Bedford Volunteer Regiment on Parade

Bedfordshire Volunteer Training Corps on parade, June 1915 [Z1306/12/4]

Sunday 18th November 1917: The Bedford Volunteer Regiment will be holding a parade and inspection today. The parade will begin at the Corps Headquarters in Ashburnham Road at 2.30 pm. The Volunteers will march via Midland Road, the High Street, and the Embankment to Russell Park, where they will be inspected by the Lord Lieutenant. The exercise had originally been planned as a joint parade of both the Bedford and Luton Battalions, but the shortage of railway facilities and other factors made it impossible to bring the Luton Volunteers to Bedford to take part. It is hoped that this parade will help in the recruitment of new volunteers. The establishment strength of the Battalion is 1,000, but the numbers currently enrolled are 550 at Bedford and 660 at Luton. If the Bedford Battalion cannot be brought up to full strength then there is a danger that the Bedford and Luton Battalions will be merged. Badged and exempted men, and men over the age of 41 are eligible for the Volunteer Corps. Anyone interested in serving in this way can obtain information from the Battalion’s Headquarters.

Source: Bedfordshire Standard, 16th November 1917

New Rector Addresses Volunteers

Z1130/11/1/3, St Cuthbert's Church  (Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service)

Sunday 28^th January 1917: The new rector of St Cuthbert’s, Rev W. R. Scott, impressed with an address to the Bedfordshire Volunteers at a church service this afternoon. Rev Scott had just relinquished his commission as an Army Chaplain and missed addressing large groups of soldiers. In his address, he made comparisons between Britain and Israel – both nations, he said, were chosen for a very special purpose by God, a purpose not yet fulfilled, and both were inexperienced.  

Reflecting on an individual level too, Rev Scott stated that he could not see how men could be the same as they were at the beginning of the war and that the fighting between Christian nations proved the bankruptcy of Christianity. The only way for permanent peace was for nations to come back to the teaching of Christ.

Source: Bedford Record 30/1/1917