Teacher Study Notes<link rel="canonical" href="http://www.wfrmuseum.org.uk/ww2_studynotes.html"><body bgcolor="#336633"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.padstowchristmasfestival.co.uk/" style="padding: 5px 10px;">Betting Sites Not On Gamstop UK</a><a href="https://www.powwownow.co.uk/" style="padding: 5px 10px;">Betting Sites Not On Gamstop</a><a href="https://www.orl.co.uk/" style="padding: 5px 10px;">UK Casino Sites</a><a href="https://www.supportevelina.org.uk/" style="padding: 5px 10px;">Best Casino Not On Gamstop</a><a href="https://www.victimsupportni.co.uk/" style="padding: 5px 10px;">Non Gamstop Casinos</a></div> <h2 align="center"><b><font color="#ffcc00">WORLD WAR TWO</font></b></h2> <h2 align="center"><font color="#ffcc00"><b>THE SHERWOOD FORESTERS MUSEUM AND ARCHIVE COLLECTION</b></font></h2> <h2 align="center"><font color="#ffcc00"><b> TEACHING RESOURCES FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS </b></font></h2> <h2 align="center"><font color="#ffcc00"><b>NOTES FOR TEACHERS </b></font></h2> <p align="left"><font color="#ffcc00">It is hoped you will find the materials in this teaching pack a useful addition to your resources. Most of the items are actual copies of the originals, which are to be found in the Regimental Archives of The Sherwood Foresters Museum. This Archive is a collection which has been assembled over many years, and which seeks to preserve and present the history of The Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derbys) Regiment, throughout its long and distinguished existence. Your comments on the teaching pack would be appreciated and we ask, that you make use of the questionnaire, which is to be found at the end of the Teachers Booklet. This questionnaire should be photocopied, completed and returned as indicated.</font></p> <h3><font color="#ffcc00"> The topic of this pack</font></h3> <p><font color="#ffcc00"> All of the items contained in this pack illustrate various aspects of life during the Second World War, 1939-45. It was the first major conflict in history where the civilian population and the armed forces shared together in the danger and suffering. It would be impossible to cover all the areas affected in one pack. Instead, an attempt has been made to personalize this crucial period of history through the experiences of ordinary people. </font></p> <p><font color="#ffcc00">During 1999, the Sherwood Foresters Museum received a gift of the personal effects and medals of 14611354 Private Thomas Granville Moore, who served with the 2nd Battalion of the regiment. He was already 35 years old when he was called up and he was to become involved in the bitter fighting which took place at the Anzio Beach-head in Italy. He was severely wounded in the battle for Campeleone Station, just to the north of Anzio, on the 31st January 1944. He subsequently died of his injuries on the 11th February 1944, (and now lies in the Military cemetery at Anzio). </font></p> <p><font color="#ffcc00">In the meantime his wife, who lived at Church Warsop, near Mansfield, in Nottinghamshire, was working at packing parachutes in a requisitioned factory at Sutton-in-Ashfield. It was she who had made up a small parcel to send to her husband, when the news of his death was received all thoughts of the parcel were forgotten and it became a memento of the war years. Many years later (1999), their only daughter brought her fathers effects, including the unset parcel, to the Regimental Museum.</font></p> <p><font color="#ffcc00"> From this story of an ordinary family, repeated many times over during the war years, the pack seeks to portray life in wartime for both service personnel and the civilian population.</font></p> <p><font color="#ffcc00"> The contents of the pack may be used to support a variety of classroom activities and although detailed teaching plans are not included, the background information, together with suggestions for classroom tasks, should be found helpful. </font></p> <p align="right"><font color="#ffcc00"><a href="ww2_studynotes.html" target="_top">Top of Page</a></font></p> <h3><font color="#ffcc00">Ideas and examples of Teaching Activities</font></h3> <p><font color="#ffcc00"> Compose a letter that might have been written by a soldier to his family back home.</font></p> <p><font color="#ffcc00"> Put together your own example of a Comforts Parcel using modern items.</font></p> <p><font color="#ffcc00"> From your own family history, find out what you can about the life and times of the Second World War.</font></p> <p><font color="#ffcc00"> From the history of your own local community, try to find out how far the area was affected by the war. </font></p> <p><font color="#ffcc00">Try to find photographs and other mementos connected with the period 1939-45. </font></p> <p><font color="#ffcc00">Using a real or imaginary event that may have taken place in the area where you live, write out your own account in the form of a newspaper report. </font></p> <h3><font color="#ffcc00">About the contents of this pack </font></h3> <h4><font color="#ffcc00">Copyright Restrictions</font></h4> <p><font color="#ffcc00"> You are encouraged to use the material provided within this pack to the best advantage of your class. However, some of the items are protected by the laws of copyright and are made available to you for educational purposes only. They may not be photographed or reproduced by any other means, or used for financial gain. In some instances the copyright restrictions have been removed, and where this is applicable, the notes on the items are clearly marked giving permission to copy.</font></p> <h4><font color="#ffcc00">Military Photographs </font></h4> <p><font color="#ffcc00"> Various Battalions of The Sherwood Foresters Regiment fought in many parts of the World during the Second World War. The 2nd Battalion, which features in this pack, figured prominently in North Africa, the Middle East and in the Italian Campaign.</font></p> <p><font color="#ffcc00"> In the latter conflict, especially at Anzio, the unit suffered very severe casualties in both killed and wounded. The names of those killed are today recorded on the Anzio Memorial. It was a campaign in which the British and American units fought side by side; this was particularly the case at Anzio, where the Americans provided the major parts of the medical services. </font></p> <p><font color="#ffcc00">The video, based on purely American Military Newsreel, appears to present the conflict as an American engagement. This provides an interesting talking point for older pupils discussing the accuracy of historical records, written or filmed!</font></p> <p><font color="#ffcc00"> The Anzio conflict also provides a classic example of military leaders failing to work together. The overall commander was the British military leader, General Sir Harold Alexander, while the American General Mark Clark commanded the ground troops of the American Firth Army. Unknown to the ordinary soldiers, problems relating to the Anzio operation were often due to lack of understanding between the leaders.</font></p> <p align="right"><font color="#ffcc00"><a href="ww2_studynotes.html" target="_top">Top of Page</a></font></p> <p><font color="#ffcc00"> Between January 22nd, 1944, when the allied forces landed at Anzio/Nettuno and May 23rd when the final breakout from the beachhead took place, the combatants faced appalling weather and continuous artillery bombardment from German positions in the Alban Hills.</font></p> <p><font color="#ffcc00">The photographs show these conditions and explain why the base hospital earned the nickname of Hells Half Acre. By the end of the campaign in May the British 1st Division, which included The Sherwood Foresters, had suffered such heavy casualties that it almost ceased to exist as an effective fighting unit.</font></p> <h4><font color="#ffcc00"> Civilian Photographs and Artefacts</font></h4> <p><font color="#ffcc00"> Historians record that in the early days of the war Hitler was determined to use military power to break the morale of the civilian population in Britain, and this was the object of his continuous bombing raids, especially in the period 1940-41. London particularly, suffered continuous attacks. Air Ministry statistics record a total of 71 separate raids on the Capital resulting in the dropping of 18,300 tons of high explosive bombs. Some cities were only attacked briefly, yet such was the force of the raid that the damage and loss of life was enormous Coventry was a good example.</font></p> <p><font color="#ffcc00"> Against that background the Civil Defence forces, medical, fire, police and rescue performed with incredible heroism. Locally, the only major raid was on Nottingham, on 8th May 1941, an attack that was actually intended for Derby with its major railway and industrial complex, including Rolls-Royce Aero engine works. In October, 1940, Winston Churchill, speaking of the danger that the nation faced said, Neither by material damage nor by slaughter will the British people be turned from their solemn and inexorable purpose. By 10th May 1941, when the last major raid took place on London, his words were proved correct and Germany abandoned plans to invade this country.</font></p> <p><font color="#ffcc00"> Throughout the war the civilian population suffered danger, hardship and disruption to normal life. Rationing of food and other essentials, and the restriction of the blackout are two good examples. It would be true to say that in this war ordinary civilians were directly affected by the conflict to a greater extent than ever before. </font></p> <p align="right"><font color="#ffcc00"><a href="ww2_studynotes.html" target="_top">Top of Page</a></font></p> <h4><font color="#ffcc00">ARP Fire Watchers Helmet and First Aid Box </font></h4> <p><font color="#ffcc00">These are original restored items that were used at the Eastcroft ARP Headquarters, in London Road, Nottingham. Based at the Gas Works complex, they were in the centre of the bombing on 8th May 1941. </font></p> <h4><font color="#ffcc00">Hessian Sandbags</font></h4> <p><font color="#ffcc00"> From 1939, when the threat of war was imminent, sandbags became the first line of defence in all cities and were used by the millions. Nothing smells quite like a sandbag, especially when damp. Even today, many people on smelling them will immediately recall a memory of a damp air-raid shelter or some other similarly sandbag reinforced area.</font></p> <h3><font color="#ffcc00"> The Personal Effects of Private Thomas Granville Moore </font></h3> <p><font color="#ffcc00">The ordinariness of the Comforts Parcel and the personal effects found on Private Moore when he died, remind us that the war was about ordinary people, and we are most indebted to his daughter, Mrs West of Warrington, Lancashire, for presenting them to us and allowing their use in this educational pack.</font></p> <h4><font color="#ffcc00"> War Maps of the Italian Campaign</font></h4> <p><font color="#ffcc00"> These maps of Italy and Anzio, in particular, illustrate the objective of the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, when he spoke towards the end of the campaign in North Africa Once North Africa is secure we must go forward to the attack on of Italy, with the object of preparing the way for a very large-scale offensive on the underbelly of the Axis in 1943. He firmly believed this would speed the end of war in Europe. General Mark Clark later commented, We took a chance on Churchills eloquence, his conviction that we would `slit this soft underbelly of the Mediterranean. It turned out to be not so soft.</font></p> <h4><font color="#ffcc00"> Anzio Display Sheet Signs and Badges of British Units </font></h4> <p><font color="#ffcc00">The British 1st Division was actually part of the American VI Corps, commanded by Major General J. P. Lucas. The British Commander of 1st Division was Major General W. R. C. Penney. The two leaders never worked together. The American historian, Carlo DEste, in his book `Fatal Decision Anzio and the battle for Rome paid this tribute to 1st Division after the battle of Carroceto and the Factory in late January and February 1944 The defence of the indefensible by the gallant rifle battalions of the 1st Division was one of the outstanding feats of war by any formation, Allied or German, and in the process the Division was all but destroyed. Later in the same book, when describing the appalling conditions in which the men lived and died, he singled out The Sherwood Foresters Regiment in these words The Sherwood Foresters, who eventually would earn the dubious honour of suffering the largest percentage of losses of any British Rifle (An American term for Infantry) battalion on the beachhead, existed under unspeakable conditions in the gullies (wadis). </font></p> <h4><font color="#ffcc00">Standard Issue British Army Woollen Shirts (1940-50s pattern)</font></h4> <p><font color="#ffcc00"> A reminder of the basic clothing and equipment used by infantrymen in all climates and conditions, often fighting for days on end without the most basic amenities. The common issued Shirts Woollen was warm at night and soaked up the sweat in the daytime. On issue it was very rough to the skin but constant wear and washing eventually took off the `roughness`</font></p> <p align="right"><font color="#ffcc00"><a href="ww2_studynotes.html" target="_top">Top of Page</a></font></p> <h4><font color="#ffcc00"> Advertising and Propaganda</font></h4> <p><font color="#ffcc00"> The Second World War saw the development of some of the most sophisticated use of publicity and propaganda there had ever been. Used by all the forces involved, its aim was to boost the morale of ones supporters while undermining the morale of the enemy. Needless to say, the object of the exercise did not always include telling the truth! Items in the box illustrate this activity both in the civilian population and among forces on active service.</font></p> <h4><font color="#ffcc00"> Videotape of Anzio and the Italian Campaign From the American Series, America goes to War</font></h4> <h4><font color="#ffcc00"> NOTES ON COPYRIGHT TAPES </font></h4> <p><font color="#ffcc00">This tape is for private and educational viewing only, and is protected by strict copyright. It may NOT be copied or shown for profit. The tape only includes a superficial view of Anzio, and almost entirely from an American point of view. As a by-product of the pre-war American film industry, film coverage of the Second World War was far superior to that of Britain. It is original archive film and illustrates the favourable presentation of American achievements, as well as being very selective in overlooking the suffering and problems at Anzio. </font> </p></body>