Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps Recruitment March

Swan Hotel, Bedford [Z1306/10/23/1]

Sunday 15th September 1918: A procession of one hundred and twenty girls of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps marched through Bedford today behind the band of the Royal Engineers. When they arrived at the Soldiers’ Memorial, they were addressed from the balcony of the Swan Hotel. The aim of the meeting was to find an additional one hundred members from Bedford, as the town’s quota of the 30,000 required for Queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps. The women are needed  as cooks, and will be offered free training at full pay of ten shillings per week. They will also receive uniform and full board. One of the speakers, Major Jayne, said that the preparation of food for men had always been one of women’s noblest duties, and it was their duty to obey the command. Although scandalous things have been said of the splendid women serving in this way, these were reported to be completely untrue – mothers were assured that they need have no fear in giving consent to their girls joining the Corps. The Mayor hoped that this would be the last recruiting call from Bedford, as he expects that in the near future peace will be proclaimed.

Source: Bedfordshire Standard, 20th September 1918

Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps Needs Cooks

Group of army cooks “awaiting orders to cook the Kaiser”, 1914-18. Photograph by J. T. Welch [Z835/18/1]

Wednesday 5th December 1917: There is an urgent need for women cooks to enrol in Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps to work in camps both in this country and in France. Every woman who serves in this capacity will release a fit man to serve as a combatant. Anyone willing to undertake this patriotic and suitable duty should apply to the Ministry of Labour.

Source: Bedfordshire Standard, 7th December 1917

Dunstable Man Passed From Pillar to Post

High Street South, Dunstable 1915 [Z1130/36/116]

Sunday 11th June 1916: Due to a strange chain of events a young man from High Street South, Dunstable, has been charged at Luton with being an absentee from the Royal Highlanders. Russell Bliss had joined the Royal Highlanders in May and was sent to Perth. After being at Perth for three days he was transferred to the Royal Navy and sent to Portsmouth. When he arrived there he was kept in barracks for three days, without being sworn in or given a uniform. Fed up with this treatment he broke out of barracks. He was arrested by the naval police, but when they discovered he had not been sworn in he was discharged and given a railway pass to Bedford.

Bliss then went home to Dunstable, only to find that his calling-up notice had arrived requiring him to report himself, which he did on Thursday morning. He was sent again to Bedford; the authorities there sent him back to the recruiting office at Luton, from where he was handed over to the police. He was then remanded until yesterday, when the Chief Constable told the magistrates that he had received the following telegram from the Commanding Officer at Perth: “Bliss was accepted by the naval recruiter, and therefore, I have nothing to do with him”. The Magistrate’s Clerk pointed out that he should not be treated as a deserter, as “he has evidently been bandied about from pillar to post. Apparently he is anxious to do something for his country, and no one seems to have helped him”. It was agreed that he should go back to the recruiting office and report himself, and that would be an end to the matter.

Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer, 13th June 1916

Waterproofs for Belgian Soldiers

Albert, King of the Belgians, Belgian Soldiers Fund Official Souvenir, 1915-6

[X758/1/10/69]

Sunday 19th March 1916: Monsieur Charles Piron, a Belgian refugee who has been living in Leighton Buzzard since June, made an appeal in the Leighton Buzzard Observer last week for a friend badly in need of a waterproof. Monsieur Joseph Pennartz had written to him saying: 

"I am in the muddiest hole you could dream of - mud up to the knees, and now snow. Is there possibly some 'fairy godmother' in your district who would be kind enough to send me a waterproof? It is very necessary; we are exposed to all weathers. Please try to find me this 'rara avis'. I am of middle height. I don't ask for anything luxurious, but khaki coloured if possible."

The day his appeal appeared, M. Pennartz was delighted to receive both a splendid waterproof, and a motor cyclist's rubber waterproof and overalls. He was able to send the second gift to another Belgian soldier, Michel Counet d'Aywaille. This young man, still only 19 years old, ran away from his home in February 1915 with eight others, intent on joining the army. As they crossed the Dutch frontier the group was fired on by a German patrol and four of them were killed.  After reaching Holland, the survivors travelled on to England where they joined the Belgian army. 

M. Pennartz was a wealthy tobacco merchant before the war, but is now penniless and serving in the Belgian army as a volunteer. M. Piron has a son in Germany as a prisoner of war and was himself lucky not to be executed. The day after he escaped to Holland seven of his friends were shot as spies. A musician, he has delighted local audiences with his playing since arriving in Leighton Buzzard. In a letter of thanks he writes:

"I cannot let pass this opportunity to acknowledge publicly in my name and those of my compatriots, our gratitude to you personally and to the generous givers. We Belgians, particularly those from Wallonie, knew nothing of, or rather did not understand Great Britain. Since the early days of my stay in England I have had reason to appreciate at its true worth the generosity of the British people, and especially of British ladies, - a generosity which is characterised by the sincerity, the discretion, and the great delicacy with which it is dispensed."

Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer, 14th and 21st March 1916

Fire at Military Stores

Castle Street, Luton c.1905 [Z1306/75/10/8/1]

Monday 31st January 1916: A fire broke out in the early hours this morning at 99 Castle Street, Luton. The premises were in use as stores for the 2/4th Leicesters who are billeted in the town. At 2.50am some of the goods in the yard were seen ablaze. Thanks to the prompt action of three policemen who threw the burning items out into the street and put the fire out with buckets of water, there was very little damage and no need to call the fire brigade.

Source: Luton News, 3rd February 1916

Theft of Army Stores at Bedford

House in Shakespeare Road, Bedford, c.1915 [Z1306/10/62/1]

Monday 11th October 1915: William Thomas Hills, a fruiterer of 72 Russell Street, Bedford, has appeared at the Bedford Sessions today charged with stealing food and other items valued at £7.7s.8d from the Military Stores at 33 Shakespeare Road, or with receiving the goods knowing them to have been stolen. Evidence was heard from Corporal Harry Panter of the 2/2nd Monmouth Regiment who was in charge of the meat and grocery bar at Shakespeare Road, the Regiment’s HQ. On October 5th at 5pm he locked the door of the store room and took the key with him. The next morning he found a door burst open and the lock of the door in the meat store forced off; about 80lbs of bacon, coffee, a carcase of mutton, and two tins of corned beef were missing. When the other store was checked later slippers, razors, cutlery and toothbrushes were missing.

Octavius Richardson, a slaughterer of 23 Harpur Street, said that Hills had brought the mutton, a ham and a side of bacon to him on either Wednesday or Thursday morning, claiming to have received them in exchange for bananas and other fruit. Richardson paid him 30 shillings for the meat. He bought the meat – then in “a little better condition” – to eat, not to sell in the shop. P.C. Turvey and Detective Dodd found the slippers, razors, cutlery, a large ham, a small piece of bacon, two tins of corned beef, coffee and milk at Hills’ house and took him into custody. While the policeman was checking the goods Hills said “I don’t want to give you any more trouble than I can help; I am in a hole, and have got to get out of it the best I can”. He pleaded guilty to receiving the goods, saying that they were stolen by three men who brought them to him. It was understood that the military were dealing with someone who was behind the theft.

Hills’ defending solicitor said his client had agreed to purchase something, but that the majority of the goods were forced on him and he yielded to temptation. He had lost his wife about 12 months ago and had five children aged from 3 to 18, the youngest child being paralysed. He had previously served in the Northampton Police Force, which he left with a good character. He had worked for many years, saved a little money, and set up in business as a fruiterer. In view of this the Bench decided to fine Hills £10 rather than to send him to prison.

Source: Bedfordshire Standard, 15th October 1915

A Near-Miss in Bedford

Diemer and Reynolds printing works, Midland Road 

during flood of April 1908 [Z1306/10/41/7]

Monday 20th September 1915: A near-miss took place in Bedford this morning which could easily have led to tragedy. A large Army motor transport heading in the direction of the station turned right from Gwyn Street[1] into Midland Road into the path of a powerful motor car driving fast in the direction of the High Street. The driver averted a collision by swerving to the right, mounting the footpath near Messrs. Diemer and Reynolds’ printing works, drove round a street lamp, returned to the middle of the road and continued without stopping or reducing his speed. Fortunately there were no pedestrians on that part of the pavement, although there were many people nearby and a good number of vehicles on the road. The army driver braked so violently that several yards of tar-macadam on the road was damaged. That no accident took place and that nobody was injured or killed is a piece of extraordinary good fortune.

Source: Bedfordshire Standard, 24th September 1915

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[1] Most of Gwyn Street, which originally ran from Bromham Road to Midland Road, has since been demolished.

Bedfordshire's Recruitment Record

Dunstable Recruitment Drive, June 1914 [X768/60]

Friday 19th March 1915: The head teachers of rural elementary schools in the county have made returns of the number of men serving in the armed forces.[1] According to the 1911 Census the places for which returns have been received had a population of 81,023, which includes 11,639 men of military age (19 to 38). The numbers who are either now serving in the forces or who volunteered but were rejected are:

• Army: 3,745
• Navy: 206
• Army (rejected): 487
• Navy (rejected): 8

This makes a total of 4,446, which is 5.48% of the whole population and 38.2% of the men of military age. The breakdown of those serving in the Army is as follows:

• Regular Army: 1,089
• Kitchener’s Army: 1,089
• Territorials: 1,301
• National Reserve: 266

In eight villages – Bromham, Caddington, Cardington, Kensworth, Milton Ernest, Potsgrove, Stondon and Old Warden - recruitment has reached 10% or more of the total population with Cardington taking top place with a figure of 11.8%.

The strength of the Territorial Units has grown threefold since 1st January 1914. On 1st January 1914 it was 1,459; this increased to 1,945 on 1st July 1914, to 3,861 on 13th November 1914 and to 4,389 on 16th March 1915. This most recent figure can be broken down into individual Units:

• Yeomanry: 979
• Royal Engineers: 1224 (not including the 1st Field Company which is serving in France)
• 5th Battalion (and Reserve): 1949
• Field Ambulance: 237

Of this total of 4,389, Kempston and the village districts for which returns were made by head teachers contributed 1,301, with 3,088 coming from Bedford, Luton, Ampthill, Biggleswade, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard and Sandy. If the proportion of recruits to the Territorials from these urban areas is similar to the proportion who have joined the other branches of the Forces, then the total number of men recruited by the Army and Navy from Bedfordshire can be estimated at 13,329. If this is correct it would mean that the county has sent 46% of the available men of military age and 6.8% of its total population of 194,588.

Source: Bedfordshire Times, 19th March 1915

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[1] Bedford, Luton, Ampthill, Biggleswade, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard and Sandy were excluded from the returns due to their size and the greater difficulty of collecting figures. 

A Royal Inspection

Luton Hoo Park c.1906 [Z1306/75/10/62/3]

Friday 18th September 1914: Today King George V has paid a visit to Luton Hoo Park to inspect the North Midland Territorials who have been quartered in Luton.[1] His Majesty is said to take a very keen interest in the Territorials and has visited many of their training grounds since the Territorial Force was mobilised in August. Over four thousand officers and men marched to Luton Hoo for his visit. These men are all volunteers who have given up their normal lives and occupations for the sake of their country in its hour of need. Although most have only been in the army for a month or less they have been well trained and already look like professional soldiers rather than raw recruits.

The troops assembled on the polo ground at the Park which had been turned into a parade ground for the occasion. His Majesty arrived by motor car at 10.45. By this time the troops were chilled from standing in the cold wind and were clapping their hands in an attempt to keep warm, but as the King arrived the sun broke through the clouds and brightened the scene. There was a general salute and the National Anthem was played. His Majesty shook hands with the commanding officer, General Sir William Franklin, then walked through the lines, inspecting first the infantry, then the artillery, and finally the Royal Army Medical Corps. After the inspection the troops marched past the King accompanied at first by a tune from the band, then by a bugle and a beating drum. The march past took forty minutes to complete. The King is said to have been impressed with their soldierly bearing and appearance.

Source: Luton News 18/9/1914

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[1] The North Midland Division were inspected at Luton Hoo by another V.I.P., the War Minister Lord Kitchener, on 29th September [Source: Luton News 1/10/1914]

The Best of Times

Image: Felixtowe letter card 1917 [ZU41/3/6]

10th September 1914: A letter from a Luton man

Landguard, Suffolk.
   Dear Friends, - We are writing to tell you that your country needs you. We are having the best of times down here at Felixstowe.
   We are preparing for our country, and if we fail to win, what will you say? But it will be too late then, so come along and do your best for your King and country.
   Remember that years ago the men of Luton and other towns did the same for us. Why should we not respond now?
   Don’t be down-hearted, as the more the merrier, and we are sure to win if you all try your best.
   Come along. There are hundreds down here, but still room for more.
                 LUTONIAN

Source: Luton News 10/9/1914

Luton Lads Enlist

"Luton boys leaving Luton to enlist at St Albans, August 1914", Photo by Mr W H Cox, Luton, from Luton News Almanac, 1915 [Z1516/4]

Thursday 3rd September 1914, Luton: On Tuesday a group of twenty seven men from an engineering works in Luton went to Bedford to join Lord Kitchener’s army. Although they had telephoned to find out where to go and when, they arrived in Bedford only to find there was no medical doctor available to examine them and were told to go home and return the next day. Yesterday they tried again, with their group expanded by another would-be recruit, and twenty two out of the twenty eight were enrolled. Another group of lads from Luton went together to St Albans to enlist in the 24th City of London Rifles. All but two passed the medical test and they have signed up for four years of foreign service.

Source: Luton News 3rd September 1914

"I Could Cook for the Chaps"

Crimean War cannon on the Bedford Embankment, c.1906. The cannon was removed and scrapped during the Second World War [Z50/9/91]

Monday 17th August 1914 (Luton and Biggleswade): A recruiting office has opened at the Volunteer Club in Park Street, Luton where men can sign up to join the new army being raised by Lord Kitchener. Men whose teeth are too poor to be accepted into the army are being given free use of the dental clinic so that they can be passed fit by the recruiting officer. Once accepted they are sent to Bedford for a full medical examination. 

A story has been going round about an old soldier from Biggleswade, George Smith. A veteran of the Crimean War and the Indian Mutiny, he wants to go with the Expeditionary Force despite being 82 years old. He admits he is too old to fight, but says “I could cook for the chaps: I could make a pie or pudding with any of them”.

Source: Luton News 20th August 1914

Missing Horses

RAMC band marching in Bedford 1914 [Z1306/12/5/41]

Sunday 9th August 1914 (Luton): Since the war started the army has been commandeering the horses it needs from the town. Requisitioning parties have been at work all week, and have not always shown much regard for the owners' feelings. A local doctor had his horse seized from outside his door: its hooves had been branded even before it was moved away from the house. 

Some organisations have been more successful than others. The Royal Army Medical Corps found itself in particularly difficulties. Representatives of the RAMC had been round the town and sourced all the horses they needed but had not actually requisitioned them. When they went back to claim the horses they found other parts of the army had got there first. In the end the RAMC were forced to leave town without the animals they needed.

Source: Luton News 13th August 1914