Having visited New College Durham, to attend my initial OU tutorial, I decided to go to a lecture at the DLI. I am ashamed to say it was my first visit to this small, beautifully located,modern museum, which is devoted to the history of the Durham Light Infantry (with an art gallery upstairs). I had been drawn finally to visit by reading a flier, which explained the 'Six Weeks' referred to the length of time a young officer was expected ton survive on average during the First World War.
With my background, interest in history and the war poets I was intrigued......
John Lewis-Stempel did not let me down. He made the trip to Durham worthwhile, with his very interesting account of the young men who volunteered to serve as junior officers in the trenches during the First World War. He explained that every aspect of the public school education ensured they were both fit enough, as well as embued with all the attributes necessary to lead their men, despite minimal training, in the face of adversity. Classical schooling, the house system and sports all played their part in forming heroic young men who were willing to lay their lives down for their country. It also was the foundation for the unique bond and paternalism that existed between these young men, in their late teens, and their soldiers. As a result whole year groups from all the public schools in Britain, volunteered endured horrific conditions and lasted for approximately six weeks before being either killed or maimed. By use of statistics, photograhs,poetry and extracts from letters John built up a sympathetic view of their predicament tempered with humour, to lift the sombre mood it produced.
I bought a copy of his book and will be using it as an escape, albeit sad one, from my challenging but very interesting 20th century art after I have finished reading about Effie's escape from a loveless marriage with Ruskin see previous post)
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