TWEEDMOUTH JOTTINGS

The two sons and son-in-law of Mr and Mrs James Gilchrist, Howick Terrace, Tweedmouth have been demobilised, and will resume their pre-war occupations at an early date. These lads have done their bit in the Royal navy. Robert, the elder of the two was originally in the 7th N.F., Territorials, but later joined the R.N., and has done much work in that branch of the service. Harry the younger, has also had a good spell, having joined when 19 years of age, and has been on H.M.S., Ophir for three years. Since his last ten months ago he has travelled many thousand miles in that ship, having been in Japan, China, Chile, Valparaiso, and other distant places.

When his ship was lying at Valparaiso the ship’s band went ashore and the inhabitants gave them a great ovation. It was estimated that 70,000 people turned out to listen to the band. They even strewed flowers in the street in front of them. Harry arrived at Glasgow on Tuesday of last week and from there proceeded home. Their son-in-law John Davidson, has also a fine record of service, and in the early part of the last year Mrs Davidson received official; information that her husband was drowned, his boat having been torpedoed. Happily this turned out to be a mistake, as she received a letter from himself later on. He has lately been on a drifter named “Queen Victoria.” We extend our best wishes to these three who have so faithfully and fearlessly served their country in the time of need.

We are pleased to see home on leave to Knowe Head, Tweedmouth, private William Hettle, M.T., A.S.C. He joined up in November, 1915, and went to France in December of the same year. He has been most of the time on the western front, attached to an ambulance convoy, chiefly used to convey wounded from places such as Armentieres, Neuve Chapelle, Bailleul to Merville, which was the clearing station. Being driven from the last named place by continual German shelling during the March offensive, a place called Doulien became their headquarters. After getting nicely settled there, the offensive drove them still further back, which meant longer runs and longer spells of duty. As the offensive died down they gradually worked their way up into Belgium, and were at Reiny siding when our offensive started. They went straight forward into German territory, going from Reiny to Ypres School House to Gulleghen and Harlebeke, where they were when the armistice was signed. Since then he has been engaged in bringing prisoners back from behind the German lines to Courtra in Belgium, and following up the troops of occupation, picking up the sick and those that fall out on the way. His headquarters have been at Mulheim, where he was comfortably lodged in a magnificent hotel. He left cologne at 3.55 p.m. on Saturday, getting to Calais at midnight on Monday, being 58 hours in a German corridor train. In this country a similar distance is usually done in about 8 hours. Although in all probability he will have to go back to Germany, we hope to see him demobilized at an early date.

On Friday night of last week, about 9 o’clock, an accident took place at Berwick station, two N.E.R. engines having collided with each other. It appears that a light engine from Tweedmouth had arrived at Berwick, and through some misreading or misunderstanding of the signals, which were or should have been at danger, the driver overran these signals, which are situated at the Berwick end of the Royal Border Bridge, at the entrance to the Goods Yard from the south. At the same time an engine and van was leaving the goods yard to proceed to Tweedmouth with the signals clear, they ran into each other, with the result that both engines were considerably damaged, and the tender of one of them partly off the rails.

The break-down vans were quickly in attendance, and were occupied all through the night, their work being rendered most difficult owing to the twisting and distortion of the engines. There was little delay to traffic, as trains were run through the station. The drivers and firemen of the both engines, and also the guard, who was in his van, received slight bruises and a heavy shaking. The fact that both engines were tender first at the time may have had something to do with the drivers not seeing each other in time to avert a collision.

A very successful social and dance was held in the E.P. Church Hall. Tweedmouth, on Wednesday night of last week, by workers of the National Saw Mills, Tweedmouth. There was a large attendance, 45 couples being present. Dancing commenced at 6.45, and was interspersed with games until 8.30 p.m., when a  splendid supper was provided, which was nicely served out by the girls who are employed there. Before partaking of the supper, Mr Peter Richardson in a few well chosen remarks on behalf of the employees, presented Mr and Mrs  hardy with a handsome silver fruit basket as a token of the respect and esteem in which they are held by all employees. Mr Hardy, in replying thanked all the workers for their great kindness in presenting him with this nice present. He said it would always serve to  remind him of the kindly feeling that existed  between himself as manager and themselves as employees.