4 - ‘Common ties at home and strong county pride’: the persistence and importance of county uniformity

Summary

Localism was a key feature of British society before the Great War. In 1914 Britain was decentralized, both administratively and culturally. Differing dialects, customs, entertainment and occupations defined towns, counties and regions, endowing each with distinguishable characteristics. The central state wielded relatively little influence over the lives of the general public, whilst the local authorities, together with voluntary institutions, maintained the infrastructure of the county and regulated everyday life. Most people lived their lives at the local level. Their aspirations, expectations and connections were limited to the local and their loyalties were tied to village, town and county through their interaction and familiarity with civic institutions and their membership of community clubs and associations.

Territorial soldiers, drawn from the local community, also shared the local outlook. If social exclusivity was the primary Territorial characteristic in the pre-war era, localism came a close second. Recruitment techniques and the need for convenient access to drill halls and social facilities ensured that recruits were drawn from a finite area and localism was a part of battalion life that was taken for granted. In the first months following the outbreak of war, local patriotism also played an important role in drawing men to join Territorial and New Army units. Others have described how local patriotism and even local rivalries helped to motivate new soldiers during their training in Britain, supported them through their first experiences of action abroad, but disappeared as a force after the slaughter of the Somme.