ABSTRACT
The Rhineland is strongly associated with France than Britain, since it is a disputed border province which successive French governments between the 17th and the 20th century coveted and wished to annex to France in order to have a strong Eastern border defence in the form of Europe’s mightiest river. The occupation of the Western side of the Rhineland was part of the Armistice conditions of November 1918 to ensure clearance of Alsace and Lorraine and demilitarisation of the Rhineland. The Rhinelanders were soon to change their minds about the British, even though they were to come as military occupiers rather than guests. Apart from such minor vexations the British military occupation forces came to be trusted by the Rhinelanders because throughout they had proved to make balanced and fair decisions. British soldiers with their white plastic spats and officers with their swagger sticks were a common sight in the cities of the Rhineland.
