🎄Christmas Opening Hours for 2024🎄
CLOSED between 4pm Friday 20th December 2024 and 10am Thusday January 2nd 2025
Ordinary opening hours apply before and after this period.

This Week in World War One, 27 December 1918

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 27 DECEMBER 1918

CHRISTMAS

One feature of the Christmas season in Berwick was the extraordinary number of service men on leave, several not having spent Christmas at home for the past few years. The shops on Christmas Eve were very busy, and the great shortage of fruit, especially apples, as well as the exorbitant prices asked were the subject of much comment. Children lamented the scarcity of sweets, as “two ounces” only was the general rule in most shops.

(c) BRO 2103-4-458 Santa at Berwick

The weather on Christmas Day was stormy and disagreeable during the forenoon, but cleared away fine later in the day. Things were very quiet on the whole in the town. At night some children dressed up as “Mummers” went from house to house singing. This is a custom that is not often observed in Berwick. Services were held in some of the churches.

THE WORKHOUSE

The inmates of the Workhouse were treated to a good dinner of roast beef and plum-pudding on Christmas Day. As is customary tobacco was given to the smokers and sweets to the non-smokers. Mr Stirling, Tweedmouth, kindly supplied beer, and aerated waters were also sent in.

(c) BRO 1541-01 Entrance to the Workhouse

There are only 33 inmates at present a marked contrast to the years before the war when there were generally well over one hundred.

THE INFIRMARY

The patients at the Infirmary were entertained to dinner and tea on Christmas Day by Dr. C. G. Maclagan, chairman of the House Committee. During the afternoon gifts were distributed from a prettily decorated Christmas tree in one of the wards. Some members of Committee and a few friends’ including the Mayor and Mayoress, Lady Wilkie-Dalyell, Miss Wilkie-Dalyell, and Miss Maclagan, were present. The tree and evergreens which added so greatly to the festive appearance of the wards were kindly given by Lady Wilkie-Dalyell. There were not quite so many children amongst the patients as on former occasions.

AT THE BARRACKS

A splendid dinner of the usual Christmas fare was served at mid-day to the men at the Barracks on Christmas Day. A great many men are off home on their twelve days leave. During the course of the dinner Major McAlester, the Officer Commanding, visited the Dining Hall, which was most tastefully decorated, and wishing them all the compliments of the season gave the men some words of good advice.

MALARIA CAMP

The majority of the officers, non-commissioned officers and men are away on Christmas leave, large batches leaving daily. A most excellent dinner was served on Christmas Day, with the usual fare, and greatly enjoyed by all present.

POST OFFICE

The work at the Berwick Post Office this year has been greatly in excess of last year, but not up to the standard of the pre-war period. Saturday was a busy day, but the posting on Monday were very heavy. The 24th and 25th Dec. were as usual very busy days. A special feature was the heavy postings of letter packets due no doubt to the increased parcel rates which make it cheaper to send a smaller parcel at letter rates. The Christmas Cards also came more into favour this year. The temporary assistants employed this year were women and they did their work well; as did the whole of the regular staff.

BERWICK’S FIRST V.C.

On Monday morning Mr and Mrs Huffam, of 119 High Street, received word that their youngest son, Second Lieut. James Palmer Huffam, 5th Duke of Wellington’s, attached 2nd battalion had been awarded the Victoria Cross. The news was received in a wire from their son’s Commanding Officer congratulating them upon the award, and Mr Huffam has since received the following letter from Lieut. Col. Pawlett.

2nd Batt, Duke of Wellington’s Regt.

19 December, 1918

Dear Mr Huffam, – I hardly know whether to congratulate you or thank you on the occasion of the honour bestowed on your son – congratulations are on the occasion of the honour- to you as the father of such a boy, and thanks for the award coming to the Regiment. We have been anxious for some time whether this well merited reward was coming through for one who so richly and deservedly earned it, but now we are happy to think it has and your boy is alive and well at the last of the fighting. I cannot express a small part of the pride we all feel in having so noble a hero as your son as a member of our Battalion which bears such a noble name and record. May you and your gallant son live long to enjoy the fame which he has earned so nobly. This is the brightest Christmas greeting I can send from my Battalion and may you enjoy many more. Yours sincerely J. PAWLETT, Lt,. Col., Commanding 2nd, The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment.

The non-commissioned officers and men of “C” Coy., have also telegraphed to Mr Huffam, their congratulations on the Second Lieut’s winning the V.C.

NORHAM

ANOTHER NORHAM LAD’S RETURN FROM GERMANY

Private Murray Gregor, N.F., returned to his home on Saturday night from Germany. He was taken prisoner when the Huns began their great offensive on March 21st last, and was sent into Eastern Prussia, where he worked at first down a mine, but was afterwards put to do farm work, for which he received a mark a day. The Huns, he says, were cruel taskmasters, and especially did he find them so while working down the mine. He speaks very highly of the parcels sent out by the Northumberland Prisoners’ of War Fund Committee, which he declares kept, him alive for he could get very little to eat otherwise. Private Murray Gregor previous to being taken prisoner had seen much fighting, often being employed in the dangerous work of sniping. His two months’ leave will, we trust, bring about a great improvement in his state of health. Before joining up he was a forester on the Ladykirk estate. There are now four lads in our village who have been prisoners of war in Germany, viz., Sergt. Marshall, Corpl. H. Moody, Private T. Tait and Private Murray Gregor.

There are many young lads going about our village in khaki or blue, home for their twelve days leave. The boys in blue are Petty Officer J. White, Stoker J. Cowe, Seaman J. Bell, and Seaman Jas. Wilkinson; whilst in khaki we notice Private G. Strother, N.F.; Private R. Swan, N.F.; Private Drummond, R.G.A., and the returned prisoners of war. A dance has been arranged by some of the young ladies of the village for New Year’s Eve, at which is expected a fair gathering of the boys. The proceeds of this dance are to go towards the Welcome Home Fund

RATIONS TO CONTINUE

ANOTHER BOOK LIKELY TO FOLLOW THE CURRENT, ISSUE

The coupons book will continue in use for some months, and a fresh edition will probably follow the current issue after March.

The forecast for rations may be assumed up as follows:-

MEAT – Home produce short until the spring, in view of which imports are economised so as to build up reserves.

BUTTER – Increase not likely until cattle are put to grass, when more milk, now very short, will admit of increased dairy output.

MARGARINE – An ounce may be added to the weekly ration early in the New Year.

SUGAR – Ration to be increased to 3/4lb weekly from the end of January.

JAM – Revision expected second week in January; may lead to coupons being dispensed with.

Generally, if jam is the first article to go off the ration list, margarine will be the second, and sugar and butter will follow as conditions improve.

This Week in World War One, 1 November 1918

 

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 1 NOVEMBER 1918

 

Berwick Officer Severely Wounded

LIEUT. ALF. M. HUFFAM

 

We regret that we are not able to record much improvement in the condition of Lieut. Alf. Huffam, West Riding Regiment, son of Mr and Mrs Huffam, 119 High Street, Berwick, who was admitted on the 12th October to a Casualty Clearing Station in France, suffering from a wound in the face, and a severe wound in the back.

His brother has written home stating that though his condition has not shown much improvement, he is cheery and seems determined to get well again. We earnestly trust this determination will pull him through, and that next reports will be favourable.

Liuet. Huffam; who in civil life was a coach builder in Berwick, enlisted in the earliest stages of the war in the local battalion of the N.F. After training, he proceeded to France and came safely through the Second Battle of Ypres, and subsequent operations at Hooge, and on the Somme. He was recommended for a commission, and about a year ago was gazetted to the West Riding Regt. Since then he has seen heavy fighting, and has been mentioned in despatches. His younger brother made the supreme sacrifice last year, and other two brothers are in the N.F. Lieut. Huffam’s father was for over twenty-one years with the Royal Highlanders, and on leaving the Army was for some years a Volunteer Instructor.

The many friends of the wounded officer, especially those with whom he has associated in the Baptist Church Bible Class, wish him a speedy and thorough recovery.

War News

Military Cross for Berwick Officer

SEC. LT. JOHN STUART HARVEY

We extend our heartiest congratulations to Lieut. John Stuart Harvey, Worcesters, second son of Mr and Mrs S. G. Harvey, Railway Street, on his being awarded

A WW1 Military Cross similar to that awarded to Lieut. Stuart Harvey.

the Military Cross for gallantry.

Lieut. Harvey joined up in 1915 as a private in the Northumberland Fusiliers, and was recommended for a commission before proceeding to France with his

regiment. After service in France he was brought home to undergo his course, and was later gazetted to the Worcesters. He took part in the masterly retreat conducted during the German offensive in March last, and when the record of how he earned his decoration is published, we believe it will be for gallantry there.

Lieut. Harvey served his apprenticeship with Messrs Johnston and Darling, Berwick, but at the time of his enlistment, he was on the staff of Messr Donaldson and Company, seedsmen, Edinburgh. We trust he will be long spared to wear his honour.

 

War News

Mrs Sutherland, Berwick, has received the following letter from a friend of her late husband, Sergt, Laurie Sutherland.

Dear Mrs Sutherland, – I want to just write you a note about your husband. You will longer this have received word from the War Office as it has taken me a long time to find out particulars about him. He was up with me moving the battery forward on the night of the 30th Sept., and was unfortunately wounded by a mine going off on the road. I had left him but a few minutes to go on with some other lorries and did not know of the occurrence until he had been dressed and taken to hospital by the other men with him. As we have been moving forward every day I have not been able to get any news of him until I got an official note of his death three days afterwards on a hospital train.Those with him said that they did not think he was dangerously wounded and his death has come as a great shock to us all. He was not only one of the best sergeants that I have ever known, but as a man he was the finest that it has ever been my good fortune to work with. He was liked and respected by everyone. All this sense of loss that we feel is nothing compared to your irreparable loss, and I and all his old comrades wish me to send you their deepest sympathy. He has died as he always worked, so that the children of today and of tomorrow may not know the awfulness of war. It is, I know, but poor consolation to you and to his little girl of whom he so often spoke, but he has not died in vain. He leaves behind the splendid memory of a great hearted man. Please accept most sincere sympathy in your terrible loss. Yours very truly, FRED RANDALL.

 

SPITTAL COUNCIL SCHOOL

CHILDREN’S SALE OF WORK ON BEHALF

OF WAR CHARITIES WEEK

 

A successful Sale of Work organised by the scholars of Spittal Council School under the guidance of their teachers, took place in the school on Saturday afternoon. A big crowd of parents and others interested in the School made a lively scene, the Central Hall being quite filled.

The various stalls were as follows:-

Work Stall – Mrs Clements, Mrs Burn, Miss Lee.

Doll Stall – Jenny Martin, Agnes White, Barbara Wood.

Golliwogs, Beads, toys – Roberta Johnson

Guessing Stall – Two chickens, a cheese, two cakes, etc – Ella Martin

China and Glass Ware – Miss Dickinson

Jumble Stall – Miss Millar, Eta Dumble

Dip – Lizzie Johnson

Vegetable Stall – John Rutherford, Robt.Wood, Matthew Holburn, Alex. Patterson, William McLeod.

Door Keeper – Miss J. Wood

Parisian Tea Rooms – Miss Noble, Miss Johnson, Miss Borthwick, Miss Wolfe.

Mrs J. Campbell made the tea and was of great help. The largest of the classrooms made a delightful tea room.

Spittal School
Spittal School in the early 20th Century.

We were specially amused with the boys in charge of the Vegetable Stall. This was not a sum to work, it was not even playing at shops; it was real buying and selling. A customer appears, goods are displayed, real weights and measures and scales are used, real money is handed over and there is no discount.

The most optimistic expected to draw about £5 and we can imagine how surprised and delighted all were when the headmaster, Mr T. W. G. Borthwick announced that the nett proceeds amounted to £25. The parents and inhabitants of Spittal deserve the greatest praise for having given of their best and spared no expense to enable their children to do credit to their school in the various efforts to make “Children’s Day” a success.

Local News

The collection of plumstones and nut shells organised by the Patriotic Fund and kindly assisted by local grocers and greengrocers, is about to be sent to Government headquarters. Any contributions should be handed in without delay, and will be thankfully received. The proceeds, as our readers are aware, are used in the manufacture of gas masks, and the object should therefore appeal strongly to those who appreciated the value of such protectors of the lives of our men in the trenches.

Under sad circumstances the death has occurred of Mrs Reap, married quarters, wife of Private J. W. Reap, K.O.S.B., at present on active service. Mrs Reap, who is a daughter of Mrs Lough, West Street, died suddenly after a short illness, and leaves a family of seven children. Unfortunately the relations found it impossible to get into touch with Private Reap, and although funeral arrangements were delayed until Saturday, 19th, he was not present, and as yet no word had been received from him.