The recent session of ‘Over There’ saw John speak on the issues with logistics in the Great War. He dealt not only with getting supplies to the troops at the front line but also varying efforts adopted by different countries to keep their factories working in the absence of so many men. Germany and Russia used forced labour from the countries they had invaded. Britain and France used women in the factories and Chinese coolies and Indians, paid a pittance, to load and unload supplies on the docks and behind the lines. Women’s wages were forty percent of men’s.
Germany never went to a total war-footing so John also described some of the ersatzstoffen (replacement products) that were used to feed and clothe Germans during that period. 500,000 died of starvation.
In the next session, John will speak about the Generals, the so-called 'Donkeys', the class system in the British and Australian army, and Australians behaving badly. He will also show the next part of the French-Canadian documentary.
John Barry
Germany never went to a total war-footing so John also described some of the ersatzstoffen (replacement products) that were used to feed and clothe Germans during that period. 500,000 died of starvation.
In the next session, John will speak about the Generals, the so-called 'Donkeys', the class system in the British and Australian army, and Australians behaving badly. He will also show the next part of the French-Canadian documentary.
John Barry
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