Haynes Brothers of Biggleswade

  

Albert and Harold Haynes [MB2/BIG2/4/2187]

Friday 16th June 1916: Lance-Corporal Albert Haynes, a former teacher at Biggleswade Council School, has recently returned from Egypt to France with the Middlesex Regiment. Albert wrote from Cyprus on route back to Europe with a description of his surroundings: “Here I am at Famagusta, 74 miles by road east of Limassol. We are awaiting the transport to take us to work again. Famagusta appears to consist of two parts. The Turkish village is surrounded by a wall 30 feet thick, inside of which soldiers are forbidden to go. The European or Christian suburb appears very much like an English country village in social character, and it is in fact the cleanest Eastern village I have yet seen. The gardens contain the most beautiful flowers, fruit, and plants, and form the chief item of interest to me. Can you imagine a place where maidenhair ferns grow on the walls and apricots are sold at one penny a dozen? Such is Famagusta.”

Albert Haynes is now in France, just ten miles from his brother Walter who is with the Signal Section of the same regiment. Walter is hoping that he may be returning to England in the near future: “It’s a treat to see the various places on the French country side. I admire the Colonials, who are around here for their true devotion and cleanliness in every way. We have already had experience of their ability in the battle field. There seems to be little indication of us leaving here, although we were told next Sunday’s service would be our last here. I should like to think we were to come directly home from here, but I expect there is a possibility of us going somewhere else to be refitted.”

Two other Haynes brothers are also serving their country, one in France and one in England. Their father, William Haynes, was formerly a Biggleswade Urban District Councillor.[1]

Source: Bedfordshire Times, 23rd June 1916

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[1] Albert Edward Haynes, aged 24, was killed in action on 6th September 1916; Walter Harold (or Harold Walter) Haynes was killed on 17th June 1917, aged 22.

Biggleswade Church c.1910 [Z1306/16/22/1]

Friday 26th May 1916: The novelty of daylight saving time has been rather more popular in Biggleswade than in Leighton Buzzard. The change of time went ahead smoothly apart from technical difficulties with one or two public clocks. The Church Clock, which has been behaving badly ever since it was silenced by the Zeppelin threat, stopped dead just before 7 a.m., and in the evening when the bells rang for the six o’clock evening service the clock insisted it was only five past four. The people of Biggleswade appear to have accepted the idea of daylight saving with remarkable unanimity. Even the weather showed enthusiasm for the idea, with Sunday the hottest day since last July 4th. The cool, fresh evening proved the usefulness of the extra hour of daylight, and people took advantage of it by staying outdoors and enjoying the fresh air. Almost everyone seemed to fall in easily with the new time, though inevitably there were a few amusing mistakes. In one household both husband and wife put the clock on without realising the other had done so, and in one village the church clock was advanced the hour on Saturday evening, causing a rush of customers to the pub anxious for a quick drink before closing time!

Source: Biggleswade Chronicle, 26th May 1916

Daylight Saving Time Introduced

Westoning Clock Tower, 2009 [© Beds Archives]

Sunday 21st May 1916: The main topic of conversation in Bedford this weekend has been the introduction of the Daylight Saving Act. Clocks were put forward one hour last night, so that despite the evidence of the sun that it was 9 o’clock in the morning, timepieces informed their owners that it was in fact 10 o’clock. The benefit will be felt this evening when it will remain light until ten. Inevitably, the change led to some mistakes. One cowman put his clock back one hour, and found when he went to milk the cows that he was two hours late. He described the Act as a “muddling affair”. One woman in the country was heard to ask whether she should put her clock on one hour every night, and a regular worshipper at one of the Biggleswade Chapels arrived  an hour late for this morning’s service, making his entrance ten minutes before it finished.

Soldiers are now allowed out until 10 p.m., but they are still expected on parade at 5.30 in the morning. An Aspley Guise correspondent reports: “You may be interested to know that our important village has fallen into line with the Summer-time hours quite easily, and almost without incident. The temperance people are already congratulating themselves upon the fact that it will mean much less time spent in tht public houses by men whose custom it was to spend the hours of twilight in the bar and taproom, and consequently a considerable saving will be effected. The hour’s extra daylight will enable to the workers to get more out-door recreation”.

Source: Bedfordshire Times, 26th May 1916

A Poorly Packed Parcel

St. John's Street, Biggleswade with church on left, c.1905 [Z1306/16/17/2]

Monday 15th May 1916: A soldier from Biggleswade who took part in the retreat from Serbia is now at Salonica, from where he has written home to a friend in sarcastic terms:

“Many thanks for the parcel received yesterday. How is it you can always manage to send us just the things that we don’t want? Then you tied it up yourself, did you? How lovely you did it. It was splendid, and it reached me nicely squashed. Either by accident or by design the tomato sauce was packed with the corks out, and as a result I am eating it with my cake. The Vaseline and chocolate on the way evidently formed a strong attachment for each other, but this has detracted but little (perhaps) from their respective values. The socks you sent will undoubtedly look extremely smart when I have squeezed the butter out of them, which you so thoughtfully packed in the toes. The St. Ivel cheese made me feel quite home sick, at least I came over very funny when I undid the wrapper. I gave it up to my mate, and it made him feel home sick, too. We put it outside, and the Sergeant major sent for the Sanitary Squad and asked them what they thought they were for. After a while they found it, and took it away and buried it or drowned it, or something of that sort. They look rather pale and worn today. Many thanks for the pudding you forgot to send. One pudding at home is worth two in my kitbag.”

 Source: Bedfordshire Times, 12th May 1916

Absent Without Leave at Biggleswade

Three Counties Asylum, Arlesey 1906 [Z1130/2/40a]

Friday 5th May 1916: George William Cocking, described as an attendant and aged 23 or 24, has appeared at a special sitting of the Biggleswade Magistrates charged with being an absentee under the Military Service Act. He admitted he had attested under the name of George William Topham at Eastbourne. He had since registered at the Three Counties’ Asylum in Arlesey and been ordered to report on 7th March, but he was away at the time. He had subsequently reported himself at both Hitchin and Biggleswade. He admitted that he “supposed” he was absent from the Army Reserve. He had not made any application to the Tribunal for exemption, but said he had been discharged from the Eastbourne Asylum as consumptive [suffering from tuberculosis]. He also admitted that he had changed his address at Eastbourne without notifying the authorities. His admission that he was an attested man who had used a false name earned George Cocking a fine of forty shillings, to be deducted from his future pay. He was then handed over to the military authorities.

Source: Biggleswade Chronicle, 5th May 1916

Military Goods on the Black Market

Market Place, Sandy c.1912, Lord Roberts pub on left [Z50/99/48]

Friday 28th April 1916: Frederick Sawford, a mechanic from Blunham, has appeared at the Biggleswade Petty Sessions on a charge of buying a pair of army issue boots from a soldier. Police Inspector Pedley told the court that on 11th April together with a Sergeant-Major he had been making enquiries into missing property and had called at the Lord Roberts public house. They questioned Mr. Sawford about the boots – which were new - and he stated he had given 8 shillings for them. He claimed the soldier had told him they were no good to him and he had had them for some time; the soldier had also said they were his own and were bought and paid for. Mr. Sawford admitted feeling uneasy about the transaction and now felt it was very foolish. Sergeant-Major Barker identified the boots as army issue, with a value of 21 shillings.

Before making a decision the Magistrates decided to hear a second case in which James Spring, publican of Sandy and licensee of the Lord Roberts, was charged with buying two shirts from a soldier. When Inspector Pedley visited the pub and enquired about the sale of property Mr. Spring had mentioned Frederick Sawford’s purchase of the pair of boots, but at first denied purchasing anything himself. A few minutes later he “remembered” buying two new shirts from a Norfolk Regiment soldier to make up an amount owed to him for beer. Sergeant-Major Barker said a good deal of property had been lost which they could not trace.

This was a first offence for both Frederick Sawford and James Spring; they were both of good character and the Magistrates had received several testimonials on behalf of Sawford. Nevertheless, it was a serious offence and they were determined that this selling of Government property must be stopped. Sawford was fined 10 shillings as it was possible that he was simply buying a pair of boots. Spring’s offence was considered more serious as he was a publican and it was more obvious that the soldier could not have had any legal right to the goods. He was fined £2.

Source: Biggleswade Chronicle, 28th April 1916

Join the Army? I'd Rather Crack Stones!

Men's Ward, Biggleswade Workhouse c.1910-20 [Z1306/16/14/11/3]

Thursday 13th April 1916: At today’s meeting of the Ampthill Board of Guardians it was suggested that if there were any men in the Ampthill Workhouse who were capable of earning their own living, they should be sent out to work to help the labour shortage. Unfortunately the Master reported that there was only one able-bodied man among the residents, and he had been ill, and was leaving next week. Instructions had been received from the Local Government Board for dealing with vagrants of military age. The workhouse officials were to inform the police and the recruiting officer if any such men applied for admission to the tramp wards. The Master mentioned that a tramp aged about 30 had recently had to be locked up for refusing his task. When asked why he was not in the Army, he had replied that he did not intend to be a soldier and would rather crack stones, but was “not very anxious for that”.

Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer, 18th April 1916

Biggleswade Man Defeats Scots in Fishing Match

Pike caught at Sutton Park, 1906 [X768/67]

Sunday 9th April 1916: Sapper F. Lenton of the Royal Engineers is in a Convalescent Home in France recovering from illness. He writes that he hopes soon to be back in the line but that meanwhile he has been enjoying “a bit of sport to pass away the dreary time. We have a stream running through the grounds and we arranged a fishing match, and by gum, fishing too it was. I and six others contested against a room of ‘Jocks’. We had about three yards of bottom each and a worm at the end of a line. Well, of tiddlers we were pulling them out two and three at a time haning to the worm, and after three hours in the hot sun we counted up our captives, which we had in jam tins of water. The result was as follows: - My team, 152 tiddlers; the Jocks, 151 tiddlers. A win for England by 1 tiddler!”

Before the war Sapper Lenton worked at a coachman at Ferguson’s livery stables, Biggleswade.

Source: Biggleswade Chronicle, 14th April 1916

Biggleswade Soldier's Views on Rifles and Conscientious Objectors

Biggleswade Post Office c.1910-1920 [Z1306/16/32/1]

Sunday 26th March 1916: Rifleman Bert Tasker of the Post Office Rifles [1], a former employee of the Biggleswade Post Office, has written a letter home in which he explains the intricacies of a rifle and expresses his less-than-flattering views of conscientious objects:

“I am now on my last course of musketry, and expect to go out at the end of April. Musketry is very interesting if one has become a real soldier and wishes to learn everything there is to know about a rifle. There are over 100 parts to our rifle, so you see it wants some memory to remember them all. The lads in our hut have just had a good laugh at some of the excuses that the ‘conscientious objectors’ have made in different parts of the country. What do you think of them? I don’t know whether Biggleswade contains any but my opinion of such people is that they are traitors to their religion as well as to their country. For a man to say he would not defend his own mother and loved ones from the Huns if England had been in the position of Belgium is absolute cowardice and rot. No man who has any love at all for his own flesh and blood could stand idle and see an enemy such as the Germans come into the country without taking up arms against them. I think I should be quite right in saying that no Englishman loves war: I haven’t met a single soldier yet who enlisted just for the fun of having a season at ‘man shooting,’ but thank God there are some millions of men who believe in taking up arms to protect their homes and their loved ones.”

Source: Bedfordshire Times, 24th March 1916

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[1] Second Lieutenant Herbert Edwin Tasker, of the 6th Battalion, London Regiment (City of London Rifles), was killed on 22 August 1918, aged 24, while attached to the 19th Battalion.

Narrow Escapes for Military Motorcyclists

Premier 500cc 4.5 Hp motorcycle from 1916 [Wikimedia]

Monday 7th February 1916: Two military motorcyclists had narrow escapes today when they were involved in accidents in which they came off rather better than their machines. Dispatch Rider Potter, who is billeted in Shortmead Street, Biggleswade, met with an accident near Henlow. The fork of his motorcycle broke in half, and he fell heavily with his machine on top of him. He has been examined by a doctor and no bones are broken, although one shoulder is badly bruised. In the second incident a motor belonging to Mr Howe, a farmer from Marston Moretaine, collided with a motorcycle ridden by one of the Royal Engineers dispatch riders outside the Biggleswade Town Hall. Although the motorcycle was rather damaged and a lamp on the car smashed the rider was not hurt.

Source: Biggleswade Chronicle, 11th February 1916

A Biggleswade Footballer Writes Home

Biggleswade Football Club, 1909-10 [X758/2/1/23]

Wednesday 5th January 1916: Private Frank Garner, a former vice-captain of the Biggleswade Football Club now serving with the 9th Seaforths, has written to a friend in the town. He counts himself fortunate to have been out of the firing line over Christmas and hopes that this year will see the end of the war.

“The last day we were [in our billet] we got another taste of the Huns gas. We were in bed when one of our early rising cooks came rushing in the hut and shouted “Gas”. You ought to have seen the scramble for gas helmets, etc. Scrambling for sweets at school treats isn’t in it. Not long after this we had to get extra ammunition and prepare to go into the firing line, but we were not called on, as the Huns attack was checked. On the same night we started back for our rest and had a night at --- and arrived here on Tuesday. We still get our supply of rain, although we do not feel the effect of it so much, we have got used to it, and we only do about one hour’s drill each day. Luck is with us to be resting at Christmas time although the food is only the same as usual. We have a decent barn for a billet and plenty of straw to lie on, and also clothes for covering. We expect to be here for a month to get fit for the coming year, which possibly will be for the finish of the war. I hope so, although I take things calmly and feel content to be alive and in the best of health.”

Source: Biggleswade Chronicle, 7th January 1916

Funeral Held for Samuel Whitbread

Samuel Whitbread (Wikimedia, from Vanity Fair 1895)

Thursday 30th December 1915: The funeral took place at 1pm today of Mr. Samuel Whitbread, D.L., J.P., who died at his residence at Southill Park early on Christmas morning at the age of 85. The church at Southill was filled to capacity for his funeral. Mr. Whitbread was associated with the brewery which bears the family name from 1867 and in 1889 became chairman of the company. He served as the Liberal Member of Parliament for Bedford for forty-three years from 1852 until his retirement in 1895. Locally he served as Chairman of the Governors of the Harpur Trust and of the Bedford County Hospital, to which he was a great benefactor. He took a great part in administrative affairs in the county and was at one time an Alderman of Bedfordshire County Council. Of great importance to the county was his role as Chairman of the Biggleswade Water Board in providing an excellent water supply for Biggleswade and the surrounding parishes by sinking a well in the greensand from which supplies are piped as far afield as Kempston.  He continued to be active in local affairs until a few years ago when advanced age and deafness forced him to retire.

Samuel Whitbread maintained his estates in excellent order, building a number of model cottages, restoring the churches of Elstow and Cardington, and carefully preserving the two villages. Large numbers of his tenants have attended a memorial service for Mr. Whitbread at Elstow where the flag flew at half mast. During his career he spent over £50,000 building and improving cottages on his estate. He helped to draft the Local Government Board Act which established Parish Councils and until his death was the first and only Chairman of Southill Parish Council. Thanks to his generosity Southill possesses a splendid cricket ground. It is said that, “He was one of the kindest and most sympathetic of men, always ready to help any good cause, and to relieve any necessitous case, his right hand not knowing what his left hand did; he never, I believe, said a harsh word to any person of humble estate, and was most careful not to hurt anyone’s feelings.”

Source: Bedfordshire Standard, 31st December 1915

The Chronicle Heroes Fund

Private Christopher Lincoln

Sunday 19th December 1915: Our military correspondent wrote recently of the young Biggleswade soldier Private Christopher Lincoln who was severely wounded in the thigh in September while performing an act of conspicuous bravery at the Battle of Loos and is now in hospital at Colchester. To show its appreciation for his actions the Biggleswade Chronicle set up the “Chronicle Heroes Fund” to raise funds to purchase a gold watch for the young man as a token of appreciation from the town. The scheme is supported by the Chairman of the Urban District Council who will make the presentation on behalf of the town if the scheme is a success. The 2,200 postcards which have been published to commemorate the young man's gallantry carry the words “With the Season’s Greetings” and can be used as Christmas and New Year’s cards. Boys and girls have been selling the cards and the number bought is already approaching 600. Gertie Jackson has raised 12s 4d and Winnie Dennis is not far behind with 9s 2d. The fund is also open for subscriptions.

Source: Biggleswade Chronicle 24th December 1915

Church Parade for Biggleswade Scouts

Biggleswade Church, c.1910-1915 [Z1306/16/22/1]

Sunday 5th December 1915: The 9th Bedfordshire (Biggleswade) Troop of Boy Scouts attended a special service at Biggleswade Parish Church this afternoon at which a collection was taken in aid of the Boy Scouts Motor Ambulance Fund. The Troop paraded at Headquarters before marching with the band via Hitchin Street, High Street, Sun Street, and Shortmead Street to the Church. Much amusement was caused when in Shortmead Street the marching scouts overtook a piebald cow. She halted in the centre of the road, considered the Scouts, then turned and set off at the head of the Troop, swishing her tail like a Drum-Major’s staff. She marched sedately at the front until she reached the Girls’ Church of England Schools where she chased some schoolchildren down a nearby lane.

The Troop’s Chaplain Reverend G. C. Rolfe preached on the subjects of “Progress and advance”. The boys were told “People … are looking for the Scouts to set the tone of what an English boy ought to be. God wants you to be true English Christian boys. That does not mean that you are be dismal and have no pleasure, but that you should be the happiest boys in the world”. After the service the boys were addressed by Lord St. John, the Chief Scout of Bedfordshire who told them it was always a pleasure to come to Biggleswade and that it was a pleasure to see the troop looking so smart. He urged the boys to obey the Scout laws in crossing the river of life. The Scouts then marched back to Headquarters where they were dismissed. It is hoped that some of the young lads who hang around the streets or lounge in the Picture Palaces everything would set aside two nights a week to join the “Scout boys”. There are several vacancies in the ranks for boys aged 11 to 18; any who wish to join should apply to the Scoutmaster.

Souces: Bedfordshire Standard, 10th December 1915; Biggleswade Chronicle, 10th December 1915

Prisoners of War from Biggleswade Area

British prisoners at Doeberitz, J.Cuffley seated right

Monday 22nd November 1915: The Biggleswade Chronicle continues to send regular food parcels to nineteen local men known to be prisoners of war in Germany. The contents and cost of this week’s packages are: bread (4d), butter (10d), cocoa (6d), loaf sugar (7½d), tinned herrings (5½d), cheese (6d), biscuits (9d), soup squares (6d), giving a total cost for each parcel of 4s 6d. The newspaper has also announced its intention to send a special Christmas parcel to all the boys on their list as prisoners of war and has managed to obtain some Christmas plum puddings from Messrs. Crosse and Blackwell which are specially made in tins for sending to prisoners of war. Woodwork instructor Mr. Arthur Moore has promised that his pupils will make boxes, which in addition to the puddings will be filled with other items to brighten the lot of the recipients. One of the parcels will also be sent to Private Jesse Brown of Langford, together with a pair of boots. Private Brown was repatriated in August as one of the disabled prisoners exchanged from German prisoners from England. He is crippled for life and readers will no doubt be anxious to know he has not been forgotten.

In news of individual prisoners, Private J. Cuffley of Shefford is incarcerated in the camp at Doeberitz. This is supposed to be the “swank” camp, with conditions better than others, but the men held there are still making appeals for food and some of the prisoners can be seen in a photograph wearing wooden shoes. Mrs. Rosa Cooper of Stondon has written a letter of thanks for the help given by the prisoner of war fund to her husband, Rifleman Arthur Cooper of the King’s Royal Rifles. Rifleman Cooper is a veteran of service in Bermuda, Crete and Malta and was a reservist when war was declared. He was sent to France within a week of being mobilised and was capture by the Germans on 3rd November 1914. His brother, Private Albert Cooper of the 1st/5th Bedfords, was involved in the fighting with the Turks. He was shot in the right eye and left hand and is now recovering in Alexandria Hospital.

Source: Biggleswade Chronicle, 19th November 1915

Biggleswade Scouts

Biggleswade Scouts [Z1306/16/35/6]

Friday 8th October 1915: The following orders for the week have been published for the 9th Bedfordshire (Biggleswade) Scout Troop:

• Saturday 9th October – Meet in Clubroom at 2pm. Patrol uniform and staff tests for badges.
• Tuesday October 12th – Junior Patrols 7.15pm. Band practice 8.15pm.
• Thursday October 14th – Troop meeting 7.15pm.
• All applications for Badges and Service Stars are to be sent in on Tuesday.
• Duty patrol – Curlew
• Orderlies – H. Wright and E. Bunce.

Any boys wishing to join the Scouts are requested to send in their names to the Scoutmaster or Patrol Leaders.

Source: Biggleswade Chronicle, 8th October 1915

Letters Home from Gallipoli

Scenery near Suvla Bay

Wednesday 15th September 1915: Sergeant Maurice Taylor Wood of Biggleswade has written home to his parents from Gallipoli, where he is serving with the 1/5th Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment. He tells them:

“I am living an open air life entirely. It seemed strange at first lying down to sleep at night on the ground and gazing up into the starlit heavens. At the present time we are camped right on the sea shore. The sea is within 15 yards of my feet and reminds me very much of Lowestoft. We are allowed to bathe before 8.00 a.m. and after 5.00 p.m. Of course we are allowed to wash and also to wash our clothes at any time. It is still very warm out here, but we are becoming accustomed to it. The nights, however, are a little chilly.”

He is optimistic that the Gallipoli campaign will not last much longer and was grateful to have received some bread the previous day, “the first bit for over a fortnight”. They had also been served Maconochie’s Army Rations which “are splendid as they contain several different kinds of vegetables … I also hear a rumour that fresh meat is also on the board”. He had been speaking to “a few old Biggleswade boys” and was sorry to report that three had been wounded.

Two Shefford men have also been wounded and are now recovering on hospital ships. Private Charles E. Dukes of Shefford has written to his mother that he was hit by a piece of shrapnel in the leg, but expects to return to the firing-line in a week or two. He says that the Turks have the advantage of knowing the country very well and of many deadly snipers, but that when they see the British bayonets, “they run as though they were racing in the Olympic Games”. The other Shefford casualty, Private Hubert Harris, was struck on the back of the head with a piece of shrapnel. He was fired on repeatedly as he crawled from the firing-line. A bullet hit him near the heart, but struck a metal cigarette case which had been given to him as a gift by the lady of the house where he was last billeted. The bullet then struck some books and papers in his pocket and was again deflected, leaving him with only a slight graze.

Source: Biggleswade Chronicle 17th September 1915

No Strikes in France

St. John's Street, Biggleswade with church on left, c.1905 [Z1306/16/17/2]

Sunday 5th September 1915: The Reverend Edmund Gatty, a former curate at St. John’s Church, Biggleswade[1], has been out in France for three months driving his car for the Red Cross. He has described the work he has been doing and given some of his impressions of the country to the Bedfordshire Express:

“The mothers and wives and daughters with amazing ability, have assumed full charge of the men’s work in the background. You see them everywhere – working the farms and the factories, doing heavy manual labour, most of them stricken with grief and anxiety, sparing nothing, shirking nothing, to keep things goings. It is their pride to be able to send their men-folk money at the front, and gifts, for there is only nominal pay – for the men in the trenches a halfpenny a day and a totally inadequate separation allowance. There are no strikes in France, and no desire to strike. I never felt so ashamed as when Frenchmen asked me how they were possible in England. All are trying as hard as they can to do their very best possible for their beloved country.”

“Of our own work, 30 cars and 55 men carried 18,000 wounded and sick in three months. The highest number in twenty-four hours was 1,001. We carried them direct from the field ambulance stations, which are about half a mile behind the trenches, to the distributing stations about eight miles back, and thence to different hospitals. One lived in an uproar of traffic and guns, which practically never ceased, but one became entirely accustomed to it, as one did to ghastly sights and risks of infection from nearly every known disease. We were incorporated for the time in the French Army, drawing their rations and pay, and under their discipline.”

Source: Biggleswade Chronicle, 10 September 1915

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[1] The Reverend Percival Edmund Gatty (1866-1937) was the vicar of Offley (Herts) from 1900-1925. He was also known as Edmund Percival.

Runaway Wagon at Biggleswade

Shortmead Street, Biggleswade 1913 [Z1306/16/18/1]

Monday 2nd August 1915: An accident which could easily have had tragic consquences occurred in Shortmead Street, Biggleswade this morning. The horses pulling a transport wagon belonging to the Signal Section Royal Engineers ran away from elsewhere in the town and bolted down Shortmead Street.  A cart belonging to Mr. Humphreys, a carrier from Northill, was standing outside Messrs. Woodall and Co.’s premises with Mr. Humphreys’ son inside. As the wagon passed the cart the horses and pole separated from it. The wagon caught the cart, totally wrecking it; the boy inside was extremely fortunate to escaping injury.

After hitting the cart the wagon ran on a few more yards, wheeled round and crashed into the bay window and glass door of Mr. W. Marsh’s house. Damage estimated at £6.10s was caused both to the window and door and to a quantity of antique china. Two little boys who were sitting on the doorstep had a miraculous escape. One suffered a slight injury to his foot and the other a grazed face. The horses ran on down the street until one fell near the Bridge, after which they were both secured. The wagon was only slightly damaged.

This was the second incident in the same area in three days. On Saturday an army van was being turned nearby at such a speed that the horses ran into the iron fence and hedge of Mrs. Pope’s house. The horses’ heads and legs together with the van pole were shot up into the air above the hedge and fence. It took about a dozen men to rescue the horses and get them and the van back into position. They went on their way apparently none the worse for the escapade.

Source: Biggleswade Chronicle, 6 August 1915

Problems with Pickled Herrings

Private Alfred Bowskill

Monday 12th July 1915: The Biggleswade Chronicle continues to collect funds to send food parcels to local men who are prisoners of war in Germany. While this week’s subscriptions have been less than last weeks they still amount to a good sum, and in clude 6s 6d from the Biggleswade Providence Strict Baptist Sunday School and £1 4s from Master Willie Battson. In addition Private Charles (“Tich”) Carr has sent money from the Front Line to pay for a picture to be sold on behalf of the Prisoners of War Fund. Three of the men to whom parcels are being sent are at the Altdamn Camp. This camp has recently featured in the national press following a report by a visitor from the American Embassy. For their midday meals the prisoners receive a thick vegetable soup and raw pickled herrings. Unfortunately while the Germans and Russians enjoy these they are not to English tastes and there has been some trouble on this account. During the winter the soldiers had been able to cook their herrings over the barrack fires; now that the weather is too warm for heating some of the men have been punished with solitary confinement for lighting fires to cook the fish contrary to their captors' orders. The American visitor was able to explain that the English did not eat raw herrings and the commandant has agreed to make safer cooking arrangements – he had previously thought the fire making was merely a matter of insubordination.

One of those men detained in the Altdamn Camp is Private Alfred Bowskill of the 2nd Bedfords. Twenty two year old Private Bowskill is the son of Mr William Bowskill of Church End, Arlesey. He has served with the Bedfords since Christmas 1911 and returned from South Africa with his Battalion at the outbreak of the war. He was taken prisoner during the First Battle of Ypres and was taken to Altdamn, where he at least has the company of another Arlesey man, Percy Papworth. Three of Private Bowskill’s brothers are also serving in the Forces: one is a stoker on a ship now in the Dardanelles; another brother, James, is at the Front with the Grenadier Guards; the third brother, John is with the 5th Beds Territorials.[1]

Source: Biggleswade Chronicle 16th July 1915

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[1] A John "Boskill" appears on the Arlesey War Memorial. It seems likely he was this Bowskill brother. The other members of the family seem to have survived the war.