Beer Review: Little Willie

And so an ale that commemorates the Somme. I knew it was going to happen, a 100th year anniversary of a conflict long gone that totally transformed British psyche and society. I knew that it would be all over the press and there would be a plethora of talking heads discussing the disaster of the first day, the role of the generals and the politicians and the countries. Then came the Referendum and the result and I had a int of what people would focus upon. They would talk about what the people who fought in that day fought for, they would suggest various reasons with absolutely no backing and, of course, with no surviving people to challenge. Cherry-picked quotes, starting that morning with an item I heard on the radio, would suggest blazing patriotism and love of freedom, a narrative that the army was something to be proud of and an underlying assumption that people then fought for freedom.

I am a student of History. I am a researcher of the First World War. I have read the accounts of many many soldiers who were interviewed, left diaries and sent letters. I have never met one, of course, but who has? Also, I know many did not talk of their experiences. But of their reasons for fighting, of their reasons to be there on that awful fateful day they have spoken. And do you know what? None spoke of freedom, that's amorphous and intangible and impossible. Few spoke of patriotism, that too was beyond the ken of most of the men who huddled in the trenches then went over at the whistle. No, it turns out the main reasons were things like Peer Pressure; propaganda (that they later regretted) and poverty. Their friends were going, they didn't want to be seen as cowards and the wages would put food on the table for their families that wouldn't be there otherwise.

It will come as no surprise to you, dear reader, that I despise the kindling eye of the smug-faced crowd that has returned with a vengeance. To that end I bought an ale, because why not.

Today's review is all about Little Willie. It is named after the first tank that was built and sold in Lincoln as that was the site of one of the first factories to churn out these armoured beasts so that they could take place in the battle of the Somme, doing so finally in November at Flers-Courcellette.

My historical rant is over, would you like to speak of ale?