Missing in Action and a Suicide

Shortmead Street [Z1130/16/58]

Easter Sunday 23rd April 1916: Mr and Mrs George Cartwright Wells of West’s Yard, Shortmead Street, Biggleswade, have received notification from the Records Office, Warley that their two sons Private Howard A C Wells and Private Frederick C Wells, of the 8th Bedfordshire Regiment, had been reported as missing, place not stated. A comrade, who also hails from Biggleswade, wrote home saying they were missing(1). The brothers Wells are widely known in the Biggleswade district and their many friends hope that their worst fears will not be realised The younger brother, Fred, was formerly in the employ of William Jackson(2) and came home a few weeks ago on leave. The elder brother has been gassed since being at the front. He was formerly engaged on the golf links, was a keen angler and figures on the Cricket Club’s Roll of Honour. The brothers enlisted together in the 8th Beds and after training at Shoreham etc they went to the Continent together and fought at Loos. Much sympathy is felt for the parents and brothers and sisters(3).

On this Easter Sunday we pray that God’s mercy may extend to a wretched suicide. Private Bruce Standley Moseley of 10th Battalion, a conscript and single man from Norfolk hanged himself at Dovercourt yesterday leaving a letter asking people to forgive him for his sins and advising others not to be misled(4).

Source: Bedfordshire Times 12th May 1916; Biggleswade Chronicle 5th May 1916

(1) No doubt in the disaster of 19th April,

(2) A saddler in Shortmead Street

(3) Fortunately both men were prisoners and survived the war.

(4) He is buried in Dovercourt churchyard.

Distinguished Sergeants

Saturday 1st April 1916: The 10th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, a reserve unit not intended for front line duty, is at Dovercourt. They have three sergeants named, respectively, Kitchener, Germany and French. Each is over six feet in height and all are veteran campaigners. Sergeants French and Kitchener are natives of Biggleswade and Sergeant Germany belongs to Thetford [Norfolk]. Sergeant Kitchener served in the 5th (Royal) Dragoons and afterwards joined the Hertfordshire Constabulary, enlisting in the Bedfords on the outbreak of war. Sergeants French and Germany were originally in the Coldstream Guards.

Source: Bedfordshire Times 14th April 1916

10th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment – A Short History, Part II

Wednesday 24th November 1915: Here at Colchester – where we form part of 6th (Reserve) Infantry Brigade – we completed our training and have sent out drafts as reinforcements to both 6th and 7th Battalions. One cannot help saying that these drafts have invariably been described by Officers Commanding the Rest Camps where they go prior to joining their new unit as the best they have had sent to them. Similar praise has been received from the Officers Commanding units they have joined and from officers who have returned from the front.

The majority of our men appeared to be Hertfordshire men, towns like Saint Albans, Hertford, Watford and Hitchin being well-represented while Harpenden, Radlett, Buntingford, Letchworth, Berkhamstead etc. have their representatives. Most of the Bedfordshire men come from Bedford and district and Luton but some come from Dunstable, Sandy and villages on the borders of Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire. Huntingdon was well represented and, curiously enough, there was a section from Bristol(1).

A large number of the officers are Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire men, Bedford Grammar School having four representatives and Saint Albans School three and these, not including many who live in the counties, but who were educated outside.

Four officers have been killed – Captain J A Tennant (a nephew of Mr Asquith), Lieutenant J T Adair, Lieutenant W A Leland and Second Lieutenant F C Casswell (who lost his life in the “Royal Edward” Transport)(2). Others from the Battalion have gone to take their places, to carry on the good work they have begun, and to maintain the glorious record which the Bedfordshire Regiment as a whole has earned for itself in this war.

Every encouragement is, and always has been, given to the playing of all games after parade hours. Last year we were unbeaten at hockey; this summer we lost only one match – the first of the season – at cricket, and we beat that side (9th Battalion, Royal West Kents) twice later on in the season. At soccer and hockey we are undefeated this year and although there has only been one rugger match to date the side shows promise of being a good one. It must not be forgotten that, owing to the Battalion being draft-producing, the personnel of the side is constantly changing.

Concerts and entertainments are frequently given in the evenings and they are very popular with all ranks.

The songs we sing on the march naturally change from time to time. At Dovercourt the favourite was, perhaps “Who’s Your Lady Friend?” but other popular ones were “Come on Tommy, Come on Jack” (sung to everybody we passed in mufti(3)), “Hold Your Hand Out Naughty Boy” (for which we had our own verses), “Are we Downhearted? No”. Others were added while at White City and now our repertoire is quite a big one. The song which is most popular with the civilian population is as follows:

We are the Bedford boys,

We are the Bedford boys,

We know our manners,

We spend our tanners,

We are respected wherever we go,

When we’re walking down the broadway lines,

Doors and windows open wide,

We are the boys to drink our ale,

Out of a pint pot or a pail,

We are the Bedford boys.

And then, Mr. Kaiser (to the tune of Mr Cupid) is a good second.

Mr. Kaiser, Mr. Kaiser,

He’s the cause of all our trouble,

Cause of all the crime,

When the Bedfords get to France,

They will make the beggars dance,

Oh! It’s all through Mr. Kaiser every time(4).

Source: Bedfordshire Times 26th November 1915

(1) Nine men from Bristol would die with the 7th Battalion alone during the course of the war.

(2) RMS Royal Edward was sunk on 13th August 1915 by UB-14 off the Greek island of Kandeloussa, 864 men were drowned; John Amherst Tennant died on 22nd August 1915 in Gallipoli attached to 1st Battalion, Border Regiment; John Thomas Adair died on the same day serving with the same regiment. Walter Alfred Leland died in Gallipoli on 4th June 1915 serving with 1st Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers.

(3) Civilian clothes

(4) 10th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment would move back to Dovercourt in March 1916 and on 1st September be converted into 27th Training Reserve Battalion, later 27th Young Soldier Battalion. From 27th October 1917 it would become 53rd (Young Soldier) Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment.

10th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, a Short History, Part I

Tuesday 23rd November 1915: We were born at Dovercourt, Essex, on 31st October 1914, by two companies of the 4th Bedfords being detached “in toto” to form the nucleus of a new Battalion. Most of the men had enlisted in the early part of September and so had undergone a certain amount of training. Some of the officers had also been attached to the 4th Battalion for some little time previous to the formation of the Battalion. We were a part of the Harwich Defence Force and before we left found some of the Guards etc. to relieve the 4th Bedfords. The Dovercourt days were strenuous, for we all were keen and worked hard, and so much useful training was done there.

On November 6th, Lieutenant-Colonel W. B. Piers of the Indian Army was sent to command us and from that day there has been no looking back. We were fortunate, too, in the fact that Lord Salisbury and Captain Wild, who were then the Officer Commanding and Adjutant of the 4th Battalion, were always ready to help us in every way.

The Battalion moved to the White City, London, in the heaviest snowstorm of the winter on January 22nd, 1915 to be with the other Battalions in our Brigade – the 106th Brigade(1). With us were 12th Essex , who also started their experiences at Dovercourt (being an offshoot of their 3rd Battalion). We have been brigaded with them ever since and have maintained the good relations of the Dovercourt days.

At the White City we quickly made an impression, and we were regarded as the show Battalion in our Brigade. We spent many pleasant days in field schemes, manoeuvres, etc. on Hampstead Heath, Wimbledon Common, Richmond Park etc.

We were all looking forward to going out as a Brigade – 11th Glosters, 12th Essex and 13th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders were the other Battalions – and it was not until the closing days of March that we learned we were to be – like our parent the 4th Bedfords – a draft-producing Battalion(2). This decision caused much disappointment, but we quickly realised that some Battalions had to be Reserve Battalions and it was the fortune of war that we should be one of them.

On April 29th we bade farewell to White City – most of us without regret – and proceeded to Redhill [Surrey], where the men were very comfortably billeted, the officers taking an empty house and furnishing it. Here we again made an excellent impression and soon made friends with everybody. We came across 8th Battalion Bedfords, who were undergoing some instruction in trench digging there. They were only a few days with us, but long enough for us to see that they were a fine Battalion. Unfortunately, we had no sooner settled down than the order came to move. We learnt that the Brigade was going to to be split up and 12th Essex and ourselves were to go to Colchester. Accordingly, on 17th May, we bade “good-bye” – in the rain – to Redhill, this time with many regrets. On arrival at Colchester we were placed in huts and we had hardly settled down in them when we were moved into Assaye Barracks – used as married soldiers’ quarters in peacetime(3). From there, on September 18th, we were moved to Sobraon Barracks and here we understand we shall remain for the winter(4).

Source: Bedfordshire Times 26th November 1915

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(1) 35th Division, later a Bantam division for men under normal height for military service.

(2) 4th Bedfords did see service at the front – with 63rd (Royal Naval) Division from July 1916 onwards.

(3) named after the Duke of Wellington’s first victory – at Assaye in Maharashtra over the Marathas on 23rd September 1803.

(4) named after the Battle of Sobraon (in Punjab) in which, on 10th February 1846, the East India Company under Sir Hugh Gough defeated the Sikhs 

News of the Shiny Seventh

Tuesday 7th September 1915: Sergeant H. Hassall sends us the following good news of the “Shiny Seventh” Battalion, Beds Regiment: - “For some time past now I’ve noticed what a lot has been said about the 1st, 2nd and 1st/5th Battalions of the Bedfordshire Regiment (they are worthy of it for work done), but as yet nothing at all about the 7th Battalion (Shiny 7th). It is not even generally known that we are in France. I had a letter from a friend of mine the other day who was quite surprised to know we had crossed the water. Because he saw nothing mentioned in your paper, he had come to the conclusion that we were a “Stay-at-home” crowd. This Battalion has now been out here over a month, and it may interest your readers to know that we have been following up the 1st Battalion, using the same trenches. Since being out here we have had drafts from the 9th and 10th Battalions stationed at Colchester. Every blessed mother’s son of us is in the best of condition and spirits, working and grousing as only a soldier can, and also quite ready for anything that may be asked of us, to do our duty for the dear ones we have left behind in the old country. We have a good many in this Regiment who come from Bedford, including myself, and only those who know me are aware of the hard training we had on Salisbury Plain, to fit us for the work out here. You will, I know, hear more of us in the near future, as all intend to uphold the honour of our comrades and our county. Your paper is sent out to me every week from home and gets passed round my Company”.

Source: Bedfordshire Times 17th September 1915