World War One

This Week in World War One, 24 March 1916

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Berwick Advertiser title 1915

 

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 24 MARCH 1916

 

ROLL OF HONOUR

“Advertiser” Men Serving Their King and Country

 

Private JOHN STRAFFEN, London Regiment.

Corporal HECTOR JACKSON, Royal Scots.

Sapper JOHN R NOBLE, Royal Engineers.

Private JOHN BROGAN, Northern Cyclists.

Corporal ROBERT M. LEYDEN, 7th N.F.

Sergeant CHAS. N. NOBLE, 7th N.F.

Private JOHN M. JOHNSTON, R.A.M.C.

Private GEORGE RUTHERFORD, 7th N.F.

Private JOHN M.BURTON, Motor Transport.

Lance-Corporal EDWARD F. S. HARVEY, 7th N.F.

Captain HENRY R. SMAIL, 7th N.F.

Enlisted under Group System:-

KERR MIDDLEMISS, ROBERT M. BRUCE

Rejected:-

JAMES M. ROBERTS, JAMES M. FRIAR.

On Munition Work – THOMAS KENNEDY.

 

Berwick Advertiser, 24 March 1916 Ralph Dodds & Son Advert
Berwick Advertiser, 24 March 1916 Ralph Dodds & Son Advert

 

DEATH OF EX-SUPERINTENDENT

JOHN GARDEN, BERWICK

 

24 March 1916 Death of Ex Superintendant John Garden Image

It is with deep feelings of regret that we record the death of Ex-superintendent John Garden, Berwick, the sad event having taken place at his house in Scots Place, in the early part of Monday afternoon. For some considerable time the deceased gentleman has been far from his usual health, and a more acute stage having been reached within the past few weeks, he became slowly weaker, and passed peacefully away. Mr Garden was a prominent figure at one time in the town, his duties of Chief Constable keeping him more or less in the public eye. In later years, after retiring from this office, he devoted much of his leisure to the services of the community, by giving of his best to the deliberations and exacting Committee Work of the Board of Guardians. The office of Chief Constable is one not altogether calculated to make a man at all popular, but in the person of the late gentleman there was one who could, be charitable in his views upon men, merciful when such might perchance help an erring brother, and stern when following up a clue to the detection of serious crime. These traits of character won for him the respect and esteem of all, and he retired from his official position, it may be truly said, without an enemy in the town or district, and accepted as a trusted friend by all classes. The sympathy of all goes out to the family in this their sore bereavement.

 

BELFORD

A row of Miners Cottages, Pit Village, Beamish Museum. © Bill Henderson, 2013. Creative Commons Attribution Share-alike license 2.0.
A row of Miners Cottages, Pit Village, Beamish Museum. © Bill Henderson, 2013. Creative Commons Attribution Share-alike license 2.0.

Golden Wedding. – Mr and Mrs Robert Donaldson, of the Miners’ Homes, Broomhill, celebrated their golden wedding on Monday last. The worthy old couple were married at Belford on the 13th March, 1866. The husband belonged to North Sunderland, and his wife, then Isabella Younger, to Shawdon Woodhouse. Mr Donaldson was afterwards employed as a miner till about twenty years ago, when his health failed, and he and his wife became residents of the Miners’ Homes at Broomhill. They had a family of ten children, five sons and five daughters, of whom four sons and four daughters are living. The old people were warmly congratulated upon the attainment of their golden wedding, and a nice little present will be made to them in honour of the event. Mr and Mrs Donaldson have 22 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. Two of his sons are serving with the colours, and the others reside at Radcliffe and Amble respectively. There are surviving four generations on the female side, and three generations on the male side.

 

LOCAL NEWS

 

After 30 Years’ Service – The death occurred at his house, 4 Deputy Row, Scremerston, on Tuesday, of Mr Henry Patterson, colliery weigh-man, for thirty years in the employ of the Scremerston Coal Company. Mr Patterson has been in failing health for some time, and although death came rather suddenly in the end the melancholy event was not unlooked for.

BRO 0515-211 (SCREMERSTON) (c) Berwick Record Office
BRO 0515-211 (SCREMERSTON) (c) Berwick Record Office

 

The deceased was at one time a prominent member of Berwick Parish Church Choir, and since going to reside at Scremerson, he has been actively associated with the church there, being a sidesman and later being appointed peoples warden. He was associated with the old volunteer movement in the Borough, and was also a member of the now defunct Tweedside Rowing Club. He was also a member of the local lodge of Oddfellows.

 

 

This Week in World War One, 10 March 1916

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Berwick Advertiser title 1915

 

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 10 MARCH 1916

 

LOCAL NEWS

 

Memorial in Parish Church to late Mr Stephen Sanderson – At a meeting of Berwick Vestry on Friday the application by the Vicar and Churchwardens for the erection of a brass tablet in memory of the late Mr Stephen Sanderson. The Elms, and his wife, came up for consideration. It was explained that the brass would be 34 by 24 with a teak frame 36 by 26, and that it was proposed to place it in the north wall of the Church above the tablet in memory of Capt. Forbes, who was a great friend of the late Mr Sanderson. On the motion of the Vicar, seconded by Mr. Forsyth, it was agreed to apply for a faculty from the Chancellor for the erection of the tablet.

Berwick Parish Church. © John Box - Friends of Berwick and District Museum and Archives website.
Berwick Parish Church. © John Box – Friends of Berwick and District Museum and Archives website.

 

Women on Land. – It is estimated that probably 200,000 men have been withdrawn from various agricultural pursuits. This affords some justification for the unwillingness of the Board of Agriculture to consent to any further great depletion of rural labour through enlistment until measures are adopted for securing the maintenance of home-grown food supplies. A great demand exists for women’s labour on the land, and the Women’s National Land Service Corps has been formed to carry on a great recruiting campaign in town and country. It appears that through existing local agencies only 14,000 women have volunteered for what must be regarded as a patriotic service. The Land Service Corps received a send-off from Mr Walter Long and Viscount Milner. The latter is Chairman of the Committee on Home Production of Food. Appeals on the ground of patriotism will be made to women of all classes throughout England and Scotland, and it is confidently anticipated that the call will be answered. Educated women are asked to come forward and undergo a short course of training which will enable them to act as forewomen to places where there is a dearth of competent overseers.

Farm workers posing as a group.
Farm workers posing as a group. © Hampshire and Solent Museums – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.

 

BERWICK PETTY SESSIONS

Deserter’s Walkergate Refuge

 

John Brown, private in the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, was charged with having been an absentee or deserter from the 3rd Battalion of the KOSB at Portobello.

The Chief Constable explained that the accused was found in the house of a married woman at the above address, where he was apprehended. The accused pleaded guilty.

Sergeant Wm. Glover stated that he received a telegraphic message from Portobello on Monday morning stating that the accused had been an absentee since Tuesday, 15th February, and that he was supposed to be about Berwick. He informed the police.

Police Constable Spiers deponed that he apprehended the accused in a house at 43, Walkergate, belonging to Mrs Mary Ann Foster or Wood. The accused had been there a fortnight, and had been absent from his regiment three weeks altogether,

The bench remanded the accused to await the arrival of a military escort.

 

BERWICK LADIES’ DISTRICT NURSING ASSOCIATION, Q.V.J.I.N

 

L0006733 Nursing: portraits and uniforms
Dame Rosalind Paget, a 1st Queen’s nurse and Inspector. © Welcome Trust – Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence.

The report of work undertaken by the Queen’s Nurses in connection with the above Association, and of gifts received during the month of February, is as follows; – Commencing on the 1st with 49 cases transferred from January until the 29th February, 45 new patients were registered (Berwick 27, Tweedmouth 9, Spittal 9),making a total of 94 to whom they attended. Of these 37 were removed from the books as convalescent and 3 died, leaving 54 transferred to the present month. During the month nurses paid 1061 visits, and issued on loan amongst the sick 14 nursing appliances and 20 articles of clothing. The following gifts were also received; for all of which the Executive Committee tender their sincere thanks to  the donors; – Miss Pearson, Ava Lodge; bovril and eggs; Miss Willoby, Ravesdowne, bed linen; Wallace Green Girls Auxiliary, cakes; Mr Lyall, Ravensdowne, old linen; Mrs Mackay, Castlegate, clothing. The Committee gratefully acknowlege the following donations to the Funds of the Association: – A Friend, Berwick, 2s 6d; a Grateful Mother, Berwick, 2s 6d; Mr Robert Dudgeon, Walkergate, 10s; A Grateful patient, Tweedmouth, 5s. Gifts of eggs, soup, clothing, etc., will be greatly welcomed, and may be sent to the Head Nurse, Q.V. Nurses’ Home, Quay Walls – all such being acknowledged monthly in the local papers.

 

William Pugmire – Blyth Man who died of self-inflicted gun shot wounds.

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Image supplied by Dinitrios Corcodilos.
Image supplied by Dinitrios Corcodilos.

A few weeks ago we re-tweeted and posted a BBC story on our Twitter and FaceBook feeds the story of  Cpl. Arthur Cecil Rawson from Whittlesey who was the first soldier killed by ‘Friendly Fire’ in the First World World. There was a small list at the end of this story which included the names of 5 other servicemen one of which was Private Pugmire of Blyth.

Further research has located an account of Private Pugmire’s last days running up to his death and the coroners report which was printed in the ‘Evening Chronicle’ Newspaper on Friday 28 August 1914.

SOLDIER SHOT AT – BLYTH

Death from Self-inflicted Wound

Coroner H. T. Rutherford held an inquest at Blyth this morning on the body of William Pugmire, 24, a member of the Northumberland Fusiliers, stationed at Blyth.

Jane Pugmire, of 1, Plummer Street, Newcastle, deceased’s wife said her husband was an engine-fitter and turner. She last saw him on Sunday night at Blyth, and he was then very happy. He asked witness to come back again on Sunday first, as he would have some time off. She had no reason to think that he would take his life. He was quite healthy.

Edward Ratcliff Bowdon, Lieutenant in the Northumberland Fusiliers, said deceased was at Blyth with the Company. They were located at the Skating Rink. Deceased was arrested for a serious military offence, and brought before the commanding officer on August 6. They went to Blyth on the 7th. On the 6th they were stationed at the Central Station, Newcastle, where the deceased was placed on sentry duty.  He was drunk in charge of one of the bridges. He was taken before the commanding officer, and was given the choice of being brought before a court martial or being reduced from sergeant to private. Deceased chose the latter. On Tuesday night last there was another offence against him, and he was brought before witness.The second offence was not so serious as the first. Witness remanded deceased to the commanding officer.

Corporal Joseph Longstaff Porter said he was on the relief guard at Blyth at 9.45 on Wednesday morning. Deceased was in the cell. Shortly afterwards the deceased asked witnessed to take him to the latrine. A posted letter was put into deceased hand. This he put into his pocket without reading it. On returning witness put him into the cell. He asked witness a few minutes later to let him have some exercise. Witness let him out and marched up and down the corridor twice with him. Then they stood at the door of the cell.  Deceased then said he wanted a book out of the guard-room, and witness let him go into the guard-room. He sat on a kit and commenced turning pages over. There was one man in the room writing a letter, with his back to Pugmire. At that time witness was standing at the door of the guard-room watching deceased. Someone asked witness for a match, and while his back was turned for a moment he heard a shot go off. Witness thought the report came from the main hall, and ran there. Everybody was rushing towards the guard-room, and he afterwards went there and found Pugmire had been found shot. The guns belonged to the relief guard, but they were not loaded. Someone had gone to the latrine and had hung his equipment up in the guard-room. It contained 80 cartridges. Several unloaded rifles were hung up a few yards from deceased.

Harry Rutherford said he was writing a letter in the guard-room when the last witness brought the deceased in. Deceased spoke to him, and about half a minute later witness heard the report of a gun, and found deceased lying on the floor. A gun was lying beside him. Deceased was lying face downwards with the rifle at his right side and the muzzle towards his head. There were about six rifles hanging on the pegs and this rifle seemed to be nearest to him. The man’s equipment that was hanging up was one cartridge short.

Dr. Newstead said there was a punctured bullet-wound in the lower part of the front of the abdomen and a similar wound in the back part of him. The bullet had gone right through. Pugmire died on Thursday from shock following the injury.

The jury found that the deceased died from shock consequent upon wounds self-inflicted with a rifle, and that there was no evidence to show the state of his mind.

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to Maggie Neary for transcribing this article for the Northumberland At War Project.

We would also like to thank Dimitrios Corcodilos for supplying the image used in this post, along with a number of other digital images of military headstones found within the Blyth Links Cemetery, Cowpen Cemetery and Cowpen (Saint Cuthbert’s) Roman Catholic Burial Ground.

 

 

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