World War One

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 14 May 1920

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MEMORIAL UNVEILED IN AFRICA

IN MEMORY OF LIEUT. G. H. SHIELDS, BERWICK

In February, 1917 Lieut. George Hilliard Shields, son of the late Sergt. Major Instructor Stewart Shields, Berwick, and Mrs Shields, Quay Walls, was killed while on service in the bush country of German East Africa, by an enemy sniper. Now the staff and pupils at the school at Accra have honoured his memory by erecting in the school a handsome brass tablet and hanging on the wall a photo of the deceased officer taken by the side of a stream in the wild bush land.

Lieut. Shields, who was in the Gold Coast regiment, was the headmaster of the school in Accra, and took a great interest in his boys. He was a keen sportsman, and in 1915, the same year as his sister, Miss Agnes Shields (now Mrs Drylie) won the Officers’ Cup and several competitions on the Magdalene Fields course, he won the Sanitation Cup presented to the Accra Golf Club by the Doctors on the Gold Coast. His mother now has a solid silver miniature of this trophy.

THE UNVEILING CEREMONY

The ceremony of the unveiling of the tablet in memory of Lieut. Shields took place at Accra Government Senior Boy’s School, West Africa, on March 10th, and the Director of Education gave an address to the European staff, pupils and native staff.

In proceeding to unveil the Memorial, the Director of Education said- “We are assembled here to pay a united tribute to the late Lieut. Shields, headmaster of the school, who lost his life while on active service in East Africa. Mr Shields came to Accra as headmaster on the 17th January, 1913. He very soon obtained a sound grasp of the organisation of the school and was very quick to appreciate good work done by the members of the staff as well as that done by the pupils. In order to obtain a better understanding of his work he began to take lessons in the Ga language and quickly acquired sufficient knowledge of it to engage in ordinary conversation with the natives of the country. With that, however, he was not content. He made a study of the language and was not satisfied until he could act as interpreter in a native court dealing with purely native affairs. In the study of the Ga language he showed the same thoroughness which he later showed in east Africa. When war broke out he was amongst the first to offer his services, and on August 8th (four days after the outbreak of war) he was attached to the Lome Field Force for service aboard in the “Marina,” a small German ship captured at Accra. On the Marina he acted as chief officer. After the capture of Togoland he returned to his duties at Accra, but when volunteers were required for the Gold Coast regiment he again came forward, and in May, 1916, he was stationed at Coomassie. He proceeded on active service to East Africa in August, 1916. On February 3rd, 1917, he was killed in action. His death is a great loss to this Department, because he was an exceedingly capable headmaster. The good work which he has done was recognised by the Board of Education in May, 1917, when the following resolution was passed:- “That this Board desire to place on record its deep regret at the lamented death of Mr George Hilliard Shields, late headmaster of the Government School at Accra, who whilst serving as Lieutenant with the Gold Coast Regiment in East Africa was killed in action, and that the Board requests His Excellency the Governor to convey to the relatives of the late Mr Shields an expression of the Board’s appreciation of the services rendered by him in the cause of Education in this Colony, and its heartfelt sympathy with them in this, their great sorrow.”

In conclusion, the Director of Education said:- He was mourned by teachers and pupils, who in order to perpetuate his memory subscribed to purchase the brass plate, to be unveiled. By the side of the plate will be placed a photograph of Lieut. Shields, an enlargement from a snapshot taken by Capt.; Harman in East Africa. The brass plate and photo are permanently placed in the building in memory of an excellent headmaster, a brave soldier and a man who gained the esteem of all those with whom he came in contact. It will serve to inspire future generations of schoolboys with that sense of duty, love of country, and allegiance to their King.

The Director’s speech was interpreted, sentence for the benefit of the younger pupils, by Mr Kennedy, one of the teachers who served under Lieut. Shields in East Africa.

At the conclusion of the address, all present rose to their feet and amidst dead silence the Director unveiled the tablet. As the drapings fell away the pupils stood at attention whilst the “last post” was sounded on the bugle.

The plate, which is of brass with black engraved lettering, has in the left hand corner the cap badge of the Gold Coast Regiment and the Elephant and Palm Tree, the regiment badge, in the opposite corner. The inscription reads as follows:- “In Memory of George Hilliard Shields, Lieut. Gold Coast Regiment, Headmaster, Government Senior Boys’ School, Accra, (1913-17), who was killed on active service, near Njimbwe, German East Africa, on February 3rd, 1917.” “This Tablet is erected by the staff and pupils of his school.”

The ceremony terminated with the singing of the National Anthem. The bearing of pupils and colleagues, who numbered a thousand persons, bore striking testimony to the esteem in which Lieut. Shields was held.

SPITTAL NOTES

On Sunday evening last, when Mr Peter Cowe, fish merchant, Berwick, was standing near the Fish Quay at Spittal waiting for a ferry boat, he noticed what appeared to be a boy’s head come up above the water at the end of the Ferry landing.

BRO 1887-2-4 Spittal Ferry

He watched and saw the head disappear and rise a second time, and without waiting any longer he ran to the Jetty Corner, where he gave the alarm. Some fishermen were near, but they had never noticed the boy go into the water. The men, accompanied by Mr Cowe, ran to the spot, and the boy was pulled out in an exhausted condition. He proved to be the nine-year old son of Mr McIntosh, hotel-keeper, and after having been subjected to artificial respiration, he was taken home. We understand he is little the worse of his emersion. It was a happy chance indeed that Mr Cowe happened to be on the spot, otherwise the young fellow might have been drowned.

In last Saturday’s pigeon race from Durham, 53 birds were liberated at 12.25. Seven birds arrived about 2.30, and seconds divided the winners:- 1, Alex. Elliott; 2 and 3, A. Johnson. The first club race will be flown on Saturday from the same place, liberation at 12.30. The prizes will be:- 1st, £1; 2nd, 12s; 3rd, 8s; 4th, 6s; 5th, 4s. A special prize of 5s (by a Friend) will be given for the first hen timed in. There will also be a 6d. “pool.” Two birds will be nominated from each loft on Saturday morning to compete for the Vice-President’s (Mr W. Tait) Nomination Prize from York on Saturday, May 22nd.

“Tommy” Burn, who sailed last Friday for South Africa with the English football team has promised to write articles for the “Athletic News” dealing with the tour.

While playing with a salmon net winch on the beach at Spittal a little boy named Wood was struck with the handle on the chin and sustained a severe cut on the tongue, on Wednesday night. The child was conveyed home and had to be put under chloroform while two stitches were put into the wound.

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 5 MARCH 1920

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MILITARY NOTES

HOW R.S.M. R.J. SWANSTON, BERWICK WON HIS D.C.M

The official account has now been issued as how R.S.M. R. J. Swanston, 7th (Ind.) Div. M.G. Batt., M.G.C., Berwick, earned his D.C.M. R.S.M. Swanston, who was one of the original 7th N.F. mobilised at the outbreak of war, has been very reticent as to what he did to win the medal. He is the son of Mr and Mrs Swanston, Woolmarket, Berwick, and has recently returned to work with his former employers – Messrs W. Elder and Sons.

An early 1950s image of William Elder & Sons, a scene that would hardly of changed in the intervening years between the time the R.S.M., R. J . Swanston, DCM, worked there in 1919. BRO 1944-1-2661-17

The official record is as follows: – “For conspicuous gallantry during the attack on Beit Lidd on 20th September, 1918. When all his men had become casualties, he continued by himself to carry up ammunition to his sections under very heavy fire. Throughout the day he, by his coolness and gallantry, under trying circumstances, set a very fine example to all.”

LOCAL NEWS

During the last little bit they have been laying underground telephone wires in the Berwick streets and the officials of the Electric Supply Coy. have been trying to trace faults in their cable. To the outsider it seemed a lengthy and fairly difficult business. At Wallace Green Literary Society on Monday night, Mr A. C. A. Steven explained how they did that sort of thing at the front under shellfire. With the help of maps and diagrams, he showed what a huge network of lines there was, and how communication was always being interrupted by explosions. For the most part the cables were buried, and repairs were carried through at night.

English Electric Co motors 1920

As a captured German map showed, the positions of these cables was known to the enemy, who had their range and tried, with a good deal of success, to destroy them in the daytime, and to put the men repairing them out of action at night. Mr Steven’s modest narrative made plain how much the Army owed to its technical experts, and what a lot there was to do at the front besides fighting. Another of Mr Steven’s interesting exhibits was a parcel of German propaganda newspapers, which were floated across the British lines by balloon. Mr Jardine was evidently the fittest member of the audience to propose a vote of thanks, and the Padre fully rose to the occasion.

THE NEW TOWN CLERK

HIS QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE POST

It is interesting to know that there were 12 applications for the position, and after the Committee had gone through all the applicants’ testimonials, a short leet of three was selected. Mr Douglas S. Twigg and Mr T. Ross Pratt were interviewed last Thursday at Berwick, when the Committee were highly satisfied with the information then laid before them.

Mr Twigg, who is a Yorkshireman, is at present Assistant Solicitor to the Corporation of the County Borough of Bournemouth, and he has previously held appointments as Assistant Solicitor to the Corporation of the city of York, and a like position coupled with the Deputy Clerkship of the Peace of Merthyr Tydvil.

He is 33 years of age, and has had sixteen years’ legal and local Government experience. While at Bournemouth he has carried through the purchase of two estates for housing purposes and has conducted the correspondence with the Ministry of Health and Housing Commissioner relative to obtaining of the necessary approval to the scheme and the sanction to loans. Mr Twigg has attended meetings of the Council and the Committees and has conducted the whole of the Police Court cases of the Corporation and is thoroughly familiar with the work of a Town Clerk’s office. Mr Twigg is expected to take up his duties in Berwick in about a month’s time.

LADY CONGREGATIONALISTS’ EFFORT AT SPITTAL

The ladies of the Congregational Church, Spittal, have every reason to congratulate themselves upon the success of an undertaking which, locally at least, was one of a unique and, at the same time, interesting nature. For some time past the need of laying on a water supply to the church, and with it the provision of other conveniences, had pressed itself upon the female section, and they determined on their own account, to put forth some effort by which their object could be accomplished. As one of the readiest means to this end, a concert suggested itself to their minds, together with the confiscation of the pulpit on the Sunday, where a lady was to be substituted for the pastor. No help of any kind was to be asked or accepted from any male member of the church; indeed, so much was this stricture to prevail that should any member of the  “nobler sex” be so indiscreet as to even offer a suggestion, he, poor unfortunate, was to pay the penalty for his folly with a fine. There were a few transgressors, who were actually made to stump up!

NORHAM AND ISLANDSHIRE

PETTY SESSIONS

GAVE ANOTHER MAN’S NAME

Peter McLaughlan, labourer, Berwick, was charged with riding a cycle without a light at Velvet Hall at 10.15 p.m. on the 2nd January. He pleaded not guilty.

P.C. Richardson proved the case and said when he spoke to the accused he said he had come from Berwick. He gave the name of John Spiers, vaman with Mr Scott, flour merchant, Berwick. Witness found that accused had given the name of another man and he later had some difficulty in tracing the accused to serve the summons at the house.

Accused – I was never on the road. I am not the man. I would like to ask the policeman how he did not recognise me when he passed me twice in the street.

P.C. Richardson – I never saw you in the street, otherwise I would have recognised you. I recognised you at once when I met you and warned you to be at Court, also informing you that the summons had been served on your sister.

Capt. Tippings pointed out to accused that if he was not the man he should have no difficulty in proving an alibi. He had been rather late in thinking about bringing witnesses.

Accused, in the box, gave a very contradictory story of his movements on the night in question. First he said he was at home all that evening and then stated that he had taken a girl for a walk. He refused to give the girl’s name and could not give the names of anyone he met. He knew the man Spiers, but he had never given Spiers’ name to the police.

The Bench decided to adjourn the case for a month to allow accused to bring witnesses in support of his alibi.

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 7 FEBRUARY 1920

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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.

Canadian souvenir photo of Ophir in 1902, with inset portraits of the Duke and Duchess of York.  The Ophir was requisitioned by the Admiralty in 1915, becoming an armed merchant cruiser. Photo is available under Public domain license. Credit:Winfred J. Erb and Lewis B. Foote.

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.

A mid-twentieth century photograph of the interior of the now demolished former Berwick Railway Station signal box.

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.

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