Bickersteth Diaries
1914-1918
Published on 8. August 1995
332 pages
978-1-78383-974-2 (ISBN)
Description
This book is a studiously edited version of the eleven volumes and more than three thousand pages of the diarist's original work. Ella Bickersteth began to put it together for her six sons, because one of them was in Australia at the outbreak of the 1914-18 war.The book reflects upon church and politics, theological musings and matter-of-fact details of how an anxious mother, who was also a busy vicar's wife, kept going through the huge upheaval of war.
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Ella Bickersteth | John Bickersteth
Bickersteth Diaries: 1914-1918
Book
08/1995
Pen & Sword Books Ltd
€51.00
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Content
- Cover
- Half Title
- Title
- Copyright
- Contents
- Introduction by John Terraine
- Foreword by Donald Coggan
- Prologue
- VOLUME I JULY 1914 - FEBRUARY 1915
- The outbreak of war - Burgon and Ralph join up - Julian is kept informed of affairs at home and describes Australia's growing commitment to the war-an accident to Burgon delays his posting to France - the Germans shell Scarborough.
- VOLUME II FEBRUARY - JULY 1915
- Burgan joins the 1st Royal Dragoons in France - the Dardanelles fiasco hits Melbourne hard - Ralph is taken seriously ill in the trenches and sent home - Burgon starts his machine-gun course.
- VOLUME III JULY 1915 - FEBRUARY 1916
- Death of Rupert Brooke - Burgon in Ypres
- explores the Front Line - Julian released from his Chaplaincy in Melbourne to return home and serve as a chaplain in France - Burgan's first action in the trenches in the infantry role - Julian and Morris meet on the Suez Canal - Julian arrives in England.
- VOLUME IV FEBRUARY - JULY 1916
- Julian reaches France and starts chaplaincy duties with The Rangers and London Rifle Brigade - diarist's husband awarded TD and made a Chaplain to the King - Morris's battalion in Flanders - Julian's full Easter Day and attendance at a Chaplains' Conference - he goes twice to see Morris on the eve of the Somme offensive - the three brothers meet - Morris is killed on I July - Julian's exhausting battle - Ralph is married - Burgan, still inactive, has his first flight in an aeroplane.
- VOLUME V AUGUST 1916 - FEBRUARY 1917
- Burgon's machine-guns in action - Julian's prolonged battle and field ministry - the brothers meet in the mud - diarist's husband invited to be Canon of Canterbury - Burgon's doubts about the war - julian's confirmation service.
- VOLUME VI MARCH - JULY 1917
- The Russian Revolution - unsuccessful gas attack (Burgon) - Easter battles (julian)
- he uses German prisoners to help with the wounded - Burgon in action with his machine-gun section - Zeppelin raids at home - Julian mentioned in dispatches
- shares in sports day and attends a chaplains' retreat - Burgon's costly trench raid - julian's night with a condemned manthe brothers meet again - Julian promoted Senior Chaplain 56th (London) Division.
- VOLUME VII JULY 1917 - FEBRUARY 1918
- Julian in hospital with trench fever - four days intense fighting (julian) - he visits Talbot House - Burgon, bored by inaction, philosophizes on Church and Nation - he begins a history of the 6th Cavalry Brigade - Julian witnesses another execution - Burgon appointed Brigade Intelligence Officer - Julian awarded the MC.
- VOLUME VIII FEBRUARY - JULY 1918
- Julian on leave - Burgon learns his new job - Ludendorffs March offensivethe Royals in action as cavalry
- Burgon gallops his messages - Julian also in the thick of the fighting - the brothers meet again, longing for the war to end - birth of Julian's god-daughter - Burgon in hospital
- flies again.
- VOLUME IX AUGUST - NOVEMBER 1918
- The Germans in retreat - Burgon's horses killed and his servant wounded - another Confirmation - Burgon on leave - Julian buries seventy men - Geoffrey married - Ralph invalided out of the Army - Burgon distinguishes himself during ten days' battle and wins the MC
- then enjoys luxurious leave in Paris - the advance continues - abdication of the Kaiser and the Armistice is announced - jubilation in London and Canterbury - Burgon describes the Cease Fire.
- Epilogue
- Appendix: Another Diary
- Notes
