Topical Series

The Great War CD evokes the atmosphere of World War 1 through contemporary recordings. Starting with a recruiting speech and songs encouraging volunteers to join up, we move to the realisation that the Great War will not be over quickly. Jack Judge introduces us to his famous composition It’s a Long Way to Tipperary whilst Charles Penrose considers The Bloke what's left behind.

Songs about Zeppelin Attacks, shortage of coal and profiteers are all included. The Great War CD concludes with a talk from Sergeant Dwyer who won the VC when he was just 19 years old, and an appeal from Harry Lauder who lost his own son during the First World War.

Finally there a recording of the Gas Shells Bombardment. According to the HMV catalogue of the time this is: the actual reproduction of the screaming and whistling of the shells previous to the entry of the British troops into Lille. It is not an imitation but was recorded on the battlefront. The report of the guns and the whistling of the shells is the actual sound of the Royal Garrison Artillery in action on October 9th, 1918.

29 Tracks recorded during the Great War period between 1914 to 1919

Tracks from this CD were featured in the BBC Radio 2 Programme Pete Waterman's Armistice Day Special first broadcast on 13 November 2010

Sir Charles Wakefield: First Recruiting Appeal
Maggie Teyte: Your King & Country Want You
Captain A E Rees: Army Drill No2
Harry Fay: Kaiser Bill is a Merry Old Soul, Sister Susie’s sewing Shirts
Mark Sheridan: Here We are again
Unity Moore: The Goose Step, But are We Downhearted? No!
Stanley Kirkby: We don’t want to fight, It’s the Same Old Tommy,
Go to Bed Early and Save your Coal
Harry Marlow: When Tommy comes marching home
Jack Judge: It’s a Long Way to Tipperary
Fred Hilton: I’m Better Off in my Little Dug-Out
Dorothy Ward: Tommy’s Learning French
Florrie Forde: Take me back to Dear Old Blighty, Goodbye ee
Harry Bluff: Nine Little Zeppelins
Alf Conyers: What shall We do with the Profiteers
Charles Penrose: The Bloke what’s left behind
Foster Richardson: Angel of Mons
Walter Jeffries: There’s a Long Long Trail
Sydney Coltham: Roses of Picardy
Harry Lauder: Appeal for £1,000,000
Sergeant E Dwyer VC: With our Boys at the Front: On the March, In the Trenches
Location Recording: Gas Shells Bombardment at Lille, The Last Post

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