Retired Vicar and RAF vet chaplain, saluting this wonderful rendition of Mr. Kennedy's biography.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Thank you for your service

Truly, a man of the cloth who practiced what he preached. He followed his heart and soul to the poorest areas and eventually to the front lines of World War I. I mean he was truly something special, going out to bring back wounded soldiers under fire and going out for supplies. Truly, all of the chaplains deserved the title Royal, the fact that he was a poet inspires me. RIP Woodbine Willie 🙏vaya con Dios y en paz descansen.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

His grave in Worcester is pretty impressive

Great to see a video on this exceptional army padre, most old soldiers of my age, not far off 70,knew of 'Woodbine Willie' but it's great that you are keeping his memory alive, incidently, my grandad, like a lot of old soldiers, smoked Woodbines as a hangover from his service in World War One, I snook one when I was about ten years old and thought I was going to die and when I saw my grandad a few days later, old soldier that he was said, 'I hope one was enough for you', it was.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing that brilliant story about your grandad

@seandobson499

4 ай бұрын

@@TheHistoryChap You are more than welcome and keep the stories coming.

Thanks for this. Never heard of this Reverend before. If only there was many more people like him..... in government especially.

@blacksquirrel4008

6 ай бұрын

And even more in religion

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Thank you for taking the time to watch my video and then also to comment

@johnhudghton3535

6 ай бұрын

They are still around!

What a fantastic man and so sad that he passed away so young I tried woodbine cigarettes as a kid and never again

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

There was a lady who smoked them where I worked as a teenager. She had the huskiest voice, and the most awful rattling laugh!

@cameronbrown9080

6 ай бұрын

@@TheHistoryChap I'm not surprised they are horrible

That was lovely Chris. Thank goodness for men like Woodbine Willie and Theodore Hardy.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching Jen.

Incredibly moving. Why do we not have statues for such as he? The phrase 'they don't make them like him anymore' comes to mind.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Actually, there is a small statue to him in Worcester

@kuchcyk

5 ай бұрын

@@TheHistoryChap tx for the correction, which is very appropriate. So let me change that to ‘more statues’.

Thanks again Chris for a ripper telling. I have seen some brilliant and not so brilliant padres in my military career, when we got our first female padre before I retired. She couldn't work why everyone called he madre! And it got the better of her and visited me in the RAP and asked why she was being called "madre". I explained that a padre was also known as father. The penny dropped. Cheers, love the channel.

@naguerea

6 ай бұрын

Madre , love it, thanks for that.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

That’s a great story Andrew. Glad you enjoyed my channel. If you haven’t already please subscribe or that still sign up for my newsletter at www.thehistorychap.com

love watching the history you put out like this one. Even this man was a chaplin in the army but he was there in the thick of the fighting comforting the troops. And helping them to write letters home and give out the woodbine to the troops. What history this man had and he was so brave and the troops loved him

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Glad you’re enjoying this and other videos. If you haven’t already please make sure you subscribe to my channel so you don’t miss future ones.

A true inspiring gentleman. Thank you Chris

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

My pleasure thanks for watching

What a character ... a person who associated with, empathised with and felt concern for those whom he had responsibility ... and a belief in social justice - tremendous, and thanks for sharing this story :)

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Is my pleasure. I’m glad you enjoyed it.

a true smarten Humble kind and as always there went above and beyond to Help his fellow man in peace and war time ❤ ❤❤❤ thanks for putting this documentary together

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

It was my pleasure to do so, thanks so much for watching

Yes, I know about Woodbine Willy but still one of the more uplifting stories of that terrible war. Thank you Chris.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Thank you for watching

Another brilliant story from you Chris on a brilliant man who was so down to earth yet who championed the plight of ordinary folk and the injustices they went through. Fantastic depiction of a true hero who slipped under the radar as it were but brought to us in your brilliant unique way. Thank you sir.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching and I’m so glad you enjoyed it

Thank you Chris for introducing me to this fascinating gentleman.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

My pleasure, thanks for watching

Thanks again Chris. Another fascinating story. What a generous and unselfish human being.!

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching.

Really moving story of a saintly man. A real example to anyone who hears it. Thankyou for telling it.

@TheHistoryChap

5 ай бұрын

I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment.

Thank you for this video. Studdert Kennedy definitely deserves to be remembered. My grandfather was in the trenches, and had the greatest admiration for him. I still have my grandfather's copy of "The Unutterable Beauty": the collection of his poems. They are worth reading, especially remembering the conditions that inspired them.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

What a wonderful Momento. Thanks for taking the time to share.

What a fascinating man. Thanks for sharing the story of the chaplains, they are often overlooked or mischaracterised

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

Fascinating i worked on the mount st Mary’s school next door to the church which is still there….n we are very friendly ppl up north so I get why he was liked by the lads so much the banters good too👍🏻waste of blood, waste of tears, waste of youths most precious years…great video. Big up from Leeds.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks so much for taking the time to comment

Thanks, Remember my Grandfather taking about this..😢

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Thank you for watching my video. Here’s to your grandfather!

@jayturner3397

6 ай бұрын

@@TheHistoryChap cheers 🍻

Chris great tribute to a real hero. Cheers Ron

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

It’s my pleasure. Thanks so so much for taking the time to watch it.

I can’t really add to the comments here, an absolutely amazing man.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Thank you for taking the time to watch my video and also for taking the time to comment

What a brilliant man. Wilfred Owen wrote something which has stuck with me, Christ is in no man's land. He wasn't for Germany or Britain but for the innocent and for peace.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

That was some great and profound poetry from the first world war

What courage 🙏💪💯🇬🇧 going into no man's land without a weapon, wow, social justice im 65 now as a LONDONER 🇬🇧💯 i remember in the 60s having no bath, an having to visit the bath houses with my dad an brother 🆘⁉️ and the packets of wood bindes, this was 30 years after this GODS MAN fighting for social justice ⚖️ and I was in London 😢😩 it was harder where he came from🆘 He lead by example, gone out of fashion a lot nowadays.. THANKS CHRIS HONOURING THEM THAT LESS WE FORGET... GOD BLESS FELLA🙏💯🇬🇧💪⚖️🕊️

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Thank you both for taking the time to watch my video and then also to comment

Thank you!This is what a chaplain is all about !🇺🇸👍

@TheHistoryChap

5 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for my video. If you haven’t already, please subscribe to my KZread channel

Excellent 👏i walk past his blue plaque in rugby often 🙏👍👏

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

There are several memorials to him in Worcester too

@polmick

6 ай бұрын

@@TheHistoryChap Excellent thanks , until a few years ago i didn’t know much about him but I am glad I do now a remarkable man like most of your subjects 😁👍🙏

Thanks Chris, please keep stories of these forgotten heroes coming

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Will do. Thanks for your support. If you haven’t already, please do subscribe to my channel here on KZread

A Superb watch ..Thank you very much. It was and is, guys like the reverend that put the Great in Britain.

@TheHistoryChap

5 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching

Another piece of history I never knew, I only heard of him from The Divine Comedy and the song Absent Friends.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment.

An amazing story about a man I had never heard of……it makes me feel inadequate. The power of the Lord to enable us maximise our talents is amazing

@TheHistoryChap

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching my video. If you haven’t already, please do subscribe to my channel.

Passed on to my brother, who is a retired Baptist minister living near Worcester.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Many thanks. I hope he enjoys it.

In an age where the tales of real men of faith are pushed aside and buried, I salute you for bringing dry bones to life.

@TheHistoryChap

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching my video and for taking the time to comment

You did him proud, Chris… as your very sensitively crafted & stirringly narrated biographies always do… The lives & noble deeds of such exceptional Men deserve to be remembered, as do the often complex, tragic or glorious episodes in which their deeds of selfless valour stood out. Your very engrossing narrative skills & your obvious empathy for the subjects that you handle, are exceptionally well suited to that task… Long may you continue to ply your craft... It is a very worthy endeavour, & one that informs, inspires, enthrals & entertains - in equal measure.

@TheHistoryChap

2 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching my video & for taking the time to comment.

A great true story, beautifully told. You are a wonderful speaker Chris.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

That’s very kind of you. For more of my history, please sign up for my weekly newsletter at www.thehistorychap.com

What a wonderful man - a truly inspiring story.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

I’m glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching

Thank you so much for all the interesting history lessons. I can't wait for more. Until then, I want to wish you and your family a safe and wonderful Christmas.

@TheHistoryChap

5 ай бұрын

Same to you!

The first picture of this wonderful man looks menacing. Photography of the day did not capture a kind heart. So much more handsome than that photo. I am reminded by a story from my neighbour. Her brother was a Padre and went through Royal Marines training. He was older so expected to drop out. He didn't carry a weapon, so the Royal Marines commissioned a shepherds crook, with exactly the same weight and parts to be dismantled and put together again. As a firearm. Reminds me of this Padre going through his paces.

@TheHistoryChap

5 ай бұрын

Interesting story, thanks for sharing

Fantastic content, thx a lot Chris! I come from a breed of similar protestantic clergymen..All the best Ludwig.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

It would actually be interesting to hear stories of German chaplains in the First World War

Impressive and moving once again! Thank you Chris!

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

My pleasure. Thanks for watching. Have a great weekend.

Brilliant Video about a True Hero!!! Thank You

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it. If you haven’t already, please do subscribe to my channel here on KZread.

A great exemple for all. Thanks for sharing.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching.

Very interesting story as usual enjoy your way of described the events of this very difficult time in our world Blessings

@TheHistoryChap

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching my video and for your support

Brilliant story had heard his name in passing years ago but I didn't know any detail , thank you so much

@TheHistoryChap

5 ай бұрын

My pleasure, thanks so much for watching

That's a proper human being. Proper upbringing. Proper education. And then thrown into battle. No, I'm not tempted to repeat his exploits.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Let’s hope none of us have to

Look at that great picture of our brave happy lads going out to war ,amazing considering what they were heading for though ,this day is a sunny one that is always better ,thanks for another great and informative presentation as usual freind 🤝

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Thank you. The picture shows men of the Worcestershire regiment.

@mickharrison9004

6 ай бұрын

@@TheHistoryChap your welcome freind and thanks for that ,have a merry Xmas 🤝🧑‍🎄

Another fascinating story

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching. I appreciate your support.

A real chaplain with the real character to match, a very brave gentleman who deserves to be known by everyone. Thanks for telling this super story in such a wonderful way. stay well.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for your ongoing support

Great story Chris - excellent presentation too (as always!)

@TheHistoryChap

5 ай бұрын

Thank you kindly!

What a great gentleman RIP

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Thank you for watching my video

Brilliant tale Chris ❤

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment

Nice one Chris ! Another great story well told !

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

Your great work continues well done 👍

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Very kind of you, thanks

Amazing how horrors bring out the greatness in some individuals . And how poetry appears to be a coping mechanism for many WW1 men A really first class tale

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching and for also taking the time to comment

HI , thank you Chris . that was very interesting .... Merry Christmas

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Merry Christmas Simon

Very enjoyable

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for your support.

If I like your stories? I love them! "What you do to one of the least of these, you do to me". Thanks Chris and Merry Christmas❤👍🤟

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for your continuing support and Merry Christmas to you too

good one

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Thanks

Incredible selflessness from one so humble and unassuming. Everyone wants to be a celebrity these days and it shows with their lack of empathy

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

I truly humble man. Thank you for taking the time to contribute.

Gaspers, the perfect name for filter less cigarettes...for the uninitiated. Brought to you by the Chaplain. Honestly, he smoked, boxes, cussed, joked and prayed with and for his men. Can't think of a better epitaph.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

That’s a lovely summary, thanks for taking the time to post it

Great story. They don't make them like that anymore.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

They certainly don’t. Thank you for taking the time to watch my video.

Interesting and inspiring story. Thanks.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

Fascinating. An example to us all.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Thank you for taking the time to comment

Excellent as always. Thank you.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

No, thank you for watching. Merry Christmas.

@rodeastell3615

6 ай бұрын

@@TheHistoryChap And a very Merry Christmas to you too.

excellent

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Thank you! Cheers!

BRILLIANT

@TheHistoryChap

5 ай бұрын

I’m glad you liked it. Thanks for watching.

What a good man!!

@TheHistoryChap

5 ай бұрын

I’m glad you enjoyed learning about him

Wow, what an amazing selfless man of God. I used to distribute New Testament Bibles to Motels/Hotels and individuals. I really loved this story!

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing a little bit about yourself too.

A late uncle would occasionally ask me questions about "Woodbine Willie" after he had told me his real name. I think he was taken with his philanthropy & humanity.

@TheHistoryChap

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing

Very interesting, I have heard of him before, great man. By the way that photo of the men in line going over the top from a trench is one of several photos as they went forward. I have the regiment attributed several times as The Cameronians.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching my video and for taking the time to post your comment

Thank you so much for making a video of an amazing and very brave man who should never be forgotten. I went to King's School, Worcester in the 1950s and no one at the school or the cathedral ever told us about him - disgraceful! I think CofE clergy were not supposed to go into the front lines and I remember my father, of Methodist descent, who fought in WW2 sayhing he respected the Roman Catholic padres a lot more because they did go right up to the front.

@TheHistoryChap

5 ай бұрын

Plenty of CofE clergy went to the front line during World War I

Another great tale that, if not for you, would have sadly passed us by in the mists of time. Strangely enough, my old man was known as "Woodbine Stanley" by his workmates. A brickie, he smoked 40 a day. Fit as a fiddle.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Great story, thanks for sharing

Anyone else have "Sky Pilot" by The Animals running in the back of your mind as you watched this? Some of the bravest in the front lines are the Padres and medics!

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Thanks for taking the time to comment

@davidcarr7436

6 ай бұрын

I know that you're primarily a British military history channel (and a very good one, I might add), but as I'm a Canadian, I would ask if you would do an episode on another Chaplain, a Canadian, from another war, WW2?. I am referring to John Weir Foote VC, who landed with the troops at Dieppe in 1942.

Thank you, a very interesting story. 'Homes fit for Heroes' was at least part of the reason that BRE (formerly the Building Research Establishment was founded) and has for a century provided research and approvals services to the built environment along with some fascinating war work including being part of Barnes Wallis' work for the 'Bouncing Bomb'. Check it out, there are thousands of historical places touched by the work this place has done.

@TheHistoryChap

5 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for taking the time to share. I will definitely look into it.

Darn it, Chris, that story made an old atheist cry. All folk should at least aspire to be like Woodbine Willie.

@TheHistoryChap

5 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for watching my video and for taking the time to comment

Chris sounds like my type of Vicar!

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

A pretty special sort of man

💎❤

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

👍

No way we can talk about people giving out cigarettes in such a positive manner nowadays.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

It’s strange to think that it wasn’t so long ago, that people were smoking on planes!

❤ History Chapter

@TheHistoryChap

2 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching my video

His son was Rector of Godstone in Surrey.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

A very religious family over several generations. Thanks for sharing about his son.

They don't make people like that anymore am afraid..............

@akajasonbourne

6 ай бұрын

Have to disagree with you on that.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Maybe they do they just use their talents elsewhere. Fortunately, we don’t need to send our young people to the killing fields of the Western front.

When I was young many years ago Woodbines were the cheapest cigarettes and were so bad for your health that they were known as coffin nails. Some shops would sell five woodbines and three matches to youngsters. The reason was supposedly that you handed them out to your mates so three matches would be enough.

@Canalcoholic

6 ай бұрын

My dad told me that, when he was a lad, there were vending machines outside cinemas etc. where you could get two ciggies and three matches in a foil roll.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Great story, thanks so much for sharing

"Little Billy WILLIAMS found a penny in the garden, one fine summer day, and as little Billy never had more than a farthing, he said hip hip hooray" So goes the song about little Billy who found a penny and bought, "five little fags in a dainty little packet, five cigarettes that cost 1 d ! five pains underneath his jackets, five wobbles in his little Mary ! Five little whiffs, and in five little jiffs, he was laying on the tramway line, Wishing he could cut the cable, looking greener than the label of little Willie's Wild Woodbines. It goes on , !

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Thank you for taking the time to contribute

Bravo Zulu (Well Done!), again.

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Thank you for watching my video

The same College as Richard Maunsell.

@TheHistoryChap

4 ай бұрын

Thank you for sharing

Dreadful fags, those Woodbines... "gaspers" was a very accurate epithet, they were the first I ever smoked. Thanks goodness I managed to give up... thanks for this great video Chris!

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

I only knew a few people who smoked them, and they were real hard-core smokers!

@george-h

4 ай бұрын

My grandfather was a WW1 veteran (Ox & Bucks LI) invalided out with trench foot. He used to send me out, aged about 8, to fetch his Woodbines from the corner shop each week. And they served me ! Sadly we moved away and I never really got to know him. .Ironically he became a gravedigger, must have had plenty of practice in the trenches.A wonderful generation.

I've read his post war books a true christian socialist in thoughts & deeds. "If finding God in our churches leads to us losing him in our factories, then better we tear down those churches for God must hate the sight of them."

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

I was going to include that quote.

From a letter written in early September 1915 by 2nd Lt. George Butterworth (the composer) - the 13th DLI had quite recently arrived in France: "One of my daily tasks is the censoring of men’s letters ; I have to read them, sign the envelope and then they are franked by the Orderly Room. This becomes irksome after a time, but it is also of great human interest. I don’t think I ever realised the difference between married and single! As to what they say, of course there is very little news - they all seem astonished at finding they can’t understand the language, and they all complain because they can’t get English cigarettes. Any present of these will be welcome, but they must be “Woodbines” (1d. a packet)"

@TheHistoryChap

6 ай бұрын

Very interesting. Thanks for taking the time to share.