With Our Fighting Men: The story of their faith, courage, endurance in the Great WarSellers, William E.
History
With Our Fighting Men: The story of their faith, courage, endurance in the Great War
Sellers, William E.
Great Britain. Army -- Military life; World War, 1914-1918 -- Religious aspects
Our next report is from the pen of the Rev. E.L. Watson.
Mr. Watson is the senior chaplain at the front representing the United
Army and Navy Board. This Board, recently formed, comprises the
Baptist and Congregational Unions, and the Conferences of the
Primitive Methodist and United Methodist denominations. Until the
outbreak of the war, Mr. Watson was minister of the Baptist Church at
West End, Hammersmith. His report has been written at the request of
the Rev. J.H. Shakespeare, M.A., Secretary of the Baptist Union of
Great Britain and Ireland. I omit from it a few sentences covering
ground already dealt with.
"The task that Great Britain has in hand is of such magnitude that the
demand for fighting men is without parallel. Proud we are of the fact
that every individual man now in the greatest army that Great Britain
has ever raised is serving of his own free choice, and happy indeed to
be of service to his King and country in the hour of need.
"This great body of men is necessarily composed of many types, drawn
as it is from all quarters of the British Empire, and representing
every political opinion and all religious denominations, but
co-operating in perfect unity.
[Illustration: A FIGHT IN THE AIR.
_Drawn by Christopher Clark._]
"Every provision has been made for the material comfort of the men,
especially those in the firing line. Transport arrangements are in
themselves a marvel, every modern appliance being requisitioned for
the purpose. Letters and parcels can be received and posted every day
if necessary. In like manner, also, is fresh food supplied, thus
saving any unnecessary privation.
"Equipment is also as perfect as British science and common sense can
make it. In these and many particulars the British Army has the
reputation of being one of the best fed and equipped armies in the
field, whilst the spirit of the men is recognised as second to none.
"Not only has the War Office spared neither expense nor pains to place
everything that is essential within the reach of the average soldier,
but it has also recognised the necessity of keeping the men in touch
with those spiritual influences that count for most in the British
soldier.
"To meet this spiritual need a new army of chaplains, in addition to
those already in the regular list, has been appointed and sent forth
with befitting rank to minister to their respective denominations. The
field is a wide one and unreservedly open to the individual chaplain
simply to care for his men as he may see best. Where desired and
possible every facility is given to the men to attend the means of
grace. It is also placed on record in the King's Regulations that,
without distinction, every assistance is to be given to the chaplains
in the performance of their duties.
"Regimental work where possible is always a satisfactory task, for the
fortunate chaplain is then always identified with the men of his
regiment, thus getting to know each individual as in a regular
congregation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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