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Mouth organs for British troops, 1915
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Mouth organs for British troops, 1915
The British Army on the march with the help of mouth organs, donating in their thousands after an appeal, providing much needed entertainment and morale-boosting melody on marches or while lodged in billets or in dug-outs. Date: 1915
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Media ID 14140490
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
Appeal Boosting Harmonica Instrument Instruments Marches Marching Melody Morale Mouth Organ Organs Tune Tunes Harmonicas
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EDITORS COMMENTS
In the midst of the harsh realities of war, the simple melodies of a mouth organ offered a glimmer of hope and comfort to British soldiers during the First World War. In 1915, an appeal was launched to donate mouth organs to the troops, and the response was overwhelming. Thousands of these small, portable instruments were sent to the front lines, providing much-needed entertainment and morale-boosting melody during long marches or while soldiers were lodged in billets or dug-outs. The use of mouth organs, also known as harmonicas, was not a new phenomenon in the military. Soldiers had been playing them in various conflicts for centuries. But during the First World War, their importance became even more pronounced. With the trench warfare and long periods of waiting, the simple tunes played on these instruments offered a brief respite from the harsh realities of the battlefield. The men of the 1st Great Army marched on, their steps in time with the melodies that floated through the air. The mouth organs became a symbol of camaraderie and unity, as soldiers shared their favorite tunes and learned new ones from their comrades. The instruments also served as a reminder of home, as many soldiers played the songs they knew from their childhood or learned from their families. This powerful image captures the spirit of the soldiers on the march, their faces focused and determined, yet carrying with them a sense of joy and connection through the music of their mouth organs. The appeal to donate these instruments had a profound impact on the morale of the troops, and the simple act of playing a tune on a mouth organ became a cherished memory for many soldiers during the long and difficult years of the First World War.
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