World War 1
By Sandy Tebbutt
When war was declared on the 4th August 1914, an overwhelming feeling of euphoria and patriotism swept through the young men of Portishead. Recruitment drives were held to enlist them into both the army and the navy and so they marched away to fight for king and country in the belief that “the big adventure” would all be over by Christmas.
The people of Portishead did all they could to support the men that had “answered the call”. Concerts were held, the local Red Cross hospital was ready to care for the wounded and sick, eggs were collected for the fighting men but at the same time on Portishead dock, petrol was being canned ready for mechanical transport and aviation purposes in France and toluol (methylbenzene) was being manufactured for use in high explosive shells.
As the war dragged on, many Portishead families received telegrams with the devastating news that their men folk had either been killed in action, missing or taken prisoner.
By the time peace was declared over four years later, many local families had had their lives torn apart forever. Surviving men returned with their nerves shattered or limbs lost to try and pick up the pieces of a normal life again.
Sandy Tebbutt is the author of the Posset Pieces local history books, written for the Gordano Society and available from Summit Outdoor Leisure. The issue about the area during the First World War will be available towards the end of 2018. Copies can be ordered from Sandy by emailing sandytebbutt@hotmail.com.
The Portishead Virtual Book of Remembrance can be found on the Town Council website.