CUB
ISSUE 552
Issue 552 SECTION GUIDE 2 // Editorial Team 3 // The Editor’s Letter 4 // London 10 // Arts 16 // Music 22 // Features 30 // Film 36 // Style 42 // Photography 44 // Special Thanks
facebook.com/CUBmagazine // @CUBmagazine // www.cubmagazine.co.uk
Editorial Team THOSE THAT HELPED PUT THIS ISSUE TOGETHER EDITOR IN CHIEF: Becky Hipkiss SUB EDITORS: Lauren Cantillon, Isabella Ashford,
Krish Raichura & Veronique Ivory-Johnson ARTS: Laura Maw & David Loumgair
COLUMNISTS: Dandie Debieux & Katie Gill FEATURES: Lucy Sutcliffe, Nour Kobayter & Mattea Todd FILM: Gemma Holt, Laura Staab & Iman Mohamed LONDON: Frankie Brown & Malachy O’Grady MUSIC: Elly Watson, Issie Lofts & Sophie Fordham PHOTOGRAPHY: Emily Gillings-Peck, Olga Kravchenko & Umar Sarwar STYLE: Raifa Rafiq, Lucy Tattersall & Claudia Manca ONLINE MANAGER: Fazal Karimi ONLINE EDITOR: Hannah Najabat-Lattif HEAD OF PR & MARKETING: Alissa Veiga-Pestana PR & MARKETING TEAM: Nicholas Cook, Kripa Gurung,
Maria Kristiansson & Jasmine Ayer
Editor’s Note A WORD FROM THE BOSS This year marks the beginning of the First World War centenary and in honour of this, I decided to dedicate our first issue of the academic year to the three hundred and seventeen East London College students and staff, as it was known then, who served for King and country. In particular we remember the seventy-three lads who never returned home. I was recently directed to the College Archives, and discovered digitalised copies of the East London College magazine from 1914-1919. The propaganda, pride and ‘carry on’ mentality embodied in those pages makes for overwhelming reading. Despite the tales of tragic heroism inside, it made us smile to see the editor’s letter detailing a cut in funding from the Student Council of 1914 (oh, how nothing changes). However, the SU did fund the printing of two hundred and fifty copies to be sent to students and staff in service. A little reminder of home in a place of death and despair. This issue wouldn’t have been possible if it hadn’t have been for the huge support and pledges we received for our Kick-starter campaign. An increase in media outlets and a cut in our funding put CUB’s print future in jeopardy, but thanks to the generosity of those listed on the back page, we were able to produce this dedicated issue. I can never thank you enough for allowing me and my team to continue the amazing work that started over one hundred years ago through a simple college magazine. Issue 552 gives you everything - from debating the meaning of the Remembrance poppy to experiencing the roaring twenties through The Candlelight Club. Read it, enjoy it and remember. Becky x
‘Lest we forget’
ST BENET’S CHAPEL Although we have St Benet’s chaplaincy standing proudly on campus today, it is not the same building that stood there in 1914. After damage by bombs in 1940, the original building (that was not attached directly to the university at the time) was demolished in 1949, but was rebuilt in 1961-2, after the university acquired the site from the Diocese of London. It was built with the characteristic dome roof we now know on campus.
MILE END HOSPITAL After being a workhouse, an infirmary and a nursing school, in 1914 this building became Mile End Military hospital. Its facilities were improved drastically with help from the Royal Army Medical Corps, who took control of the building. The hospital began teaching again from 1924, when it reopened as a midwifery training school, before it became a county hospital again in 1930. Becoming a part of the then new National Health Service in 1948, it has slowly built up its services, and now stands today, as of 2013, as part of the Barts Health Trust.
PEOPLE’S PALACE The People’s Palace has been a long standing part of the Mile End campus of QMUL, however few people know that it was originally not its own building, but was a part of what we know as the Queen’s Building. The building we know now was not erected until 1936. The original People’s Palace, which was opened by Queen Victoria in 1887 and was destroyed by a fire in 1931. The plaque outside the new building notes that the old building “provided facilities for recreation, culture, amusement, sport, training and education for the people of East London.”
MILE END TUBE STATION Mile End station, a staple to the road’s landscape, opened in 1902 by the Whitechapel and Bow Railway, with electrified services beginning in 1905. It did not become linked to the any of the tube lines we know now until 1936, and even then it was originally only linked to the District and Hammersmith and City Line trains, although at that point the latter was part of the Metropolitan line. In 1946, the station became linked to the Central Line, however it was not until 1950 that Mile End station was taken over by the London Underground.
PALLADIUM CINEMA This cinema opened at 370 Mile End Road in April 1914, and was operated by L & B. This cinema was part of the rapid expansion of cinemas in the East End, which was owing to a larger amount of the working class attending the cinema. The cinema was unfortunately closed in 1938, and in 1944, it was demolished. In its place today stands houses: a multitude of home cinemas instead of a public one.
THE NEUVO JEWISH CEMETERY A familiar site to those living on the Mile End Campus, the Novo Cemetery would have looked surprisingly similar to its current self in 1914, although it would have been quite a bit larger. Having stood since 1733, the college did not see reasonable need to expand until the 1940s, when negotiations began to have the larger (and older) part of the cemetery moved to university owned land in Essex.
MILE END, 19 14
LONDON // 5
Ever had a reflective moment in Dixie Chicken and wondered what was there 100 years ago? Frankie Brown, with the help of illustrator Christopher Lindkvist, puts our beloved Mile End under the microscope and explores exactly what was going on in the East End back in 1914...
FRACTIOUS COUSINS, STRIKING SKYLINES
Photos: c/o tinyfroglet / flickr
Wor ds : S ea n Ri ch a r d s o n
history and modernity on top of one another: the old-brick
poets opposing heartless soldiers, the grand and the good
with the new, attempting to move on from its murky history
the differences between England and Germany. We are fed pictures of the valiant few against the war machine, noble
fighting some dark unknown. And somewhere in our history teacher’s half-jumbled, fictitious, imagistic version of events the similarities are lost between us and them.
But the London and Berlin of 1914, and indeed today, are more similar than we are taught; less enemies than fractious cousins with a shared history. The hearts of each city weigh heavy with reminders of the war, even as new blood beats into the long forgotten alleys. At its centre, London mirrors Berlin.
Here, Buckingham Palace sighs over tourists and anaesthetises political views of the monarchy. There, the half-built
Stadtschloss holds a different view of royalty – from the palace
which William II abdicated, to the stronghold largely ignored by Adolf Hitler, to the seat of the German Democratic Republic.
Travelling just a few minutes down the road, Hyde Park
stretches lazily out towards the thick haunches of Marble Arch, a site echoed by Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate. Yet whereas
London’s passage feels flaccid and unnatural, Berlin’s gateway stands in full glory, heading up Alexanderplatz. From both you can catch the tube, London’s grimy, glorious
underground strewn with newspapers or Berlin’s metal snake, swallowing up the rivers that criss-cross the city.
Each city’s skyline is dotted with monuments. London heaps
fortress on Tower Hill in view of the newly erected, glassy heights of Canary Wharf. In contrast Berlin fuses the old
whilst honouring the past. The Reichstag sits heavy and dark, adorned with a glass orb viewing platform, whereas
the Berlin Wall presents a constantly changing Berlin, from oppression to revolution to artistic haven.
Then, as you hit the outskirts of each city, you find the
hipster invasion of both. London’s Tower Hamlets is riddled with cultural history, from the erotically charged violence of the Krays to the new life brought by immigration in the 80s.
Now it is packed to the brim with woolly hats, fisherman’s
jumpers and beards, the thick textures of which cover opinions that run thin on the ground. Berlin’s Kottbusser Torr is arguably better.
Once the home of renegades such as Christopher Isherwood and Marlene Dietrich, modern Berliners carry the torch onwards through a fusion of artistic squats, cannabis culture
and sex shops. Perhaps then, it is time to question our teachers – and our view of two different, but intertwined, cities.
LONDON // 7
Too often in our dusty history lessons are we reminded of
Time Travel and
ABSINTHE. Words: Malachy O’Grady
I hold my hands up, the London section is cheating a little here: The Candlelight Club is 1920s, a little more Gatsby than the First World War, but it’s important to remember that the glory of the Jazz days happened because of the horror of the war. We need to remember that there was light after the dark. At a secret location – you need a ticket to know where – dozens and dozens of candles are lit, champagne corks are popped and musicians tune up. The Candlelight Club is open ladies and gentlemen – drink with caution but dance with none. Everyone loves a good bit of time travel and that is exactly what it feels like when you enter whichever secret location has been chosen for this night. When I first went two years ago, it was in a very Speakeasy kind of place, just off the main road in Islington. There was a candle sat outside a door and the rest of the street was impossibly quiet. I’ll never be a spy in film noir, but that was the closest I got. Now it is a grander affair, a magnificent example of 1920s architecture just near Royal Oak station (although I may
be saying too much in that statement alone). But before the nameless management of The Candlelight Club come for me, here’s a few things as to why you should go and visit their charming and individual establishment. 1920s, the prohibition era, cocktails made from alcohol that have no earthly business being sold anymore. It’s a good job you just time travelled back ninety years. The drinks are bloody strong and you’d do well to go with a friend who can remain sturdy under the heavy intoxication of absinthe, champagne and other such treats on offer. Sadly, my friend and I didn’t know this – and whilst I was sliding along the wall to the exit, she was banging into the candles. The Management knows the level of intoxication their guests are likely to reach, despite it not being compulsory. To be honest you really don’t need any of the cocktails to enjoy the world of the Candlelight Club, with the music and all other delights it can offer. If you are drinking however and realise that sustenance is necessary, they do food too, and whilst it isn’t the cheapest menu in the world, you did just spend
twenty quid on a flapper dress and however much on a suit, so you’re in a splash out kind of mood. You’re likely to find the normal platters of meat, seafood, cheese and then you reach the speciality dishes, ones specifically designed for each event. I still wish I’d gotten two plates of the Irish stew (sexier than it sounds) at the St Patrick’s club. Everything about the place changes each time – both food and the cocktails, and it really is worth going all out any time you go. The place also boasts music that means, regardless of whether you can or can’t, you will dance. It’s the foxtrot and the Charleston and yes, whilst there are a few limber and light-on-their-feet individuals who can dance like they were born to it, you mustn’t let them put you off. As far as a night of escapism goes, I’d pick the Candlelight Club over a night on the town every time.
To find out more about The Candlelight Club, visit their website thecandlelightclub.com to see pictures of previous evenings.
Photo: c/o DIVA007
“After the first glass of absinthe you see things as you wish they were...”
A Woman’s Touch Words: Hari Mountford The phrase ‘World War One Art’ may conjure up gruesome images of bloodstained soldiers in trenches or endless fields of crimson poppies, but I can almost guarantee that the concept of art in the Great War will, to most people, be comprised of males: the men out on the front line and the artists who portrayed these scenes. Women in the field of art at this time seem practically non-existent, but this is not the case: there most certainly were females involved in the art scene at the time of the Great War. It just happens that they are sidelined, over looked and written out of the text books. As the centenary of the First World War is celebrated, surely the women who contributed to the art of the early 1900s should be too? This certainly appears to be the consensus following the Imperial War Museum’s recent exhibition on ‘Women War Artists’, and proves that the issue of females in war art is one which should be brought to the forefront
of commemorations in 2014. It is not surprising that the concept of women being on the front line and witnessing the horrors of war was not considered to be acceptable: in 1916, the government employed fifty-one official war artists, mainly as a means of propaganda and to provide some sort of ‘memorial’, but of the fifty-one war artists commissioned, just four were women (three of whom eventually had their work rejected and the final one declined the commission). Thus no female view of the war was deemed necessary. However, this didn’t stop many females producing ‘unofficial’ depictions of life at the heart of the battle. Nurses who helped the wounded on the front line, as well as the females in the ‘Queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps’ (who had jobs such as cooking and catering, motor vehicle maintenance and driving ambulances) were in a position to witness and subsequently portray the hard facts of war through art. One of these females was Olive Mudie-Cooke, who, in 1916, produced sketches and painted depictions of devastation on the battle-front when in France as a Red
ARTS // 11
Cross Ambulance Driver. Although many of her dark watercolours are blurred and washed, a few quick drawings provide an almost cartoon-like insight an ironic take on destructive events.
Without women producing artwork in the First World War, events on the front line as well as at home in Britain would be skewed, forgotten or misconstrued. Whilst women provided an invaluable contribution in terms of factory work, nursing injured soldiers and driving ambulances, their offerings in terms of art can be deemed equally as important and vital to our understanding of what happened in the war.
Photos: c/o Wikimedia & IWM
Both in art and literature, women’s reports and documentations of civilian experiences proved invaluable contributions. On the home front, life in the factories was depicted by several female artists, as women took over the positions of the men who had been conscripted to the battlefield. One such individual is Flora Lion, whose work Women’s Canteen at Phoenix Works, Bradford documents a typical canteen day for the female workers.
Words: Harry Smith
FIRST WORLD WAR EXHIBITION
THE IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM
The art is vaguely chronologically ordered, and all British. This is another problem with the exhibition: while a British focus is understandable, at points you ache for some sort of European context. Of course, we cannot expect the unabridged story of what was going on in Art at the time, but far too often you feel as though the exhibition is a jigsaw with a whole continent of missing pieces.
Photo: c/o IWM
The pieces we do have make for a tantalising jigsaw. In the first room, Walter Sickert’s The Integrity of Belgium impresses, despite feeling at odds with the paintings it hangs
near: it is a very passive painting, but it sits next to violent, aggressive works. Although it occupies its own wall, its enjoyment is still impacted by its surroundings.
In the central room, and the highlight of the exhibition, is a strong sample of C. R. W. Nevinson’s paintings from the era. Nevinson began making waves at the beginning of the war: his paintings owed a huge debt to his (deeply fascistic) friend and Futurist figurehead Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, who famously stated that “Art, in fact, can be nothing but violence, cruelty and injustice.” The paintings exhibited here represent a key period in his excellent (and perhaps overlooked) body of work that sees him moving through this aggressive Futurism into something a little more accessible. The early A Bursting Shell’ certainly betrays Nevinson’s loyalty to Marinetti’s maxim: there is an immediate violence
in this depiction of the moment a shell explodes, coupled with a psychopathically cold texture. The effect is shocking, and the other paintings from this time - all industrial studies - hold the same power. Nevinson was made Britain’s official war artist in 1917, at which point it is generally agreed that his work lost its immediacy and violence. Some cite the pressure of officialness for this loss, but the subject matter of Nevinson’s paintings at this point shifts from the military-industrial to the group portrait. Where his bold lines suited the former, when added to the latter it becomes a nauseating combination. The injured, lonely, and weak are mechanised, and the viewer is left as affected by their plight as disconnected, as if viewing the longabandoned remnants of a car crash. The exhibition ends with Paul Nash’s 1918 landscape ‘We are Making a New World’, in which a sun rises over an empty, decimated woodland. The hope in the sunrise belies the curator’s incredibly thinly veiled irony: you leave the exhibition, stepping into a museum that is full of the weaponry that was used to kill for the new world Paul Nash said we were making.
ARTS // 13
The Imperial War Museum has tucked their excellent British First World War retrospective onto the right hand side of the third floor of the building. It is accessible via a lift and two eight foot, high frosted glass doors. There are three or four rooms, with room for maybe eight people to comfortably stand together. It is unsettling to find paintings in this museum, amongst the shells and burnt-out aircraft. It conjures up an (inadvertent) sense of looting - or as if the paintings have somehow been coerced into appearance - their backs to the wall in the face of so much heavy artillery.
TANGIBLE
Poetry of the First World War
The losses of the First World War stretched across social and national boundaries and remain constant sceptres in the silent branches of our family trees. It’s easy for us to picture the losses of war statistically and not the experiences of survivors. But in the heartfelt words of the War Poets and their poignant depictions of loss, we find moments of incredible courage and truth. John McCrae laments our fragile, fleeting humanity in the famous In Flanders Fields:
‘Short days ago/ We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow/ Loved and
Photos: c/o Wikipedia
were loved...’ It’s easy to understand McCrae’s fixation on loss in light of wasted potential. Similarly, Brooke’s The Soldier possesses an almost romantic patriotism with ‘hearts at peace, under an English heaven.’ The notion of ‘home’ is our anchor: it’s little wonder that Brooke’s contemporaries clung to its promise amongst terrified chaos, allowing themselves hope of escape.
GRIEF: Words: Chloe Murphy
Survivors often possessed a more marked fury regarding loss than the somewhat quiet acceptance of Brooke and McCrae. Sassoon, whose military bravery led to recommendation for the Victoria Cross, was particularly scathing, dismayed at the fractured shadows of those who returned for only ‘those doom-lit years that wait them’ (Picture Show). Ivor Gurney spoke of the enduring sense of dread when waiting to meet one’s fate.
In Ballad of the Three Spectres, loss is particularly callous:
‘He’ll stay untouched till the war’s last dawning/ Then live one hour of agony.’ Situated outside the male canon are female writers in possession of equally striking and emotive work. Perhaps one of the most poignant poems of the war is Charlotte Mew’s May 1915, which reminds us that loss – despite its cruel fury, despite our grief - is finite, and ultimately submits to hope:
‘Let us remember Spring will come again/ To the scorched, blackened woods, where all the wounded trees/ Wait, with their old wise patience for the heavenly rain.’ The heaviness of displacement is also just as tangible in trench songs like Bombed Last Night, which echoes the horrors of mustard gas from Owen’s Dulce Et Decorum Est: ‘
‘Thank your lucky stars that we can all run fast/ So one of us can take it all alone.’ The War Poets’ significance lies in their ability to collect these songs, the scratched ink of love letters and the battlefield horrors - and transforming them into poetry that transcends into the universal, allowing us to mourn for the lives lost in all periods of war and conflict.
MUSIC HALL & MORALE Words: Issie Lofts The power of music to lift spirits and incite joy in its listeners is something never as prevalent as during times of personal strife. Despite the First World War being a terror that grasped the entire world, the fear could felt on a personal level by everyone whose son, father or husband was sent away to fight in various ways. Communities lost entire generations of men in action during these difficult years, so any happy moments were an important morale booster.
The First World War saw the height of popularity for Music Hall and as war broke out the entertainment focused upon recruitment and propaganda. The aim was to keep spirits high and people enthusiastic about the war effort that had just begun and was promised to soon be over, as long as everyone played their part. Compositions such as ‘Keep the Home Fire’s Burning’ by John McCormack and ‘Your King and Country Want You’ by Paul Rubens were often played as part of an effort to rally patriotic feeling among the country. This patriotic feeling was so strongly felt that Music Halls received some criticism, people feeling that someone need only walk on stage with a British flag for the crowds to go wild. Music Halls were accused of exploiting hysteria in order to make a profit, but what people needed was
Photos: c/o Wikipedia Commons
Music Hall is a form of entertainment that was particularly popular in Britain from 1850 to 1960. It was something that provided the working classes with the chance to escape the grind of a life that had become punctuated with death and fear.
Vesta Tilley and her husband Walter De Frece managed a military recruitment drive, with Tilley even named Britain’s Best Recruiting Sergeant. She dressed up as different characters such as ‘Tommy in the Trench’ and performed songs such ‘The Army of Today’s All Right’, her act including the asking of young men to join the Army on stage. The war effort was one that relied on performances by people such as Vesta Tilley not just to incite enthusiasm, but to keep on actively recruiting people to join the Army. However, the short war that was advertised within the Music Halls and that millions of people lapped up in hope was not to be. When conscription came in during 1916, recruitment songs all but disappeared from the Music Halls of the country as no longer could the tragic human loss that was occurring be encouraged. The mood changed from one of cheering on the war efforts to one of reiterating the need for perseverance and black humour. The song ‘The Tank That Broke The Ranks in Picardy’ by Harry Castling and Fred Leigh tells the story of a German Soldier who mistook a tank for a coffee stall:
“ I’ll have a cup of tea please You can chalk it up to Fritz. The tank then hit him in the parts, And made Fritz do the splits! ” This kind of black humour found in music was common; what was happening was so horrific, yet each person needed some relief from being constantly faced with the realities of a war that no one expected to last so long, nor result in so many deaths. The First World War was a time of tragic human loss and brutal human action, and the role that music played may have been a small one, but it was certainly invaluable.
MUSIC // 17
to feel that the war was something to be proud of fighting - something that should be celebrated and revered rather than feared and resisted.
TIME FOR HEROES! If you walk down a certain alleyway in Bethnal Green, scrawled on a wall, you will find a poem that reads:
“I knew a simple soldier boy, Who grinned at life with empty joy, Slept soundly through the lonesome dark, And whistled early with the lark. In winter trenches, cowed and glum, With crumps and lice and lack of rum, He put a bullet through his brain. No one spoke of him again. You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye Who cheer when soldier lads march by, Sneak home and pray you’ll never know The hell where youth and laughter go” Those of you who know the poem, will recognise it as ‘Suicide In The Trenches’ by renowned the First World War poet,
Siegfried Sassoon. Those of you who know the alley, will probably refer to it using its more common name - ‘Up The Bracket Alley’. It was there that The Libertines recorded their music video to the song ‘Up The Bracket’, and created somewhat of a pilgrimage site for Libertines fans. Although it may seem slightly strange that one of the most famous poems of the First World War has been written as a homage to a band whose lyrics include “Mind your bleedin’ own, you two-bob cunt”, the influence of the war poets is clear to see in a lot of their music. The links to the poets of the First World War in the band’s songwriting can be attributed to the work of Pete Doherty. Although he is arguably most known for dating Kate Moss and loving heroin, Doherty is in fact
Words: Elly Watson
an established poet and often talks about the influence of the war poets on his writing, and especially of his admiration of Sassoon’s ‘Suicide In The Trenches’. In an interview with The Guardian, when asked what appealed to him about the poem, he replied, “It’s like an insurance policy. It may sound quite strange, maybe clinical, but I dunno. When you’ve known the hell where youth and laughter go, sometimes repeating it yourself can…”. He goes on to describe how his father’s job in the army was what began his interest in war, “My old man was in the army and it was just in my blood so strongly. It was like ‘Dad’s in uniform, barbed wire and go off to war’. What passing bells.”. Once you know about Doherty’s interest in the World War One poets, it is easy to see how
MUSIC // 19
In their most triumphant show to date, Doherty and Carl Barat recited ‘Suicide In The Trenches’ in front of sixty thousand people as their sold-out show at Hyde Park drew to a close. After the chaos of the mosh-pit heavy set, it was eerily beautiful to hear the crowd grow quiet listening to words that were written one hundred years ago. It was this moment that not only signified the return of The Libertines, but also the power and resonance that poems of the First World War still have today, often in the most unlikely of places.
Photo: c/o Olga Kravchenko
The Libertines were influenced by them, from their “Blighty”-loving aesthetic to song lyrics such as those of ‘Last Post On The Bugle’.
Music & the Military What role does the Corps of Army Music play? Our main ethos is troop morale support. That is what music is supposed to do… We make people happy in the army. Providing music that the troops have on their iPods is something that’s being pushed at the moment. When I went to Afghan last Christmas we performed with Gary Barlow. When Katherine Jenkins was out there, that was us. We use a lot of basic equipment when we’re out in Afghanistan. It’s called a quick reaction band. Then we do ceremonial things over here like the Changing of the Guard, Trooping the Colour and state funerals and weddings. (He nonchalantly adds) the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge… That was a big thing we did there. What convinced you to become a musician by way of the army? Money is hard to make on the side as a musician and the army offers you a stable job. And I love the green side anyway. The quality of music in the army itself is very, very good. We’ve got guys coming from orchestras from all over the world to join our corps and the tuition is second to none. Patrick Harrild, for example, is the brass tutor. He teaches at Julliard in America but flies back and forth to our academy, whilst playing for the London Symphony Orchestra. What is it like bearing the responsibility of boosting morale at difficult times of the year? When soldiers have been on patrol, they don’t really get time to relax. It’s a very demanding the job they do, so when they come and listen to our music they get to chill out, they get to have a laugh, they get to sing along. They always see the same thing every day, the same routine, and we split that up. I did forty-one gigs on Christmas Day! Some of them disliked it, some of them didn’t want to know about it.
Really? Yeah, some just want to shut off, don’t they? Shut off from the fact that they’re missing family, away from home at that time of year. Your role must feel even more imperative then, to restore a sense of unity in times of distress. Music has always been integral to the Armed Forces’ for that reason, hasn’t it? Music used to be the drums that used to call you into battle. They love the marches in the army; it gives a certain person an identity. If you’re in the Grenadier Guards, as soon as you hear the British Grenadiers, you know. Even if you go to a person who has been there sixty years ago, they still feel that same pride. Music is always going to be an integral part of the army, whether it’s us marching up and down The Mall, or in a rock band… We don’t just boost troop morale, we advertise the army, we publicise it, we recruit people. Do you play at lots of commemorative events? Each year at the cenotaph, we’ll play. This year is huge, obviously. I once got to play at Menen Gate in Belgium… That had that eerie atmosphere. The music there is the atmosphere behind everything, Nimrod always causes a moment to arise […] It’s always heart melting, especially when you play in an area where you know lives have been affected. Remembrance Day is the one day I feel the army truly comes together. And it will come together as a whole, ‘cause everything stops doesn’t it? For that one day. And the one thing that brings that together is, well… music. Jake Dalton is a talented multi-instrumentalist currently playing in the West End production of ‘The Book of Mormon’.
MUSIC // 21
CONFRONTED WITH SUFFERING, FEAR AND DEATH ON A DAILY BASIS, THE ARMED FORCES HAVE ALWAYS PLACED THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC AT THE VERY HEART OF THEIR ETHOS. TODAY, THE CORPS OF ARMY MUSIC IS MADE UP OF TWENTYTWO BANDS THAT SERVE AT HOME AND OVERSEAS. TO FIND OUT MORE, SOPHIE FORDHAM SPOKE TO SOLDIER JAKE DALTON.
Photo: c/o MoD
We have attached our own meaning to the poppy and all have an opinion- the controversial wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the glorification of violent conflicts, or certain political agendas. In its purest form, the poppy was a symbol of respect and commemoration. It is a reminder of what soldiers saw in the fields- their first sign of life in bloodied and scarred land, so why is it that we are now calling for commemorative revolution?
The good little people working on TV wear their poppies at the right time of year, every year, and when they forget someone kindly runs onto the set to thrust it upon their starched collar, so it’s no wonder that dear, sweet Jon Snow calls people out on ‘poppy fascism’ (what a fantastic term). However Jon is only pointing to a small portion of people who perhaps wear the poppy out of obligation, but it isn’t like that for me at least… I cannot speak for all that wear a poppy, but for me the poppy represents a history, an inheritance, and our own ancestors, distant or not so distant and the momentous and bloody sacrifices that were made. Many don’t feel entitled to wear the poppy which is something I respect, however as we commemorate
What is lost in the Jon-Snow-moral-high-ground type debates is that the poppy is not some sort of wool over the eyes trick to justify or promote violence, or in any way mask the government’s political conflicts- it is a charitable appeal which contributes towards the work of the British legion. They provide practical support and advice to Service personnel, past and present, and their families, and spend almost £1.4 million a week delivering health and welfare support. The First World War was believed by many to have been fought in the name of liberty, and lives were literally laid down so we can all experience the autonomy we have (I hear the words of my old history teacher, dear old Mr Twinning in my head here, but how true he was…) and so we could have lives in which we have freedom and choice. Surely that in itself is the reason we can choose not to wear a poppy, but also the reason we would choose to wear a poppy? Everyone is entitled to commemorate the war and the lost lives in their own way, but surely it makes that symbol more powerful and lasting if we all choose the same one? A generation devastated by war selected the poppy as a lasting emblem of reverence and for future pacifism, and who are we to change that? Words: Lucy Sutcliffe
Photo: c/o J. F. Photography
For
the centenary, we have to realise it will be the job, in fact the honour of our generations to ensure that we support the poppy as a sign of remembrance for future generations, to whom the war is an even more difficult reality to comprehend.
The poppy, once a sign of remembrance has become a symbol that glorifies war. Lindsey
German, convenor of the Stop the War Coalition suggested that the current poppy appeals are highly politicised, and said that the 2013 slogan for Remembrance Day ‘shoulder to shoulder with all who serve’ only excuses wars that have no logical justification.
This got me thinking that perhaps the poppy’s
meaning has altered slightly in recent years. Modern remembrance campaigns seem rather
off focus, losing the original values of the poppy and instead misusing the old symbol of peace to
promote violence. ‘Shoulder to shoulder’ suggests
that by wearing a poppy, you are supporting the armed forces and more widely the UK government’s involvement with conflict.
A poppy is usually worn with the best intentions. The money given goes to the British Legion, and it is seen as a reminder of the sacrifice of the armed
forces in war. But through the 20th century the meaning of the poppy has continued to evolve. The symbol was introduced as an act of remembrance,
but is now nothing short of a celebration. Is it
unreasonable to want a symbol that commemorates the loss of life without glorifying war?
for this, but they aren’t widely worn or understood, and so although the message of pacifism is there, it
FEATURES // 23
Against
It could be argued that white poppies were designed is not effective.
During the First World War many soldiers saw themselves as men doing a job, not as heroes. If
we think about much of the poetry written around the time it only highlights the futility of war- this suggests that the poppy was originally a symbol
of mourning rather than a celebration of victory.
The difference between the services then and now is that men were conscripted into the army
during the war, and so fighting was not a choice. Nowadays men can choose whether or not to join the army as a paid occupation. This is perhaps the
most valid reason as to why the poppy should solely commemorate the lives lost during the great wars, and should not be extended to commemorate all soldiers killed in conflict.
The decline of the poppy in modern years suggests that, although it is a traditional mark of respect, it
is out-dated. I mean, we don’t physically need to wear a poppy to remember those whose lives have been claimed by war, do we? Clearly it is not an
inclusive symbol as there is an increasing debate
around the issue. Maybe it is time for us to consider
a new way of paying respect, one that finds a way of remembering the dead without assuming support of all conflict.
Words: Katie Gill
The Poppy Debate
FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD. Words: Mattea Todd When someone asks you to think about food in wartime you’re probably drawn to the rationing in the Second World War. Housewives collecting brown packages from small grocery stores and posters declaring ‘Bread is the key to victory’, while glamorous women in headscarves dig for carrots and rear pigs. The situation in the First World War was similar, if far less extreme. Women were still encouraged not to waste food, and by the end of the war rationing of commodities like sugar and butter were monitored closely. In general, the British population at home was fairly well fed, and for the poorest in society their diets actually improved. But I want to think more about the way food can define an experience. There will be dishes that remind you of home, or an amazing holiday, or your first night at uni. Food can be a comfort, or a trigger that reminds you of things you miss. For the soldiers leaving home in the First World War, there would have been a whole range of fears: the upcoming horror of the trenches and the fear of the unknown. But, as any homesick person will tell you, getting used to new food can sometimes be the hardest part. That’s not to say soldiers then were not well fed. They often had more food than their families back home, not only with
their rations, but money to spend in local restaurants. Soldiers then ate ‘bully beef’, tinned pork and beans, and even had curry prepared by the army chefs on the front line. Soldiers eating ration packs today are given nutritionally balanced, high energy meals designed specifically for eating while out in the field, but you’ll still find staples like beans and stew.
more. We follow many of the propaganda rules set out by the government in war time, ‘waste not want not’ being the biggest one. When you’re buying and cooking for one, fresh food in particular can be hard to afford and keep. But the thing to remember is that with careful budgeting it is possible to eat well, and that you’re not the only person feeling homesick.
My point is that even when the food isn’t bad, the change can be the thing that reminds you of home. I attended a military boarding school for seven years (as my father is in the army), and eating institutional food three times a day, seven days a week, thirty-two weeks of the year… well you get used to it. For the most part, its fine, but if you’re already missing home it can be that trigger that reminds you of home even more. For me, coming to university meant the freedom to eat meals at whatever time I wanted, and to have control over what I ate, but I realise that for most people, coming to university means losing home cooked meals, and introducing themselves to the magic of pot noodles.
Here’s the only vaguely impressive thing I can cook to bribe flatmates with. It is perfect for the waste not mentality as well as being a very cheap cake to make with forgotten bananas. It may not be something that they could have made in the First World War, but if you’re looking for a quick and easy bake to make halls feel more like home, then this is it.
Living off a student budget can sometimes feel like being rationed. Almost everyone has had the dilemma of whether or not to buy value foods - that eternal problem of prioritising eating well or drinking even
My Mum’s Banana Bread: 200g S/R Flour 50g Butter 200g Sugar 1 Egg 3/4 Overripe Bananas (mashed) Nuts/ Raisins (optional) Mix it all together, pour into a loaf tin (they sometimes sell them in Poundland!) and bake at gas mark 4/180 degrees for about an hour.
Photos: c/o Wendy / flickr & Wikimedia Commons
BRITAIN IS BURSTING WITH MEMORIALS, CEREMONIES, EXHIBITIONS & EVENTS REGARDING ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENTS IN EUROPEAN & WORLD HISTORY. NOUR KOBAYTER LOOKS AT THE WAYS IN WHICH OTHER COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD ARE MARKING THIS CENTENARY YEAR
4. GERMANY Reading up on German commemoration of World War One, I happened to come across a debate held between Andreas Meitzner and Andrew Murrison, two of the key players in their respective country’s commemoration. The German stance towards commemorating the war was seemingly more serious; their worries about making the war too “celebratory” have been voiced with smaller amounts of events and expositions. That being said, they did organise an exposition mapping out the development of the consequences of the war right up to the Cold War. However, the exhibition was only twenty-six posters long.
1. USA Across the pond, America has done its fair share of commemorating as well. Despite not hosting any battles during World War One, American involvement was very much present. The World War One Centennial programme running through 2013-19, aims to illustrate American involvement in the war through memorials, exhibitions and events. No actual monuments or museums though... boo.
2. FRANCE France was one of the major stages on which the war was fought, with around four million military deaths by the end of the war. French commemoration had a head start, with the inauguration of Le Musee de la Grande Guerre (The Museum of the Great War) on Armistice Day in 2011. Alongside this, they have organised around fifteen hundred exhibitions and are inviting relatives from thirty-one affected countries to organise marches. A French organisation dedicated to commemorating the War has mapped out a tour around the Somme area to discover the surroundings of one of the bloodiest battles in history.
3. BELGIUM Belgium and World War One are so interlinked, it’s only right for them to go all out: pairing up with the British Royal Family, the Belgian Monarchy toured around significant battle grounds and made a selection of speeches. Not only that, the Royal Museum of the Army and Military History inaugurated an exhibition titled ‘14-18: Its Our History!’ comprising of a collection of historical paraphernalia.
6. AUSTRALIA Running from 2014-2018, Australia’s efforts at commemorating the First World War will emphasise the refurbishment of cemeteries, galleries and pre-established monuments. The government have allocated around $140 million to funding the program, named the Anzac Centenary Program. An impressive event that’s worth pointing out is the Albany Convoy Project, commemorating the first convoy that left to Gallipoli in 2014 carrying Australian soldiers. Through Anzac, Australia and New Zealand are joining forces and rather than having light hearted parties and events, they’re taking the more sombre route.
7. NEW ZEALAND Not only do they have Anzac, but the government are also doing their own thing! The government have teamed up with the New Zealand Defence Force Department of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Culture and Heritage and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to create WW100: a massive project consisting of commemorative events, expositions and parades. They are also planning on creating a National Memorial Park in Wellington in order to help educate and preserve their war heritage. They may be miles away, but hats off to New Zealand for such enthusiasm!
COMMEMORATING THE FIRST WORLD WAR
FEATURES // 27
5. KENYA Formerly part of British East Africa, Kenyan commemoration of World War One started off in August 2014, and will continue throughout the next five years. Although Kenyan involvement in the war is somewhat limited and unheard of, Kenya was an important part of British East Africa and thus German efforts to seize the territory via German East Africa (now Tanzania) resulted in several offences in the country. In fact, the final World War One Battle in British colonial territory happened in Latema and Rianta Hills. The Kenyan government will hold commemorations at these landmarks and have planned to hold several memorial services at popular graves.
We Can
Do It What if I told you that J. Howard Miller’s iconic ‘We Can Do It’ poster, featuring a young woman commonly yet inaccurately referred to as ‘Rosie the Riveter’ flexing her bicep, had nothing to do with Feminism? What if I told you that its purpose was never to encourage women to throw down their dusters and smoothing irons, and do what men could do, but to reserve an army of labour? What if I told you that the First World War did less for women than we’d like to believe?
During the First World War, women were brought in to fulfil male job roles. Women were brought in. Despite it being a hailed as the golden triumph of first-wave Feminism, the influx of women in industry during the War was not a decision made by women. And freedom of choice is the fundamental fibre of Feminism, lest we forget. It seems obtuse, offensive even, to criticise the working conditions women were subject to during the War, when we think of dark, labyrinthine trenches, saturated with blood, and strewn with pieces of the people we would have loved. But then again, we cannot overlook an experience because we are afraid it might compromise the validity of another. To supply front line demands, twelve to fourteen hour shifts became commonplace, as did eleven to twelve consecutive days work. A woman was paid as little as
Words: Dandie Debieux half as much as a man would have been paid in the same position. Although the Sex Disqualification Act of 1919 made it illegal for employers to discriminate on the grounds of gender, there was no miraculous eradication of sexism and gender inequality, as the Gove curriculum would have us believe. When troops came home, women went home. And the protest for workplace equality began. And so it continues.
Despite the extortionate uptake of women in engineering roles during the First World War, only 6% of the UK engineering workforce is female today. Women account for less than 7% percent of senior executive roles in the FTSE 100, where there are only four female chief executives, and two of the companies in the FTSE still have all male board. Less than 20% of MP’s are female, and only one, in all of British political history, ever became Prime Minister. The message is in the numbers: do well, but not too well, now.
And this inequality does not manifest itself exclusively in the fibre of the glass ceiling. The sexual harassment that women experience every day is not inhibited by workplace walls, and still, half of all working women in the UK report that they have been subjected
to groping, leering and catcalling in their place of employment, the likes of which is often dismissed as ‘banter.’
Media outlets such as The Telegraph, The Daily Mail and, my personal favourite, Fox News, who talk about successful women in a way that encourages us all to dismiss their professionalism, do certainly not alleviate this statistic. George Clooney recently married Amul Alamuddin, a highly successful barrister, activist and author, who specialises in international and human rights law. Funnily enough, the tabloids were not even slightly interested in Alamuddin’s professional accomplishments. What they were interested in, and what underwent weeks of speculation, was what wedding dress she would be wearing, and what she was going to look like wearing it. Thankfully everybody, The Daily Mail approved of Alamuddin’s choice, as she wed Clooney, ‘the world’s most eligible bachelor.’ A hundred years have passed since the First World War, but proportionally, workplace equality has not come as far as it should. J. Howard Miller’s poster girl may well represent an inaccurate hallmark of Feminist accomplishment, but there is no reason why its message cannot be taken, and applied to our ongoing pursuit of gender equality. Come on everybody, we can do it.
The Sentry Star Over the past century, the war film has not only come into being as a genre of its own, but the actors of the genre have additionally come to be known as ‘war film stars’. With celebrity culture still in its infancy in 1914, the faces of the screen during the First World War were non-surprisingly neither stars, nor producing films which thematically reflected the war, and yet it is these actors who have left a cinematic legacy beyond the success of the twenty-first century war film star.
The faces of film at the start of the First World War were notably silent comedians, disassociated from war altogether. Cinema in London in 1914 is consequently and unavoidably synonymous with the debut of Charlie Chaplin’s trademark ‘Little Tramp’ character, with his undersized moustache and bowler hat. As a popular form of entertainment, the cinema not only established the actors as recognisable personalities, but brought humour into a reality of disarray and anxiety.
Photo: c/o Wikimedia Commons
Words: Gemma Holt
It can be considered that the camaraderie demonstrated by film stars entering the war, is, in part, the dual image which modern war actors attempt to emulate in their characterisations and the image between which they are caught. They are actors portraying soldiers and yet historically some of these soldiers were once in actual fact, actors. The paradox between stars of the war and modern war film stars therefore only finds common ground when establishing that neither truly concern the war, but rather an emulation of life before and beyond themselves. American AMC Networks names Mel Gibson, Bruce Willis and Clint Eastwood in their list of ‘Veteran War-Movie Actors’, and while the three leading men have a strong consolidated war filmography, even they, in 2014, feel part of an outdated paradigm. It would appear that contemporary war films have turned to actors established beyond the war epic or action film, in a cyclic return to the on-screen personalities of Chaplin and the First World War actors. Popular contemporary stars including Tom Hanks (Saving Private Ryan, 1998), Ben Affleck (Pearl Harbor, 2001), James McAvoy (Atonement, 2007), Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker, 2008) and Jeremy Irvine
(War Horse, 2011), establish a recent trend in which the ‘war film star’ is no longer a synonymous identity of genre, but a genre of actors; one star in a one-off war film.
While the continuity of actors in multiple war films has shown a decline, the demand for war films has certainly not diminished, with over one hundred English-speaking war films having been released so far this year, including: Fury, The Imitation Game, ’71, The Monument’s Men, I am Solider, and Jarhead 2. This disappearance of the war film star therefore suggests that audiences are not only demanding innovation in the narratives of war epics, but also a diversity in the actors chosen to tell them. This is a power which audiences of 1914 had yet to capture. In remembrance of the First World War there is an inclination to watch war films to stimulate a sympathetic understanding of history. As the true stars of war have been established however, that is, actors during the First World War, even films portraying the war are artificial in that they remain only a representation. The ‘Sentry Star’ subsequently encourages audiences to go directly to archives and view films made by actors in 1914, laughing at their humour, rather than crying at the modern dramatic depiction. In the century since the First World War, the war star, here renamed The Sentry Star, is ultimately therefore the film star during the war - not the star of war films. It may take a while however to see the combat helmet replaced by bowler hats.
FILM // 31
It is only retrospectively that film is able to offer a historical perspective and subsequently the introduction of the ‘war film star’ and the war film as a genre was not fully realised until 1930, with All Quiet on the Western Front and Hell’s Angels, earning big breaks for Lew Ayres and Jean Harlow, respectively. With the start of the Second World War, the film industry was once again disrupted, this time seeing the stars themselves enter the war.
The Legacy of Propaganda Many methods of propaganda were utilised by the British government during the First World War but none so new and experimental as film. Far from a respected form of art in its rudimentary years, film was generally considered as low-brow by the affluent, theatre-going members of society. This meant that film was not immediately utilised to its full potential as a tool of persuasion alongside the likes of print, with Britain actually being much slower on the uptake compared to Germany. However, it was hard to ignore the size and variety of the potential audience that could be reached in the exploitation of the cinema for propagandist means, and during the few years of the First World War many techniques of propaganda in film were crafted and honed. This set the stage for years to come. 1916 saw the arrival of the film ‘Battle of the Somme’. At over seventy minutes long, the film documented real life scenes of soldiers both in preparation for battle and the preliminary days of combat. Disadvantaged by our desensitisation to scenes of large-scale death and violence in modern day cinema, it is challenging to imagine what such footage would have meant to its contemporary audience. ‘Battle of the Somme’ brought the reality of trench warfare alive for its viewers in a way that print media could not. Government propagandists were extremely keen that the film reached rural audiences from across the UK, and invested in the use of mobile cinemas, accessing a hundred and fifty thousand
Words: Harriet Clugston
people per week. Around twenty million people (or half the population), saw ‘The Somme’ within the first six weeks of its release - a staggeringly unprecedented figure. Also in 1916 came ‘For the Empire’, a patriotic short promoting war savings amongst British citizens. The historian Neil Oliver has examined how the precedents set in First World War propaganda can still be seen in use in marketing today. Just as, for instance, anti-smoking groups frequently use evocative images of youngsters to tap into people’s natural fear of dangers to their own children, ‘For the Empire’ features a bereaved mother remembering her now-deceased son as a child, playing innocently with toy soldiers. One of the most effectively persuasive techniques developed in such propaganda was the promotion of an ‘all-in-it-together’ attitude. This was utilised in ‘For the Empire’ through the depiction of several families reading the names of their sons on the honour roll, all of wildly different material circumstances, yet sharing the same grief. “Our sons are dying”, the film tries to tell its audience, “Our country needs our help”. During a time when Charlie Chaplin had a near monopoly at the box office, it would be fair to say that the war years paved the way for cinema as a serious art form and an enduringly powerful tool for the influencing of mass sentiment.
Words: Iman Mohamed
A century ago, the film industry was an exciting and new venture in Britain, and cinemas were beginning to pop up all over the country. Whether they were showing newsreels, footage from the war, or the latest comedy, the onset of war certainly propelled the culture of cinema-going irreversibly.
Cinemas and Picture Houses in London:
Cinema as Therapy and Distraction:
In 1909, the Cinematograph Act was passed, the first parliamentary legislation that directly sought to regulate the UK film industry. What triggered the act was the lack of safety in film exhibitions, which had previously taken place in venues such as music halls and privately converted spaces. Because film at the time was made from highly flammable materials, the lack of control in these venues posed a potentially fatal safety hazard. The act therefore outlined very strict rules in regards to the ways in which equipment was built, such as all the projectors had to be enclosed by fire-resistant materials. To make sure this was done, routine regulations began taking place in all licenced cinemas.
“There has been a change in the type of film demanded by audiences…The quiet film, the placid story, does not appeal at the moment to people whose nerves are jangled and strained by worry and loss.” F.R. Goodwin, (Chairman of the Cinematograph Exhibitors’ Association), 1917.
Because of this, the causal venues in which films were shown started to dwindle, and big cinemas began taking their place at the turn of the 1910s. One of these cinemas is the Phoenix Cinema in East Finchley. It was built in 1910 and open for business in 1912 as The East Finchley Picturedome - at over one hundred years old, it is one of the oldest purpose-built cinemas in the UK.
By the start of the war in 1914, cinema audiences became more withdrawn from films depicting heavy subject matters .At a time when compliance to moral codes of conduct was of upmost importance, comic films were seen as the best option for the public, as they were not as ‘indecent’ as films depicting sex or criminality. Additionally, comic films were also praised for their therapeutic properties for a society otherwise plagued by the distress of battle. The public was encouraged to make a habit of attending the cinemas regularly as a form of temporary relaxation. Comedy films were seen to have the ability to boost the morale of the people, and were even shown to soldiers as a means of encouragement.
Photo: c/o ICH / flickr
Therefore, the time surrounding the First World War was not only a period in which the venues and equipment used by the film industry became refined, but also a time when cinema culture truly began to blossom, and make its way into the lives of the British public.
FILM // 33
Experiencing the Cinema: 19 14-19 18
DAS WEIßE BAND While on the surface a tale of one small community in rural Germany in the months before the First World War, Michael Haneke’s Das weiße Band (English title: The White Ribbon) is a parable applicable to all societal structures; despite the presence of patriarchy and Protestantism, and the coming tragedy, the story is not specific to place, nor time. In this village of seemingly ordinary individuals, atrocities are committed akin to others in the Austrian filmmaker’s so-called ‘extreme cinema’. Yet – in contrast to some of those infamous instances – the relentless pattern of brutality that develops is entirely anonymous. This narrative silence does not soften the innumerable terrors of Das weiße Band; the technique is not employed to spare the viewer any pain. Rather, as we are conditioned to the (full dis)closure of mainstream narrative cinema, an absence of this creates scenes of inexorable distress. Such subtlety is a signature feature in Haneke’s later films (Caché and Amour included). The invisible
nature of Das weiße Band’s evil is echoed in the director’s decision to siphon the picture of all colour in post-production – an appropriately eerie emptiness remains in the black-and-white result. Despite the fact that neither the First World War, nor the Second, are the direct concern of Das weiße Band, the children – who come to be suspected of the various crimes that occur – will experience the storminess of adolescence in the former, and will be accountable adults in the latter. Additionally, there is some illusion in the titular white ribbon (used by one father to mark, and thus shame, his children who have misbehaved – in their small and juvenile ways) to the yellow star (used to mark the Jewish peoples under Nazi rule). A faith in God – still so ubiquitous in the pre-war and early-war years – is illustrated in a poignant and quietly devastating way, when one child scales a great height to ‘give God a chance to
FILM // 35
It is otherwise only distantly and discreetly connected to both wars; in the discussed ellipses, those inserted with such hushed purpose by the auteur, there is a universality into which many situations may fall. Nonetheless, it is interesting that in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Haneke stated that the idea of a motion picture about Auschwitz was ‘impossible’, and pointed to Alain Resnais’ Nuit et brouillard as the sole ‘responsible’ film to take the Holocaust as its subject. Owing to Haneke’s awareness of the problematic nature of ‘entertainment’ – in any definition – which borrows from lived suffering, it seems conceivable that ‘responsible’ may be similarly
ascribed to Das weiße Band. His removed fiction enables him to contemplate difficult ethical issues without engendering distaste (the possibility of which, in other forms and other films, he is certainly not adverse). And, in his refusal to be responsible for any definite answers to these complex questions, he is surely – even if somewhat paradoxically – a most responsible filmmaker.
Das weiße Band was a just winner of the Palme d’Or for Best Film at the Cannes festival in 2009, and in terms of cinema related to the First W World War, it is among the most affecting I have seen. Indeed, Haneke’s own ‘war film’ is a must; unforgettable in itself, it reminds us – at this time of remembrance, the current centenary – that evil has to start somewhere, that it can come unexpectedly, and inexplicably, from nowhere. Words: Laura Staab
Photos: c/o Ruthless Culture
kill him.’ (‘He didn’t do it,’ the boy explains, ‘That means he’s pleased with me.’) However, it is the overwhelmingly futility of the film’s violence, that is most indisputably resonant with the World Wars – and, the First World War in particular.
Make Do & Mend Words: Lucy Tattersall
Although better known from the Second World War, the Make Do & Mend movement got its start during the First World War. With factories given over to the War Ministry, the normal manufacturing industries were unable to meet their usual demand, which resulted in Britain facing a shortage of all sorts of products. Whilst today we live in a world where clothes are readily available to us, they come at a cost! For us students on tight budgets, rationing is something not too far away from what we are used to, and so the Style section here at CUB bring to you three great ideas for ways in which you can ‘make do and mend’ in true wartime style, giving old clothes a face lift without having to spend a fortune!
TURN OLD JEANS INTO SHORTS A pair of old jeans can easily be made into shorts with the help of a good pair of fabric scissors. Simply try on your jeans to decide on a desired short length and mark this with a pin. With the jeans off, decide on whether you want a frayed short – the denim will naturally fray once cut, and if this is something you don’t wish to achieve then add an extra inch to the length for the hem. Using a ruler, draw a cut line and ensure that each line is equal on both legs. Then, using scissors cut the jeans along the lines. If you wish to achieve frayed shorts then you can leave the denim to fray naturally, or alternatively you can roll up the extra length of the shorts to create a cuff. Now you’re ready to wear your new shorts having not spent a dime!
EASY LUMINOUS FOUNDATION Wouldn’t we all love an extra £33 to spend on a Bobbi Brown luminous foundation? Well fear not, the sun kissed natural glow given by wearing a luminous foundation can be easily achieved without having to break the bank. Take a highlighting powder with a slight shimmer, crush and then mix with your regular foundation to create a dewy flawless finish.
Old laddered tights need not be thrown in the bin. In fact the legs of the tights can be made into headbands that are perfect for keeping your hair off your face when you’re at the gym. Take one of the legs of the tights and simply wrap it around your head for perfect fit, tying twice to ensure it remains in place. Using scissors cut off the remainder of the tights, being sure not to cut your hair off in the process. Make sure to utilise each leg to create two headbands and if you’re feeling a little more creative, sewing on a bow or gluing on extra sparkles can jazz up these DIY headbands.
Photo: c/o Wikimedia
TURN OLD TIGHTS INTO HEADBANDS
THE ART OF WAR Words: Claudia Manca
War is traditionally associated with masculinity. Men were involved in the battlefield and so the transition of elements of the on duty military look to the everyday wardrobe should not come as a surprise. Technical apparel, utility trousers with pockets and zips, boots, and of course the trench coat, are all fundamental items that give the impression of practicality and movement. In the recent round of Menswear shows, Alexander Wang encapsulated this in his S/S ‘15 collection. His
With war comes revolution and the Comme des Garçons Menswear S/S ‘15 collection stepped away from the pack with attitude. The final looks of Rei Kawakubo’s collection are key, with outfits of navy and khaki military short suits with ‘Soldier of Peace’ and ‘Peace, Love, Empathy’ graffitied on top. Kawakubo uses her clothes to send a message of peace - a particularly striking one when daubed over the top of brass-buttoned khaki. As it impacted on men’s wardrobes, it was obvious that the First World War would also change women’s fashion. Jackets and suits became more tailored, the hemlines were higher as a measure of strict fabric
COMME DES GARÇONS S/S ‘15
designs are an expression of a modern reinterpretation of a classic view of war, whilst also being practical and wearable. This shows that functional clothing can be both innovative in fabrics and fashionable in aesthetics.
ALEXANDER WANG S/S ‘15
The relevance of fashion has always been critiqued, its presence deemed as superfluous and frivolous. Although this popular opinion is open for debate, we cannot deny that fashion, as a cultural expression, is interwoven with social and political changes. And so in what manner can we find elements of the First World War in contemporary male and female wardrobes?
STYLE // 39
Among these versions of military apparel, there is one fashion house
With fashion designers and consumers reluctant to abandon the style, military clothing is seemingly alive and here to stay as the urban uniform of choice. Despite having roots in conflict, the clothes of wartime have been successfully adapted to our everyday lives, serving as a reminder to what was lost in the world - something different to think about the next time you slip your hands inside your trench coat.
COMME DES GARÇONS S/S ‘15
In his S/S ‘15 Womenswear collection, Marc Jacobs fused military sartorial choices with the glamour of the metropolitan world. The trench coat loses its classical shape; no sleeves in favour of a length echoing a skater dress. The designer himself stated how “military clothes are part of the fashion vernacular now” and we do not disagree with him. The question perhaps is whether looks imported from war should be so glossy and embellished.
eponymous with military style Burberry. Its aesthetics embrace different aspects inherited from the clothes of the First World War, highlighted by the trademark and iconic piece that is the Burberry trench coat. Perhaps the success behind this is due to the elegant manner in which men and women are dressed and presented; a memory of a more elegant time in style.
MARC JACOBS S/S ‘15
rationing and pockets appeared for the purposes of functionality. The fact that men joined the services enabled women to claim a more active role in society, and with this the need for more practical clothes. As women became more emancipated so did their wardrobe, something that designers today still draw inspiration from.
ENTREPRENEUR, INNOVATOR, WOMAN. Coco Chanel Words: Raifa Rafiq
Fashion houses are constantly born but only the truly ingenious remain, often with the most fascinating stories to tell. As one of the most respected labels of the fashion world, Chanel falls into this category. Put simply, Chanel is the story of a woman who has enabled femininity to stand alongside man on the same pedestal. I speak of none other than the French designer, entrepreneur and innovator known as Coco Chanel, born Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel. Though most consider the birth of Coco’s designs to have started after the First World War, it was in fact during wartime when Chanel was truly conceived. In 1912, Chanel opened her first boutique where she premiered casual clothes ideal for both leisure and game. In her designs she gave birth to a woman of subtle luxury whilst using
STYLE // 41
fabrics such as jersey - a fabric known for men’s underwear. In doing so, Coco enabled femininity to be carved from the very fabric that sculpted man. She was the first woman in her time to use this fabric, a material that was plain, practical and most importantly comfortable - the complete antithesis to the flashy and excessive outfits that women were used to wearing. As expensive fabric was also in short supply during First World War, jersey was a conscious choice of necessity as well as style. With an ambition to cement herself as an entrepreneur, and determination to build on her success, Coco Chanel opened up her next boutique in Biarritz. It proved a smart move, as it was not only the home of wealthy Italian aristocrats, but also had a status of
neutrality during the war. This enabled her business to flourish so as to give her the funds to acquire the current home of Chanel at 31 Rue Cambon, Paris.
scent with her name on it, with Chanel No.5 arguably the most well-known perfume around the globe - reportedly ten million bottles of it are sold annually.
This entrepreneurial spirit was a major aspect of Chanel’s ongoing success, but it was her truly innovative outlook that really enabled the brand to be where it is today.
Finally, the infamous Chanel tweed suit is a testament to time, continuing to appeal as a representation of the sophistication and allure surrounding the house of Chanel. It was the perfect garment for the post-war woman wanting to build a career in a male dominated workplace and it remains a part of the modern woman wanting all that life has to offer.
Many aspects of fashion that we take for granted were either first introduced by Chanel or accelerated in popularity by her. She introduced staple pieces in every woman’s wardrobe, such as the little black dress. She declared that the eclectic colours her peers wore simply made her ‘feel ill’, and stated that, ‘these women, I’m bloody well going to dress them in black’. Chanel was the first designer to introduce a branded
In the hands of Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel has neither lost the elegance nor vivacity with which Gabrielle built the line to be a continuing bastion of style. Photo: c/o Wikimedia Commons
The
Tower
Remembers To mark the centenary anniversary of the First World War, the Tower of London is creating an evolving art installation “Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red”. Formed of 888,246 ceramic poppies by artist Paul Cummins, with setting by stage designer Tom Piper, each poppy represents a British military fatality during the war. The installation was officially unveiled on 5 August 2014, one hundred years since the first full day of Britain’s involvement in the First World War and will be in place until 11 November 2014.
Photos: c/o Amanda Slater
Special Thanks Without your support, this print issue simply wouldn’t have happened. Steph Allock, Isabella Ashford, Jasmine Ayer, Hannah Ballard, Michael Barraclough, Grace Bass, Leah Bilson, Brenda Brailey, Colette Brailey, George Brailey, Lucy Brailey, Stephen Brailey, Frankie Brown, Grace Cameron, David Cantillon, Jill Cantillon, Lauren Cantillon, Nicholas Cleeve, Tom Coles, Georgia Conlon, Sophia Dass, Dandie Debieux, Rob Ellis, James Emmott, Sophie Fordham, Katie Gill, Emily Gillings-Peck, Kripa Gurung, Becky Hipkiss, Diane Hipkiss, Megan Hipkiss, Ste Hipkiss, Kit Heighway, Gemma Holt, Bobbie Johnson, Ciara Judge, Tashina Keller, Nour Kobayter, Olga Kravchenko, Maria Kristiansson, Hattie Long, David Macintosh Loumgair, Claudia Manca, Vicky Marshment, Anna Matheson, Laura Maw, Bethan McAulay, Robyn Mealor, Iman Mohamed, Belphoebe New, Malachy O’Grady, Jenny Pastakia, Bethany Peers, Alissa Pestana, Sarah Pestana, Sarah Pinder, Raifa Rafiq, Krish Raichura, Umar Sarwar, Jayne Scott, Caroline Smith, Laura Staab, Andrew Tattersall, Ben Tattersall, Lucy Tattersall, Kumari Tilakawardane, Adam Tinworth, Mattea Todd & Leigh Whitlie
U N I O N
O N
T O U R
Every week the Union’s four elected Executive Officers go on tour to you to hear what you think about your course, the University, the Union and what you think needs to be improved.
C O M E 2 4
O C T
Arts 1 Foyer
0 5
N O V
The Griff Inn
1 4
C H A T
N O V
Francis Bancroft
W I T H 2 5
N O V
Fogg Foyer
U S 0 9
D E C
Mile End Library
1 6
D E C
The Griff Inn