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First World War

  • October 1, 2020
    War, pandemic and Christopher Robin

    It can sometimes be advantageous to arrive late. I did not pay much attention to the film Goodbye Christopher Robin when it first appeared in 2017.

  • September 27, 2018
    Humanists to speak at Welsh National Remembrance Service for the first time

    A humanist representative will take part and speak at the Welsh National Service of Remembrance.

  • October 28, 2015
    White Feather Diaries tell stories of Quakers in First World War

    Published by Quakers in Britain, the White Feather Diaries went live on Monday 26 October. Diarists tell the stories of conscientious objectors who said 'No' to war.

  • March 17, 2015
    World War One: The overlooked opposition

    Last year saw a flood of new books on World War 1. When I saw a new one in a bookshop or library, I would pick it up and look up how much space it gave to the issue of opposition to the war.

  • March 2, 2015
    Conscription - in 1916 and today

    Ninety-nine years ago today (2 March 1916), every unmarried man aged between 18 and 41 in England, Scotland and Wales was “deemed to have enlisted” in the armed forces.

  • December 12, 2014
    If you can play football on Christmas Day, why shoot each other on Boxing Day?

    Shortly after Christmas 1914, an order was issued by John French, the general in charge of the British troops on the Western Front. He had heard of the informal truces that had broken out along the front on Christmas Day. He ordered that such events must never be repeated. A year later, ahead of the following Christmas, soldiers were reminded that they would be charged with disobeying orders if there was another truce.

  • December 11, 2014
    Paying taxes to Caesar: Where does our loyalty lie?

    I recently preached at Kensington Unitarian Church, where I was pleased to receive a warm welcome and to engage in some good discussions. Here is the text of my sermon. I explored issues of faith, power and loyalty, looking particularly at Jesus' comments when asked if Jews should pay taxes to the Roman Emperor. I suggested this passage should be read not as a surrender to power but as a challenge to it.

  • November 21, 2014
    Exeter students reject arguments in favour of First World War

    I had the privilege last week of speaking at Exeter University Debating Society, opposing the motion that “This house believes that World War One was a great British victory.” I am pleased to say that those present voted against the motion by seventy votes to forty.

  • November 18, 2014
    The uses of memory: looking beyond chocolate bars

    The Blood Swept Land and Seas of Red installation is gone from the Tower of London. The disputes over white poppies and the British Legion's misuse of Eric Bogle's 'Green Fields of France' have died away. But in this centenary year of the start of the first World War, there is much remembering – both honest and contrived – still to be done.

  • November 5, 2014
    The Royal British Legion and the victims of war

    The Royal British Legion, who run the Poppy Appeal, have in recent years shown a tendency to misuse the message of remembrance to encourage a pro-war, jingoistic agenda. They have now taken things a step further by using an anti-war song in a fundraising film – after taking the anti-war lyrics out.