in the official WW1 commemorations.

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