What the end of the First World War looked like for Surrey and its soldiers

On the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, the country falls silent for two minutes as we remember all those who lost their lives fighting for their country. Armistice Day marks the end of the First World War, when an agreement signed between both sides called for an end to the fighting on November 11 1918.

The First World War began four years earlier on July 28 1914 and was fought between the Allies, which included the British Empire, France, Russia and later the USA, against the Central Powers made up of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire.

Over the course of the First World War, it is estimated that the two Surrey regiments lost a combined total of 15,550 men. It is likely that not all of these men were from Surrey, and, by the same token, not every soldier from Surrey served in the East Surrey or Queen's (Royal West Surrey) regiments.

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Across Britain, it is estimated that almost 900,000 British soldiers died in the conflict, and another 1.7 million were wounded. Today, it is clear that the First World War had an immense impact on everyone across Britain, so it is not hard to imagine that the British people and soldiers would have been rightfully relieved when they heard the news of the war's end.

Sadly however, although the fighting had ended, almost no soldiers would be allowed to return home immediately. Surrey's soldiers were still required to carry out their commitments in Germany, Italy and the Middle East. Find your nearest Remembrance Sunday service here

The war's end for Surrey's soldiers

The 8th East Surrey Regiment, who were positioned in a forest nearby Le Cateau, received news of the war's end at 9.30am, just 90 minutes before the planned ceasefire. 8th East Surrey Regiments' war diary recorded: "Two buglers sounded the 'Stand Fast', the band marching up and down the village playing the La Marseillaise, followed by large crowds of men of the various units billeted in the village."

The 9th East Surrey Regiment, who were in Saint Waast, France on November 11 1918, were said to have not believed the news when they first heard it in the morning. The battalion's war diary states "The men hardly credited the news", the war diary goes onto say that the news became a bit more real to the soldiers by the afternoon, when their commanding officer addressed them from the top of a car.

Private Fred Dixon, of the 10th Royal West Surrey Regiment, who was stationed in Boulogne, France at the time, said in an interview in 1974 that "everybody went mad" when they heard the good news.

For Surrey's soldiers serving in modern day Iraq, which is thought to be a fifth of the West Surrey Regiment, their Armistice with the Ottoman empire had been announced 10 days before, on November 1 1918. While Surrey's soldiers taking part in the war in Italy and the rest of the Middle East, would not hear of the Armistice agreement until November 12 1918.

Sadly however, while the ceasefire had begun, it would not be until the end of 1919 until the large majority of men returned home to civilian life. This was because due to the the sheer amount of soldiers deployed across the world, the British government had to demobilized conscripts using a gradual process as to not cause chaos on the country's streets.

Guildford town centre lined with flags crowds

Surrey, was no different to the rest of the country, with intense feelings of relief and excitement when they heard the news as, they knew soon, their men would be returning home to their families and loved ones.

In Guildford at first, many were said to be in disbelief for the war's end. The Surrey County Times, a forerunner of the Surrey Advertiser, reported the scene in Guildford: "High Street traders and their assistants flocked to shop doorways to glance up or down to the Guildhall, to see if the news was really true." The good news was confirmed with the raising of a flag at the Guildhall, which caused a rush amongst town-goers to cover the town centre in flags and bunting and begin the celebrations.

Large processions begun, and among them were Guildford's 'boys in blue', a nickname given to wounded soldiers recovering at home, these boys were said to be carrying a scarecrow with an effigy of the Kaiser (King of Germany). Surrey County Times recorded: "near the Guildhall, a lighted match was applied to the oil-soaked 'scarecrow' and, to the accompaniment of cheers, it was speedily consumed (by fire)."

Plane 'twists and twirls' in celebration over Weybridge

The news of the war's end seemed to affect soldiers stationed in Weybridge in a unique way, with the Surrey County Times reporting that crowds of soldiers were chanting "We've lost our job! We've lost our job!". Besides this, the paper also describes the crowds of people being "irresponsibly hilarious with joy" when they heard the news, with a banner being strung across the High Street bearing the words "God Save the King".

Weybridge's celebrations became even more interesting when it was reported by Surrey County Times that an airman in the crowd decided to fly his plane over the town doing "a series of twists and twirls for the amusement of the crowds below". The paper went onto say that the airman must have realised he would no longer need to risk his life in the war, so he thought he would do it for the entertainment of the Weybridge crowds instead.

'Woking went mad-mad with joy'

Mr A.H. Godfrey MBE, Chairman of Woking Council, described the atmosphere of the town in Woking News & Mail: “The great news spread like wildfire, and by 11 o'clock the streets were thronged with people laughing, shouting, singing, and some silently weeping. Woking went mad-mad with joy-and the pent-up emotions of over four nightmare years of horror and suspense burst forth and were given free rein."

Epsom effigy

While there are not many recordings of what occurred in Epsom on November 11, it is said that on November 12, similarly to in Guildford, a group of Epsom college boys turned a scarecrow into an effigy of the Kaiser, and then proceeded to burn it in the school's grounds. The boys then paraded down to Epsom town centre, accompanying then was a donkey and cart with "a number of old tin cans, labelled 'the Crown Prince's jewels" in tow, this is thought to be a joke poking fun at crowned Prince Wilhelm, heir to the German kingship, who, following the Armistice had lost his chance to become Kaiser as Germany became a republic following the end of the First World War.

November 11 was clearly a day of celebration for Brits in 1918. However in the modern day, November 11 is a day of remembrance and graciousness toward those who lost their lives in conflicts and terrorist incidents across the globe, not only in the First World War, but all subsequent conflicts which have come after. British soldiers have perished or been wounded so that we can continue to live with the freedoms we exercise daily.

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