War update (January 1916)

Post date: Jan 25, 2014 3:49:30 PM

NOTES.

The Vicar intends to send a copy of this cover the January number of the Wateringbury Parish Magazine, together with a small prayer-card, to every sailor and soldier whose name is on the Church Intercession List, just to help them all to feel that they are not forgotten, and to convey to them from all at home best wishes for the New Year.

We have been going through very anxious times of late: the outlook has been dark indeed and still the clouds are lowering, but here and there a gleam of light is beginning to stream through. At last the recruiting difficulty seems to be settled: we have at last got National Service of a sort that will serve its purpose. The chief difficulty that remains is that of supplying expert labour for Mr. Lloyd George's new munition factories: he wants 80,000 experts, and he will not be able to get them unless the Trades Unions see their way to allowing the manning of the old workshops to be 'diluted' with unskilled labour. If this can be arranged, it is said that a sufficient number of skilled mechanics, such as are doing work which women could learn to do in a week or two, would be released for the making of munitions in the new workshops. If this difficulty can be satisfactorily and speedily overcome our statesmen assure us that victory will be ours within the year. The Labour leaders seem to be compliant, and it only remains to see whether they and the Government between them can make arrangements acceptable to the men generally.

Then we have had our anxieties about the progress of the War—in the Balkans, in Gallipoli, in Mesopotamia—the anxiety is not so tense as it was, but it is still on our mind—in all these parts we seem to be fighting at a disadvantage. What splendid heroism our fellows have shewn at Suvla Bay- we have no doubt of our sailors and soldiers. And the evacuation of Suvla and Anzac²—what a marvel of organization enabled it to be carried out—we have no doubt of the skill of their officers. But sickness, apart from any other difficulties, seems to have made it impossible to remain there any longer. But in France, where after all the final decision must surely be made, matters seem to be going well though for the moment they are comparatively quiet there—they tell us that our artillery is now 'on top' of the enemy. But even supposing that the western lines remain unchanged (a very unlikely contingency), our silent invisible navy is exerting a pressure that must sooner or later make itself sorely felt among the peoples of Central Europe; then the end will not be far off.

The enemy has lately made the Mediterranean the theatre of deeds of German frightfulness; but as surely as the career of her raiding cruisers on the high seas at the beginning of the war was cut short and as surely as the exploits of her submarines in our home waters, which reached their height in August, have come to an end, so surely will our splendid navy find a way of arresting similar operations which have culminated in the sinking of the P. & 0. "Persia" in the Middle Sea. We have no knowledge of what is going on in the Baltic, but we have a shrewd suspicion that German trade in that sea has been brought to a stand-still, though the German people as yet are kept in ignorance of the fact. It is true that the German people seem to be cock-sure that their military and political successes have already placed final victory in the hands of their leaders. We believe that they are being deceived, and that the tide of success is already on the turn. We have great hopes of the year that lies before us.

It is with great regret that we record the death of Alfred Gunner, who went down with his ship H.M. Cruiser "Natal," ¹ recently sunk by an internal explosion in home waters. Gunner was only 19 years old: he joined the navy two years ago, and had advanced to the rating of third-class stoker. A memorial service is to be held in the Church on Sunday, the 9th inst., at 3.30 p.m., Evensong on that day being read at 3 o'clock.

This cover contains some information as to what is being done in the parish for our sailors and soldiers. A Christmas Dinner Envelope Collection produced a sum of £7 11s. 4d., which has been sent up to the British Red Cross: a few envelopes are being returned too late for their contents to be included, and the balance will be sent up separately.

Miss Lambert organised two very successful Concerts in aid of a scheme started by the Rev. R. W. Doyle (lately returned from France), to establish Motor Coffee Cars to minister to our wounded soldiers at the Front. For the complete equipment and working of these cars a sum of £2,500 is wanted, and about £1,000 has been collected by Mr. Doyle. The Concerts held in Wateringbury, on the 5th November, realised a net sum of about £40. By the kindness of Mr. & Mrs. Brocklebank an invitation performance was given in the drawing-room at The Place, in the afternoon, when Miss Clara Evelyn and Mr. Gordon Cleather bore the brunt of the programme. The same artistes sung and played in the Church Rooms at the Evening Concert, when the eminent entertainer, Mr. Leslie Harris, who had taken 'a turn' in the afternoon concert, appeared three times; and the programme contained violin solos by Mr. Hugh Matheson, and three recitations by Miss Anne Trilnick a very clever young lady of Russian birth, aged 13. Everything was encored, and deservedly so: it is not often that we get such good music and sketches so clever and amusing. All the artistes gave their services at nominal fees.

* * * * *

There are a few parish blankets which can be lent to the needy. Application should be made in person at the Vicarage.

Rainfall in December : 5.78 inches ; for the year : 30.79 inches.

SUPPLY OF COMFORTS FOR THE TROOPS.

The following return has been sent, by request of Lord Harris, to Mr. F. J. Allison. It shows what Wateringbury is doing in this way.

A. 1. No title—the successor of the "Wateringbury Women's Work Committee," for which last winter Mrs. Livett sent two bales of clothing to the British Red Cross, and articles to each of the men on active service—now being reorganised, with a view to more work and affiliation to the Queen Mary's Needlework Guild.

2. Two bundles of Hospital Clothing recently sent to the Marylebone War Supply Hospital Depot. A third in course of preparation.

3. Miss-Lambert (temporary Secretary) The Limes

B. 1.National Egg Collection for the Wounded (34, Fleet St., E.C.).

2. Sixteen regular subscribers in kind or money. 308 dozen eggs sent between 25th May and 16th Dec. Despatch continuing (about 2 doz. weekly³). More subscribers welcomed.

3. Mrs. Augustus Leney, Orpines.

C. 1. Old Boys' Society.

2. A tin of cigarettes or chocolates sent to every old boy of the Wateringbury National Schools serving in Navy or Army or Allied Services (about 144). Members collected £8—other subscribers—from £2 to £3 still required to make up the total of about £15 spent.

3. A. Smith, The School House.

D. 1. Girls' and Infants' Schools.

2. Clothing to Red Cross; cigarettes, chocolates, mittens, scarves, socks, etc., to troops; various money collections to Y.M.C.A. Huts and to Overseas Club ; lavender bags (180) to hospitals; apples to Fleet; walking-sticks, eggs and games for wounded.

3. Miss Hinton, The Girls' School.

Signed—G. M. LIVETT,

Date—3rd Jan., 1916.

IN MEMORIAM

H. H.,

23, xii., 1915.

. . •

Full many a grave he dug full deep,

And many a body, lowered to its last sleep;

Full many a time his soul in sympathy leapt

When mourners would keep back their tears, and failing wept.

Often we walked together there,

And walking talked together of whom they bare

Behind us, over that stretch of funeral road

We knew so well, and side by side so often trode.

Rough-hewn his face, his hands well lined

By work, but the words he spoke were always kind

Of others who went before him—earth to earth,

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust—sizing their worth.

In sure and certain hope—he heard,

And echoed in his heart, that trustful word:

And sons and daughters hear it from afar—

The sons he gave to fight in the Great World War.

His wife—she died a year ago—

The truest, gentlest, woman a man could know;

Then his strength failed, and others tolled his bell

And dug his graves—and now, at last, his grave as well.

For now we have borne him hence—

Hence, where all must sometime go, and whence

None may return. I loved the old man well:

Again shall I see him, when they sound my funeral knell.

WATERINGBURY BELGIAN RELIEF FUND.

In the Autumn of 1914, Wateringbury, following the example of other places, was moved to something for the Belgian Refugees. A cottage (furnished by Mrs. Leney and friends) was given rent free by the late Mr. A. Leney, and at once occupied, and subsequently another cottage was rented in the village, the latter being given up after some months owing to the departure of its occupants. The total collected was just over £140, and practically the whole has been expended. The donors were Mesdames Cator, Leney, Livett, L. Lambert, O'Reilly, and Messrs. T. Brocklebank, R. H. Fremlin, W. Jude, A. Lambert, R. Tapply, and Gen. Sir. G. Wolseley, G.C.B. In addition, many offerings in kind were received from residents. The expenditure has been wholly in cash disbursements to Refugees.

Statement of Accounts from 14th Nov., 1914, to 31st Dec., 1915.

RECEIPTS.

By Subscriptions £140 4 0

DISBURSEMENTS.

Sundry Payments £139 3 6

Cheque Book 4 0

£139 7 6

Balance at Bank £2 0 0

Less due to Hon. Treasurer 1 3 6

Balance of Fund. 16 6

Audited and found correct,

T. BROCKLEBANK.

ALAN LAMBERT, Hon. Sec. & Treasurer. 31st December, 1915.

Notes.

1. H.M.S. Natal was an armoured cruiser of 13, 550 tonnes with a complement of 712 completed at Barrow in 1907. It blew up in Cromarty Firth due to an internal explosion (possibly caused by faulty cordite) on 30 December 1915 killing 390.

2. At Suvla and Anzac on the Gallipoli peninsula, Turkey, 40,000 men were evacuated without casualty over 2 nights in December 1915. Evacuation of Helles waited until January 1916. The success of the evacuations contrasts with the incompetence displayed during and after the landings there in April 1915. Two Wateringbury men were killed in the Gallipoli campaign: Ernest Sales in April 1915; and Richard Heath in May 1915.

3. Corrected in next edition to 12 dozen.