Illiterate Musician Falls Foul of Aliens Order

Lake Street, Leighton Buzzard c.1909 [Z1306/72]

Wednesday 6th October 1915: A travelling musician has been remanded in custody at a special police court held in Leighton Buzzard. The court heard that Frederick Roberts had failed to provide information to a lodging house keeper as required by the Aliens Restriction Amendment Order, 1915. On Friday 1st October Roberts came to lodge at the house kept by Mrs. Mary Ellis at 45 Lake Street. On the following Monday she gave him a form to complete but he said he could not do so because his hand was shaky. Later in the day she asked him again to fill in the form but he did not do so. He gave her no reason for failing to complete the form. When asked if Roberts had told her he couldn’t write, she said he had not. He had, however, behaved himself well while he was at her house.

Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer, 12 October 1915

Luton Artilleryman Kills His Wife

Amy Martin

Tuesday 5th October 1915: An inquest opened this afternoon in Luton into the death of Mrs Amy Martin, age 32, of Queen Square. The coroner and jury heard that at 6.30 yesterday morning Mrs Martin’s husband, Henry Charles Martin approached Police Constable Hencher in Park Square and told him “I have got to come with you. I have done my wife in.” When told that this was a very serious statement to make he replied “It’s true. I stabbed her with a knife. I believe she is dead. She drove me to it.” Martin was taken to the police station and P.C. Hencher and Inspector Janes went to Church Square. There they found Mrs. Martin in a neighbour’s house. Her throat was cut and she was lying in a pool of blood. An attempt had been made to stop the bleeding by wrapping a towel around her neck. A doctor arrived and stitched the wound. She was taken to Bute Hospital, but at 9.20 a.m. she died.

The neighbour, Mrs. Fookes, stated that as her husband did not start work until 8 a.m. on Monday they were still in bed when he was woken by a scream, “Oh, Charlie!” Realising something was wrong next door he put on some clothes and ran to the back bedroom window where he saw Mrs. Martin ban on the door and fall to the ground. He and his wife rushed downstairs and found the Martins’ son Charlie trying to staunch the blood from his mother’s throat with a small pocket handkerchief. They took her in carefully, Mr. Fookes tried to stop the bleeding and his wife ran for the doctor. The boy Charlie said he was in bed when he heard his mother scream. As he ran towards the front bedroom in which his parents slept he saw his mother rush downstairs. He followed and found her lying on the ground at Mr. Fookes’ back door.

Gunner Henry Martin is stationed in Stratford with the Royal Garrison Artillery but had been home frequently, on some occasions without leave. Mrs. Martin’s Father, Edwin Plummer of 10, Blythe Place, said his daughter was a hard working girl who had lived in Luton all her life until Martin went to work at the London Scottish Foundry Ltd. in Barking, Essex about two years ago. She had worked for Messrs. Webb and Baker, the hat manufacturers, and Martin had worked at Messrs. Brown and Green’s Foundry and then the Diamond Foundry. He believed his daughter’s marriage was not a happy one. When they lived in Barking she had come home to her father for five weeks because of the abuse. Her husband drank heavily and had lost his situations at Brown and Green’s and in Barking, where his master told him he was a drunken beast. When asked if he had known Martin to strike his daughter he replied: “It has been worse than striking – the language and drink, and they have struck each other”.

The Martins have three children, aged twelve, eleven, and seven. Mr. Plummer’s loss was his third in two years; he was still in mourning having lost both his wife and son within that time. The inquest was adjourned until Friday afternoon.

Source: Luton News, 7th October 1915

Bring Us Back Some Music

Bedford Arms, Linslade [CR-PH]

Monday 4th October 1915: After thirteen months at the Front with the 2nd Bedfords Corporal William Eggleton has enjoyed seven days of well-earned leave at home in Plantation Road, Leighton Buzzard. His old chums at the wire works have been most interested in his news and experiences. He tells them that after the hardships of last winter, when the Bedfords stood knee deep in water in their trenches, the prospect of the war continuing through another winter season is more feared than the fiercest fighting. When they heard that a comrade had told Corporal Eggleton “For God’s sake bring us back some music” both employer and employees at the wire works subscribed enough money to purchase one of the best accordions in the town. A gift of beer will go to another Leighton man in the Bedfords who had asked his friend to “Call in at the Bedford Arms and tell ‘em I could do with a bottle of Bass!” Corporal Eggleton is now fully recovered from a wounded hand and has returned to France in a cheerful mood. [1]

Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer, 5 October 1915

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[1] William Eggleton was killed during the Battle of the Somme on 30th July 1916 at the age of 21. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

A Flying Plague at Flitton

High Street, Flitton [Z1306/49/6]

Sunday 3rd October 1915: News from the Villages

Barton-le-Clay

More regular village arrangements have had to be cancelled or scaled back due to the war. The Harvest Festival will be limited to just thanksgiving services, with none of the usual festivities – no decorations, tea meetings, flower shows or other celebrations. Street lamps will not be lit this winter, so the usual collection made by the Parish Council to fund street lighting will not be made; funds still in hand will be kept for future use. The local Football Club have decided not to arrange any fixtures and to suspend playing the game indefinitely.

Gravenhurst

The village has joined in the National Collection of eggs for the sick and wounded thanks to the work of Miss Miller. The effort has been a great success. On a less happy note the village has been suffering from a plague of winged daddy-long-legs.

Flitton and Greenfield

A Roll of Honour for the parish has been presented to the Church by the Vicar and placed on the door. War slides are to be shown at the Parish Room on alternate Wednesdays, starting on October 6th. A collection is to be made at the door for comforts for our soldiers. Flitton has also been suffering from a flying plague, in this case of wasps and gnats. One wasp stung the oldest inhabitant of the village, Mr Charles Downing, senior.

Westoning

Mr Peppiatt has been wounded at the Dardanelles and has lost part of his lung. He was in hospital at Gosport before returning to Westoning on September 11th to recuperate. Mr George Gazeley has been wounded three times. He hoped to be able to come home last month but this has not been possible. He has been in the firing line virtually since the beginning of the war. Herbert W. F. Higgs has been promoted to leading mechanic in the Royal Naval Air Service.

Clophill

The Rector is now with his Division on Salisbury Plain and is expected to proceed to the Front within the next couple of months. The 1st/5th Bedfords have been fighting hard on the Gallipoli Peninsula. Fortunately no Clophill men are among those killed, but Corporal J. Lomas and Private E. Eddy are among those wounded. Corporal G. Whittamore of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers has been home on leave. His wound, which had previously been giving much trouble, has now healed satisfactorily and he expects to be leaving shortly for service in France or the East. Private S. Webb of the King’s Royal Rifles returns to his regiment today after a short leave. He came straight from the trenches at La Bassée and has been in the firing line since November.

Silsoe

Two of the Silsoe men serving in the Dardanelles, Charles Browning and Ben Mann, have been wounded; fortunately neither suffered wounds of an exceptionally severe nature, although Charles Browning lost an eye and Ben Mann has been wounded twice. Both have been brought back to England for treatment.

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

Recruiting Rally at Bedford

"France", Bedford Recruiting Rally Procession 

[Bedfordshire Times]

Saturday 2nd October 1915: Recruiting rallies have taken place across the country today. A rally had been expected to take place in Bedford on the second Saturday of August, but this was postponed by the War Office so that it could become part of today’s national effort. The highlight of the rally was the magnificent procession which featured war-workers of all kinds together with a pageant of the Allies and the Colonies. The Bedfordshire Yeomanry led the advance guard, followed by the Band of the 1st Bedfords. Other participants included two platoons of soldiers from the Duke of Bedford’s Training Depot at Ampthill Park, two hundred munitions workers, the Grammar School Corps, the band of the East Anglian Royal Engineers, the Bedford Volunteer Training Corps, Bedford No. 3 Detachment of the Red Cross and a hundred “Yellow Devils” of the 5th Bedfords and representatives of the 2nd Battalion. There were six pageant cars, built on trolleys lent by the Midland Railway Company and drawn by heavy draft horses. These denoted Britannia, Russia, Belgium, the Colonies, France, and finally Japan, Serbia and Italy.

The procession arrived at Russell Square where four motor lorries of the Army Service Corps were used as platforms. The park shelter was requisitioned for use as a Recruiting Office. The meetings were well attended and the speeches kept brief; speakers included the Lord Lieutenant, Major Bassett of the Bedfords, the Mayor, Mr. Frank Kellaway M.P. and Mr. A. W. Black M.P. After the meetings two of the bands played to the appreciation of the large crowds. A number of young men were escorted to the recruiting office and returned holding their papers. The proceedings concluded with a Grand Military Tattoo by the drums and fifes of the Welsh Division.  The number of recruits who came forward after the speeches were given was lower than expected, but it is hoped that the interest created will lead to a higher than usual number of enlistments over the next few days.

Source: Bedfordshire Standard and Bedfordshire Times, 8th October 1915

Letter from a Wilstead Soldier

Wilstead, 1914 [Z1306/134/6/1]

Friday 1st October 1915: Percy Gambriel, who is serving in France with the 2nd Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment, has recovered from a wound and is back in the trenches. Writing to his mother on 23rd and 24th September he said:

[Thursday] “I could not write before because we have been in the trenches nearly all the time since I came out of hospital … I am pleased to tell you I am going on as well as you may expect hoping you and all at home are quite well. I received the contents of the parcels quite safe … it took it 10 days to come as it went down to the hospital. Now we are hoping to get relieved very shortly. … I would like for you to be here now and see our aeroplanes flying over the German lines, and they’re not half banging away at them. I can tell you we are having it a bit stiff at present. This morning 5 of us had to go down to a village on ammunition carry and they shelled us like Hell but not one of us happened to get hit, but I thought my number was up as the shells were dropping around us like hailstones. … I would like for you to see us now, just 7 days since I had a wash and shave. You would have a job to see us for dirt. I look like someone about 50 but I am like old Frank said rough and ready. I was sorry to hear about Charlie’s brother but I suppose he’s alright for Blighty. Here sits my mate ticking out. We have a tick out everyday. I put the clean shirt on that you sent but that was soon as bad. I think I will cage a few for when I come home. They are some decent chums.”

[Friday] “I am pleased to say we got relieved last night, and it was a rough night too … The last three hours it poured with rain. It ran down the trenches just the same as it does the brooks in Wilstead when there has been a heavy rain, about a foot deep in places but it was fine as soon as we got out and we had a very long march to the billets, just about done up when we got to them. Now I suppose we are having a day or two’s rest. … I shall be glad when the d--- war is over but that won’t be yet … we must cheer up and look on the best side.”

Source: Correspondence relating to Percy William Gambriel Z1270/2

W.H. Allen’s Looks After Its Own

Bedfordshire Yeomanry Novelty Card, 1915 [Z1306/75/16/53]

Thursday 30th September 1915: Regular parcels are sent by the electrical department of Messrs. W. H. Allen’s factory in Bedford to former colleagues now serving at the Front. A letter of thanks was received today by Mr. A. Day of the dynamo shop from Trooper S. P. Keech of the Bedfordshire Yeomanry, the recipient of the most recent parcel. He writes:

“The things you sent are just A1, and they couldn’t have arrived at a better time. WE have started the big move which has been expected for such a long time, and we are doing splendidly all along the line. All the cavalry are taking part in it, and our division is at present in a wood behind the first line ready to push on at 30 minutes’ notice. The order may come at any moment for us to move; We have been on the road three days now, but most of our travelling has been done at night and resting in the day ti … We have just had the order to saddle up, so I must finish. I often think of you all in the old Dynamo Shop, and wish I was there but we must see it through now.”

Source: Bedfordshire Times 1st October 1915