East Anglian Royal Engineers in France

Saturday 2nd January 1915: The 1st Field Company of the East Anglian Royal Engineers are honoured by being the first Bedfordshire Territorials to be sent to the Front. Since they mobilised in August they have been usefully trained at various places in the Eastern Counties and for a considerable time were engaged on coast defences. The latter part of their training has been undergone near Bury Saint Edmunds and it was from this place that they moved off. The Company sailed from a Southern port on Christmas Eve and had a quiet and safe passage.

Sapper Charles Chesher writing home on Christmas Day, soon after the arrival in France says: “Arrived safe in France. The passage was quite smooth. The sea was just like a lake, hardly a ripple on it and the moon shone lovely. I was on deck nearly the whole of the way to see if we got any fun, but everything passed off quietly. We have just had dinner, but no plum pudding. It will be a Christmas I think I shall never forget. I have just been talking to Jack Negus. He is just about the same as when in Bedford”. The company is currently at Heuringhem, a few miles south of Saint-Omer.

Source: Bedfordshire Times 1st January 1915

East Anglian Royal Engineers to Move to France

Royal Engineers cap badge

Tuesday 29th December 1914: The 1st Field Company of the East Anglian Royal Engineers(1) have the distinction of being the first Bedfordshire Territorials to go to the Front. Their peace station is Bedford but since mobilisation they have had a wandering mission in the Eastern Counties, engaged on coast defences and other necessary preparations, for three months. They then joined the division at their war station at Bury Saint Edmunds. For the last fortnight they have been under orders for the Front and have been receiving their special service equipment. The order to move has come today. And early tomorrow morning will be off, bound for “somewhere in France”(2).

The men of these Royal Engineers field companies will have vital work to do. They will construct field works, both in the trenches and in no man’s land, communications routes and fortresses. Often they will oversee the work of ordinary infantry units performing fatigues, sometimes they will perform the duties themselves. Thus they will come under fire, and have to return it at times, whilst performing their regular tasks. We salute them

Source: Bedfordshire Standard, 1st January 1915

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(1) Officially 483rd (1st East Anglian) Field Company (Territorial Force)

(2) They joined 2nd Division in January 1915, serving with it throughout the war.

1st/5th Bedfords' Christmas and War Returns to Wulvergem

Saint Edmundsbury Cathedral

Saturday 26th December 1914: the 1st/5th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, is currently stationed at Bury Saint Edmunds [Suffolk]. It is stationed at the ice rink in the town, a spacious building which admirably served the purpose of a dining hall. A special church parade was held in the morning when the Battalion paraded with the bans and marched to the Saint James' Cathedral Church[1] where a special military service was held. With the one exception of this parade the men were given leave for the entire day, and at one o'clock Christmas dinner was served. The menu consisted of roast turkey, sausages, potatoes, greens, plum-pudding etc. The usual Christmas desert was also provided, as well as beer and mineral waters. The welfare of the men was well attended to by the mayor (Alderman Owen A Clark), the mayoress and the Brigadier-General C de Winton, Colonel F N Butler and a large company of officers[2]. The Mayor congratulated the men on their good behaviour during their stay in Bury Saint Edmunds.

All the arrangements were carried out under the direction of the Quartermaster (Lieutenant Kiddle). Gifts of cigarettes and tobacco were distributed, a large number of those being given by the inhabitants of the town. The band, under the able conductorship of Bandmaster Goodyer, gave a selection of patriotic airs. The afternoon was spent in general jollification and in the evening the Battalion spent an enjoyable time at the Royal Colisseum where a special concert was given, the arrangements having been made by the management and the Quartermaster. The day, which is sure to be remembered with pleasure for years to come by all now serving in the Battalion, closed with the singing of the National Anthem and cheers for the Mayor of Bury Saint Edmunds. There will also be special celebrations on New Years Day.

The adjutant of the 1st Battalion tells us that some of the Germans in the front line opposite his unit seem to be under the impression that the suspension of hostilities and the fraternisation, undertaken by some British and German units yesterday, might still be in force. Some of them came forward into no man's land, apparently "with a view to friendly intercourse. A few shots were fired in their direction as a hint to withdraw". later in the day the Germans shelled the trenches and the ruined village of Wulvergem behind, several rifles were damaged and one man wounded.

Source: Bedfordshire Times 1st January 1915

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[1] The former parish church, upgraded to a cathedral in that year.

[2] It is the custom in the British Army for the officers to serve the other ranks on Christmas Day when not in the face of the enemy.

Soldiers Take French Leave

Sunday 6th December 1914: At the recent Luton Borough Petty Sessions Private Samuel Spencer of the 5th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment was charged with being a deserter. The defendant, who was wearing a medal ribbon, said he ought to have been at Bury Saint Edmunds. He put in for a pass four times and failed, so came away on his own – Evidence of arrest was given by Police Sergeant Hunt, who said the prisoner admitted that he had taken French leave and the prisoner was remanded for an escort.

Private William Sims was charged with being a deserter from the Royal Engineers. He joined in 1908 and was arrested in Maple Road by Police Sergeant Hunt when he admitted that he deserted while on a journey from Winchester to Bedford. He was also remanded for an escort.

Private Herbert Fisher, 1st Battalion Hertfordshire Regiment, was charged with being absent without leave. He was found in Hastings Street by Police Sergeant Hunt, he first said he belonged to the West Surrey Regiment and was on sick leave. The Sergeant, however, found identification marks on his clothing and then he admitted the charge. The prisoner, who said he failed to return at the proper time because he had been enjoying himself too much, was remanded for an escort.

Mr. G. Warren said the Bench were sorry to see three such respectable young fellows not attending to their duties. They were not getting themselves fit for the defence of their country.

Source: Luton News 3rd December 1914

Germans!

Countryside at Rue d'Ouvert

Thursday 22nd October 1914: We hear today from Bury Saint Edmunds Magistrates that a man from Luton serving in the 5th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, has been sent to prison. His name is Rudolph R. Baukey and he is a German. He had failed to register as required by the Aliens’ Registration Order 1914. When challenged Baukey said: “I know I have done wrong. I am a German and have not taken out naturalisation papers. I saw about it in the papers and did not like to let the people know I was a German and put it off until it was too late”. As Luton is a centre of the straw hat trade there are a great many Germans in the town and it has not been unusual for them to join the Territorial Army. Baukey is a good clarinet player and was a great addition to the battalion’s band. Baukey pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, half the maximum term for such an offence.

                                                       

The adjutant of the 1st Bedfords tells us that they have been ordered to move from Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée north-east to Chapelle Saint-Roch and report to 13th Brigade where they will be ordered to assist in an attack on the village of Violaines towards dusk.

Our contact with the battalion has just spoken with us to tell us about an abortive operation which has cost the lives of seventeen men. It appears that the Germans pre-empted our planned attack: “I could just see Germans rushing towards us and off fights going on in various places and shouts of “Don’t fire, we are your own men!” evidently from the Germans”.

“I ran back pursued by a batch of Germans through a barn and came up against a barbed wire fence about seven feet high. I got through this somehow, being pulled from the other side by Company Sergeant Major Sharpe who turned up torn, and torn, bleeding and with all my breeches torn off, got to ground”.

“We collected a party of men and then I made for a cross-roads where I reorganised what was left of the Company and got up to hold the Main Line of Defence. The whole thing was a tremendous muddle but for the time being the Germans never got further than our temporary line”.

“It appears that the Germans had rushed the 1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment in the darkness and had managed to clear them out of Violaines almost without a shot being fired, as it was done so quickly. Few of the Cheshires got back to us. The Germans had then rushed on to us about a mile back with a few of the Cheshire and were met by our two front platoons”.

“We eventually worked our way collecting stragglers and got a semblance Company back consisting of various units. We then reformed and when we had the men together, started to try and get the trenches back. Of the whole Company I can only muster about forty. Any form of advance was met by appalling fire so we lay low and were eventually relieved by the Manchesters and Worcesters. We then collected as many of the Company as possible, about sixty all told, and got into ditches in support of the Manchesters in the village of Rue d’Ouvert. No appreciable advance was made however”.

Luton News 29th October 1914; X550/2/5; X550/2/7

Villagers’ Kindness to 5th Bedfords

Bedfordshire Regiment personnel at camp [X550/1/195/1]

Thursday 13th August 1914: A letter has reached us from a member of the 5th Bedfords: “We have seen a bit of rural England. A week ago we left Romford for a long march, which we finished last Friday night. We have been through and halted at the following places, sleeping out in the open with only a topcoat and blanket; Chelmsford, Braintree, Halwell*, Sudbury and Bury Saint Edmund’s. From there we came to this place, having travelled over 85 miles. Water is very short here, one pailful having to do for sixty men to wash in, so you can guess there is a rush for the first wash. We are having Army and Navy biscuits and jam for breakfast one day, and bread and cheese every other day. For dinner we get meat and bread. There is a big shortage of potatoes”.

“We do not know from day to day where we are going. Every morning we have nothing less than a six-mile march with full pack and 100 rounds of ammunition. One thing that has helped us along has been the very kind receptions we have met with at every village we have been through. Last Wednesday we stayed at Halwell and were allowed out for four hours. A party of us went into the town for grub and could not find a café anywhere, so I went to a grocer’s and asked him if he could recommend us a place where we could have a good feed. He invited us inside and fed us like kings. After tea he took us upstairs into his room and handed round his cigars, so we had a very pleasant two hours. That is typical of how we are being treated by the people. When a fellow has a box of eatables from home there is a big rush and he can, if he is short of ready cash, soon make a little fortune”.

“We get some very heavy dews now in the morning, and most of us have got bad colds … I have now to go about two miles to get some drinking water”.

Source: Bedfordshire Times 28th August 1914

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* This is clearly a mistake for Halstead, on the A131 between Braintree and Sudbury. Kelly’s Directory for Essex for 1914 lists the following grocers in the town: E. and T. P. Doubleday in the High Street and Trinity Street; Percy F. Evans, 19 High Street; Frank Rayner, 43 High Street; John and James Seymour, 63 and 65 High Street and Eli Wright of 17 Tidings Hill.