Conscientious objectors walling rebuild

[Matthew Storrs]

Interesting (and awkward) walling job I'm on at the moment. Was built originally by conscies during 1st WW whilst they were staying at HMP Dartmoor. Many of the stones are between 500kg and 1 ton and I'm struggling a bit with my digger so God knows how they did it back then!

 

Probably not the prettiest walling iv done- its mostly Peat bog and sitting water so not the easiest conditions to work in

[Matthew Storrs]

Oh, did attach more pics, not sure what happened there

[Woodworks]

Looks bl00dy good to me mate. Where about is it?

[Matthew Storrs]

Few more

[Matthew Storrs]

Thanks, it really isn't the sort of walling you want to look too closely at, it's a job just to get digger in position without sinking a foot or 3. It's on Newtake land just outside prince town. About 100 meters left to do

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Must be quite thought provoking....

 

As recently as 100 years ago, this nation behaved with such institutional revulsion towards those that were morally opposed to conflict.

 

And conversely, so many Lions willingly followed and obeyed the donkeys and dinosaurs into such abject despair, desperation, destruction and desolation.

 

Makes me wonder why such a piece of manual construction, with such social history isn't a listed monument. In my reckoning, a structure like that is of greater significance than perhaps the cenotaph.

 

It must have been a dreadful existence for those poor souls.

[Matthew Storrs]

Must be quite thought provoking....

 

As recently as 100 years ago, this nation behaved with such institutional revulsion towards those that were morally opposed to conflict.

 

And conversely, so many Lions willingly followed and obeyed the donkeys and dinosaurs into such abject despair, desperation, destruction and desolation.

 

Makes me wonder why such a piece of manual construction, with such social history isn't a listed monument. In my reckoning, a structure like that is of greater significance than perhaps the cenotaph.

 

It must have been a dreadful existence for those poor souls.

 

Agreed, iv just spent some time reading about the COs time at Dartmoor prison (not that they were actually prisoners). Sounds pretty grim with several of them dying from Pneumonia, no doubt from their excursions in the quarries Or wall building on the moor in grim winter weather etc. They had some skills I'll give them that, some of the still standing walls they did are to an incredibly high standard. Slightly disconcerting that I'm finding bits of bone (not to mention small glass bottles in amongst the wall, hopefully just sheep bones!

[GardenKit]

Must be quite thought provoking....

 

 

It must have been a dreadful existence for those poor souls.

 

I guess some of their neighbours who were fighting for their country in the Somme may have had a different opinion.

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

I guess some of their neighbours who were fighting for their country in the Somme may have had a different opinion.

 

Quite possibly, I'd hope that humanity has advanced somewhat in the subsequent 100 years though.

 

After all, what was once misunderstood as 'shell shock' or even cowardice often resulted in summary execution:

 

BBC NEWS | UK | 300 WWI soldiers receive pardons

 

whereas today it is at least recognised and, albeit majority charitably, funded and resourced as a tangible consequence of warfare e.g.:

 

Introduction | Talking2Minds

Help for Heroes Hidden Wounds

 

I wonder if those neighbours really celebrated the needless slaughter of millions of young men as a glorious sacrifice or wether it actually decimated whole communities and caused untold misery for families and that COs were an obvious target for great despair, anger, hatred and expulsion which would have been better directed at the bumbling incompetence of the General officers of the field army.

 

What difference did 16,000 COs actually make to a campaign that was focussed upon sending wave after wave of foot soldiers into the path of machine gun and artillery rounds with no greater tangible effect other than moving General Melchetts's drinks cabinet 4 inches closer to Berlin.

 

As much as the next man (and possibly more than some), I have the greatest respect for those that have made the ultimate sacrifice - I think it takes nothing away from their bravery, valour and sacrifice to acknowledge that genuine COs also deserve recognition for their lot.

 

The point I wanted to highlight was that the societal mentality of WWI, thankfully, is very far removed from how we might (should) approach the issue today.

 

WW1: The conscientious objectors who refused to fight - BBC News

 

It's not exactly as if todays society is swamped by men (and women) of principal and moral fibre sufficient to endure exclusion and revulsion from the very society that might benefit from some of the strength of character they possessed.

[Mark Bolam]

Thought-provoking stuff.

 

That wall would never have kept the Germans out, mind.