Small Farm Warriors. G. S. Willmott
from active fighting and transported in a fleet of London buses and then transferred to trains for the remainder of the trip to Ypres.
‘Well, boys, here we are in lovely downtown Ypres; not much here is there?’ commented George.
‘You could say that, mate. The word is, we need to get to Poperinge about ten miles away. They reckon that’s where the real action is,’ suggested Sam.
Located in the West Flanders region of Belgium, near to the border with France, Poperinge was located just behind Allied lines and served as an R&R spot for Allied troops. Allied soldiers knew the town as “Pops”. Most of the British soldiers who fought on the Western Front passed through Poperinge. The town served as a major British supply base and garrison for the front.
Poperinge also became the hub for informal social life for Allied soldiers, particularly British and Australian troops, during the war. “Pops” provided soldiers with a brief reprieve from the harsh life of the trenches and the front. A thriving black market trade developed, with British military supplies being sold at inflated prices. The town also had numerous cafés, estaminets (bars or pubs) and brothels, which were frequented by the troops. Poperinge was a safe place for Allied troops and supply depots because it lay just beyond the range of German artillery.
The three Australian soldiers decided to head for Pops and see what mischief they could get up to.
On arrival, they hopped off the train and walked into the square, where they were amazed at the number of troops frequenting the cafés and hotels. They’d made the right decision.
They started up a conversation with a British Tommie in one of the pubs they had chosen for some light refreshment.
‘So this is your first time to Pops, fellas?’
‘Yeah, how about you?’
‘Been here three times now. I reckon I know this place pretty well.’
‘Any suggestions for three Aussies on first leave?’
‘Well, that depends on what you’re after. If it were peace and serenity, I’d recommend Talbot House. It’s a top place to just relax, play some cards, drink coffee or tea and partake in some good conversation.’
One of the centres of social life for soldiers in Poperinge during the First World War was Talbot House. Reverend Philip “Tubby” Clayton and Chaplain Neville Talbot established Talbot House in 1915 as a club for Allied soldiers. Talbot House was named for Chaplain Talbot’s younger brother, Lieutenant Gilbert Talbot, who had recently been killed in the vicinity of the nearby villages of Hooge and Zillebeke.
Reverend “Tubby” Clayton was a short thirty-year-old vicar in the Anglican Church. The pastor had arrived in Belgium in November 1915 and was assigned to serve as the military chaplain to the British 16th Infantry Brigade. The previous chaplain for the 16th Brigade had been killed the month before.
When Reverend Clayton visited Poperinge, he observed that aside from cafés, drinking spots, and houses of prostitution, soldiers had no places to go in the town. Clayton wanted to establish a place for soldiers to gather that was removed from the debauchery that characterised many of the other places that Allied soldiers frequented. This was the place being recommended by the Tommy.
‘Sounds pleasant, but we were hoping for a bit of slap and tickle if you know what I mean,’ said Sam.
‘Oh, I see, then I recommend the best bawdy house in Pops “Maison de Plaisir”.’
‘Now, that sounds what we’re looking for. How much do they charge?’
‘That depends on how much time you want. Half an hour will set you back two and a half francs. It’s five francs for an hour.’
‘Bloody hell, it’s not cheap, is it? Still, we’ve all got plenty of money so that should be okay.’
‘Yeah, with what they pay you bastards, it shouldn’t be a problem.’
‘You should ask Haig for a pay rise.’
‘Yeah, sure.’
The three diggers followed their newfound friend’s instructions and found “Maison de Plaisir” two streets away.
George, being the leader, knocked on the brightly coloured door. A rather plump middle-aged woman let them in. Her name was Madam Fifi.
‘Madam, we would like to avail ourselves of one of your girls,’ explained George.
‘You just want one? It can be arranged.’
‘No, I am sorry… you misunderstand me, I meant a girl each.’
‘Oh, of course, how long would you like?’
‘I think one hour. Is that okay?’
‘Of course. That will be five francs each.’
The three virgins paid their hard earned money over to Madam Fifi; the madam led them into the waiting area. The stairs leading up to the fourth storey were crammed with soldiers, mainly Australians.
‘For fuck’s sake, there must be half the First Division waiting a turn,’ George remarked.
‘Make that the whole First Division!’ Sam exclaimed.
The boys waited their turn and the wait was worth it. After an hour of lovemaking, they met out in the street.
‘How good was that, fellas?’
‘Good enough to want to go back tomorrow night,’ laughed Albert.
They all agreed and returned to “Maison de Plaisir” for the following three nights. They also visited Talbot House in the early evening for some quiet time and a game of Gin Rummy.
It was during one of these visits to Talbot House that they discovered from a notice stuck to a wall that the Australian Government was introducing a scheme for returning soldiers.
The Third Battle of Wipers
Chapter 6
November 1916
The 1st Division had been informed by High Command that they would be rested in Ypres for the winter months. This suited George, Sam, and Albert, as they enjoyed their regular visits to Poperinge and all the delights the town offered. This sojourn was not as long as they had hoped for.
The rain was heavy and persistent, and the battlefield was a wet muddy quagmire.
The British had been searching for a solution to penetrate the German trenches without sacrificing thousands of soldiers in the hope some would make it through. The casualty rates were extremely high, which was becoming very unpopular on the home front.
A new weapon was needed to break the stalemate.
In 1912, an Australian, Lance De Mole, submitted a proposal to the British War Office for a “chain-rail vehicle which could be easily steered and carry heavy loads over rough ground and trenches.” Two years later, a tank, designed and named by Swinton, was adopted by the British.