Easter Reflections

Good Friday 6th April 1917

This is the third Good Friday spent at War.   This fact is not lost on a lot of the men here at the Front.  It is also a source of poignant regret to the men of the cloth who minister to the forces – Church of England padres, Methodist ministers, Roman Catholic priests. These men counsel the frightened, comfort the wounded and attend to the dying. They carry no weapon save for the spiritual weapons of their calling, a communion or mass kit and belief.

Speaking with a padre today he drew the obvious comparison between the suffering of Christ on the Cross and the suffering of the men at the Front, the civilians driven from their homes, wounded, raped and killed by enemy soldiers and those in England who wait in hope for their own loved one to return. After nearly nineteen hundred years that Supreme Sacrifice has brought no end to war which still demands supreme sacrifices from ordinary men and women. At the end of our discussion he gave me a sad, but determined smile, and reminded me that that Supreme Sacrifice still took place and still works to take away our sins, when we care to acknowledge them and to regret them.

May God send an end to this war soon.

3rd Bedfords' Easter Parade

Easter Sunday 4th April 1915: This Easter Sunday the 3rd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Ampthill GCSI, GCIE, paraded to witness the presentation of medals for Distinguished and Gallant Conduct in the Field to Sergeant A. Cooper and Private W. Falla. Brigadier-General M. C. Curry, CB, DSO commanding at Landguard Camp [Suffolk] made a short speech to the regiment and pinned the coveted decoration on the breasts of the two gallant soldiers, who have added to the good name and reputation for deeds of valour of the county regiment.

The following extract from the regimental Orders is of interest: “The Commanding Officer has great pleasure in informing all ranks that the last two drafts for the Expeditionary Force furnished by this Battalion, have established a record by arriving at the overseas base absolutely complete as regards clothing, equipment and necessaries etc. He understands that no draft from any other regiment has done equally well. This satisfactory achievement was very creditable, not only to men of the drafts, but also to the Company officers and NCOs who supervised their equipment. It is a fitting complement to the high reputation for gallantry and efficiency which the Bedfordshire Regiment has attained at the Front, and the Commanding Officer hopes that he present and all succeeding drafts will make it a point of honour to do equally well.

Source: Bedfordshire Times 16th April 1915

A Brigadier's Inspection

Major-General Herbert Edward Watts

Saturday 3rd April 1915: This Easter Saturday Brigadier-General H. E. Watts, commanding 21st Infantry Brigade, 7th Division has made an inspection of 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. He was pleased to express himself very satisfied at the smart turn out of the men and at the cleanness and neatness of the billets. The strength of the battalion on parade at only 22 officers 643 other ranks reflects their casualties in the battles last month, these being all that were left out of a theoretical maximum strength of 30 officers and 977 men.

Source: X550/3/wd