World War One Archives - Page 30 of 53 - Northumberland Archives

This Week in World War One, 31 December 1915

08/03/201801/01/2016 by Northumberland Archives

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 31 DECEMBER 1915

BERWICK POST OFFICE

The amount of Christmas work dealt with at Berwick Post Office was very much the same as last year, but being spread over a longer period the pressure was not so much felt in consequence. Although the staff has been greatly depleted during the past year everyone put their shoulder to the wheel and the work went through expeditiously. Extra hours were, of course, worked, and the praiseworthy arrangement of supplying refreshment to the workers on the premises was once more in operation.

WW1 Xmas postcard 1915.

Extra help was brought in for rural deliveries in the shape of motor and other vehicles, while the Oddfellows’ Hall again proved a useful clearing house. Parcels delivered during the Christmas week amounted to about 6000, but there was not the usual postings of Christmas cards. A special and most noticeable feature was the large number of parcels posted for soldiers at the front, causing at times very great pressure, out-going mails being very heavy. For the first time at Christmas women were employed to do delivery and collection duty in place of the men on active service and officials speak in glowing terms of the way they discharged their duties. There is still a considerable amount of parcel and other postings passing through, but it is not anticipated that the staff will be heavily taxed at New Year.

CAROL CONCERT AND LECTURE

Interesting Notes on Christmas Carols

An attractive carol concert on behalf of the National Institute for the Blind was given in the Queen’s Rooms, Berwick, on Thursday evening by a number of local talented ladies and gentlemen. The principal object was to assist in raising funds to assist those soldiers and sailors who have lost their sight during the war and for their maintenance in a hostel for the purpose of teaching them some useful trade.

Blinded by tear gas in World War One, 55th (West Lancashire) Division troops await treatment at an advanced dressing station.

The soloists were Mrs Shepherd, Miss E. Elder, and Messrs Abbott and Riddell, while a duet was rendered by Miss Harbottle and Mr Riddell. Messrs R. Stott and Smith also took part in the programme of carols. The conductor was Mr Geo. Ballantyne, and the accompanist, Miss Skeldon. The programme was ably sustained the whole of the pieces being feelingly and tunefully interpreted, the efforts meeting with the cordial approval of the audience. A feature in the programme was a lecture on carols by Dr Gauntlett, organist and choirmaster in the Parish Church.

LOCAL NEWS

Corner Accident– An accident which might have been attended by serious results took place on Friday last at the foot of Hide Hill. It appears that a tub trap driven by a young lady named Miss Brown, of Tweedmouth, was taking the corner when a collision occurred with a motor car belong to Messrs McBain, Tweedmouth. The tub trap was upset and the young lady received a severe shaking. Happily she suffered no injury, although the pony was slightly cut by the collision. This is only one of many accidents which have taken place at the corners of Hide Hill from time to time, and each succeeding accident accentuates that fact that these sharp turnings are entirely out of date in coping with modern vehicular traffic.

THE PASSING AND APPROACHING YEAR

Again we have reached the closing days of another year. Too well we realise the terrible experiences we have come through during the past twelve months, for there are few homes that have not had their full share of the awful miseries of the Great War. To the bereaved and the maimed ordinary sympathy seems utterly inadequate, and a quiet and subdued silence often speaks more eloquently than any human words can utter. Time is the great healer and consoler in affliction, and it will only be the soothing influence of the ever-revolving seasons that will adequately supply the balm and needed comfort to so many aching hearts which are so utterly bereft. As we approach the end of the year it is natural that many should raise conjectures as to the position the country will be in by another year. Will the war be over? Who can tell. At the same time it seems highly improbable that its duration will extend so long. The material and national resources of Germany will be exhausted ere that time, and there may be an internal upheaval of the Teutonic empire that will hasten the close of the awful devastation.

Picture of Serbian infantry on Ada Ciganlija during the First World War. Wikimedia Commons

Already the national credit of Germany is steadily diminishing in the exchanges of neutral countries, and this must have a very important bearing on events in the opening periods of the new year. As we make a brief and general survey of the year that is nearly finished we have – great and acute as our sorrows are – reason to feel grateful that we have escaped the general holocaust that has overtaken Belgium, the North of France, and Serbia. And when we think of the recent awful massacres of the Armenian people it makes us realise this more fully. For had the brutal enemy been enabled to land on these shores we would have experienced this to the full. A small sample of it was shown a year ago in the bombardment of defenceless east coast towns where no discrimination or humanity was shown.

Notwithstanding the serious nature of the times we are passing through we desire to wish all our readers

A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS

NEW YEAR

This Week in World War One, 24 December 1915

08/03/201825/12/2015 by Northumberland Archives

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 24 DECEMBER 1915

FAILING TO EDUCATE

Jane Williamson, widow, Berwick, was charged with having failed to send her son John, aged 10 years, to school, as required by law. She pleaded guilty.

Mr Thos. Barker, School Attendance Officer, said the boy was a pupil at the Roman Catholic School, when he did attend, but which was not often. He had made 22 attendances out of 144, therefore being no fewer than 122 times absent. The boy was neglected by the mother, and since October 15 he had not attended school once.

Accused made a statement that she had been frequently out of the town and had visited Edinburgh several times to see her daughter who was in the Infirmary there.

Mr Barker said the case had been four times before the Education Committee prior to proceedings being taken.

The Chief Constable having been asked by the bench to state what he knew of the boy, said the mother went about the countryside collecting old clothes and selling plants. The boy was simply running about wild and the mother evidently thought she could put everyone at defiance.

Mr McCreath (who presided in the absence of the Mayor) – Have you anything to say. This is something horrid, neglecting your child like this.

Accused replied that she had nothing further to say.

In passing sentence of 7s 6d, or seven days, Mr McCreath said she must really consider her child in a matter of this kind. She must see that the boy in future went regularly to school, and should her case ever come up before the Bench again she would be more severely dealt with.

FROM THE TRENCHES TO FREEDOM

On Wednesday morning, Corpl Chas Mace, 7th Northumberland Fusiliers, third son of Mr Charles Mace, joiner and undertaker, Berwick, was admitted to the Freedom of the Burgh. Corporal Mace is home at present upon short leave from the front and took this opportunity of entering the Freedom. The Mayor, Ald. J W Plenderleith in welcoming Corporal Mace said he had already earned promotion in the regiment to which he belonged, and they hoped that might soon be still further advanced, also that in any vocation in life to which he might be called, be it civil or military, he should continue to uphold the traditions of the ancient Burgh.

PIPER LAIDLAW, V C.

Loos Hero’s Welcome in Northumberland

Piper Daniel Logan Laidlaw, V.C., the first Berwickshire native and the first member of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers to win the V.C. in the war, was received with much enthusiasm on the occasion of his return from hospital to his home at Doddington. Before leaving Wooler Station he took the opportunity to urge on the crowd assembled the need for more men, so that the Germans might be pushed back in France at the earliest possible moment.

Under the village Cross at Doddington the vicar (Rev. J. G. Shotton) presented an address of welcome.

The Hon. F. W. Lambton of Fenton, formerly of the Coldstream Guards, said Piper Laidlaw had shown not only valour, but also initiative and touch of genius which enabled a man to do the right thing at the right moment. Initiative was one of the symptoms of the true soldier which we wanted to see encouraged and from his own experience in the Army he knew how much the men appreciated it.

After thanking the inhabitants for the address, Piper Laidlaw was carried shoulder high to his own cottage. His wife and four children accompanied him.

All the residents of the village were entertained to tea and a concert, at which Piper Laidlaw played on the pipes “Blue Bonnets over the Border,” with which he rallied his comrades at Loos, and “Standard on the Braes of Mar” with which he accompanied their charge.

Piper Laidlaw is a native of Swinton, Berwickshire, and on his homeward journey to Doddington, he was welcomed by his aged parents, who now live at Whittingham.

PRESENTATION OF LIFEBOAT AWARDS

Postponement of Ceremonial

The ceremonial, under the auspices of the Berwick Branch of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, of presenting the silver medal to James Jamieson, second coxswain of the Berwick Lifeboat, and who acted as coxswain on the occasion of saving 6 lives from the motor boat, Redhead on Wednesday , November 10th last., the monetary awards to the members of the crew and the Spittal fishermen, who so gallantly assisted in getting the lifeboat into the harbour, as well as a vote of thanks on vellum to the Hon. Secretary, Dr C.L. Fraser, for acting as second coxswain, was to have taken place in Berwick Playhouse on Thursday afternoon (23d instant).

Image 8 - Lifeboat - RNLB Matthew Simpson - Left to Right - Not known, Not known, Not known, John Wood, Knot known, Jack Lough, George Lough, Bartholomew Lough, Thomas Martin (possible), Not known, Not Known, Alex Patterson Lough. — RNLB Matthew Simpson – Left to Right – Not known, Not known, Not known, John Wood, Not known, Jack Lough, George Lough, Bartholomew Lough, Thomas Martin (possible), Not known, Not Known, Alex Patterson Lough.

At the last moment, however, it was decided to postpone the function owing to the limited attendance of the public due to the fact that with the approach of Christmas, there was no usual half holiday.

First World War Letters from the Front – The Christmas Truce.

08/03/201822/12/2015 by Northumberland Archives

A letter from loved ones fighting a brutal war in a foreign country provided some relief for the families left at home; at least it was proof that they were still alive at the time of writing.
Below are some examples published in local newspapers – there was a thirst for knowledge of the war; publishing these letters gave comfort, not only the immediate family, but also to those with relatives in the same regiment or battalion or area of battle.
Letters published early in 1915 revealed the incredible story of the Christmas Truce.

LETTERS FROM THE FRONT
NORTH COUNTRY SOLDIERS’ EXPERIENCES
WITH THE “FIGHTING FIFTH”

Private Patrick Igo who is serving with the Northumberland Fusiliers, at the Front, in a letter to his mother, who resides at 48, St James’ Square Gateshead, states: “Just a line to let you know I am still going strong. The condition of life out here is rough, and so is the weather, but it the old tale, ‘Stick it Jerry’. There are some fine places in ruins: churches, Catholic convents and homesteads; the handiwork of ‘Jimmy the Germans’. My opinion is that they are getting beaten every day. We are getting plenty of ‘baccy’ and cigarettes from England so you need not worry about smokes.
We have had some casualties since I have been with the regiment, both killed and wounded.
Writing to his brother on December 28, Private Igo says:
There is some hard fighting around the district, where the old ‘Fighting-Fifth’ is located and we are here for our share, when wanted. We came out of action on Christmas Eve for a day or two’s rest, after having occupied some German trenches, which one or two of the kilted regiments had taken from the enemy in the middle of November. I will not forget it for a few Christmas Eves to come, if spared. We lost a few while holding the trenches. The Germans were no more than 40 yards entrenched in front of us; we waited eagerly at dusk for our relief. We all expected a peppering that night.

H.A.C IN THE TRENCHES

In a letter written on Boxing Day to Mr Noble of the Broomhill Collieries, Mr Oswald Blunden an Officer of the Honourable Artillery Corps states:
“Your parcel of chocs’ reached me in the firing line; the contents and the good wishes enclosed have already cheered my heart. We are now having a spell of six days in the trenches and the weather has decided to be seasonable. Christmas day was cold and dry and a glorious change from what we have had. All today it has been snowing hard. It’s wee bit ‘parky’ now and then, especially about four or five in the morning. It’s nice to get up, but taking it all round, the cold knocks the mud into a cocked hat.
At the moment I have got a few hours watch on and have to post sentries and see that they are the alert, every now and then. One must not sleep during this time and so in between the rounds I am knocking a few arrears.
Perhaps you may have heard how we spent our Christmas Day. It was the most extraordinary thing possible – mixing-up and holding long talks with the enemy, out in the open and not a shot fired on either side. I got a jolly good German helmet, which I am going to try and send home when we get back to the billets.
There are two of us in my dugout in the trench and the way I have to twist myself in Knots all the time is a sight for the Gods. Now is the time I would like to be 2ft 6in and not 6ft 2in.

“A MERRY CHRISTMAS”

Corporal Robert Renton of the Seaforth Highlanders in a letter to Mr and Mrs Renton of Coldstream tells of the way in which Christmas Day was spent at the Front. He writes:
“I never thought we would spend Christmas the way we did. We were in the trenches on Christmas day. On Christmas Eve the Germans in front of us started singing what appeared to be hymns. We were shouting for encores (their trenches are only about 150 yards in front of us), and they kept the singing up all night. On Christmas Day some of them started to shout across to us, to come over for a drink.
It started with one or two going over half-way and meeting the Germans between the two lines of trenches; then it got that there was a big crowd of German and British, all standing together shaking hands and wishing each other a merry Christmas. They were giving us cigars and cheroots to exchange for cigarettes and some of them had bottles of whisky. They seemed a decent crowd that was in front of us.
They were all fairly well dressed and the majority of them could speak broken English. Some of them could speak it as well as myself. They said they were not going to fire for three days. They kept their word too: there was no rifle fire for two days after Christmas. There were two dead Frenchmen between our lines. We could never get out to bury them ‘till that day. The Germans helped us to dig the grave. One of their officers held a service over the graves. It was a sight worth seeing and one not easily forgotten; both Germans and British paying respect to the French dead.

The following was published in the Newcastle Journal Jan 1st 1915:
More stories of Christmas celebrations.

“HOB-NOBBING” WITH THE ENEMY

How an unofficial armistice was observed between German and British troops on Christmas Day is related in a letter written by a local officer at the Front to Mr and Mrs Taylor of Braemar, Victoria Avenue, Forest Hall. He writes:
“The Germans looked upon the day as a holiday and never fired a shot, except for a few shells in the early morning to wish us the compliments of the season, after which there was perfect peace and we could hear the Germans singing in their trenches. Later on in the afternoon my attention was called to a large group of men standing up half-way between our trenches and the enemy’s on the right of my trench, so I went out with my Sergeant-Major to investigate and actually found a large party of Germans and our people hob-nobbing together, although an armistice was strictly against regulations, the men had taken it upon their own hands.
I went forward and asked in German what it was all about and if they had an officer there – I was taken up to their officer who offered me a cigar. I talked with them for a short time then both sides returned to their trenches. It was the strangest sight I have ever seen. The officer and I saluted each other gravely, shook hands then went back to shoot at each other. He gave me two cigars one of which I smoked and the other I sent home as a souvenir. If only I had had a camera, I could have sent you an interesting picture. I do not know if this unofficial armistice was general in other parts of the line or not.

“A QUEER TIME”

Writing from the Front to fiends at Jarrow under date December 26 a soldier thus describes his Christmas Day on the battlefield:
“Things have been remarkably quiet during Christmas, and the infantry went so far as to come out of their trenches. On Christmas Eve an infantryman went into the German trenches at midnight and made himself comfortable. They gave him drinks and smokes and a German soldier accompanied him half-way back to his own trench.
While in the German trenches a British soldier made an arrangement that a truce of 24 hours would be called between his company and the Germans. On Christmas Day soldiers on both sides left the trenches and exchanged greetings, cigars, cigarettes and so on. Where possible the men conversed with each other and exchanged names and addresses”.
The writer proceeds, “I have heard this happened all along the British line, excepting where the Prussians were opposed to it. I had occasion to go down to the trenches and I tried to talk to the Germans. I had my photo taken with them and I wish I could get the proof. Now today it is different. When we were at peace with them yesterday, we were at war today and the guns are roaring as usual and the rifles are being fired. It is a queer time right enough.”

“A GUID NEW YEAR”

Corporal T.B. Watson now at the front with the 8th Royal Scots (Territorials) in a postcard to his cousin Mr R Smith of the Shipley Street Baths, Newcastle says:
“I had a merry Christmas in spite of those boys 300 yards over the way. We came in here to relieve the Englishmen for Christmas. They in turn will let us have New Year out. It is decent of General _____ to do this as it suits both regiments just fine.
On Christmas Day the greatest thing out took place here – Somehow or other a friendly feeling got up between the Germans and us, so we both left our trenches unarmed and exchanged greetings about 300 yards apart. We were all standing in the open for about 2 hours, waving to each other and shouting and not one shot was fired from either side. This took place in the forenoon. After dinner we were firing and dodging as hard as ever; one could hardly believe that such a thing had taken place.
We are getting hard frost today (December 27) and it makes us busy to try and keep warm but the trenches are cleaner so we are better off that way. Wishing you a ‘Guid New Year’.”

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to Derek Holcroft in supplying this article for the Northumberland At War Project.

+ More