the 'Great War'
Jim Russell's war, some of it in his own words:
Jim Russell's war, some of it in his own words:
Daily Gleaner, October 12, 1915
THE PROMOTIONS MADE
Yesterday the following temporary or probationary promotions were made: -
Platoon Serjeants: Pte. Stockhausen and Pte. Russell.
Daily Gleaner, October 16, 1915
SERGEANT JAMES N. RUSSELL.
(From our Correspondent.)
Spanish Town, Thursday:- among the men from the St. Catherine company of the J. R. R. now at camp undergoing training preparatory to the departure of the Contingent for England, is Mr. James N. Russell, a son of Mr. Ernest Russell of Spanish Town.
..................
At the first call for men to go to the front, young Russell came forward, and having successfully passed all the necessary examinations to make him eligible for enlistment, he was sent last week to camp among the first batch of Reservists from St. Catherine. Going from his company here as corporal, we now find him (as announced in the "Gleaner") promoted to the rank of Platoon Sergeant in his company there - a promotion on which his many friends in Spanish Town highly congratulate him; and when the time arrives for him to leave his native land in the service of his King and country, Mr. Russell will certainly take with him the heartiest and best wishes of all to whom he is known, especially his immediate Spanish Town friends and acquaintances of which there is a very wide circle.
SERGEANT JAMES N. RUSSELL.
(From our Correspondent.)
Spanish Town, Thursday:- among the men from the St. Catherine company of the J. R. R. now at camp undergoing training preparatory to the departure of the Contingent for England, is Mr. James N. Russell, a son of Mr. Ernest Russell of Spanish Town.
..................
At the first call for men to go to the front, young Russell came forward, and having successfully passed all the necessary examinations to make him eligible for enlistment, he was sent last week to camp among the first batch of Reservists from St. Catherine. Going from his company here as corporal, we now find him (as announced in the "Gleaner") promoted to the rank of Platoon Sergeant in his company there - a promotion on which his many friends in Spanish Town highly congratulate him; and when the time arrives for him to leave his native land in the service of his King and country, Mr. Russell will certainly take with him the heartiest and best wishes of all to whom he is known, especially his immediate Spanish Town friends and acquaintances of which there is a very wide circle.
Speaking years later, at an ex-servicemen's Armistice Day dinner in 1933, Jim Russell put the enthusiasm of enlistment into a different perspective:
'At the beginning of the war there was an enthusiasm of patriotism that went throughout the whole world, none the less in Jamaica. They all joined up and gave their services, answering that almost penetrating appeal - their King and country needed them. Most of them joined innocent of what war was, so much so that he gathered all his Sunday school books and took them along with him, expecting he would be going over there to conduct Sunday school classes (laughter). He found it otherwise, and others found it so too.'
'At the beginning of the war there was an enthusiasm of patriotism that went throughout the whole world, none the less in Jamaica. They all joined up and gave their services, answering that almost penetrating appeal - their King and country needed them. Most of them joined innocent of what war was, so much so that he gathered all his Sunday school books and took them along with him, expecting he would be going over there to conduct Sunday school classes (laughter). He found it otherwise, and others found it so too.'
Jim Russell's letters from the war:
from England:
Daily Gleaner, February 18, 1916
LETTER FROM SERGT. RUSSELL.
(From our Correspondent.)
Spanish Town: Thursday. - Every day seems to bring more cheering and reassuring news from our soldier boys in England to their relatives and friends here giving their impressions of the mother country, and its people, etc.
The following are extracts of a letter from platoon Sergt. James N. Russell to his father residing in this town.
"North Camp, B.W.I. Regt.,
No. 10 Platoon
"C" Company,
Seaford.
"My dear father,—By way of commencing this letter, I have to thank you for copy of the "Gleaner" of the 24th which you so thoughtfully sent me, and in which I had the pleasure of seeing and reading extracts, of a previous letter from me to you.
"You can well understand my appreciation of it, not merely on my own account but also for the amount of interest which it created amongst the boys, in Camp who read it.
"I wrote to you some weeks ago, giving you an account of my visit to London, which letter you must have received by this time. In it I think, that among other things I mentioned that I had had the pleasure and high honour of calling on the Lord Mayor. I shall be glad if you will also send me a copy of the paper in which mention thereto is made. By the way, I owe you a grudge for your thoughtlessness in not having sent me a copy of the "Christmas Number" of the "Gleaner", which is as you know, always so interesting and would have been, especially so to me, being so far away from my home.
"By the time this letter shall have reached you, I may be in another part of the world, as this very week we are expecting to receive, "marching orders," but in the meantime you can send all letters and papers to my present address, which will be transported to me, and as soon as I shall have reached my destination, I will soon thereafter advise you accordingly.
"We are preparing for the move, and as you have suggested, it might be Egypt. Nothing has however been intimated to us up to the present moment, so that we really do not know where we will be ordered to.
"I must now close by saying "au revoir" and not good-bye.
"Your affectionate son
JAMES."
"P.S.—By the way I have just learnt that a portion of our fellows will be going off on Thursday, and that we will be going soon after them, so that I will be here for a little while yet say a few weeks or so.
"Wherever I am called to go I shall always endeavour to keep God before me as the supreme object of my life."
Daily Gleaner, February 18, 1916
LETTER FROM SERGT. RUSSELL.
(From our Correspondent.)
Spanish Town: Thursday. - Every day seems to bring more cheering and reassuring news from our soldier boys in England to their relatives and friends here giving their impressions of the mother country, and its people, etc.
The following are extracts of a letter from platoon Sergt. James N. Russell to his father residing in this town.
"North Camp, B.W.I. Regt.,
No. 10 Platoon
"C" Company,
Seaford.
"My dear father,—By way of commencing this letter, I have to thank you for copy of the "Gleaner" of the 24th which you so thoughtfully sent me, and in which I had the pleasure of seeing and reading extracts, of a previous letter from me to you.
"You can well understand my appreciation of it, not merely on my own account but also for the amount of interest which it created amongst the boys, in Camp who read it.
"I wrote to you some weeks ago, giving you an account of my visit to London, which letter you must have received by this time. In it I think, that among other things I mentioned that I had had the pleasure and high honour of calling on the Lord Mayor. I shall be glad if you will also send me a copy of the paper in which mention thereto is made. By the way, I owe you a grudge for your thoughtlessness in not having sent me a copy of the "Christmas Number" of the "Gleaner", which is as you know, always so interesting and would have been, especially so to me, being so far away from my home.
"By the time this letter shall have reached you, I may be in another part of the world, as this very week we are expecting to receive, "marching orders," but in the meantime you can send all letters and papers to my present address, which will be transported to me, and as soon as I shall have reached my destination, I will soon thereafter advise you accordingly.
"We are preparing for the move, and as you have suggested, it might be Egypt. Nothing has however been intimated to us up to the present moment, so that we really do not know where we will be ordered to.
"I must now close by saying "au revoir" and not good-bye.
"Your affectionate son
JAMES."
"P.S.—By the way I have just learnt that a portion of our fellows will be going off on Thursday, and that we will be going soon after them, so that I will be here for a little while yet say a few weeks or so.
"Wherever I am called to go I shall always endeavour to keep God before me as the supreme object of my life."
from Africa:
Daily Gleaner, June 27, 1916
FROM CANON HENDRICK.
THE EDITOR,
Sir,—I enclose a copy of a letter received to-day from sergeant James Russell, who left this Island with the First Jamaica Contingent, and has been in Egypt, It is evident that our men have been ordered off to some place where they will have to fight and we can only hope, and pray, that they will render good service for their King and country. You will observe that the letter is not signed but his name was written outside of the usual service green envelope.
I am, etc.,
S. PURCELL HENDRICK.
The Cathedral Rectory,
Spanish Town,
June 26th, 1916.
THE LETTER.
May 26.
"Dear Canon, - Just a short letter to tell you that we have been ordered off, and when this letter shall have reached you I shall have left my present abode, and no doubt doing my little bit. I will be strong and take courage. You won't hear from me as often as before, but you can be assured that I will never forget you. Remember me to all. "God be with us until we meet again." Pray for us all, and I only hope we will do our bit justified. Au Revolr.
"We will be off now."
Daily Gleaner, June 27, 1916
FROM CANON HENDRICK.
THE EDITOR,
Sir,—I enclose a copy of a letter received to-day from sergeant James Russell, who left this Island with the First Jamaica Contingent, and has been in Egypt, It is evident that our men have been ordered off to some place where they will have to fight and we can only hope, and pray, that they will render good service for their King and country. You will observe that the letter is not signed but his name was written outside of the usual service green envelope.
I am, etc.,
S. PURCELL HENDRICK.
The Cathedral Rectory,
Spanish Town,
June 26th, 1916.
THE LETTER.
May 26.
"Dear Canon, - Just a short letter to tell you that we have been ordered off, and when this letter shall have reached you I shall have left my present abode, and no doubt doing my little bit. I will be strong and take courage. You won't hear from me as often as before, but you can be assured that I will never forget you. Remember me to all. "God be with us until we meet again." Pray for us all, and I only hope we will do our bit justified. Au Revolr.
"We will be off now."
FROM 'SOMEWHERE IN EGYPT'.
Daily Gleaner, August 19, 1916
LETTER FROM EGYPT
From our correspondent.)
Spanish Town, Wednesday,—The following is an extract from a letter just received by Mr. E. M. Russell of this town from his son James Russell of the First British West Indies Contingent at present in Egypt.
Dear Dad,
"I was very glad to get your letter which came to hand with five others and two newspapers constituting the biggest mail I have yet received since I have been here. As you must have seen from my last letter, I was in the trenches. I am back now, however, and going through a "grenadier" course, so I will in a few days time pass out as a "grenadier." It is as you know a very risky and dangerous job, but I will stick it through the help of God. I can assure you it's no fun to throw live bombs or grenades. I will have a lot to tell you when I return home and will be able to give lectures on demolitions etc., and no doubt "bomb" you too. Well, I hope this won't be too sad news to you for I think everything happens for a wise purpose. I am detailed to go to East Africa and ere this letter reaches you I will be off. I am always with Sergt. Joe Lewis and I will feel very much in leaving him, as we have always been together wherever we have gone. He is well and a big Staff Sergt. now. I am glad to see that things are looking up in old Spanish Town. Have me kindly remembered to all friends. Will write you in full on board ship when leaving here in a day's time.
Daily Gleaner, August 19, 1916
LETTER FROM EGYPT
From our correspondent.)
Spanish Town, Wednesday,—The following is an extract from a letter just received by Mr. E. M. Russell of this town from his son James Russell of the First British West Indies Contingent at present in Egypt.
Dear Dad,
"I was very glad to get your letter which came to hand with five others and two newspapers constituting the biggest mail I have yet received since I have been here. As you must have seen from my last letter, I was in the trenches. I am back now, however, and going through a "grenadier" course, so I will in a few days time pass out as a "grenadier." It is as you know a very risky and dangerous job, but I will stick it through the help of God. I can assure you it's no fun to throw live bombs or grenades. I will have a lot to tell you when I return home and will be able to give lectures on demolitions etc., and no doubt "bomb" you too. Well, I hope this won't be too sad news to you for I think everything happens for a wise purpose. I am detailed to go to East Africa and ere this letter reaches you I will be off. I am always with Sergt. Joe Lewis and I will feel very much in leaving him, as we have always been together wherever we have gone. He is well and a big Staff Sergt. now. I am glad to see that things are looking up in old Spanish Town. Have me kindly remembered to all friends. Will write you in full on board ship when leaving here in a day's time.
more from Africa:
Daily Gleaner, August 24, 1916
THE EDITOR,
Sir, - Many persons will no doubt be glad to read the following extracts from a letter received by me from Sergeant J. Russell, who went away with the 1st Jamaica Contingent. His letter is dated 17th July, and written from Egypt.
Yours, etc.,
S. PURCELL HENDRICK.
Catadupa,
23 rd August.
"Since I last wrote I was sent to take a course in bombing, and after a few weeks' training, to-day, I am a first class grenadier, and also came first in the course amongst English regiments. While undergoing my course I was detailed to go along with a party to East Africa. I should have gone a week ago, but will be going soon, and I think ere this letter reaches you I will be there.Our chaplain has had a little church built out there, and it is named "St. Martin in the Desert". I made my communion there on Sunday morning, when I met Dr. Neish, who also attended the service, He enquired of yourself and Spanish Town. Seeing a church built, where we are at present is like a mystery, and I can assure you, it uplifts one. All the boys are well, except Johnson, who is sick in hospital - he is getting better. I always see Fiddles, Ableton, Hall, Aitken, Lewis, Gordon, Clarke and others; also Reid . . . .
Daily Gleaner, August 24, 1916
THE EDITOR,
Sir, - Many persons will no doubt be glad to read the following extracts from a letter received by me from Sergeant J. Russell, who went away with the 1st Jamaica Contingent. His letter is dated 17th July, and written from Egypt.
Yours, etc.,
S. PURCELL HENDRICK.
Catadupa,
23 rd August.
"Since I last wrote I was sent to take a course in bombing, and after a few weeks' training, to-day, I am a first class grenadier, and also came first in the course amongst English regiments. While undergoing my course I was detailed to go along with a party to East Africa. I should have gone a week ago, but will be going soon, and I think ere this letter reaches you I will be there.Our chaplain has had a little church built out there, and it is named "St. Martin in the Desert". I made my communion there on Sunday morning, when I met Dr. Neish, who also attended the service, He enquired of yourself and Spanish Town. Seeing a church built, where we are at present is like a mystery, and I can assure you, it uplifts one. All the boys are well, except Johnson, who is sick in hospital - he is getting better. I always see Fiddles, Ableton, Hall, Aitken, Lewis, Gordon, Clarke and others; also Reid . . . .
Daily Gleaner, January 9, 1918
FROM THE FRONT
Letter from a Jamaican Soldier in German Central Africa.
IN PERILS OF FOREST
Fierce Animals which He has Come in Close Contact with.
(From our Correspondent.)
Spanish Town Saturday - The following are extracts from a letter dated 20th October last, just to hand from Sergt James Russell of the 2nd S Battalion, B W l R now serving with the Expeditionary Forces in German East Africa.
I am at present quite well thank God, and carrying on in the same old way. I am now near one of the largest rivers in German Central Africa, viz. the Rufigi. It's a fine sight to see the river, but oh the dangers that await one in it are great. There are hippopots, rhinos, crocodiles, etc., which are all dangerous and should always be avoided. The skin of a hippopotamus is so exceptionally thick, that a bullet from a rifle could not pierce it. A rhinoceros really does not live in the river, but infests the surrounding forests, and is extremely fierce and cares for nothing.Once you
ARE SEEN BY ONE
it means life or death and that's where one finds his rifle a friend. The crocodiles generally come out on the banks of the river and bask in the sun and are extremely dangerous too as in the event of your getting a fall in a river with crocodiles it would assuredly be all up with you. There is a lot of huge elephants to be seen in the vicinity as also beautiful birds and monkeys. I had a fine, pretty and big chap given to me by a native. It was caught only the day before it was given to me, and so was quite wild. I kept it in chain and tried to tame it, but made very little progress. Having orders to be ready for the "lines", where I am now, however I gave him his freedom again. The lakes around though small are calm and beautiful to behold. I am at present Quartermaster Sergeant pro tem for my company. I have had a good deal of experience in this work, and find no difficulty in getting through it. Our boys have come in contact with the enemy and are doing excellently. We are at present having a go at the Huns who are fast retreating. The general opinion is that this show will soon come to an end. So I will have been spared to see one part of it finished and am constantly praying God asking Him to spare me to return to my home and native land. I am not having too much of a bad time at present thank God but I have been knocking about in the bushes all the while exposed to all dangers but by the hands of Almighty God, have been kept safely.
FROM THE FRONT
Letter from a Jamaican Soldier in German Central Africa.
IN PERILS OF FOREST
Fierce Animals which He has Come in Close Contact with.
(From our Correspondent.)
Spanish Town Saturday - The following are extracts from a letter dated 20th October last, just to hand from Sergt James Russell of the 2nd S Battalion, B W l R now serving with the Expeditionary Forces in German East Africa.
I am at present quite well thank God, and carrying on in the same old way. I am now near one of the largest rivers in German Central Africa, viz. the Rufigi. It's a fine sight to see the river, but oh the dangers that await one in it are great. There are hippopots, rhinos, crocodiles, etc., which are all dangerous and should always be avoided. The skin of a hippopotamus is so exceptionally thick, that a bullet from a rifle could not pierce it. A rhinoceros really does not live in the river, but infests the surrounding forests, and is extremely fierce and cares for nothing.Once you
ARE SEEN BY ONE
it means life or death and that's where one finds his rifle a friend. The crocodiles generally come out on the banks of the river and bask in the sun and are extremely dangerous too as in the event of your getting a fall in a river with crocodiles it would assuredly be all up with you. There is a lot of huge elephants to be seen in the vicinity as also beautiful birds and monkeys. I had a fine, pretty and big chap given to me by a native. It was caught only the day before it was given to me, and so was quite wild. I kept it in chain and tried to tame it, but made very little progress. Having orders to be ready for the "lines", where I am now, however I gave him his freedom again. The lakes around though small are calm and beautiful to behold. I am at present Quartermaster Sergeant pro tem for my company. I have had a good deal of experience in this work, and find no difficulty in getting through it. Our boys have come in contact with the enemy and are doing excellently. We are at present having a go at the Huns who are fast retreating. The general opinion is that this show will soon come to an end. So I will have been spared to see one part of it finished and am constantly praying God asking Him to spare me to return to my home and native land. I am not having too much of a bad time at present thank God but I have been knocking about in the bushes all the while exposed to all dangers but by the hands of Almighty God, have been kept safely.
Many years later a fellow soldier commented on Jim Russell's role in East Africa:
Daily Gleaner, November 1, 1939
The East African Campaign 1916-18
LESLIE O. GABAY, Company Sergeant-Major Late West Indies Regiment
(This section stretched from Mikesse to Madaba, which was a village on the Ruflgi River.)
At Mikesse many promising young Jamaicans died, but this was only the forerunner of what happened a few months later. About forty West Indians were left behind in the military cemetery at Mikesse. For the months I was stationed there, I personally conducted funeral squads on the average of four a day, burying men of all units. With all these depressing outlooks, Mikesse had its compensations. By this time a Y.M.C.A. was established there, and many impromptu concerts were staged so as to relieve the dreadful monotony. Non-commissioned officers like Jim Russell, our now local impresario, and Stanley Holder from St. Lucia rendered INVALUABLE SERVICE
to the troops. By uniting efforts they kept up the spirits of the men. Russell even organised a dare-devil riding class on an old Douglas motor cycle which he resurrected from an old wreck found at our unit headquarters, which was then at Tulo mid-way on the Mikesse-Madana road.
Daily Gleaner, November 1, 1939
The East African Campaign 1916-18
LESLIE O. GABAY, Company Sergeant-Major Late West Indies Regiment
(This section stretched from Mikesse to Madaba, which was a village on the Ruflgi River.)
At Mikesse many promising young Jamaicans died, but this was only the forerunner of what happened a few months later. About forty West Indians were left behind in the military cemetery at Mikesse. For the months I was stationed there, I personally conducted funeral squads on the average of four a day, burying men of all units. With all these depressing outlooks, Mikesse had its compensations. By this time a Y.M.C.A. was established there, and many impromptu concerts were staged so as to relieve the dreadful monotony. Non-commissioned officers like Jim Russell, our now local impresario, and Stanley Holder from St. Lucia rendered INVALUABLE SERVICE
to the troops. By uniting efforts they kept up the spirits of the men. Russell even organised a dare-devil riding class on an old Douglas motor cycle which he resurrected from an old wreck found at our unit headquarters, which was then at Tulo mid-way on the Mikesse-Madana road.
WWI period Douglas motorcycle
In his comments at the 1933 Armistice dinner, Jim Russell gave more glimpses of his War:
'They may say perhaps it was because of his religious views that he named this first but what N. C. O. would not agree with him that that damnable parade slate they had to make up on Sunday was not the worst thing under the sun? (laughter). A man's religion changed every Sunday, simply to suit him to be off parade (laughter) and had that list been checked in the orderly room by the Adjutant he doubted if they would have had that dinner at all (laughter). So much for religion.'
'Mr. Russell went on to tell of a day's march in Africa, at the end of which there was no telling the real colour of any man, every one being white with dust.'
'Another tale was that of a misunderstood message which the Germans got on to. Five hundred B. W. I. R. men were on an Australian vessel bound for German East Africa. The Germans evidently should have been advised (by their informants) B. W. I. R . : on Australian vessel coming; but the message was interpreted to read B. W. I. R. and Australians coming. The result was from the day they set foot on that land they walked for nearly a year and never saw a German (laughter).'
'A shot or two at a tree in which was a number of monkeys, followed by an impressive silence to be broken by the monkeys having a good laugh at himself and his comrades was another story told.'
Daily Gleaner, November 13, 1933
'They may say perhaps it was because of his religious views that he named this first but what N. C. O. would not agree with him that that damnable parade slate they had to make up on Sunday was not the worst thing under the sun? (laughter). A man's religion changed every Sunday, simply to suit him to be off parade (laughter) and had that list been checked in the orderly room by the Adjutant he doubted if they would have had that dinner at all (laughter). So much for religion.'
'Mr. Russell went on to tell of a day's march in Africa, at the end of which there was no telling the real colour of any man, every one being white with dust.'
'Another tale was that of a misunderstood message which the Germans got on to. Five hundred B. W. I. R. men were on an Australian vessel bound for German East Africa. The Germans evidently should have been advised (by their informants) B. W. I. R . : on Australian vessel coming; but the message was interpreted to read B. W. I. R. and Australians coming. The result was from the day they set foot on that land they walked for nearly a year and never saw a German (laughter).'
'A shot or two at a tree in which was a number of monkeys, followed by an impressive silence to be broken by the monkeys having a good laugh at himself and his comrades was another story told.'
Daily Gleaner, November 13, 1933
