For all the shirkers, skulkers, deserters, malingerers, fraternisers, mutineers, troublemakers, voluntary POWs, so-called cowards and those executed for having the only sane response to the horror of war between competing capitalists.
"That ordinary men and women might have their own goals is conveniently ignored by historians whose vision is restricted to the ambitions and strategies of those in power or seeking to achieve it. This, to a certain extent, is understandable since the historian is very much at the mercy of his sources (press reports, autobiographies, and institutional minutes are usually the expression of the point of view of those who have made them). It is easy to deal with the memoirs of a Haig, a Petain or a Ludendorff. Conversely, it is 'uninteresting' and difficult to record the aspirations of those millions of Russians who collectively destroyed centuries of Tsardom because of their decision to return home, and their willingness to disobey and even kill their officers in the process."
From Mutinies by Dave Lamb.
A piece of graffiti from Richmond Castle, where 16 conscientious objectors were held, circa 1916.
Thanks to the Free Communist and the CWO.
For a fascinating article on mutinies and general resistance to World War One, take a look at Why Black Adder Goes Forth Could Have Been A Lot Funnier from the Libcom site.
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