Britain's Jews in the First World War

by Paula Kitching

This book tells the story of the Jewish community, of its individuals and its groups that contributed to the First World War from London. It will describe the experiences of some of those that served and fought; of the impact the war had on the community and its members; and explore some of the uniquely Jewish experiences and questions that the war raised e.g. how do you keep Kosher on the front line? In August 1914 Britain declared war on Germany. Immediately following the declaration an appeal went out for volunteers to join the army. Despite a huge global Empire and large Navy, Britain had a small professional army. The Jewish communities of London stepped up in response providing well over 40,000 men for the forces and thousands more for activities on the Home Front. The Jewish community was a small ethnic/religious minority but one that was prepared to be counted.The stories and experiences of London’s Jewry and the First World War is the story of how a community often viewed as outsiders became very much entwined with British society and how British society and culture became very much a part of the Anglo-Jewish experience and identity.

Genres: Jewish

288 pages, Paperback

Published February 1, 2019

Reviews

[Thelastwordreview · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the 4th August 1914 Britain led by Prime Minister Herbert Asquith declared war on Germany after the call by the British government for Germany to get out of Belgium by midnight on 3rd August. So it was Britain went to war with the might of Germany.

Now the call went out for young men across the country to sign up and fight for King and Country. Britain’s Jews in the First World War (Amberley Publishing) by historian Paula Kitching tells the story of the Jewish community and how they contributed to the First World War.
At this time Britain had a global empire and navy with many ships but what it lacked was men on the ground to fight. To take on Germany on a European battlefield would take a huge army. Britain had only a small professional army during the run up to WWI. The Jewish community despite being seen as outsiders responded with more than 40,000 men to fight after the call went out.

With many more providing support on the home front both as nurses and doctors in hospitals and other support services the Jewish community had responded to the call.
In this well researched account it tells the story of the Jewish involvement in World War One. There is a chapter towards the back of the book that tells of the Awards and Bravery of some of the Jewish Community who served. There were 5 recipients of the Victoria Cross (VC), 144 were awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) as well as 263 recipients of the Military Cross (MC; Commissioned Officers only).

The story of Frank de Pass who on the 24th November 1914 was awarded the Victoria Cross for his conspicuous bravery in the face of a bombardment from the German line and then went about rescuing a wounded soldier. Sadly, de Pass was never to know he was going to be awarded the VC as he was killed the following day. Just one of the heroic actions by Jewish soldiers. His VC is held at the National Army Museum in London which I saw at the launch of ‘On Courage: Stories of Victoria Cross and George Cross Holders’ (Constable) in May last year.

I have learned so much by reading Britain’s Jews in the First World War and if military history or history in general is something that you enjoy reading then I am more than happy to recommend.

[Michael P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my reviews, over the years, I have often talked about the complexity of the Great War. Kitchings, who describes herself as an historian and writer, has added a new level to the myriads of tiers that I would not have seen if it wasn’t for this work. Britain’s Jews in the First World War comes out of the author’s work as project manager of the Heritage Lottery Fund-supported project We Were There Too. (I will supply its web site at the end of the review.) The project brings together the many threads of British Jews’ contributions (those from the many dominions and colonies are included) in the Great War through existing documentation and interviews with relatives of some of the war’s participants. Kitching makes it very clear that those solders who died in the war are well documented but those who survived have nearly disappeared as have those who contributed on the home front in various action committees and foundations. And, women’s participation is even more obscure because of the habit of changing their names at marriage. I can only imagine at how complicated the incident board in her research lab must appear.
Kitchings estimated that the Jewish population in August 1914 was nearly 250,000 to 300,000 in a total British population of 41 million. Of those 250,000 plus subjects, nearly 13 to 14 percent served in the military. She does not include newly arrived emigrees from Eastern Europe in her text. (I recommend War and Revolution: Russian Jews and Conscription in Britain, 1917, by Harold Shukman for that subject which I reviewed for the Journal of Military History in 2008.) From her research into the British Jewry Book of Honour, published in 1922, she noted that there were five recipients of the Victoria Cross, fifteen received the Order of St. Michael and St. George, and 49 were awarded Distinguished Service Orders. She deftly relates their stories in an abbreviated form. To complement those depictions, she also delves into the many organizations which existed on the home front which encouraged the Jewish young men to contribute to the war effort. These stories are laced with notations about the discrimination and prejudice that existed toward the Jewish community. I was appalled to read about recruiters (enlistment was still voluntary during the first years) turning away Jews from enlistment because of their religion including professionals who could have made a difference in caring for the wounded. Overshadowing the rejection was the never-ending unfounded criticism of the Jewish community for not wholeheartedly supporting the war effort even in light of the many articles about Jewish soldiers sacrificing their lives for the good of the regiment and fund raisers to assist families left destitute by the death of a father.
Kitchens has given the Great War’s aficionados a brilliant work to add to their libraries, as if they weren’t big enough. Her prose is easily read and thought provoking as well as revealing regarding Victorian attitudes and how they changed as the war grew bloodier by the month. Expect something more than a dull read.
(web site: www.jewsfww.uk)

[Jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A highly readable and informative account of the role played by British Jewry in World War 1. I learnt a lot.