Over 580 men from the Bristol area refused to fight in World War 1. They claimed the status of conscientious objector (CO) for moral, religious or political reasons. Some agreed to take non-military roles while others spent much of the war in prison, often under harsh conditions. This booklet and the exhibition on which it is based tell the story of these COs and the men and women who supported them. It also briefly considers COs in World War 2 as well as the position for present day members of […]
Tag Index: Whiteford Brothers
“Tags” are haphazard keywords attached to the content on this site. Using keywords to find content is not an infallible method when looking for something specific. If you need a more accurate list of content relating to an area of interest try doing a search. You can also try using the Subject Index which sorts the content into more rigid categories.
Deserters, Conchies and Reds
Bristolian opposition to the First World War
The Bristol Deserter – Alfred Jefferies – His War Story During World war One nearly 300 British soldiers on the Western Front were shot at dawn for deserting or for ‘cowardice’. One victim, Alfred Jefferies, a Bristolian, was executed on 1st November 1916. Based on official archives, including war diaries and court martial records, Geoff Woolfe describes Alfred’s tragic war story, whilst questioning the extent to which the full facts of some war events can be known. Freedom of Soul Two weeks […]