Beyond War, Beyond ‘Justice’, Beyond ‘taking sides’

For my own sake, my own sanity, and to reaffirm my own belief that ‘love is stronger than the power of death’ and that even in the darkest of days death and evil will not have the final say, I went in search of ‘other voices’ whose response to violence is not more violence. And some of those voices came to me from others. Below are some words, groups and people who have come to my attention in recent days which give me cause to hope. I hope they may encourage you too.

First - Rabbis for Human Rights, who have long been assisting Palestinian farmers with their annual olive harvest, in an act of solidarity and against settler violence inflicted by some of their Israeli compatriots. Despite heightened tensions, they have still been able to undertake that to some extent - as a link to this news report shows.

Next, an American-born Jew, Ori Hanan Weisberg, who now lives in Israel, and who was put onto me by a friend. This is one of his more recent posts (6 November 2023) from his Facebook site www.facebook.com/ori.weisberg.1232:

I’m thinking about joy. Which is a bit perverse. More than a bit. And I more than thinking about it. I’m seeking it. ….
But how can I seek joy when I am surrounded by death, and not death from disease but from savage human folly? It feels obscene to rejoice amid the slaughter, and when so many people I know are grieving for close friends and family members. And when so many people are dying in Gaza. Unseemly. Disrespectful. I certainly don’t want to numb myself as an escape. The moment requires grief and outrage and compassion. To lose that would entail a loss, or at least a muting of humanity. ..
 …Seeking joy doesn’t efface or erase or obscure or diminish it. It simply refuses to succumb to it. It gives me strength to oppose its savage sources. To resist the awful tyranny of violence. To refuse implosion. To stand up and stare down the abyss and accuse it without becoming an abyss. To raise the banner of life in the face of death. …
Both Israel and Palestine sorely need some good government right now, which we've lacked for...ever?

Finally, in this blog, I want to share excerpts from an Open Letter by various Palestinian Christian organisations (iuncluding Kairos Palestine, Bethlehem Bible College, YMCA and YWCA and Arab Orthodox Society, Jerusalem). Called “A Call for Repentance: An Open Letter from Palestinian Christians to Western Church Leaders and Theologians” the letter
laments the renewed cycle of violence in the Holy Land and expresses “horror” at many western Christians unwavering support to Israel’s war against the people of Palestine.

Although many Christians in the West do not have a problem with the theological legitimization of war, the vast majority of Palestinian Christians do not condone violence—not even by the powerless and occupied. Instead, Palestinian Christians are fully committed to the way of Jesus in creative nonviolent resistance (Kairos Palestine, §4.2.3), which uses “the logic of love and draw[s] on all energies to make peace” (§4.2.5). Crucially, we reject all theologies and interpretations that legitimize the wars of the powerful. …

Finally, and we say it with a broken heart, we hold western church leaders and theologians who rally behind Israel’s wars accountable for their theological and political complicity in the Israeli crimes against the Palestinians, which have been committed over the last 75 years.”

Read the full statement here: "An Open Letter from Palestinian Christians to Western Church Leaders and Theologians".

The legacy of war is long

That is the main thought I have had in recent days. The legacy of war is long, much of it hidden and unknown. It is intriguing that, just after the 100 year commemoration of WW1, the COVID19 threat should remind us of the 1918/19 worldwide flu epidemic, which killed more people worldwide than the War (more than 50 million compared to 20 million deaths from the war). But it is usually war and conflict that makes the headlines, and which are more popularly revisited in books and films.

At last year’s Anzac Day commemorations, I wondered: how long do we keep ‘remembering’ and in what way? How long, and for what purpose? Now that the 100 year anniversary has past, should we remember in a different way?

 

Well, this year, the COVID threat has kept us honouring Anzac Day at home. It’s made participation easier for all – and seen less cars in the street. Perhaps it’s also reminded us of the ‘freedoms’ we take for granted, freedoms denied in many of the world’s conflict zones, refugee camps, or states of oppression. Who knows what next year will bring? Will COVID19 and its fallout make us think and act differently, after being ‘united’ against this unseen non-human entity?

Often, it takes longer to ‘recover’ from war, than the time spent waging it. Longer-term effects may be hidden, not attributed to the war, manifest themselves years down the track, or are further complicated by other events and crises. My father came out to New Zealand along with many others in the mid 1950s – partly because of the depressed conditions and unemployment in post-WW2 Netherlands.

And while we remember on the large scale – every young death had its significant impact on a particular family and circle of close friends. While we remember today the legacy of war for New Zealand and Australia, let us remember also the impacts in Europe, Turkey, Palestine – and all places where war and conflict has happened and is happening. Let us strive for peace, dignity and freedom for all. Honour the war dead by ending war.

 

Photos: 

A memorial in St Josse-ten-Noode, Brussels, Belgium: 

 

1914-1918

1939-1945

Commune (Community) of St Josse-ten-Noode – to her inhabitants who fell on the field of honour: combatants, resisters, prisoners and political deportees.

Long March to Germany/Demobilisation

There's relatively little coverage in mainstream media on what happened after the fighting ended on 11 November, but it wasn't until October 1919 that Sydney Williams returned home to New Zealand. Here are excerpts from the concluding pages of New Zealand Artillery in the Field, 1914-18. From the March into Germany until demobilisation in January 2019.

On November 13th, after the Artillery had rejoined the Division at Quievy, the announcement was made that the New Zealand Division was to form part of the Army of Occupation which was to march to Germany and occupy the bridgeheads on the Rhine. ...
The Divisional Artillery remained at Quievy from the 13th until the 28th November, cleaning up and getting everything in readiness for the trek to Germany, which was all to be done by road. Horses that were lame or poor in condition were evacuated, and fresh horses were drawn from the remount depôt to bring batteries and ammunition columns up to their establishment. On the 28th November the whole Divisional Artillery set out for Escarmain—the first stage on the long trek to Cologne.....

 

One of the Mobile Trench Mortars
[Official Photo - sourced through http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH1NZAr-t1-body-d2-d12.html]

 

The frontier having been crossed at Solre-sur-Sambre during the 4th December, the route now lay through Belgium, and in every town and every village the New Zealanders were received with such enthusiasm that their march became almost a triumphal progress. Many of the inhabitants gave up their most comfortable rooms for the soldiers, and to have them billeted in the house was regarded as a privilege. ....
The last night in billets in Belgian territory was spent at Verviers, where the enthusiasm of the population knew no bounds, their hospitality being more pressing and open-handed than anything that had hitherto been experienced.

It was a different story once they crossed the German frontier on December 20th:

Passing under the triumphal arch, decorated with evergreens and the flags of the Allied Nations, which marked the Belgian boundary, brigades marched down the slope and through the little village of Eupen, that stood just inside the German frontier. Had there been no other indication of the fact, the attitude of the civil population would have been sufficient to tell the soldiers that they, at last, were actually on German soil. When the first New Zealanders went through Eupen, the streets were absolutely deserted, and beyond a furtive lifting of blinds, there was no sign of life in the dwelling houses. The German population were evidently somewhat fearful of the consequences to themselves of the Allied occupation, but they soon recovered from their initial fears, and exhibited a conciliatory attitude and a desire to please, which was no doubt prompted by self-interest. After entering Germany the column marched through a hilly and inhospitable countryside, until it reached the billetting area near the poor and scattered village of Rotgen. Before night fell and batteries had settled down in their quarters, hail and sleet had begun to fall, and the bitter cold made the draughty barns and outbuildings but a poor substitute for the comfortable billets which had been the rule in the march through France and Belgium.

On December 23rd, the march was resumed to the Hurtgen-Birgel area, and on the following day through Duren, where were located the headquarters of the 7th Brigade Army Corps, to the Blatzheim-Kerpen area. Christmas Day, cold and somewhat cheerless, was spent here, and on the following morning the final stage of the journey was commenced. Cologne was entered about midday; the remainder of the Division had preceded the Artillery, having gone on by train from Verviers. The long column marched through Cologne, and crossing the Rhine by the Hohenzollern Bridge, proceeded to their respective areas in Deutz and Kalk on the eastern banks of the river.
...
In Cologne, batteries had only the ordinary routine to occupy their time and consequently after they had settled down in their quarters and removed the stains of travel from their vehicles and equipment all ranks had ample leisure and opportunity to go sight-seeing in the city itself or to make excursions to various places, attractive or interesting, along the banks of the Rhine.
The inhabitants of the city probably realised that the presence of troops of the Army of Occupation was not without its advantages, as it secured them from the possibility of any disturbances and upheavals, such as were then taking place in other party of Germany. At any rate the majority of them displayed a quite friendly attitude towards the British troops who were quartered in and about the city. The civilian population suffered a great many hardships as a result of the war conditions, and there was almost a total lack of many commodities which normally are regarded as indispensable. There was no lack of amusement or gaiety, however, and the cafes and places of entertainment were generally crowded each night; the strongest attraction for many of the soldiers being the "Opernhaus," where for a very modest charge they could hear operas produced by companies which generally attained a high standard of ability. They were produced in German, of course, but that circumstance did not seriously detract from their enjoyment. ...
The demobilisation of the Division commenced with the New Year. On January 1st, 1919, the first draft, consisting of 1914 men, left Cologne for England, en route to New Zealand. In the bitter cold of mid-winter the two days' train journey to the coast was tedious and uncomfortable in the extreme. On arrival in England drafts proceeded direct to one of the New Zealand Base Depôts, the majority of the artillerymen going to Sling Camp. From there, after a period of leave, and a longer period of waiting, they proceeded to the port of embarkation, and finally set out on their return to New Zealand.

Once under way, demobilisation proceeded rapidly. All stores, equipment, and guns were returned to the ordnance authorities, and the horses were disposed of after being divided into three main classes. A certain number of mares were selected for breeding purposes, others were marked for retention in the Imperial Army, and the remainder were sold, either to be butchered or used for general purposes. By the end of January demobilisation was practically complete and the Divisional Artillery, as a unit, had ceased to exist.

 However, for my grandfather and for many others, it was off to the VD Hospital (not for the first time) at Codford, which was close to the New Zealand base at Sling. According to his war records, he was there 5 months from 13 January to 14 June - it seems a long time to me, but I'm not familiar with such medical matters, nor this marginalised and overlooked part of our war history. That awaits some more research ... and another story.

The Last Post - for now

Today commemorates the ending of World War One with the signing of the Armistice on 11 November. The news was greeted by soldiers of the Artillery with little emotion - no doubt war wearied by this engagement that was predicted when it started to be 'over by Christmas'. According to the New Zealand Artillery in the Field, 1914-18 gives the news a brief paragraph before going into  an eight-page recap over what the Artillery had achieved in the preceding four years and summary of key movements:

The Armistice took effect from 11 a.m. on November 11th. The official intimation to this effect, announcing that hostilities would cease at 11 a.m., was received by units of the Divisional Artillery when they were on the march to Quievy or preparing to take the road. The announcement was received calmly, with no cheering, no demonstration. For these men, tired in body and mind and fresh from the tragic fields of battle, this momentous intelligence was too vast in its consequences to be appreciated in a single thought.

Though the fighting was over, the War did not officially conclude until the Treaty of Versailles with Germany on 28 June 1919; while the New Zealand forces would become part of the Army of Occupation of Germany, and my grandfather would not return to New Zealand til late 1919.

Given that, further blogs may be posted on the aftermath of the war, and covering key gaps or further reflections I have not been able to provide in my intermittent postings.

6 November - temporary bridges

On 6 November,  New Zealand Artillery in the Field, 1914-18 reports the Artillery had problems getting through forest due to blown-up bridges and mined roads. 

A working party was, therefore, dispatched to make an endeavour to erect a temporary bridge over one stream, whilst the track running south-east through the forest to the north of the road was reconnoitred, and an advanced section of the 2nd Battery was got through and into action half way through the forest. A section of the 6th (Howitzer) Battery also got into action a little further to the north. About midday an attempt was made to get the remaining guns of the 6th Battery across the temporary bridge which had been constructed. It was a risky business; but the guns and vehicles were got safely over with the loss of one waggon, which went over the side into the stream, rendering the bridge unsafe for further traffic. As a demand had been made for some howitzers and 18-prs. to support a small operation by the 42nd Division, a section of the 5th Battery was sent forward over the forest track, the 9th Battery following the route taken by the advanced section of the 6th Battery, and going into action in the same locality. 

The bridge having been repaired again, with the assistance of some Pioneers of the 42nd Division, the remainder of the guns and waggons of the Brigade were got across by dark, with the exception of two waggons which went over the side, but four others which had attempted to advance through the cross roads on the northern edge of the forest found the way blocked by mine craters. With the exception of the 9th Battery, and one section of the 6th Battery, which were on the northern edge of the forest, the whole of the 2nd Brigade had succeeded in getting into action near la Corne by 7 p.m.

5 November 1918 - through the Forest de Mormal

After the capture of Le Quesnoy, the New Zealand Division were still pressing ahead to the East through the Forest de Mormal. New Zealand Artillery in the Field, 1914-18 reports:

Persistent rain fell on November 5th, rendering doubly difficult the advance through the dense and tangled undergrowth of the forest. Moving forward behind the barrage the infantry encountered little opposition until they reached Forrester's House, considerably more than half way through the forest. This was strongly held by machine guns, but was eventually taken under cover of artillery fire. At 9 a.m. the 3rd Brigade moved forward into positions of readiness near Rue Haute; the 12th Battery was detached from the brigade and went forward in support of the infantry. The 2nd Brigade moved up through Herbignies, and along the western edge of the forest until it reached the 3rd Brigade area. Batteries were in this neighbourhood by 5 p.m., but did not fire that night. The road along the western edge of the forest was in very bad condition, which was rapidly being made worse by the heavy rain. The 1st Battery of the 1st Brigade advanced in support of the infantry, the 3rd and 15th Batteries bivouacking on the edge of the forest. By evening the infantry had gone right through the forest, and reached their final objective on the eastern outskirts. That night the New Zealand Division, less artillery, was relieved in the line by the 42nd Division. The artillery came under the command of the C.R.A., 42nd Division.

The last week of the war

Despite high ideals I have not been following the New Zealand Field Artillery closely in the final months of the war, as the tide turns against the Germans and the New Zealand Division with the other Allies has advanced relatively quickly in recent weeks. I am in the chapter on Le Quesnoy in  New Zealand Artillery in the Field, 1914-18. It is the final chapter. The battle for Le Quesnoy itself took place on 4 November and was over in a day. I do not know if all soldiers would have concurred with the assessment of the official history:

This was the last occasion on which the New Zealand Artillery paved the way for the advance of their infantry in a major operation, and from the complicated nature of the barrage and the masterly precision with which it advanced through all its stages, it may be regarded as a fitting climax to the work of the guns in supporting the infantry in attack. It was known that there was a large number of civilians in Le Quesnoy, and it was therefore decided that the barrage should sweep the ramparts garrisoned by the enemy, and as it moved forward completely encircle the town, but that no fire should fall within the limits of the town itself.... 

The battle which was about to open was destined to be the last of the long series of desperate combats, in which the Division had figured since that distant April morning, when the New Zealanders had first leapt from their boats on to the shores of Gallipoli and climbed the hills to grapple with the Turk. If their arms had not achieved invariable success, each successive engagement had added fresh lustre to the laurels which the New Zealanders had won for themselves in the Gallipoli campaign; and disappointments had been endured with the same calm in which the soldiers viewed their victories.