Tuesday, 19 December 2017

Cinema Fire


Wednesday 19th December 1917

The 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment are in Claude Chappe Camp at Roesbrugge-Haringe, north of Poperinge. They had been having a relaxing time, enjoying the camp’s facilities, including the cinema hall, which was also the distribution point for charcoal for the men’s cooking.

The adjutant spoke to me today relating that at 10.30 last night the cimena hall burned down. Fire picquets turned out and the Divisional Fire Brigade attended, but the hall was completely demolished. A certain amount of danger existed through proximity of other huts and the Horse Transport Lines, which were kept doused with water and fortunately escaped damage. He did report, ruefully, that the cinema had turned from a reasonable source of entertainment into an excellent source of charcoal.

Source: X550/8/1

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