THE TOLL: SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS

The National Situation

Over 6 million men served in the British Army, Royal Navy and RFC/RAF during the First World War.  Roughly 58% of all Englishmen, Scotsmen and Welshmen aged 15-59 in 1911 served in the war.  About 1 man in 4 of eligible age volunteered in these 3 countries.  Overall, 1 in 8 was killed and more than 1 in 4 was wounded.[1] The age distribution of those from England and Wales who served and were killed is provided in the table below.

Table 1: Age distribution of men from England & Wales who served and who died in British Forces during the First World War[2]

Age	1911 census population	Total served	Total killed	% Killed of Served	% Killed of 1911 population
15-19	1,644,895	494,101	80,248	16.2	4.9
20-24	1,502,652	1,617,202	240,496	14.9	16.0
25-29	1,455,783	1,380,732	139,361	10.1	9.6
30-34	1,375,872	863,883	92,618	10.7	6.7
35-39	1,261,432	539,596	52,711	9.8	4.2
40-44	1,075,076	291,488	14,857	5.1	1.4
45-49	926,102	93,107	1,305	1.4	0.1
Total	9,241,812	5,280,109	621,596	11.8	6.7

 

For England and Wales, 70% of the men who served were under the age of 30 as were 74% of men who died on active military service.

Gaunless Valley: Age Structure & Marital Status of those Men Killed [3]

The age distribution of men killed in the Gaunless Valley was:

• 5% were under the age of 21
• 78% were under the age of 30
• 22% over 30

71% were single men and 29% were married.[4]

Table 2:   The Gaunless Valley: Age distribution of those men killed, single and married men

Age Range	Single Men	Married Men	Total	%  Killed  in the Age Range
Under 21	41	0	41	17.5
21-29	108	32	140	60.1
30-39	16	29	45	19.3
40-49	1	4	5	2.1
50+	0	1	1
Unknown			1
TOTAL	166	66	233

 

The oldest serviceman to be killed was 51 year old Private James (Samuel) Martin, 2^nd Battalion, the Northumberland Fusiliers KIA 26 May 1915.

The youngest, all 18 years old, was either: [5]

• Private Percy Little, 15/DLI KIA 27 September 1918 [St. Helens]
• Private Frederick Tazey, 15/DLI KIA 16 September 1916 [Etherley]
• Private Ralph Heaviside, 22/NF died of wounds 6 September 1918 [Evenwood]
• Private Walter Greavison, 1/6 DLI KIA 14 April 1917 [Etherley]
• Private Charles James Russell, 1/9 DLI died of wounds 8 November 1916 [Cockfield]

Occupations

Nationally, those employed in industry made up the largest sector of recruits, 57%.  The financial and commercial sector provided 16%, 10% were employed in mining and quarrying, agriculture 8%, transport workers 8%, central and local government staff 7%, entertainment 2% and professional staff provided 2%.[6]

By way of a rough comparison, in Germany, 46% of volunteers were employed in industry comprising 17% tradesmen & craftsmen, 17% skilled urban manual workers and 13% unskilled urban manual workers.  Those working on the land represented about 4% comprising 3% farmers and 1% waged agricultural workers.  Almost 50% were associated with non-industrial/manual jobs, as follows 13% businessmen & property owners, 12% white collar workers, 5% professionals & academics, 12% students and 7% pupils and school leavers.[7]   Arguably, the German volunteers were a more educated group of people with a large proportion/number of young students.[8]

The occupations of 200 local men are known:

• 73.5% were coal miners
• 1% were quarry men
• 5% had some manufacturing trade [blacksmith, fitter, coach-smith]
• 9% worked in the service sector, mostly independent shopkeepers or co-operative store employees
• 4% were farmers or farm labourers
• 5% worked in the building trade, [bricklayer, mason and joiner]
• 5% clerical staff, 2% teachers.

Nationally, 10% were employed in mining and quarrying.  In the Gaunless Valley, coal industry employment was dominant at 73.5%.  Locally, jobs in manufacturing were virtually non-existent.  White collar workers were few.  Further details are provided below.

Coal Industry

Of the 200 local men whose occupations are known, 147, 73.5% were coal miners or worked in the coal industry.  The breakdown of occupations on the local war memorials is as follows:

• Helens 100% [Being a Colliery Company Memorial]
• Evenwood 82%
• West Auckland 72%
• Cockfield 68%
• Copley 57%
• Butterknowle 53%
• Etherley 52%
• Woodland 42%

Other Minerals

• Quarry men 2 [1%]

Agriculture & Forestry

• Farmers and labourers/hinds 8 [4%]
• Tree feller 1 [0.5%]

Engineering/manufacturing

• Blacksmiths, fitter, coach-smith, machinist (steelworks) 5 [2.5%]

Service Industries

• Shop keepers and similar workers 18 [9%] which included grocers, butchers, hairdresser, fruiterer, draper, boot repairer, bakery van man and Co-op workers

Construction

• Joiner, mason, bricklayer 3 [1.5%]

Local Government                    

• Teachers and student teachers 4 [2%]
• Policeman 1
• Highway Labourer 1

Administration/Office

• Clerical 3, 1.5% which included a booking clerk (railway station), gas works clerk and brewery clerk.
• Student 1

H.M. Armed Forces

• Army [Regular] 2

References:

[1] Britain’s “Lost Generation” of the First World War J.M. Winter 1977 p.450

[2] Table 5 Britain’s “Lost Generation” of the First World War J.M. Winter 1977 p.451

[3] The 1911 population figures for each Parish have not been researched so a direct comparison with the % killed of the 1911 population cannot be given.  Similarly the total number of those who served has not been researched.

[4] There may be marriages not yet identified

[5] More research required to ascertain dates of birth

[6] Derived from “A Nation in Arms” 1985 I.F.W. Beckett & K. Simpson Table 1.2 “Sectoral distribution of enlistment in the British Forces, August 1914 to February 1916” p.9  Original  source “Britain’s lost generation of the First World War” J.M. Winter – % figures rounded in my analysis

[7] “Ring of Steel” 2014 A. Watson Table 2 “Social composition of German volunteers 1914-18” p.86 – % figures rounded in my analysis

[8] This is an assumption and a reference is required to substantiate the comment.