A diary from the home front

George Upward seems something of a radical with views differing from the majority who were getting behind the war. A religious man and a conscientious objector, his diaries detail his views as well as providing an insight to everyday life in this country during the war. Longer pieces can be viewed and downloaded from here. (The punctuation etc. is original.) It should be understood that these are extracts to illustrate his view of the war and that the full transcript contains many references to other aspects of life.

19th April 1913

The suffragettes scored a point. Two women entered the Monument, London with innocent looking umbrellas. They walked up to the top unsuspected, and when they got to the top they barred the door with iron bars that had been hidden in their bulgy umbrellas. Having made themselves quite secure they hoisted their flag on the Monument. “Death or Victory” and small streamers fluttered from the iron railings. A great crowd gathered around and seeing the London flag hauled down and the WSPG flag in its place became furious. The women addressed (inaudible from below) the crowd and scattered suffrage tracts far and wide. After an hour the police broke open the door with sledgehammers and the women escaped with police protection into the tube railway. Lovely. This is excellent and quite a victory.

I had to rebuke a dear good lady yesterday who could see no honesty of purpose in the life of the noblest woman who ever lived because she belonged to the suffragettes.

5th August 1914

The War

Great Britain is at war with Germany . Germany has violated her treaty and has entered Belgium. I suppose it was almost inevitable that Great Britain should be drawn in. It would have been hardly brave on our part as a nation had we allowed Belgium to be overwhelmed. And so I imagine our soldiers will be landed on Belgian soil, ready to prevent the German army from conquering Belgium and entering France. The German army is advancing in 3 columns into Belgium. Vanderveld the socialist leader has joined the government to give his wisdom and advice in this time of need.

Italy is still neutral.

This is a war where everyone’s sympathies will be on the side of England. Russia and Russian methods are forgotten for the present. All that this nation cares for is the fact that Germany has broken her pledged word. She has broken faith and must not be allowed to bully France and Belgium into surrender. If we could have kept out of the conflict it would have been advisable but it seemed almost impossible. And although I would never personally agree to war at any price, I cannot really see how it could have been avoided.

I think that if Sir Ed. Grey had spoken earlier Germany would have hesitated to break the agreements. Had Great Britain declared her neutrality, frankly, and not hesitated we might as a nation have been saved the conflict. But without declaring one way or the other Germany took the law into her own hands.

John Morley, John Burns and C P Trevelyan have resigned, exactly on what grounds we are not allowed to know and who will take their place is not announced. In Parliament the question of ways and means was already discussed. The government had decided to take over the railway, and organise the food supply. And now we sit helpless and await the news from the front. I think it is the duty of everyone to pledge themselves that after this war they will refuse absolutely on any occasion and any provocation to refuse to take part in bloody conflict.

3rd April 1915

Germany has protested to United States that the British treatment of submarine prisoners is to be harsher than ordinary prisoners and threatens to treat British prisoners likewise. Humane treatment always pays, but I am afraid that Great Britain has reached the end of the tether in this respect. I fear that instead of rescuing these prisoners in future they may be left to drown. This has been the German method and apparently our government will follow suit. It is a horrid idea and I hope it is not so. But war is war.

4th April 1915

There has come to my hands this morning an appeal for uniforms for the Church Lads Brigade.

The appeal is a strange mixture and is accompanied with much poetry. It seems to me that most of this is singularly inappropriate for instance.

“He prayeth best, who loveth best

All things both great and small;

For the dear God who loveth us,

He made and loveth all”

Beautiful sentiments, but hardly in place in an appeal for funds for costumes for war. Love in a soldier’s uniform um! The clothes don’t seem to fit.

Love with a gun intent to kill, hum, it does not seem quite right does it.

21st April 1915

Mr Asquith said last night at Newcastle “this is the nation’s war; no man is worthy of the name of British citizen who is not taking part in it”

But stay – it is not the nation’s war and if it is a worthy occupation to dig yourself underground and throw bombs with intent to kill at your neighbour well I prefer to remain unworthy.

Worthy to dig your bayonet into the body of a brother man and stamp upon his body in order to withdraw the killing knife. Worthy to undermine your neighbour’s trenches and blow their bodies to smithereens. Worthy to ascend high in the air and drop a death dealing bomb on the camp below.

These things are not worthy they are devilish and any man who indulges in these things for the pleasure of them, for the delight in them is unworthy of the name of British citizen.

7th May 1915

I had a postcard today from a prisoner of war in Munster, Germany. The card is dated 19th April and arrived this morning. It is an appeal for food and reading between the lines it seems pretty evident that the men must be hungry. So I am sending a foods supply of woodbines, chocolate and biscuits and only hope that Frank will receive them. Too tired to write now.

8th May 1915

German submarine has torpedoed the world’s greatest liner, the Lusitania. Hundreds of lives have been lost. This is the crowning act of “frightfulness” and by this act Germany will alienate the sympathy of most neutral nations. Will it not also alienate the sympathies of many Germans. There can be no justification whatsoever for this. It is nothing but spite. “If the fight cannot be won by fair means we must do it by foul”. But whatever good Germany can expect to obtain, what military use is it. How can it help the cause. It is inconceivable that their act of spite can do other than harm to the ultimate end that Germany has in view.

11th May 1915

As I watched the soldiers going by the door today, as I heard the brassy instruments blurting out the British Grenadiers I thought to myself what an absurd institution it is and what fools the people are. First there was a noisy band then officers on horseback, gruff sour-looking men with anger and contempt on their faces and then came the men, poor fools that they were, tired hot weary. Loaded with heavy kit they tramped on behind the men in authority. These officers were snobs, it was written in their faces and the wonder is that men will be content to march behind and do their bidding. The whole institution is rotten, men must be men and not slaves and directly they become men they will refuse to fight. The whole thing is out of date and the trade of a soldier is a barbarous one.

12th May 1915

The anti-German feeling in London and elsewhere is growing. Shops are wrecked and in some cases burnt and many naturalised Germans are having a bad time. The Stock Exchange has posted a notice requesting Germans and Austrians to stay away. This sort of thing is not a credit to this country.

8th June 1915

Another zeppelin raid on the east coast, 5 dead and fifty injured. But one zeppelin, it may be the one returning from the raid, we attacked at 3 a.m. by flight sub Leut. R A J Warneford who dropped six bombs. The airship exploded and burst into flames and all its occupants were killed. Unfortunately it fell upon the nunnery of Beguinage (Ghent) killing two nuns and several children. As a result of the explosion Warneford’s aeroplane was blown upside down but he righted it and was forced to come down in the German lines. However he restarted his engine and retuned to safety.

I cannot help confessing that I feel hugely pleased at this result, the mean careless zeppelins have killed enough of the non-combatants. The almost nightly trips to England were becoming too frequent and this destruction of one of the visiting ships will no doubt check these visits and will give our aviators greater confidence. If one aviator can do it so can others. I have been expecting that they would in the end come to grief and this is the first victory that I have rejoiced over.

15th June 1915

I have tonight heard that Angus has died of wounds at the Dardanelles. He had come all the way from far away Buenos Aires to lay down his life on Turkish soil. He had felt that the call of his country had thrown up his birth among the sheep farmers and now lies dead at Gallipoli. He was always a rover, he loved the open air life and the freedom of the wild. Nervousness he knew nothing of. In the wildest parts, among the wildest people he was at home. It is sad to think so good and so fearless a man should have fallen. But every day some mother’s heart is breaking and the end is not yet. There is something very fine about the long journey home to die for his country. Poor old Angus.

30th June 1915

And against conscription I stand in opposition. This much I know that the sword shall not be placed in my hand to kill, neither do I think it my duty or my right to make weapons for other people to kill others. But as to the rest I shall wait and see. It seems as though ? going to be a time to make a stand for peace. Russians still retreating.

25th September 1915

I meet many people in my journeying to and fro and tonight one of my companions was a soldier. He was from the Dardanelles. He arrived there some 5 weeks ago, spent just two days there, never saw a Turk but received two bullet wounds. One bullet is safely embedded between heart and lungs. He described the scene, he described the lack of water, the dirt, the living conditions, the unattentive nurses, the senseless campaign. Would you like to return. We tell the ladies who visit us yes, but no not really. Would you advise any one to enlist, a smile answered the question. He complained as so many have complained of not receiving any pay. No money since they left England, a reduction of 2d a day in supper? pay while in service. Nothing to spend and a 1⁄2 to buy a stamp. His last words were they make a fuss with us before we go, but when we return unfit for service they don’t care a scrap or words to that effect. It is the old old story. Speak it in the market place and you would be put in prison for hindering recruiting.

10th January 1916

The spirit of the time is shown in the existence of the Anti-German union and their campaign of abuse. At the Friends’ Meeting House C. Roden Buxton was to have given an address on the Problems of the Settlement of the war. But the Anti-German Union were in force. And Mr Glover the secretary of that despicable organisation led the attack. This is how he began “You preach pro-Germanism under the cloak of religion. I have heard that traitor speak before and he ought to be hanged by the neck until he is dead ... then he went on “You are a dirty traitor, where is your friend Casement?, you are like the Cadburys, you are one of his hirelings, you blackguard, you dirty traitor and so on until the meeting was broken up with God save our ?. I think the union might well be called the Anti-British Union but in these times the worst passions of the world are let loose and the most honoured names are being used for the meanest of attacks. This is one of the greatest evils of war. It is very strange and I cannot understand it in the least. A few weeks ago I mentioned a gentleman who had suddenly flared into indignation during a quite friendly conversation on the German people. I had quietly contended that I could not hate them, that those I respected before the war I respected still.

12th February 1916

The time has come when I must think out on what lines I shall appeal to the Local Tribunal, for exemption from the Compulsion Act. I hardly believe in making this appeal but it is the wish of the majority of the No Conscription Fellowship and unity is strength. So I shall send in my appeal. I would have rather have remained in my own solitude until fetched by the powers that be but perhaps it is better not.

At any rate these tribunals give an opportunity for stating a case before a body of war sympathisers and this may be of use. As a conscientious objector under the military Service Act I wish to claim complete exemption from army service under the act. But while making this appeal I in no way admit that any tribunal has any right to be a judge of any man’s conscience and that whatever may be the decision of this tribunal I shall be compelled to act according to my knowledge of what is right. I cannot take part in any service either combatant or non combatant which will in any way directly in the prosecution of this war. I believe that all war is wrong and entirely contrary to the principle of Christianity and the teaching of Jesus Christ. For more than 20 years I have pointed out on public platforms and in private conversations that as long as men are willing at the bidding of Kings or Kaisers to engage in killing each other so long will war exist.

15th February 1916

We are living in stirring times. I had just finished dinner today when a messenger came to the house telling me that the police had called at the home of the local secretary of the No Conscription Fellowship and demanded all the pamphlets and papers. Our secretary took them to the police station and I met him outside and talked over the matter.

A little later I was walking down the street when I met the Sec. of the ? Socialist Society and a member. They brought news that one of the members had been arrested and taken to Newport. His wife asked me whether I would go bail which I readily consented to do. Poor woman, she is left alone in a large house and oes not know in the faintest idea why her husband is arrested except that it is under the defence of the realm act.

18th February 1916

I cannot take part in any service either combatant or non-combatant which will assist in any way directly in the prosecution of this war or of any war.

I believe all war is wrong and contrary to the teaching of Jesus Christ. I cannot take the responsibility for taking the life of any man neither can I lend any assistance to anyone who will take that responsibility.

I hate all war, need I speak of what it means and of what it will mean to thousands in our country and in other countries. How can I knowing these things and feeling these things with no hatred in my heart for any living soul that breathes be he German or Russian or French. How can I take the life of any man, how can I rob some little child of its fond parent or any mother of her darling son.

29th February 1916

I received today my notice to appear before the tribunal in four days time. So It’s marked off another stage in this eventful business. I wonder if by the time my case comes off the act will be administered fairly.

5th March 1916

I have just returned from the tribunal where I have been refused my application for exemption on conscientious grounds. The whole thing was a farce and shows how utterly absurd such tribunals are. I had prepared a speech in defence. But apparently no speech was wanted and I had to merely sit and answer silly questions for five minutes. It was a not a question of the sincerity of the conscientious objection, it was a question of the interpretation of the act. Only one man on the bench was reasonable at all and that was the parson. The chairman was weak and those who sat around him were weaker. One man had a personal objection to the first applicant and he was determined not to grant exemption. Having refused the first they were bound to refuse the rest. But we live to stand again and I hope to do it better. I always find good answers after the event and I am not very proud of my exhibition but there I hope to make my stand better next time.

17th March 1916

But sympathy comes from quarters where it is least expected. A lady came running up to me today. I did not notice her but she tapped the window of the restaurant and I turned to speak. It was to congratulate me on the stand at the tribunal, she was most enthusiastic.

25th March 1916

The one question which will certainly be asked is – will you not do RAMC work. My reply will be simply no I cannot assist in any way the war machine. But surely you would help the wounded. I thought this matter through at the beginning of the war and it is of no use trying to stifle my conscience by pretending this work does not assist the war machine. It does, therefore I cannot do it.

2nd April 1916

Too tired for words. I have been thinking about tribunals and things and I have received many expressions of great kindness.

5th April 1916

The first round of the second innings is over and the members have come out better than was expected. All those whose cases came before the appeal tribunal have been granted exemption provided they do work of national importance...

9th April 1916

Soon we heard the strains of a band and then we saw banners and a small following of women and a few men led by Sylvia Pankhurst from Bow. As the procession approached the square there was a movement among the patriots. The banner bearers were attacked, banners seized and torn to ribbons. I watched a greedy knot of young boys tearing like dogs at a rag, eagerly striving among themselves for some little portion of the banner which it had taken the ardent women of Bow so long to prepare. The poles of the banners were broke and rent in twain, the banners were torn to shreds and there was cheering in the ranks of the patriots.Then I saw a woman mount the platform and begin to speak. She shouted wild words at the angry mob below and then I saw bags of flour, yellow ochre, red pepper flying through the air at the speaker. On every side the patriots were throwing bags of this kind until the base of the pillar was stained with yellow and white and red. I looked up at the statue of Nelson. I wonder what he thought of this exhibition of patriotism.

Suggestions:

• Make a note of the things you find most remarkable about this diary. Why?
• Do you think Upward's views changed as the war went on?
• What did George Upward give as reasons to refuse to take part in the war?
• What can you say about people's attitude to conscientious objectors based on the evidence of this diary?