Battle Order Interruption

Category

Library Item

Item no

32753

Title

"The Broken Melody": A Fateful Interruption - "Fall-In in Ten Minutes! Battle Order!"

Description

From the Illustrated London News published December 29th, 1917, page 816-817. Drawn by S. Begg from material supplied by an eye-witness. Full title: A call to arms at a moment of relaxation: a "sing-song" on the British front interrupted by a summons to the stern realities of war.

Artist / maker

Unknown

Date

1917

Size

39.6 x 53.4 cm

Type

Press cutting; Reproduction

Location

Reference Library

During the First World War, trench warfare was often defined by its long periods of inactivity. Soldiers sat idle in trenches, locked in informal stalemates, waiting for the call to arms. The trenches provided little shelter from the elements and from the noise of artillery and machine-gun fire. Soldiers often entertained themselves by singing familiar songs or writing letters home, as they waited for the order to come.

When the command was given, soldiers would climb, without hesitation, over the top of the trenches and run across barren landscapes covered with barbed wire into a barrage of enemy fire. The wounded would be taken to field hospitals, while the dead would have to await a break in fighting before receiving proper burial.

Learn more about life in the trenches from the British Library and read history as it happened with free access to the Scotsman Digital Archive.

You can search the entire 1914-19 archives of the Illustrated London News online.

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Events > Wars > World wars

Furnishings > Furniture > Record players

Furnishings > Furniture > Records

Military > Arms and armament > Guns

Military > Military facilities > Trenches

People > Adults > Men

People > Military activities > Soldiers

Places > Europe > Belgium