A Tragic Month for Stondon

Stondon c.1920 [Z1130/114]

Sunday 27th February 1916: The Rector of Stondon writes that the village has suffered a series of tragedies during the past month:

“I am sorry to say that our village has been visited by the Angel of Death, no less than four out of our few inhabitants having been taken from us. First we heard the sad news that one of our brave soldiers at the front, Private Fred Peck [1], of the 2nd Beds Regiment, had succumbed to his wounds in hospital; then we heard that Private George Covington had been killed at the front. Violet Mary Jordan, only 15 years of age, died almost suddenly while staying at Luton, and last Monday one of the best-known and respected of our villagers, and who had lived here all her life of 68 years, Mrs. John Cooper was laid to rest in our pretty little Churchyard. Such sad events as these bring home to us the uncertainty of life, and bid us take care that we are prepared for that time which must inevitably come some day to each one of us. These three young lives, gone as it were in a moment, should be indeed a warning to us all."

Frederick William Peck, aged 20, was the son of William and Nellie Peck of Bird-in-Hand Cottages, Lower Stondon. He was wounded, along with another Stondon soldier, Private Leslie Cooper, when a shell exploded in their billet. Although Private Cooper’s wounds were initially thought to be more serious than Private Peck’s, the latter died on 5th February 1916 while Private Cooper is now said to be progressing favourably. He has been moved from the Princess Christian’s Hospital at Weymouth to the St. John’s Red Cross Hospital and writes “Pleased to say I am still going on fine, soon hope to see you all”.

Source: Stondon, Stotfold and Shefford Parish Magazine [P83/30/1]; Luton Times, 18th February 1916; CWGC

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