On This Day, 5 January 1916

For the next year we will periodically publish extracts of news reports from local newspapers 100 years on. ‘On This Day’ will focus on how the Great War affected the daily lives of Birmingham citizens. All content has been curated by Maeve Scally, History student at the University of Birmingham.

Birmingham Mail

5th January 1916

“PORTENTS OF VICTORY.”
BISHOP OF BIRMINGHAM ON THE WAR OUTLOOK

In his New Year’s letter, which appears in the current number of the “Birmingham Diocesan Magazine” (published by the Midland Educational Co.), the Bishop of Birmingham refers at considerable length to the war, remarking that the portents of victory for the empire and its Allies would appear to be increasingly favourable, though the slightest relaxing of our energies would be fraught, if not with danger of defeat, at any rate with the certainty of a prolongation of the horrors of the time.
“He would be a bold man who would say that even now the whole nation is awake to the full knowledge of the dangers which would follow upon a German victory. There is a mental remoteness, on the part of the many people, which is somewhat painful, whilst the undoubted prosperity of most of our great towne, due to the war, prevents ant strong longing for the end of operations. Still, we are more awake than we have ever been before.   .   .   .”