Colmworth Man “As Happy as a King”

Colmworth c.1910 [Z466/1]

Friday 10th March 1916: Private Ernest Charles Thompson of the 9th Seaforth Pioneers has written a cheerful letter to his brother Albert at Colmworth.  Private Thompson and his comrades were fortunate to survived unscathed when their billet was knocked down by a shell, although all their rifles and equipment were blown to pieces. The demolition had worked to the Seaforths advantage as “we have a very comfortable place now, the remains of an old farm house, all sand-bagged inside, with a good floor, and we have a fire in it to make it better. We got some old chaff bags stuffed with straw for a bed, and we are as happy as kings. We have a gramophone in our company with about 100 records; our turn is on Sunday. We get plenty of good food.”

Private Thompson also described just how close the German and British front lines are to each other. “I was out the other day in the first line with a periscope. The Germans are only 70 yards off, and I could hear one playing a tin whistle, then split some wood. All the time I was waiting to have a go at him. Then he just had another look at our trench over the top and his view was short and sweet for a bullet was there in no time.”

Source: Bedfordshire Times, 17th March 1916

Day of Prayer and Intercession

Colmworth Church [CR-PH]

Sunday 2nd January 1916: Today is being observed as a national day of prayer and intercession for the progress of the War, with services held throughout the British Isles and across the Empire. In the parish magazine the rector of Bolnhurst tells his parishioners:

 “This day is to be set apart as a special day for prayer and penitence in connection with the War. Prayer because we need God’s help and guidance more than perhaps we have ever needed it, as the War is not now only in France or Russia and the Dardanelles, but has developed in another very important sphere, the Balkans … it is part of the enemy’s plans to embroil us in as many campaigns as they can, in order to weaken us in the main theatre of War, France.”

 At Colmworth special services will be held at 11 and 6, with Holy Communion at midday, and the afternoon service at Ravensden will give the friends of the many men who have left the parish to fight for their country an opportunity of special prayer for them and for our country. Collections taken at the services will be given to the British Red Cross.

Source: Bolnhurst, Colmworth, Roxton with Great Barford, Ravensden and Wilden Parish Magazine, January 1916 [P28/30/23]

A North Bedfordshire Knitting Frenzy

Submarine B11 [Wikimedia]

Thursday 14th January 1915: Mrs Wythes has sent a parcel of knitted articles from Ravensden to the Bedfordshire Regiment. This included:

·         1 helmet and 1 scarf from Mrs Harley

·         3 pairs of socks from Mrs Wythes

·         2 pairs of mittens from Mrs Jabez Mayes

·         4 body belts, 7 pairs of mittens, 1 pair of cuffs from the children of the day school

·         7 body belts, 2 scarves, 4 helmets, 5 pairs of mittens, 2 pairs of gloves from the Girls’ Friendly Society

The Girls’ Friendly Society of Colmworth has sent its first parcel of knitted comforts and garments to the Red Cross Society and is about to despatch a parcel of knitted scarves and other items for the crew of Submarine B 11.[1] Another parcel from the parish has been sent to the Red Cross Society.

Source: Bolnhurst, Colmworth, Roxton with Great Barford, Ravensden and Wilden Parish Magazine, January 1915 [P28/30/22]

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[1] On 13th December 1914 HMS B11 sank the Ottoman battleship Mesudiye in the Dardanelles, an action for which its commander Lieutenant Norman Douglas Holbrook won the Victoria Cross. First Lieutenant Sydney Winn received the Distinguished Service Order and every other member of the crew was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.