AS THE main port linking Britain with the battlefields of Europe, Southampton made a unique contribution to the war effort.

So significant was the port’s role in the First World War that a special record of those years was published by the Southampton Pictorial, forerunner of the Daily Echo, in 1919.

With the passing of almost a century, few, if any, copies of this remarkable publication survive, but luckily some images have been saved in the archives of the Daily Echo.

The faded pages paint a time long ago when local people felt an immense pride in the way Southampton rallied to the national cause.

Ironically some sentiments contained in the publication proved to be wrong, as little more than 20 years later Southampton would again find itself in the front line of another world conflict.

“For the past four years and more, we in Southampton have witnessed the passing through our main thoroughfares the greatest pageant in history, the like of which no mortal eye will ever see again,” says the foreword to the publication.

“That can be positively asserted, for even though there will be wars in the future they will assume an altogether different character from the Great War which has just closed.

“From the fateful hour when Britain declared war on Germany up to the signing of the peace treaty, Southampton has been the hub of the whole empire’s military machine.”

Between August 1914 and December 1918, more than seven million troops passed through Southampton docks.

So did 822,000 horses, 153,000 guns, 15,000 ships, 13,000 guns, 3.4 million tons of stores and 7.4 million parcels and mail.

“From the four corners of the world they came, men of every race, every colour, every creed.

“They were mostly men in khaki – our own battle heroes – but others mustered from much further afield – Frenchmen, Italians, Russians, Czechs, Poles, Slavs, and Cape Boys from South Africa, West Indians, Asiatics and lastly the huge American Army, composed of every known nationality, including the giants from the Plains and Pacific Slope, city men, university athletes, millionaires and merchants, for there were many good soldiers of German origin who enlisted under the Star Spangled Banner.”

Wartime censorship prevented a complete photographic record of the war years.

“It has been a grand and impressive spectacle our eyes have been privileged to dwell upon, and it is to be regretted that we have so few permanent records of it.

“Shortly after hostilities broke out Southampton came severely under the ban of censorship, and it was a penal offence to take pictures which were, even in the smallest degree, likely to be of service to the enemy.”

Early pictures did however include shots of refugees from Belgium, preparations for home defence and the training of volunteers.

“In September 1914, about 300 members of the Southampton Rifle Club formed themselves into a local defence corps,” says the publication.

“They met at the Riding School, Hamilton House, to drill and receive instruction in the holding of the Service rifle.”

Training for the 5th Hampshire Volunteers included fencing and gymnastics, while the Hants Royal Garrison Artillery used a Corporation tram to boost recruitment.

The autumn of 1914 saw the New Forest transformed into a vast military camp.

The welcome invaders included Indian troops, whose “picturesque appearance and smart soldierly bearing” attracted visitors by the thousand.