World war 1 and Orangism
A common occurrence during World War I was numerous Warrants issued not only to troops but also to sailors and most ships in the Royal Navy had Lodges "on board" at this time.
The first British naval casualty of World War I was Able Seaman William George Vincent Williams, a Member of L.O.L.92, Melbourne, Australia, killed in action on 11th September 1914.
It is estimated that in excess of 200,000 Orangemen from across the world saw service during the first War some 80,000 from Canada alone. This has been described as Orangeism's greatest triumph and its heaviest defeat. Triumph in the number of volunteers who joined the war effort but defeat in that the Institution lost so many of its young men.
Lol 862 before the Battle of the Somme
The resolve of those young men may be seen in the dying words of Bro. Pt. F. Holt, 4th Kings Liverpool Regiment, (a Member of L.O.L.782) fatally wounded at Neuve Chapelle on April 14th 1915 who told his comrades "I have done my duty to my King and Country and I have not forgotten the Orange obligation I took in 782".
L.O.L.862 after the Battle of the
Somme had decimated their ranks
Many books of the period deal with the Orange spirit found among the troops and this is reinforced by Bro. Edward McCullough who on return to his Lodge, Northcote Temperance L.O.L.204, having been invalided out of the Royal Irish Rifles after shrapnel wounds advised his Brethren "the heart of every Orange soldier on active service turns to his Orange Lodge and the most frequent topic in camp, on the march and for that matter in aciton itself was Ulster and Orangeism".
One group of Orangemen among the 5th Camerons used what spare time they had most beneficially in perfecting the Orange Lecture.
The Boyne Anniversary at the front was first celebrated on 12th July 1915. Bro. George Sherwood a native of Belfast serving with the Canadian Army Service Corps tells the story.
"We (the Canadians) all gathered together with a good many Ulstermen to celebrate the Battle of the Boyne. The procession started from "Shrapnel Square" and was headed by an old scout mounted on a white horse with its mane and tail plaited with Orange and Purple ribbon. Next came the fife and drums well decorated with Orange Lilies and "No Surrender" was painted on the flag we carried".
The 12th has always been celebrated by Orangemen on service including 1944 in the Far east.
Every opportunity was taken to further the Orange cause and the military Lodges lost no time in seeking out new candidates. A report of the December 1915 Meeting of Young Citizens Volunteers L.O.L.871 meeting in the attic of a bomb damaged house advised that there was a long list of candidates proposed.
A letter from a Brother written under fire some 500 yards from the enemy front line to the Secretary of his mother Lodge in London states "kindly remember me to all the Brothers. Henry wishes to join our Lodge if God spares him to get back. I hope to be able to add a few more good members".
The Somme battlefield today!
A Lodge was even formed in a prisoner of war camp in 1916.
Many Orangemen have been decorated for their bravery and the first Orangeman to win the Victoria Cross in World War I was Bro. Private Abraham Acton of Whitehaven who received his award for "conspicuous" bravery on 21st December 1914 at Rouges Blanc.