BERWICK ADVERTISER, 14 MARCH 1919

15/03/2019 by Northumberland Archives

GARDENS AND ALLOTMENTS

HOW TO GROW POTATOES AND ONIONS

At the annual meeting of the Berwick and District Gardens and Allotments Association held last month, Mr Carmichael, hon. treasurers, suggested it would be a good plan to have lectures on the cultivation of vegetables. The committee took up the suggestion in a practical manner, and the first of these lectures was delivered on Tuesday evening in the Long Room, Corn Exchange, by Mr J. Jackson, gardener to Lord Joicey, at Ford castle. The subject of Mr Jackson’s paper was “Potatoes and Onions and their cultivation”. There was a splendid turnout of members and those interested in gardening. The Mayor (Ald. J. Plenderleith) President of the Association was in the chair, and was supported by Councillor Elder and Mr R. Bradford, chairman and joint hon. secretary of the Association respectively.

CHATTON

Reference was made under the Lowick news of our South West Edition last week of the flight over the district of the airship N, S. 7. Since then a fatality has occurred in connection with the airship. When rising from Newcastle Town Moor on Tuesday, 4th March, Sergeant Johnstone having seized the rope the airship unexpectedly rose through a burst of sunshine having caused extra buoyancy.

The thrill of the spectators can be imagined when the saw the unfortunate man clinging to the rope till some sixty feet from the ground his strength failed and he crashed to his death, which took place a few minutes from his fall. The Air Service is full of perils, and it is to be hoped that these will be diminished by science before that much talked of aerial posts are established.

A large body of the Canadian troops has left the camp, which is now very small in its proportions. They have not only left their mark upon the landscape, but also upon the roads. It is to be hoped that the road authorities will be alive to the interests of the ratepayers, and get the Government to recoup a fair share of the enormous expenditure which will be required to restore the highways to their normal condition.

HOLY ISLAND

The engagement was announced on Wednesday of Mr Edward Hudson, of Queen Anne’s-gate and Lindisfarne Castle, Northumberland, and Mme. Guilmina Suggia, the famous cellist, who is of Portuguese nationality.

Mr Hudson, who is the chairman and managing director of “Country Life,” is well-known in the north as the owner of the Castle at Holy Island, which dates back as far as 1500. Mr Hudson has furnished the Castle in a most tasteful manner, which is quite in keeping with its romantic history.

LOCAL NEWS

A Glasgow Herald correspondent, in an article on the Old Border Bridge at Berwick mentions, that Cromwell and his army crossed the Tweed by the bridge when in 1650 they marched to Scotland in order to persuade or compel the nation to the rule of the Commonwealth.

The Restoration of the Monarchy brought benefit to Berwick, for Charles II allowed the corporation an annuity of £100 from the Customs of their town or from those of Newcastle for upkeep of the Old Bridge. In 1700 William III ordered the sum to be paid from the Exchequer, and this arrangement is still maintained for the repair of the now ancient structure.

SPITTAL NOTES

Private Andrew Wood, K.O.S.B., is one of Spittal’s war veterans who has been recently demobilised. This gallant Tommy joined up at a period of life when he was far beyond military age, but the irresistible spirit was there, and forced him to action. Since joining up he has passed through the hottest of the fighting on the Western front; and without hesitation we can affirm that the fault would not be his if many a “Jerry” did not pay the full penalty of his misdeeds at the muzzle end of Andrew’s rifle. He has all the pluck and keenness of the true British fighter. We regret that since his home-coming he has been confined to bed, and sincerely trust that his recovery will only be a matter of days, and that renewed health and strength will be his, and a bright and lengthy future in which to enjoy life.

Sergeant George Brigham, Dental Section, R.A.M.C., is now demobilised after having been with the forces since hostilities commenced. On joining up he took up duties as a dispatch rider, admittedly a dangerous occupation, yet George stuck it, placing many hair-breadth escapes to his credit, until finally the strain so told upon an otherwise robust constitution that his removal from the work became a necessity, and he was placed at his own profession in the dental section of the R.A.M.C., where he held the rank of senior sergeant, and had charge of one of the departments. Prior to enlistment he was an assistant with Mr R.R. Riddell, Surgeon Dentist, Quay Walls. We wish him good health and luck in the future.

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 31 JANUARY 1919

03/04/201901/02/2019 by Northumberland Archives

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 31 JANUARY 1919

LOCAL LAD HONOURED

Gunner George Percy Pringle, 10th Battalion, Tank Corps, son of Mr and Mrs Pringle, Murton Farm, has been awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in the field, the honour having only recently come through. Last October when his crew were all casualties or wounded and the Tank had two direct hits, he stuck to his gun and kept the enemy at bay until further assistance arrived. Gunner Pringle joined up in December 1914 in the K.O.S.B., and was at Dardanelles on the memorable 12th July, 1915, was invalided home with dysentery, and was transferred to the Tanks a year ago. His brother William was killed 1916, and another brother, Richard, is serving in a Labour Battalion.

BERWICK’S WAR MEMORIAL

ANIMATED DISCUSSION

A public meeting was held in the Townhall, Berwick, on Thursday evening, 23rd January, for the purpose of considering the question of a War Memorial. The Mayor presided, and, if the audience for a Borough the size of Berwick was disappointingly small (there were perhaps fifty present), it was a distinctly representative one and keen interest was manifested in the discussion. We were glad to notice such a strong representation from Tweedmouth, whose sons have certainly not been lacking in service to their country.

At the commencement the Mayor referring to the special object for which the meeting had been called said the idea of a War Memorial was a laudable one. A visible memorial might not be needed for the present generation, as there were few homes in which there was not resting the sad consciousness of a shadow, caused by the War. It was only fitting that some memorial should be reared to be handed down to future generations, as a reminder of the sublime heroism displayed on the part of our men who had all through shown such an utter disregard to personal danger. The idea of a War Memorial had been considered by the Town Council who resolved to call a public meeting. Suggestions as to what form the memorial should take were to be invited, and, should, so as to be embodied in concrete form, be submitted in writing.

BELFORD AND DISTRICT

Former Belford Lad Honoured

Sergt. Andrew Tully, 15th D.L.I., has been awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in the field. In civil life he was employed as game keeper on the Haggerston Castle Estate and resided at Berrington Law, Beal. Enlisting in 1916 he trained at Redcar, going to France in July of that year, and took part in the great offensive at that time. He was wounded in September 1918. His parents resided for many years in the Belford district but have now removed further south. He married a daughter of Mr and Mrs W. Clark, Belford Station, and has a younger brother in the Army.

SPITTAL NOTES

Private J. Purvis, D.L.I., is once again back to civil life. He went through a course of signalling, this course being rather lengthy it remained incompleted at the time when the Armistice was signed. Being a pivotal man he was amongst the first to be released from military duties. We wish him the best of health, and hope that he will be able to carry on in the usual way a Spittal Spade Works, where he is employed, for long years to rome.

Corpl. B. Lough, T.C’s., has been demobilised. Bart, who joined the N.C.B.’s at Berwick in 15, had the majority of his training in this country, being located in the county of Lincoln. From that training camp he was sent to France, and subsequently transferred to the Tank Corps, and saw a good deal of heavy fighting in that unit. He was sent home on sick leave, and hostilities ceasing in the interval, he was permitted to remain in this country until demobilised. He commences his trade of cooper shortly, in which we wish him every success and robust health to carry on.

TWEEDMOUTH JOTTINGS

We are pleased to see home to Main Street, Tweedmouth, Lanc-Corpl. B. Marston, having received his discharge. He was in Australia at the commencement of the war and came home to do his bit on the battle fields of Europe or elsewhere. He has been in the Labour Corps, and has done much good and useful work with that unit. His eldest son, Private Harold Marston, of the M.G.C., was killed in the St. Julien battle, where so many of our local lads fell.

We notice on leave, Private John Swinney, of the Tank Corps, whose home is at West End Tweedmouth. When mobilization took place he was in the Territorials, after training at Gosforth and Cambois he went to France with his Battalion in 1915, taking part in many actions in which the 7th N.F. were engaged.

A World War One, British Mark V (male) tank. Private John Swinney from Tweedmouth, would have seen service in one of these. © Copyright expired.

He was wounded on the Somme front in November, 1916, his wounds not being of such a nature as to send him to Blighty. He was treated at the Base Hospital. After his recovery he was transferred to the Tank Corps, where he has had some rough work to do with this crawling complex contrivance which has played such a prominent part in the war. We understand he is demobilized and we welcome him back to civil life.

This Week in World War One, 13 December 1918

14/12/2018 by Northumberland Archives

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 13 DECEMBER 1918

PROPOSED WAR MEMORIAL

A well-attended meeting was held in the Archbold Hall on Thursday evening last, at which the question of establishing some permanent memorial in memory of the Wooler men who have fallen in the war, was considered. Mr F. R. Padley was in the chair, and he thought all would be of one opinion that there should be some memorial to commemorate the fallen. They had nothing cut and dried to lay before the meeting, and thought they should first of all decide whether it was desired to have a memorial. Mr G. Gallon moved that a memorial be taken in hand. This was seconded by Mr J. Rule, and carried unanimously. The next thing considered was whether it should only be for Wooler parish or to include all places within a radius of four miles, similar to the S. and S. Fund, when the latter plan was decided upon. The committee was next discussed, when it was decided to elect a new committee independent to the Sailors and Soldiers Fund Committee, with a separate fund.

Wooler War Memorial,Tower Hill, beside the remains of the fortified stone tower built in the 16th century. © wfmillar, Tower Hill, Wooler. Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license.

The following committee of 17 was then appointed: – Messrs J. Beattie, R. Bell, J. Hogg, W. L. Leach, G. Strother, W. Bone, the Rev. Dr. Bowick, MrsLillico, G. Thompson, Planation House; W. Dixon, Mrs T. brown, Mr R. Hinson, jun., R. Jeffrey, Haugh Head, Mrs Hogg, Houston, Fenton; J. Nesbit, Doddington,and J. Knox with Mr J. Beattie as convener. The next thing was suggestions as to what form the memorial should take, when the following were mentioned :- a monument,a peel of bells, extension and improvement of the Mechanics’ Institute, chapel for the churchyard, home of rest for sailors and soldiers. Mr J. Scott moved that the settlement be deferred until the committee saw what financial support they were likely to receive, which was agreed to. The committee will then call another public meeting to decide on the form of the memorial. The chairman, who throughout handled the meeting with tact and ability, said they had had a most harmonious meeting, and trusted the committee would get to work, and that they would be successful in their efforts to obtain a fitting memorial to commemorate their brothers and sons, and hoped that the public would respond liberally. A vote of thanks to Mr Padley for his services in the chair brought the proceedings to a close.

LOCAL NEWS

In the days before the war salmon poaching on Tweedside was carried on stealthily, as bailiffs were sure to be on the look-out for offenders. During the past two or three years their watch has been less strict and it is now a common sight in towns up the River Tweed to see men and women aided by boys, helping themselves to salmon in broad daylight. Recently there has been a great run of salmon on the Tweed, and some exciting scenes have been witnessed, and numerous salmon extracted from the river in ways a true-born angler would not approve.

TWEEDMOUTH JOTTINGS

Private James Coulthard, son of Mr and Mrs Wm. Coulthard, Shore House, Tweedmouth, arrived home on Tuesday. James joined up very early in the war, while still considerably under military age, but he was determined to do something for his country. He soon found himself in France and has since taken his full share in many stiff engagements. He was taken prisoner during the great March offensive, while doing duty with the 21st M.G.C., 14th Division.

The Calais lighthouse is a landing light. It is a navigational aid for ships entering the port, and a landmark for those who cross in the Pas-de-Calais Strait, the busiest in the world. Private James Coulthard would have likely witnessed it on his return home to Tweedmouth in 1918. © Ottaviani Serge.

They were completely outnumbered and were compelled to give in. Then their troubles began as they were compelled to carry to safety their own and the German wounded. Next day they were sent off to the lines, very little food was given them and they were subjected to the most cruel treatment while at work, and had to march a distance of seven and a half miles twice a day. Their work was anything but pleasant, being chiefly that of burying the dead. They were then removed to Alsace and had the honour of being the first to arrive in that province, but the journey of 48 hours had been too much for many of them,nearly 70 per cent dying on the journey. After the signing of the Armistice food became more plentiful. He came away from Metz, travelling through France to Calais, then across Channel to Dover, landing home on Tuesday morning. Tweedmouth should be proud of such lads as “Jimmy.”

SCREMERSTON

Sergt. Wm. Mowitt, Duke of Wellington Regt. is home on fourteen days’ leave from France. He joined up in 1915, and has been about three years in France, and has been wounded and gassed in that period in the fighting on the Western front. He was an employee of Scremerston Colliery before enlistment.

Home on fourteen days’ leave, Private Wm. Spence, A.S.C.He has been in the Army about two years, and has been close on one and a half years in France. We extend to both soldiers a hearty welcome and hope they may enjoy a well-earned rest.

LOWICK

We are pleased to report that news has come to hand of the return to England of Private Andrew Lyall, Lowick, who has been a prisoner of war in Germany. He is a son of Mr and Mrs A. Lyall, Farm Cottages. We hope we may soon see him in Lowick, and hear what he has to tell about his treatment in the hands of the Huns.

Another prisoner of war has arrived home at Bowsden, private Bryan Hills, who has been in the hands of the Huns for some time. We hope he will benefit from his two months’ leave in his native place.

+ More