Recruits Needed! News from the Marne

Tuesday 8th September 1914: The greatest need of this country at the moment is for the young unmarried men of the towns and villages to offer themselves at once as recruits for Lord Kitchener's Army. I am perfectly certain that this need has only to be realised to ensure a prompt and willing response. Now is the time for our young men to show their patriotism. Now is the time for them to prove that they are worthy to bear the honoured name of Englishmen. Now is the time for them to prove that conscription is unnecessary. Let them demonstrate that for every vacancy in the ranks there are three or four volunteers. Let this be the answer of Bedfordshire to the country's call. I want to appeal to the young men in every township and village in Bedfordshire to at once offer their services to the country. Offer for the period of the war. In almost every case employers will guarantee to keep situations open for you on your return at the close of the war. Talk the matter over at home. Consider the matter seriously and act promptly -

"A place in the ranks awaits you

Each man has some part to play"

The prompt enlistment of every eligible young man will be England's best answer to the German menace. The war is not of our seeking. Our cause is just and the fight must be waged until we win. The struggle will be severe, and it may be prolonged, but England can never submit until victory is achieved. The past few weeks have shown that we have to fight a stern and relentless foe. The British troops have already proved capable of upholding the finest traditions of the past. The troops must be fortified with the knowledge that the whole nation is behind them. Large reinforcements will be necessary and the place of every man who falls in the fight must instantly be filled. It is for these reasons I make this confident appeal. We want farmers' sons and labourers' sons, the sons of rich men and the sons of poor men, and we want them now.

A statement has been in circulation that only five of six members of the “A” Squadron of the Bedfordshire Yeomanry have volunteered for foreign service. Major Sidney Peel informs me today that “A” Squadron had responded extremely well, in fact between 80 and 90 per cent had volunteered. He added that Bedford has every cause to be proud of her young men and would have still better reason before the end of the war.

Today the 1st Bedfords advanced some ten miles north from Boissy-le-Châtel. The battalion was acting as divisional advanced guard, being sent on to cover left of 13th Brigade and, with them attacked both Saint-Cyr-sur-Morin and Saint-Ouen-sur-Morin and reached the south banks of the River Marne. The division captured about 200 prisoners, but our own guns fired on both alike, causing most of prisoners to escape. Eventually they are believed to have been recaptured by other units.

Our contact with the battalion sends word. “Captain Gledstanes’ platoon of C Company were detailed as firing party to shoot a deserter from, I think, the Royal West Kents and finished it off at 7 am. Poor little Gledstanes hated loathed the job[1]”. As they marched north: “Various messages were being passed up and down the column by the staff with the idea of raising the spirits of the troops – not that they required any raising at all as we were all most cheery and utterly bored with the messages. As an example one of these messages came down on this march and reached us as follows – “2,000 Germans were drowned in seven gallons of beer!” rather more prosaically this turned out to have really been “2,000 Germans were surrounded seven miles from here””.

Sources: Bedfordshire Times 4th September 1914 and 11th September 1914; X550/2/5; X550/2/7

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[1] Sheldon Arthur Gledstanes from Taplow [Buckinghamshire] would die on 9th May 1915. The unfortunate man executed was L/10061 Private Thomas James Highgate, 1st Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment, aged 19. He now has no known grave and is commemorated on the la Ferte-sour-Jouarre Memorial. His story, which was a very unlucky one, is told in Julian Putkowski and Julian Sykes' excellent book Shot at Dawn along with those of all the other men executed by the British army during the war. No one from the Bedfordshire Regiment was executed during World War One.

Wrest Park Becomes a Hospital and the Uses of Taxicabs

Convalescent soldiers at Wrest Park [X291/393]

Monday 7th September 1914: The first batch of convalescents from the seat of war arrived at Wrest House this afternoon. The drawing and dining rooms and library, with some of the bedrooms had been converted into hospital wards at the expense of Lord Lucas[1], under the personal supervision of his sister, the Hon. Nan Herbert. The arrangements met with the hearty approval of the War Office and a resident surgeon, Doctor Beauchamp, with matron and Red Cross nurses arrived yesterday. Lord Lucas paid a visit in the afternoon. On receiving intimation that a number of soldiers invalided home from Belgium would be transferred on the morrow, final arrangements for their reception were made. The heroes of Mons left the General Hospital, Whitechapel soon after two o’clock in motor cars and omnibuses and arrived by instalments. They were expected about four, but the first did not put in an appearance until some time after that hour. The last did not reach their destination until 6.30 and as the motor-bus, from its height, could not proceed beyond the lodge gates, the majority of the soldiers had to walk the length of the avenue.

It is needless to say that crowds awaited the arrival of the gallant fellows and the latter thoroughly appreciated the cordial reception. Few of the working men were, of course, able to be present but the women and children waving Union Jacks and cheering lustily brought a smile from the dust-stained khaki-clad visitors. As each car halted at the front steps of the mansion, from the roof of which floated the Red Cross flag, a stretcher party stood ready to help those unable to walk, but only three or four of the sixty who were sent down needed any assistance. One or two had heads bandaged; some had hands bound up; a few with arms in slings, while some limped as they mounted the steps. But there was an air of cheerfulness about everyone, though the poor fellows must have had an awful time during the preceding fortnight. The tunics were more or less stained, and bore evident marks of conflict. The footgear had been somewhat neglected, but a few days’ rest will alter appearances. Indeed, after a good wash and cup of tea, the haggard looks gave place to cheerfulness.

They were quite ready to give an account of their three weeks’ campaign and to make light of their ailments. All were eager again to meet the foe and to add to former laurels. Cavalrymen, linesmen and artillerymen were comrades for the time being – all had been injured by the common foe. The Grenadier Guards, King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, the King’s Own and Hussars were together for a short space, anxious to receive at short notice a clean bill of health and rejoin their units before the war is over. The secret landing at le Havre, the journey by train and road to Mons, the hasty digging of trenches by the canal on Saturday, August 22nd and the sudden onslaught on the part of the Germans the next day and the almost annihilation of the battalion during the 36 hours’ struggle made a thrilling story for the listeners. Asked about the enemy, they declared the odds were often 10 to 1, but the firing was most erratic. Very few were injured by bullets because the enemy did not trouble to take sight. But the shrapnel took deadly effect. Under cover of the artillery fire they made a dash forward but at the sight of the British bayonet they turned and fled. The Belgians could not do enough for those who had come to their succour. They lived on the best, while the Germans had to be content with horseflesh. They were of opinion that the war would be over before Christmas. A decisive battle in France, and rebellion in Berlin would soon bring matters to a successful conclusion as far as we were concerned.

Most of them are early risers and enjoy the spacious pleasure grounds which, by generosity of Lord Lucas, have been placed at their disposal. Beyond a Scotch cap decorated with plaid, or spurs, one is scarcely able to locate their connection with any particular regiment. All badges seem to have been cut off. Buttons on tunics and elsewhere have even disappeared, given as mementos to Belgian or French peasants as some return for kindnesses shown during weary marches. They are emphatic in condemning the cruelty of the Germans. Not content with torturing the wounded among their foes by depriving them of eyesight or otherwise maiming them, the brutes do not hesitate to kill their own wounded or even burn the corpses in the cornfields. Some have brought away a few specimens of undischarged bullets in their clips, so that they may show interested listeners the difference between English, French and Belgian missiles. One who had three German bullets extracted from the shoulder, will not part with the relics, and he still carries another in his body. In all probability other cases of a more serious nature will be treated later. There have been about 220 beds erected for patients and staff, so that men are expected at any time. The sanitary arrangements are perfect, as Lord Lucas, after the late Mr. Whitelaw Reid left[2], spend a considerable sum of money in overhauling them. The electric light has been installed temporarily.

In France the 1st Bedfords have reached Boissy-le-Châtel, some 22 miles north-east of Tournan-en-Brie; they are marching ahead of the main body of 5th Division. Today stirring events have seen a desperate French defence against a German thrust towards Paris, with 6,000 reservists being ferried to the front from Paris in 600 taxicabs at the initiative of General Gallieni, governor of the city. They are clearly determined to avoid an repeat of the humiliation of 1871 when the city was given up to the Germans.

Sources: Bedfordshire Times 11th September 1914; X550/2/5; X550/2/7

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[1] Auberon Thomas Herbert, 8th Baron Lucas would be killed serving with 22 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, on 3rd November 1916, aged forty.  He is buried at Ecoust-Saint-Mein Cemetery in France.

[2] Whitelaw Reid was US Ambassador to Great Britain from 1905 to 1912 and leased Wrest Park privately. He had King Edward VII to stay on a private visit in 1909. He died in office in London.