Old Bedfordian Rugby International Killed

Captain Basil Maclear [Z1387/33]

Friday 4th June 1915: News has reached Bedford that Captain Basil Maclear, who attended Bedford School from 1893 to 1899, has been killed in action at Ypres. One of the finest backs ever produced by the school Basil Maclear played centre three-quarter for the Irish Rugby team from 1905 to 1907, becoming one of the most famous players of the day. An all-round athlete, he also played for the school cricket XI and ran the hundred yards at the Bedfordshire County Sports in 10 seconds. From Bedford he moved on to Sandhurst where he represented the Royal Military College at cricket, Rugby and athletics. After serving with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers in the Boer War and in Ireland he became a gymnastics instructor at Sandhurst. With extraordinary speed for a man of his size, Maclear was near impossible to tackle once in his stride. The try he scored against South Africa in November 1906 after an 80 yards’ run was unforgettable to anyone who witnessed it. As a player he has been described as “forceful rather than subtle … he was dangerous in attack and formidable in defence, running straight and hard, and handing-off with a force which was only equalled by the tremendous vigour of his tackling”.

At the beginning of the war Basil Maclear’s desire to rejoin his regiment and go to the Front was thwarted as he could not be spared from Sandhurst. In a confidential report General Capper wrote “This officer is too valueable to be spared for active service”. This comment was later crossed out at Maclear’s request and he left the Royal Military College at the end of February. He took a large draft of men to the Front around March 24th and remained at the Front with his own regiment. When the 2nd Battle of Ypres began the Dublins were rushed to the front line where Basil Maclear took part in all the heavy fighting. For much of the time he was Second in Command of the regiment, and for four days he was in full command. On May 24th the Dublins were defending a line of trenches which offered little protection against enemy fire. At 3 a.m. the Germans launched a heavy gas attack which caused the defenders to fall back. The Colonel of the regiment was killed early in the attack. Maclear appeared impervious to the effects of the gas and helped the men around them to put on their respirators. In the middle of the morning he led a bombing party against the advancing Germans, shouting “Come on! Do you want any more?” when he fell, shot through the throat. He died almost immediately. When the order came to withdraw that night only thirty men remained from an entire battalion.

Basil Maclear was the youngest of five brothers. One elder brother, Brevet-Lieutenant Colonel Percy Maclear, was killed on 30th August 1914 in the Cameroons while commanding the 2nd Nigeria Regiment of the West African F F.[1] The other three Maclear brothers are also serving army officers.[2] A man “made of a rare clay, with the courage of a lion and the heart and lovable nature of a child”, he will be greatly mourned. A great friend of Captain Maclear has paid the following tribute: “No School ever produced a greater or more versatile athlete. His quite unusual physical powers enabled him to excel in all forms of manly exercise; but no success or praise ever spoilt the simple modesty of his disposition. A born leader of men, he was himself the embodiment of unassuming manliness, to which was added the most generous, open and kindly nature, which saw the best in all men, and drew the affection of all.”

Sources: Old Bedfordians Year Book 1930 [Z1387/33]; Bedfordshire Standard 4th June 1915

---

[1] Lt-Colonel Percy Maclear was buried in the same grave with two other Old Bedfordians, Major T. N. Puckle of the Leicester Regiment and Captain A. C. Aubin of the East Lancashire Regiment and 2nd Nigerian Regiment.

[2] A third brother, Lt-Colonel Harry Maclear DSO, East Lancashire Regiment was killed in action in March 1916 while commanding the 13th Royal Scots. The remaining two brothers survived the war. One, Arthur Maclear became known as a miniature painter; the other, Lt-Colonel Ronald Maclear had also been a noted Rugby player, playing 48 county matches and appearing for England vs. The Rest of England.

A Gift from Luton

Luton Town Hall 1908 [Z1306/75/10/23/11]

Thursday 3rd June 1915: A meeting has been held at Luton Town Hall to discuss setting up a fund to provide parcels for prisoners of war from the Luton area. The idea for the scheme came from Miss Gurney of Henlow Grange. Funds were now being organised in various counties, but it was felt that Luton should have a local committee rather than be part of a county-wide scheme. There was a belief, firmly expressed by the Town Clerk, that Luton men would appreciate a gift sent direct from Luton and provided with Luton men a great deal more than if it came from the county of Bedfordshire as a whole.

The initial proposal was to send fortnightly parcels to men of the Bedfordshire Regiment only, but a strong case was made for sending them to all prisoners from Luton. This amounted to fourteen men in total, eight from the Bedfords and six from other regiments. One of the Bedfordshire Regiment men and one of the others were next-door neighbours, which would make any decision to focus only on those serving with the local regiment particularly difficult. There was some reluctance to duplicate efforts being made elsewhere. The prisoners included men from the wealthy Rifle Brigade, but no information could be found as to whether they were supplying parcels to their own men. Altogether 180 men of the Bedfordshire Regiment were believed to be prisoners, although only 20 to 30 had their homes in the county. Bedford intended to provide parcels for 30 to 40 of these men and it was proposed that Luton should do the same. Agreement was reached that Luton men would be given priority, whatever their regiment, and any remaining funds should be used to send parcels to other men of the Bedfordshire Regiment.

A unanimous decision was taken to set up a committee to organise the provision of parcels. . It was clear from letters arriving that the standard of living for prisoners of war was not high. Whereas nothing could be done for the men who had fallen in battle they could at least help to ease the lot of those who had sacrificed their liberty.  It was suggested that donors should be asked to provide gifts in kind as well as money. A list of useful articles was read to the meeting, with the inclusion of insect powder raising a chuckle. The Post Office would assist by taking parcels up to 11 pounds in weight without charge and the American Express Company would take them from 11 pounds up to 112 pounds

Source: Luton News 4th June 1915

Recruitment March Reaches Podington

Wednesday 2nd June 1915: The 2/5th Bedfordshire Regiment continues to make progress with its recruiting march. Yesterday’s route began at Turvey and called at the Reformatory School at Carlton where it was greeted enthusiastically. From there it progressed via Harrold to Hinwick and Podington. At 5.30pm the troops reassembled and marched to Hinwick House, the home of its commander Major Rouse Orlebar; when they arrived were inspected by the regimental colonel, the Honorable Victor Russell, who had travelled from Newmarket for the occasion. After the formal inspection the men were put through their drill by their commander’s eight year old son Master John Orlebar in “a remarkably smart manner for one so young”. The house and grounds were opened to the public for the occasion, and many people took full advantage of the opportunity. A stage was built in the coach house and the visitors enjoyed a concert given by soldiers from the battalion, some convalescent patients from the hospital now in operation at Hinwick House, and Major Orlebar’s brother Beauchamp. The Sergeant-Major gave an exhibition of club swinging and humorous selections were performed by Lieutenant Hart.

Source: Bedfordshire Standard 4th June 1915

German Landlady's Only Fault

The Crown, Leighton Buzzard, 2008 [ © BLARS]

Tuesday 1st June 1915: Margaret Gotzheim, aged 70, the landlady of the Crown Inn in North Street, Leighton Buzzard, has appeared at Leighton Petty Sessions today charged as an enemy alien with travelling more than five miles from her registered address on May 17th. Superintendent Matthews stated that on that day she went in a wagonette to Luton with her family, but was a German subject and had no permit. She had been seen and recognised by a police constable driving along George Street in Luton with her two daughters. Mrs. Gotzheim had registered as an alien in August and had been warned at the time that she was not to travel more than five miles without a permit.

Questioned by the chairman of the Bench the Superintendent said that there were three aliens registered in the Leighton Buzzard Petty Sessional Division and that Margaret Gotzheim had lived in the country for forty years. Her sons and daughters were all born here and are English subjects. She herself said that she had been in England for sixty years and remarked “Yes, I am German born, but that is the only fault I have got”. Mrs. Gotzheim pleaded guilty and was fined £20 with 6 shillings costs. She responded “I ain’t going to pay; I’m not”.

Source: Luton News 3rd June 1915

In Memory of a Good Soldier

Inside of In Memoriam card for the Unknown Warrior interred in 

Westminster Abbey 1920 [X498/191]

Monday 31st May 1915: Nurse Gertie Grimmer is still collecting entries in her Confessions Book. Alongside the question and answer “confessions” it now includes many autographs in the form of sketches, jokes, notes and poems. A particularly poignant poem titled “In Memory of a Good Soldier of Christ” has been added by Private A. Walker of the 7th East Surreys, written in loving memory of No.14194 Private George Brewer of the Bedford Regiment who was killed last week.[1]

A crescent moon enough to shed

Upon the field where lies our dead

A shimmering ghostly light to show

Where Britons heroes meet their foe.

What need to tell of clash and din

Of the deadly bayonet driven in

The shrieks and cries of those in pain

Of men becoming beasts again.

To see men fight and writhing die

And describe like Zola, I’ll not try

But when all’s over I could say

The best of mankind died today.

Ye British wives and Daughters too

Hold high your heads it was for you

Those heroes made their last advance

To find a grave “Somewhere in France”.

Source: Confessions Album of Gertie Grimmer [X391/498]

---

[1] Private George Brewer, son of James Brewer of Church Hanborough, Woodstock, Oxfordshire was killed on 25th May 1915 when the 1st Battalion were in support near Hill 60. He is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial.  

The Effects of Gas

Gassed, by John Singer Sargent, 1918 (Wikimedia)

Sunday 30th May 1915: Mr Brown of Silsoe, who is serving in France as an ambulance driver, has written home describing events which took place last weekend:

“The Germans had been using that dreadful gas again;[1] we have to go right up to the firing line. It was something dreadful, we were under shell and rifle fire all the time. It was night time when we were there, and it was just like as if the whole sky was on fire, the noise was terrible. We could not hear one another speak, and had to drive without lights not daring to strike a match or smoke, if we did, as sure as I am writing we should have been killed … Just as we got our last load of wounded and were starting off, someone struck a match, and the Germans immediately put six shells at us in succession, but fortunately they all went to the right of us so we escaped. Our poor soldiers, when we got them to the nearest hospital, which was about three miles away, we had to lay them out on the grass, which is the best treatment for gas cases, but, poor fellows, they are doubled up in a heap, and their moaning is something awful … I had only eight hours sleep out of those three days, we were all completely knocked up; my mate fainted away and was quite done up. The doctor says his nerves are affected by the continual noise of the guns … I have just got a slice of good luck, there are about ten of us picked out to clear the wounded from the three big clearing hospitals, and I am one of them; we are about five miles from the nearest firing line – I am pleased, no mistake.”

Source: Monthly Magazine for the parishes of Barton-le-Cley, Clophill, Flitton and Greenfield, Gravenhurst, Silsoe, Westoning, July 1915 [P21/30/17]

---

[1] Chlorine gas was first used at the 2nd Battle of Ypres against the French on 22nd April 1915. 

Appeal for Sandbags

High Street, Leighton Buzzard, 1913 (Jackson and Co. on the left) [X291/376]

Tuesday 25th May 1915: Mrs. Ella M. Fenwick of Tilsworth has appealed for people in the Leighton Buzzard area to help in providing sandbags for the Front. The appeal originated with Miss M. L. Tyler of Linden House, Highgate Road, London at the encouragement of her soldier brother. Although Miss Tyler is already receiving thousands every day, the “supply required is endless”. Mrs. Fenwick has published instructions for making the bags, which must be made from hessian and of a uniform size of 33 inches by 14 inches. She has pattern sandbags which she can lend to anyone who wishes to make them and will send the finished items on to Miss Tyler. Hessian is available for 4¾d to 5¾d per yard and Mrs. Fenwick would also be happy to receive donations to purchase this material for others to make up. The Leighton Buzzard Observer has arranged for a sample sandbag to be on view at H. Jackson and Co., Leighton Buzzard.

Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer and Linslade Gazette, 25th May 1915.