Letters from troops (1914)

Post date: Jan 22, 2014 8:55:56 PM

Extract from Parish magazine December 1914 .

NOTES AND NOTICES.

We have received many very interesting letters and cards² from our Sailors and Soldiers at the War. We would like to publish them all in the Magazine, but space does not permit of more than a few extracts :—

• ". . . We have experienced some very severe weather, and it is extremely cold. The mags have been of the greatest interest to me, and I am very pleased to find my native place amongst the 'workers' against this "great upheaval" (E. F. Curd, ship's steward assistant, M.F.A. 'Crown of Castile').

• " It puts a good heart into one when they know that they are being thought of by those in the village. . . We are waiting for the Germans to come out and fight, so that we can show them that we are British" (L. G. Eversfield, leading stoker, torpedo boat 30).

• "The small parcel received to-night did as it was intended, it gave me a thrill of gladness to think that, as one of the Old Boys of the village, I am not forgotten, although my duties to the senior service have taken me away for nearly twenty years. . . Please accept my sincere thanks for September and October magazines. I scan the names with pride when I see such a large list of our boys who are serving their king and country, and with nearly twenty years' service to my name I feel proud that I am one of them" (Francis Bowles, gun-room messman, H.M.S. Duncan⁹).

• "We have just had a very strong encounter with the enemy. The magazines formed interesting; reading, not only to myself, but to others who have been engaged in the campaign all along. All the troops have their heart and soul engaged in doing their best to conquer" (Pte. H. G. Martin, 6th Dragoon Guards⁵).

• "I am still in the best of health, after going through the Battle of the Aisne and Marne³. My battery has had great praise from the French Government, one officer and the sergeant-major have been awarded the Legion of Honour" (Gunner R. J. Ellis, 88th Battery, 14th Brigade R.F.A.)

• "I have read the War numbers of the Parish Magazine you enclosed, and am glad to see so many familiar names in the list of those serving in the Forces. The Grand Fleet is patiently waiting for the German High Sea Fleet to come out of their shell, and I hope that few of them will have the chance of going back. Our modern Nelson will see to that, and all under his command will do their best." (Henry Hook, gunroom cook, H.M.S. Iron Duke).

• " It tells me that the people my native parish have not forgotten me, which is a great thing in times such as we are passing through. You can hardly imagine the pleasure it gives me to know one is being thought of" (G. Woolgar, chief stoker H.M.S. Ness¹⁰).

• "During the first two weeks of the War we had several narrow escapes, in one case a shell burst within eighty yards of our lorries on the return journey from a village near Mons,and on two or three occasions we have had to leave lorries to avoid being captured. Most of the villages we now pass through are practically destroyed by shell-fire. If I can I will try and get you some relics as a memento of the greatest war ever known in the world's history, in the cause of liberty" (Sgt. W. J.Clements, 63rd Company A.S.C. 3rd Division Supply Column).

• "I am pleased to inform you that my injured thumb is progressing splendidly, and I trust that in a very short time I shall be fit for duty again. At present I am on sick leave." (Sgt. A. W. Cray, 20th Hussars).

Further additions to our Army and Navy List are as follows:—Latter, Driver Bert (913), Army Service Corps, Maidstone; Latter, Lance-Corp. Frederick Charles ( ), 8th Battalion R.W.K. Regiment, Shoreham; Rogers, Pte. William (2536), c Sect. R.A.M.C., Windsor; Richard Heath, Royal Marines, Chatham; William Heath, H.M.S. —(?); Ernest Jennings, Naval Brigade, Blandford, Dorset.

I regret to announce that Lance-Corp. Robert Arthur Head, of the 6th Dragoon Guards, has been missing since the beginning of November, when he volunteered to go out scouting and did not return. Also that Pte. Leonard Alfred Paris, of the Grenadier Guards, son-in-law of Mrs. Ellis, has died from a wound received not long ago at the front.

I am sorry to say that Pte. William Latter (5974), 15th Hussars, is now to undergo a second operation in Hospital at Shorncliffe. He was wounded in the chest by shrapnel early this month, and we are glad to hear that he is doing as well as can be expected, and hopes to be home on leave by Christmas. Driver E. Ellis (6231), 83rd Battery R.F.A., who was in India, is now serving with the Indian Expeditionary Force⁶.

The Wateringbury Troop of Boy Scouts are collecting old newspapers to sell in aid of the National Relief Fund. Will readers of this Magazine kindly keep all their used newspapers and give them to the boys who call for them at intervals? If they are not called for please send word to Scoutmaster E. A. Smith, at the Schools, and it will be attended to at once.—(Communicated.)

NOTES AND NOTICES—Continued.

The following account of the dramatic entertainment is from the Kent Messenger, and I will only add that owing to the receipt of further donations the total sum of money for the Ambulance has increased yet more. : —

DRAMATIC ENTERTAINMENT AT WATERINGBURY⁸.

The dramatic entertainment organised by the Misses Livett, Wild and Baxendale, and held on November 25th at Wateringbury, proved a great success, bringing in the sum of more than £44. From this amount there will be nothing to deduct, the whole of the expenses having been generously defrayed by Mr. R. H. Fremlin; a motor ambulance⁷, therefore, will be completely equipped as the result of delightful afternoon's enjoyment. The piece de resistance was "The Enchanted Seasons" (words and music by Miss Dorothea Hambly), aptly named a fantasia, as its gossamer texture served chiefly to introduce the delightful dancing and singing of the young performers. The setting of the whole was a genuine artistic triumph, and thanks to the kindness of Mr. Benfield in raising the floor, none of the effects were lost on those in the back seats. A deeper note was struck by the tableaux which followed the fantasia. The queenly figure of Britannia, sympathetically interpreted by Miss Livett, received the symbolical gifts of all the Daughter Nations; the grouping and staging of this was really very effective, special applause being accorded to the little cowboy, mounted on a real pony. Then followed the Entente Cordiale, where France, in her red cap of Liberty, joins hands with her former rival; and to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne" they exchanged the Kiss of Peace. Then followed a very striking rendering by the Allies, in costume, of their respective National Anthems. The last tableau was received in a silence, which showed that it had gone home. Over the bowed heads of the various combatant nations who knelt before her, the Angel of Peace hovered with a laurel wreath. Between the acts a few words on the need for Motor Ambulance at the Front were spoken by Lieut E. H. Moore, R.A.M.C. Coming straight from the trenches, he spoke of the suffering which might be saved to the wounded were further motor transport available, and in conclusion emphasised once more the crying need for " Men, Men, More Men !"

CONCERT.—The members of the "Wateringbury Choral Society (under the direction of Mr. Edgar A. Smith), with the assistance of a few friends, gave a very successful popular patriotic concert on November 18th. The society during the evening sang the National Anthems of Britain, Belgium, France and Russia, several part-songs, Rule Britannia, and the choruses of the following songs :—" God save our King" (Mr. A. E. Relf), "Send Him Victorious " (Mr. Edgar A. Smith), "Land of Hope and Glory" (Miss D. Hambly), "Your King and Country Want You" (Miss E. Martin). Miss D. Livett added variety to the vocal programme by giving a recitation, whilst the attendance of the Wateringbury Troop of Boy Scouts gave a military touch to the platform. The troop sang their chorus " Boy be Prepared," and also greatly pleased with a good rendering of "It's a long way to Tipperary¹," in the chorus of which the audience heartily joined. The other soloists were visitors, Miss Christmas giving especial pleasure with her rendering of "There's a Land" (Allitson). Corporal J. Alec Henderson (W.K.I.Y.) was a great favourite, his delivery of such songs as Russell's " The Blue Dragoons " being excellent. Mr. S. B. Wills (Harrietsham) was also well received, being encored for the song ''The Trumpeter " (A. Dix). Mr. J. Neame, an old Wateringbury singer, re-appeared and sang two songs in his usual pleasing voice. During the evening Scout Ashbee sounded the " Last Post" in memory of the fallen. After paying expenses of music and printing, a sum of £5 will be handed over to the Red Cross Funds.

An account of the Cottage Gardeners' Society's Exhibition, held at the Church Rooms on Wednesdav, November 11th, is unavoidably delayed until the January issue.

F.M.R.

Notes:

1. One of the BEF’s songs was “It’s a long way to Tipperary” which was heard by a Daily Mail reporter, George Curnockr as they arrived in France, reported and then extensively promoted by the newspaper. George Curnock saw the Irish regiment the Connaught Rangers singing this song as they marched through Boulogne on 13 August 1914 and reported it on 18 August 1914. The song was quickly picked up by other units of the British Army. In November 1914 it was recorded by the well-known tenor John McCormack, which helped its worldwide popularity.

2. After the despatch of the BEF, a huge (5 acres) wooden structure in Regent's Park became the chief sorting for the forces mail, which was along with ammunition a priority item in crossing the Channel to special sorting offices set up in France. The Post Office reckoned it took, on average, less than 2 days for a letter from London to reach the relevant trench. Men could expect a morning delivery of letters every day. Some 12 ¹/2 million letters a week were eventually crossing the Channel. Publishing letters back from the front was a country wide phenomenon. Censorship was very much reliant on voluntary compliance. (Source: Kate Adie Fighting on the Home Front (pp167-169).

3. The Battle of the (river) Marne, close to Paris, from 6th to 10th September 1914 is known by the French as The miracle of the Marne. The most famous legend associated with it is of the Parisian taxi drivers conveying reinforcements to the front, although in reality the numbers carried were small. The Germans withdrew back to the River Aisne where a protracted battle took place from 11th September to 16th October, in which the Germans shelled Reims Cathedral.

4. Robert Head was killed at Messines in the first battle of Ypres on 31st October 1914. He came from the bottom of Bow Road where waterside Mews now stands, but then very close to the gas works. His family only learnt of his death on 23rd January 1915 and with a friend's description of the circumstances it was reported in the February 1915 Parish magazine (see Robert Head killed in action).

5. 6th Dragoon Guards was the same cavalry regiment in which Robert Head (see 4 immediately above) from Wateringbury also served.

6. Two Indian divisions joined the right of the BEF's line at Battle of Aisne on 22nd October 1914. See Max Hastings Catastrophe pages 472/3 for more.

7. Gustave Lemmens gave his Humber on condition village financed its conversion to a motor ambulance (See Various War Notes 1914). It was subsequently in February 1915 Parish magazine reported as nearly complete with Fred Leney appointed as its driver (See Robert Head killed in action).

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8. Extract from South Eastern Gazette of 1st December 1914

ENTERTAINMENT AT WATERINGBURY.

On Wednesday evening a dramatic entertainment was given at Wateringbury, being promoted by the Misses Livett, Wild, and Baxendale, with the object of equipping a motor ambulance for use at the front. There was a large attendance, and the programme, consisting of a fantasia “The Enchanted Seasons,” and a number of picturesque tableaux, was much enjoyed. During an interval Lieut. E. H. Moore, R.A.M.C., addressed the meeting on the need for motor ambulances at the front. The proceeds amounted to upwards of £44.

9. HMS Duncan was one of 6 Duncan class pre-dreadnought battleships. It was completed in 1903 at Leamouth (Tower Hamlets) but by 1906 it was outclassed by dreadnought battleships. It carried a complement of 720 men and weighed 15,000 tonnes; speed was 19 knots; guns included 4 x 12 inch and 12 x 6 inch. Duncan was sill undergoing her refit when World War I began. Plans originally called for Duncan to be part of the 6th Battle Squadron in wartime and serve in the Channel Fleet. Sir John Jellicoe, requested that Duncan and be assigned to the 3rd Battle Squadron in the Grand Fleet for patrol duties to make up for the Grand Fleet's shortage of cruisers. Accordingly, the 6th Battle Squadron was abolished temporarily, and, upon completion of her refit in September 1914,Duncan joined the 3rd Battle Squadron at Scapa Flow, where she joined the Grand Fleet's cruisers on duty in the Northern Patrol.

Duncan was temporarily transferred to the Channel Fleet on 2 November 1914 to reinforce that fleet in the face of Imperial German Navy activity in the Channel Fleet's area as part of the 6th Battle Squadron. This squadron was given a mission of bombarding German submarine bases on the coast of Belgium, and was based at Portland. The 6th Battle Squadron returned to Dover in December 1914, then transferred to Sheerness on 30 December 1914 to relieve the 5th Battle Squadron there in guarding against a German invasion of the United Kingdom.

Between January and May 1915, the 6th Battle Squadron was dispersed. Duncan left the squadron in February 1915 to be reduced to reserve for a refit at Chatham that lasted until July 1915. She recommissioned at Chatham on 19 July 1915 and was attached to the 9th Cruiser Squadron on the Finisterre-Azores-Madeira Station.

In August 1915, Duncan transferred to the 2nd Detached Squadron in the Adriatic Sea. The squadron had been organized in May 1915 to reinforce the Italian Navy against the Austro-Hungarian Navy after Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary. Duncan was based at Taranto, Italy, during this service. In June 1916, Duncan transferred to the 3rd Detached Squadron in the Aegean Sea, based at Salonika. From October to December 1916, she participated in operations against Greek royalists, and landed Royal Marines at Athens on 1 December 1916. She returned to the Adriatic Squadron in January 1917 [ summarised Wikipedia article].

10. HMS Ness was a destroyer launched in 1905 at Cowes; complement 70 men; speed 25.5 knots. Initially based at Harwich, later at Chatham, Portsmouth and River Humber. During WW1 was mainly involved in counter-mining and anti-submarine patrols.