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Chaplains

The Keeping of Records

The Keeping of Records

Practically nothing in the nature of a Departmental war diary was attempted till Padre Spence became Senior Chaplain, and by that time many things of interest and importance had been forgotten. In addition, few records were kept of denominational and sacramental work. Particulars of baptism and confirmations, etc., should have been kept on an official roll at Base.

In the British Army in the Middle East, chaplains sent a regular routine report to the office of the Deputy Chaplain-General, and in the American Army every chaplain serving overseas sent a monthly report to the office of the Chief of Chaplains in America.

The multiplication of paper forms and returns is an evil of this age and for long it has been a danger to the smooth working of an army in the field, but for all that there was room in the Chaplains' Department for some reasonable collection of religious facts and figures. For example, facts about the number of services and page 124 attendances, whether voluntary or compulsory, together with a description of religious activities and experiments and a list of routine duties, would have been of practical and historical value if they could have been recorded throughout the whole Expeditionary Force at various times.