WARTIME RELIGIOUS TEXTS
By: David Rilley-Harris, Curator, DITSONG: National Museum of Military History (DNMMH)
Second World War military edition New Testament provided to South African forces by the Gifts and Comforts Fund with the cypher of King George VI.
(Picture: DITSONG: National Museum of Military History).
During times of war, religious texts are provided to the armed forces as a source of comfort and inspiration, especially when the combatants have been conscripted. In Western countries they would typically be provided for all faiths and would include interfaith or non-denominational versions. The example pictured above was provided to South African Second World War soldiers from the Smuts Gifts and Comforts Fund and would have been accompanied by other items from the fund like chocolates and tobacco. In 1940, these special items were distributed as Christmas gifts to the soldiers, providing comfort during their first Christmas away from home.
Measuring 12x8cm, this example (pictured above) is remarkably small. The texts provided were compact and lightweight for the sake of portability in a pocket or in combat gear. Soldiers could even carry their religious texts into battle. The picture below depicts another Second World War New Testament example with a hard thick wooden cover. These examples were designed to survive harsh frontline conditions for the duration of the war. These durable editions are the most numerous in the DITSONG: National Museum of Military History’s collection – a testament to their survivability.
Second World War military edition New Testament with a durable wooden cover.
(Picture: DITSONG: National Museum of Military History).
In many cases, religious texts provided by the military would include special prefaces, dedications and words of encouragement from military and religious leaders associating the religious beliefs of the soldiers with their purpose for risking their lives in the war. The texts could also include a reminder for the soldiers of the home front’s efforts where support institutions would be producing, packaging, paying for, or delivering the items to them. These institutions could be civilian or military run and would often involve the hands-on work of the soldiers’ own relatives and friends. The example below includes a blue stamp from the Women’s Auxiliary Army Service (WAAS). The WAAS was a military umbrella organisation for the many support institutions run by women who were not permitted to take part in combat roles. In South Africa, the South African Women’s Auxiliary Service (SAWAS) was a component of the WAAS which did substantial work for the Gifts and Comforts Fund headed by Issie Smuts, the wife of the South African Prime Minister. The establishment of the WAAS significantly expanded the role of women in war, sometimes close to the combat, and it provided them with the opportunity to prove their capabilities, paving the way for the recruitment of women as combatants.
The example below also shows a message from King George VI for soldiers fighting under the auspices of the British Empire. This was a preface in Second World War religious texts which, was widely used. The message is dated twelve days after Britain declared war on Germany. American military pocket Bibles often included a similar message from President Franklin Roosevelt. The second example below is printed in handwriting adding a more personal flair from South African Prime Minister Jan Smuts and First Lady Issie Smuts. In English and Afrikaans, it reads, “We send you our best wishes for your welfare and our prayers for early victory”.
Second World War military edition New Testament preface.
(Picture: DITSONG: National Museum of Military History).
Second World War military edition New Testament preface.
(Picture: DITSONG: National Museum of Military History).
Another distinction sometimes found in military religious texts is a more aggressive approach with increased attention to propaganda. More prevalent but not exclusively in dictatorships, you might find selective content focusing on messages of comfort, hope, courage, and faith in adversity. More pacifist passages could be excluded. In some examples, wartime themes would be framed or annotated to emphasise patriotism and sacrifice.
A page from a French language New Testament provided by Switzerland to prisoners of war.
(Picture: DITSONG: National Museum of Military History).
The page pictured above is from a French New Testament especially provided by Geneva, Switzerland, for prisoners of war. The stamp reads, “Offered by the Ecumenical Commission for Spiritual Aid to Prisoners of War. 41, Av. de Champel. Geneva (Switzerland)”. This commission or council was founded during the First World War as an early example of interfaith and international collaboration in providing comfort for those affected by war.
These religious texts were provided to prisoners throughout Europe for various religions and in different languages. They often included messages of peace and reconciliation and would emphasise the importance of human dignity to counter the brutality which many prisoners faced, and the cruelty that wars engender.
