Harvest Festival, Recruitment, Fundraising and Whooping Cough

2nd Lt. Evelyn Collisson of Gravenhurst [X550-1-81]

Sunday 7th November 1915: News from the Villages

Barton-le-Clay

Despite the lack of the usual celebrations the Church was crowded for the Harvest Festival services; this was despite the loss of seventy men to the Forces, including eleven who joined on October 3rd. Ten of the bell ringers have gone, along with nearly all the Band members.

Gravenhurst

The Gravenhurst Roll of Honour now includes fifteen names as follows: [1]

• Lionel Grant Milller – killed in action
• Walter Redman – missing
• Cyril Parrish – at the Front
• Percy Parrish – at the Front
• George Redman – at the Front
• Frederick Fisher – at the Front
• Sergeant George Cooper – at the Front
• John Fisher – joined the Army
• Lance Corporal Albert Fisher – joined the Army
• Herbert Fisher – joined the Army
• Bob Fisher – joined the Army
• Willie Collins – joined the Army
• William Dennis – joined the Army
• David Dilley – joined the Army
• 2nd Lieutenant Evelyn Collisson – joined the Army

Flitton and Greenfield

The war slides shown at the Parish Room have so far raised £1 1s 3d. In addition £6 2s 0d has been raised for the Red Cross Society by the sale of fruit of vegetables, from a concert got up by Miss Leach, and through subscription by the employees of Messrs Copping and Sibley.

Clophill

The Infant School has been closed for four weeks from October 27th due to an outbreak of whooping cough.

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

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[1] Of these men only Lionel Miller, Walter Redman and Evelyn Ernest Arnold Collisson (son of the Rector Revd. Thomas Collisson) appear on the Gravenhurst war memorial.

Bereavement for Another Luton Family

Informal group at a military camp, c.1914. Men wearing RAMC badges.

[Z1306/12/9/3]

Saturday 6th November 1915: Another young Luton man has fallen at Gallipoli. Twenty year old Joseph Edward Betts of Ashton Road joined the Royal Army Medical Corps two years before the war began. As a private in the Eastern Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance he trained at the Grove Road depot where the Brigade has its headquarters. He sailed for the Dardanelles on August 8th but never made it ashore. His commanding officer, Major Archibald, has written to Private Betts’ mother describing his last moments:

“He was killed by a bullet in the head. It hit him as he was getting on the deck of the ship to the landing lighters. His comrades did not hear him make a sound, and did not know he had been hit until they were ordered to fall in, when they found they could not rouse him. We brought his body to this place today, and a chaplain has just taken it ashore for burial … I cannot say how grieved I feel at the loss of such a promising young life. He was greatly beloved by all of us, and we all mourn the loss of a faithful and trusty comrade”.

The Betts family also have a younger son, Claude, who enlisted in the 1/5th Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment. As Claude is only 17 years old[1] his mother has requested that he should be kept in England until he is older; he has been sent to the 3/5th Battalion which is currently stationed at Newmarket.

Source: Luton Times 5th November 1915

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[1] The newspaper report give his age as 15 but other records show that William Claude Betts was born in 1898. He survived the war. 

Aspley Guise Landlord Prosecuted

The former Duke's Head, Aspley Guise, 2008  [CR/PH]

Friday 5th November 1915: George William Kilpin, the landlord of the Duke’s Head beerhouse at Aspley Guise has pleaded not guilty to opening the premises during prohibited hours on October 16th and to obstructing a police constable in the execution of his duty. P.C. Stonebridge stated that at 11.30pm he was on West Hill, Aspley Guise and heard voices in Kilpin’s front room. Looking through a parting in the blind he saw Harold Bowler talking to Kilpin, with a pint mug of beer on the table in front of him. The policeman went to the door and Kilpin denied having Harold Bowler on the premises and refused to allow him to look round, shutting the door in his face. He pushed his way into the room and saw beer in the mug on the table; he then went to the back door and saw Bowler running across the yard and out of the back gate. He went after him and found him hiding near the corner of the gate.

Kilpin’s solicitor pointed out that there was no offence committed in choosing to have a friend on the premises after closing time and there was no dispute that this is why Bowler was there, having been to the common with Kilpin to see a sickly calf. There was no attempt at concealment – the lights were burning in the house and the conversation was loud. There was no evidence that drink had been sold to Bowler and Mr. Kilpin had no recollection of obstructing the constable, only that there had been some “conversation” as to whether Bowler was in the house. At this time it was literally true that Bowler was not in the house as he had left and was in the yard. He admitted to a lack of tact, but it was pointed out that an argument over whether the policeman was entitled to enter the private parts of the house was not the same as obstruction.

Kilpin stated that he had been the tenant of the Duke’s Head for ten years and also occupied land in the village. He had asked Bowler to go with him to give a drink to a sick calf, being short of labour since his brother had left him due to the war. When they got home he had asked Bowler to help with some threshing the next day. Before leaving Bowler went into the house to “speak to the missus” and left just as the knock came at the door. The policeman had told Bowler “I have got you for being on licensed premises during prohibited hours”, to which Bowler responded that he was not on licensed premises. Bowler had promised to attend Court but for some unknow reason had gone to Woburn Park instead. The magistrate announced that they were inclined to convict Kilpin, but adjourned the case to allow Bowler to be summoned to give evidence.

Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer 9th November 1915

Missing Soldiers

 
Corporal James Richard Ellison

Thursday 4th November 1915: The family of Wilstead soldier Percy Gambriel have not heard from him since the letter he wrote to his mother on 23rd/24th September and have now received worrying news. A report from the War Office stating that he had been wounded in action on 25th September has now been followed by a notice that he was posted as “missing” after the engagement which took place on that date. In response to their enquiries an adjutant of the 2nd Bedfords writes:

“The following is all I can find out about Private P.W. Gambriel. He was wounded in the foot, as soon as the Company came under fire, in the advance against the German Gun Trench on 25th September. He took off his boot, but the wound was very slight and he came on again – this I got from Private Stevens. He was then wounded in the head, again slightly – he was able to speak, and said he could get back easily. Soon afterwards he was badly hit in the arm, and was bound up and sent back to Ambulance by Sergeant Curtis, being then able to walk. No one in the Company has since heard of or from him. I sincerely hope he is getting on all right in hospital, as he fought so splendidly. Very likely he cannot write home because of his arm.”

Mr. J. Ellison of Bunyan Road, Kempston is also appealing for news of his son Corporal James Richard Ellison of the 1st/5th Bedfords who was reported as “missing, believed killed” by the War Office on September 8th. He was a member of the 5th Bedfords when they were mobilised in August 1914 and went out with the Battalion to Gallipoli on 26th July. It is hoped that his comrades in the trenches may be able to provide some information.

Source: Z1270/1/3-4; Z1270/2/21-22; Bedfordshire Standard, 5th November 1915

Riseley Man Awarded DCM

Private Sam Barker 

Wednesday 3rd November 1915: The village of Riseley is very proud to hear that Private Sam Barker of the 4th Battalion of the Grenadier Guards has been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his conspicuous bravery in the field. Private Barker only arrived in France in August and was taking part in his first military engagement at Hill 70 at the end of September when he picked up a wounded officer in the area where the fighting was at its fiercest and carried him to safety. Writing to his mother Private Barker said: “I thought Riseley people would be amazed to hear of that medal affair. I have not got it yet; it may be a month or so, or even longer”.

Riseley’s response to recruiting efforts has been admirable, with between 30 and 40 men joining the Forces. Private Barker was saddened to hear that another Riseley boy, Harry Porter, had been wounded in the face. He writes “Every time I got a chance I hunted high and low for him; but it’s no use now if he is in hospital”.

Source: Bedfordshire Standard, 5th November 1915

News from Luton Men at Gallipoli

     

Lance Corporal H Foster and Sapper H S Mimms, 

members of the wire entanglement party

Tuesday 2nd November 1915: A Luton soldier has written home from Gallipoli where he is serving with the East Anglian Royal Engineers. Although their ranks have been seriously reduced by casualties and sickness he is able to report that all the Luton lads of the “Vicarage Street clan” are “in the pink”. They are enjoying surprisingly good provisions considering it is only just over two months since the landing at Gallipoli. Their rations quite frequently include bread and occasionally fresh meat, there is plenty of bacon for breakfast, and tinned vegetables are available.

He took a party including fellow Lutonians ‘Chicken’ Hensman and Stan Mimms out in front of the trenches on wire entanglement duties. They got their wire and equipment and themselves safely over the parapet and were advancing towards the Turkish trenches when a star shell[1] went up from the Turkish trench exposing them to rifle fire. They lay flat until the fire died down, but having laid 70 yards of wire they were in front of a different part of the trench to where they had started. When the rifle fire was followed by an exploding shell they ran for the trench. This was manned by Sikhs who at first mistook them for Turks and would have bayoneted them if they had not called out “English Johnny” as they scrambled into the trench. After completing the wiring job the following night they were ensconced in a dug out where they “have just had the pleasant news that the Turks intend to gas us tonight, and they have just treated our camp to a miniature bombardment of 7.5 guns”.

Source: Luton News 5th November 1915

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[1] A “star shell” contained a magnesium flare and was used to illuminate the battlefield.

Deserter Arrested in Luton

High Town Road, Luton c.1904 [Z1306/75/10/31/3]

Monday 1st November 1915: Luton Police have succeeded in arresting a deserter who has been hiding in the town for six weeks. Pryce Salter was stationed at Otley with the 11th Yorkshire and Lancashire Regiment when he went absent without leave and was gazetted as a deserter on 14th September. On Saturday night he was spotted in High Town Road by Inspector Duncombe. He denied that his name was Salter but after being told he would be locked up as a deserter he admitted his name was Salter but refused to give any further information. This morning he was brought before the magistrates. He stated he had been certified as unfit for service but that the certificate had later been cancelled. Salter has been remanded in custody to await an escort back to his regiment. Inspector Duncombe is to receive a reward of ten shillings for making the arrest.

Source: Luton Times 5th November 1915