June 1944 - 25 July 1944
The main function of the Education Service during the early stages of the operation was to stimulate and maintain morale by the early dissemination of news. Each formation issued a daily broadsheet compiled by the Staff officer Education, based on the BBC broadcasts and close liaison with the General Staff of their HQ.
The first of these to be published on the Continent was that of 3 British Infantry Division on D+3 and the aim was to get the broadsheets containing the previous day’s news to the front line troops early each morning.
Quite early on there arose a demand for classes in FRENCH and, to a lesser extent, in GERMAN.
The chief difficulty about this was the lack of text books as the entire stock of the FRENCH and GERMAN series allotted to 21 Army Group was destroyed in LONDON by enemy action. Classes were held, however, and glossaries of the more common words and phrases required in daily contact with the FRENCH people were published. In the case of several formations lists of GERMAN technical terms were produced for the benefit of technical units dealing with captured enemy material.
At least two Study Centres were established, one at the Second Army rest camp near ARROMANCHES and the other at OUISTREHAM which functioned in spite of enemy shelling from across the river. In addition to the libraries contained in these study centres, boxes of fifty books, eighty per cent fiction and twenty per cent of a more serious type, were distributed to units on demand and ten thousand Penguin editions were allocated within 21 Army Group.
26 July-26 September
Daily production and delivery of news broadsheets was continued by all formations to keep troops up-to-date with the news, the arrival of newspapers from home having proved erratic during periods of quick movement. The production of these broadsheets, and other activities to supply news to the troops, was the principal function of the educational service at this time.
A small supply of FRENCH and GERMAN “From Scratch” books became available from War Office, together with a limited number of FRENCH and GERMAN dictionaries.
8,000 copies of the ABCA map review “The Western Gates” were reprinted to meet the demand for map reviews.
Early in September, Education branch Second Army published a guide sheet to BRUSSELS which had a very wide distribution. In conjunction with the provost staff, an information room was set up near the Gare du Nord, BRUSSELS.
A Warrant Officer, A.E.C. was in charge and answered enquiries in connection with visits to places of cultural and general interset.
27 September 1944—14 January 1945
The static conditions in the L of C areas made it possible to establish elaborate permanent study centres at LILLE, ROUBAIX, OSTEND, GHENT, BRUGES, ANTWERP and BRUSSELS.
With the assistance of Salvage, who supplied wood and other materials, and of Ordnance, who supplied captured enemy tools, handicraft classes proved very attractive to the troops and of great recreational value.
Classes in modern languages, book-keeping and mathematics were also popular.
At first the supply of text books was quite inadequate and at no time were there sufficient books suitable for advanced students of languages.
In the areas in advance of L of C it was diflicult to maintain elaborate study centres, so during this period education centred around ABCA discussions, debates and lectures from AEC personnel.
At certain formation training schools AEC personnel were attached to the school staff and a special allotment of time was made in the syllabus for educational subjects. AEC personnel also gave individual instruction and help to patients in hospitals and convalescent depots. At RHUs, military prisons and field punishment camps it was found that organised education had a good effect on morale.
During the winter the Education Service sponsored a considerable number of lecturers who spoke on the life and culture of EUROPE and on subjects of sociological and economic interest. The lecturers were supplied from many sources and included distinguished civilians from UK and from the various liberated countries. Education staffs were also usefully employed in connection with formation and unit broadsheets.
15 January 1945 - 8 May 1945
NEWS BROADSHEETS
These continued without interruption and some innovations were introduced, such as weekly sports and athletic supplements.
In certain areas broadsheets were translated into French and posted in the windows of study centres so that local inhabitants could follow the course of the campaign from day to day.
Special editions of many broadsheets were issued on VE day.
STUDY CENTRES
The permanent study centres proved very valuable during this phase, and additional centres were opened in GERMANY, at EMSDETTEN, LUNEBURG and HAMBURG.
Material for information rooms was received regularly from the War Office, and war maps, photographs and ABCA pictorial exhibitions were displayed in the windows of study centres in liberated countries.
Special arrangements were made for talks to former prisoners of war to bring them up-to-date on war news and home affairs.
ABCA
An increase of interest in ABCA by the troops was noted, especially at such units as RHUS, convalescent depots (particularly the ATS convalescent depot) hospitals and military prisons, to each of which AEC instructors were usually attached.
Advantage was taken of ABCA meetings to stress the reasons for the policy of non-fraternisation, and discussions also took place on some of the many problems which the soldier would have to meet on his return to civil life after release from the army.
ORGANISED CLASSES
Marked interest in continental ways of life and culture was shown and language classes were organised wherever conditions were sufficiently static.
Lecturers were made availableby the War Office, either from eminent people who were in the theatre or from the Central Advisory Council’s panel of lecturers for the Wartime Education Scheme.
Voluntary activities in ATS units included language classes, music groups, play-reading, dressmaking and child welfare.
PLANNING FOR ARMY EDUCATION SCHEME (RELEASE PERIOD)
By VE day preparations had been made for the army education scheme for the release period; additional study centres were planned, regimental instructors were trained and courses organised for part-time instructors.
A plan had been made to institute “Formation Colleges” at which advanced education could be taught during the release period, and accommodation for this purpose was earmarked at GOTTINGEN University.
SUPPLY OF BOOKS
Just before VE day 12,000 volumes of serious reading matter were received from the Services Central Book Depot and distributed in libraries of 500 books each.
Static and mobile libraries were, as always, great attractions for all troops.
Whole hearted co-operation was given by the CANADIAN education services in books, instructors, lecturers, attachment of BRITISH students to forestry units, tours and other educational activities.
