Swarmed with Rats

Sunday 5th March 1916: Sapper Harper from Bolnhurst told us yesterday of a visit he had made to Lieutenant Collisson’s grave at Cérisy-Gailly. He then told us of his other experiences: “I am at present in one of the most advanced positions of the British line and am living in a dug-out twenty feet below the ground level. We are swarmed with rats and have to chase them away in the middle of the night. They have eaten half my great coat. I have often read in English papers that the Germans cannot shoot, but that is a great mistake. I was pulling down some wood for new dug-outs, when a sniper put a bullet into a piece a foot from my head. I hung up my hat for him to shoot at, but he was too sharp for that. Now I must ring off as my candle is short and I must get to sleep before the rats parade”.

Source: Bedfordshire Standard 31st March 1916

Lieutenant Collisson’s Grave

Second Lieutenant Collisson 

Saturday 4th March 1916: Sapper H Harper, Royal Engineers, a native of Bolnhurst, has spoken to us about the grave of Lieutenant Collisson of Gravenhurst who was killed in action on 23rd February. He visited the cemetery, at Cérisy-Gailly, yesterday: “It is beautifully kept, with box tree edging, a cross bearing his name, regiment and date of death; an iron cross also lies on the grave, with the “Brave Bedfords” badge attached to it. Being Bedfordshire born myself, I have been interested in conversations with the lads of the 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment and they all feel the loss of their officer, who was highly respected by all ranks. I am sure that rev and Mrs Collisson would like to know that their son had a proper burial and I sympathise with them in their great loss”.

Source: Bedfordshire Standard 14th March 1916

To a Bolnhurst Girl

Bolnhurst School [Z1306/20/1]

Wednesday 24th March 1915: Hilda Whitmore, the eight-year old daughter of Mr and Mrs H Whitmore of Bolnhurst is one of the scholars at Bolnhurst School who has been knitting for the soldiers at the front. She sent a note attached to a muffler she had knitted and has received the following reply from Private Lee, Machine Gun Section, 3rd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, Landguard Camp.

“I really must write and thank you for the sweet serviceable present which I received today. How I should have loved to have this present when I was in the trenches, but still I shall treasure it much as wind and rain is awful here at night on the pier and fort guards. I must tell you my adventure from August 14th, when I left Belfast in Ireland(1)”.

“We managed to land at Havre in France on August 16th on a Sunday and the following Sunday I was fighting the German Army at Mons where my Regiment lost very heavy but God took me through safely. We had to hang on until Tuesday, when nearly all the 1st Battalion had been cut up. My two chums were killed beside me, but my time had not yet come to die, so I managed to go through ten big battles until I got to la Bassée. After being in the trenches fifteen days, standing on turnips and straw to prevent the water rising too far up our bodies, on October 27th I was firing my gun with good effect as the enemy were advancing in thick formation. I can account for a few hundreds I killed as my gun (the Baby I call it), fires 450 shots a minute. Then a big black shell found me. It smashed the gun, killed the Sergeant and wounded ten others. I was hit in the head and buried for three hours. The Germans advanced and walked over me and took me for dead. I lay until a sergeant found me with just my feet showing, another five minutes I would have been a dead man, but a drop of rum saved me. The Germans took my other eight chums prisoners. I am still under the doctor, so I am sorry to say I can’t go out again to fight for you after the way you and your school chums are working for us. I must say you have made the scarf splendidly. Thanking you again for your kindness”.

Source: Bedfordshire Times, 26th March 1915.

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(1) He was evidently not in the Bedfordshire Regiment at the time.