7th Bedfords' Cross-Country Success

Tuesday 8th June 1915: Sergeant P. E. Rickard of the 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, who holds the Mayor’s Cup for Mile Championship of Luton and the Championship of the Luton United Harriers, has been distinguishing himself on Salisbury Plain where the battalion is in training(1). The battalion has also done great things in winning triple honours.

There has just been a cross-country run under the auspices of the Amateur Athletic Association for the championship of the 54th Infantry Brigade, with the following result: - First man home, 7th Beds; first officer home, 7th Beds; first team home, 7th Beds. Such a result is a splendid accomplishment for a battalion. There were 2,000 starters – 500 from each of the four battalions – 7th Beds, 6th Northamptons, 12th Middlesex and 11th Royal Fusiliers. The distance was about six miles and the swards included a medal for the first man home, a silver bugle from the commanding officer for the battalion with the first team home and a flag for the battalion with the first officer home.

Sergeant Rickard was the first man home, while the first officer home was Captain Percival who has shown untiring efforts in keeping his men up to pitch and who is very popular with the whole battalion(2)

Source: Luton News 3rd June 1915

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(1) Sergeant Percy Edward Rickard, son of William and Lucy of 45 Crawley Road, Luton was killed on 1st July 1916 and is buried at Dantzig Alley Cemetery, Mametz.

(2) Arthur Ernest Percival, from Aspenden [Hertfordshire] commanded the battalion and then the 2nd Battalion at the end of the war. In World War Two he was Commander-in-Chief Malaya and on 15th February 1942 surrendered Singapore to the Japanese. Ironically amongst the units forced to surrender as the newly arrived 1st/5th Battalion, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment.