Called by many different names, the chaplain remains a fixture of nearly all the world’s
militaries. With the global upheaval in military doctrine during the First World War, chaplains
transformed from stuffy old codgers preoccupied with instilling high moral standards into
cheerful chaps who would bend every regulation in the book just to brighten a soldier’s
day. During the Second World War, these men of faith were thrust into hellish situations,
but they rose to the challenge. In this video, we shed light on these unsung heroes.
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Chaplains, just like the faiths they practised and represented, had varied roles alongside
the fighting men of the Second World War. The German military had a long history of
appointing Catholic chaplains to minister in war camps as well as field Rabbis who served
shoulder-to-shoulder with soldiers on the frontline. During combat, these field Rabbis
worked as medics and stretcher-bearers and heard the final prayers of the dying.
When Hitler came to power and framed the Jews as the scapegoat for Germany’s problems,
field Rabbis were no longer welcome in the Wehrmacht. Similarly, the role of Christian
chaplains was heavily constrained, though some were allowed. Military chaplains were
prestigious in the overwhelmingly- Christian Germany, and they retained their prestige
despite the Nazi Party’s support of Paganism.
In the Soviet Union, chaplains were barred from serving in the military and were generally
persecuted due to Marxist-Leninism’s fundamental opposition to religion. Despite this, some
found their way to the front and ministered to the dying, though this was actively discouraged
by political officers.
It was in the United States and Commonwealth forces that chaplains were the most active.
They couldn’t be conscripted, so all were volunteers. They wore officers’ uniforms
but with special insignia marking them out. In the military hierarchy, a chaplain’s
rank became equivalent to whoever he was speaking to at the time, meaning he could talk to a
private, sergeant major, or general on their level and without stuffy formality. Officially,
chaplains were meant to be called “Sir,” but most hated this and preferred nicknames
or simply “padre.” Solidified during the Second World War, these traditions continue
today.
A chaplain’s job description stated he was there to look after the men’s spiritual
wellbeing and provide religious services, but none stuck rigorously to this. Their unique
position outside the chain of command meant that, technically, no one could reprimand
a chaplain except a more senior one, and this was very rare. Consequently, chaplains became
known, and are still known, as the biggest rule-benders, and sometimes rule-breakers,
in Commonwealth militaries. Chaplains regularly used their networks to acquire extra food
for soldiers at the front or a few luxuries from back home, going above and beyond to
improve morale.
Even though they wore military uniforms, chaplains were not considered enemy combatants under
the Geneva Conventions. They were also discouraged from carrying weapons, but many carried pistols
for self-defence; it’s unlikely these were ever used, though. Chaplains could also not
be taken as Prisoners-Of-War. If a chaplain was captured, he had to be returned home by
the enemy at the earliest opportunity, unless he chose to remain in the POW camp alongside
his troops. As men of duty and self-sacrifice, this was the fate most chaplains chose.
One of these men was John Weir Foote, whose actions saved countless Canadian lives.
A Presbyterian minister, Reverend Foote volunteered for service in the Canadian Army at the outbreak
of World War Two. He was appointed chaplain to the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry and stayed
with them when they shipped out to England.
On August 19th 1942, 6,000 infantry with armoured and aerial support made an amphibious landing
in Dieppe, northern France. The landing was supposed to demonstrate the Commonwealth commitment
to reopening the Western Front against Germany after the bitter defeat at Dunkirk. However,
it had the opposite effect.
Well-positioned obstacles kept the tanks on the beach, and fierce German fire prevented
the assault troops, who were primarily Canadian, from reaching their objectives. As emplaced
German machineguns tore into Allied soldiers, the scene on the beach devolved into carnage.
On the aptly codenamed Red Beach, the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry charged straight into
a hail of fire, losing over half their number in the first few hours of fighting. Right
in the thick of the battle was Chaplain Foote, who took charge of moving the grievously wounded
to a temporary first-aid post. He was later awarded a Victoria Cross; the citation read:
“Time and again [Chaplain Foote] left his shelter to inject morphine, give first-aid
and carry wounded personnel from the open beach to the Regimental Aid Post. On these
occasions, with utter disregard for his personal safety, Chaplain Foote exposed himself to
an inferno of fire and saved many lives by his gallant efforts.”
In the face of overwhelming firepower on the beach, the Allies were forced to retreat.
Chaplain Foote helped load the wounded onto the last transport, then gave up his seat,
stepping back onto the beach. He knew many Royal Hamilton Light Infantrymen had been
taken prisoner, and as POWs, they’d need their chaplain more than ever. Instead of
escaping back to base in England, Chaplain Foote chose to go where he believed he was
needed. He voluntarily went into captivity alongside the Canadian POWs in order to look
after their welfare and see them through. And he stayed with them until their eventual
liberation on May 5th 1945.
In 1926, Father O’Neill, a Catholic priest, joined the US Army’s Chaplain Service. In
the years leading up to the Second World War, he was attached to various units and served
in the Philippines. In 1944, he was appointed chaplain to General Patton’s staff.
Chaplain O’Neill was still on Patton’s staff in December 1944, during the Battle
of the Bulge. At this time, US Airborne troops were surrounded in Bastogne, and Patton’s
Third Army was preparing to break them out. The battle would be bloody, and Patton wanted
every possible advantage, chief of which was air support. But bad weather meant that fighters
and tank-busting aircraft were grounded for the offensive. With no other option available
to him, Patton turned to God. He ordered Chaplain O’Neill to compose a prayer for clear weather.
A section of this prayer reads, “Restrain these immoderate rains with which we have
had to contend. Grant us fair weather for Battle. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers
who call upon Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory and
crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies, and establish Thy justice among men
and nations.”
Soon after delivering the prayer, the weather cleared and air support was on standby. Patton
was so impressed that he awarded Chaplain O’Neill a Bronze Star on the spot. Less
than a week later, the US armoured spearhead reached Bastogne and relieved the beleaguered
paratroopers.
Though they didn’t manage to affect divine intervention, the most well-known chaplains
of the Second World War are probably the Four Chaplains of SS Dorchester, who gave their
lives on the night of February 3rd 1943.
The ocean liner-turned-troopship SS Dorchester left port in New York with 900 men bound for
Greenland, then England. Aboard her were four newly minted US Army chaplains. Each practised
a different faith, but all had studied together at the Army Chaplain’s School and were firm
friends. George Fox was a Methodist preacher, Alexander Goode was a Jewish Rabbi, John Washington
was a Catholic priest, and Clark Poling was a Protestant minister.
At 12:55 on the night of February 3rd, German submarine U-223 torpedoed Dorchester while
she steamed off the coast of Newfoundland. The torpedo opened a gaping hole in the hull
and destroyed the ship’s generators. Immediately, Dorchester was plunged into total darkness.
Panic rapidly set in as the vessel began to sink into the frigid water. That’s when
the four chaplains stepped in.
Working as a team, the four chaplains organised the evacuation of the lower decks and handed
out life jackets to the men. When they ran out, the chaplains gave up their own life
jackets. Once they had helped as many men as they could, they linked arms and recited
a prayer as the ship slipped completely below the waves. Grady Clark, a survivor, later
recalled, “The last thing I saw, the Four Chaplains were up there praying for the safety
of the men. They had done everything they could. I did not see them again. They themselves
did not have a chance without their life jackets.”
THAT was the largely untold story of the chaplains who served in World War Two. But what do YOU
think? Did you know the Germans had a tradition of appointing field Rabbis for their troops?
Do YOU think chaplain O’Neill called forth divine intervention? Do you think chaplains
still have a place in modern armies? Let us know in the comments!