1st/5th Bedfords Leave Cairo

Thursday 6th April 1916: At 2 pm yesterday afternoon the 1st/5th Battalion left their camp in Cairo, marching 11½ miles to Abu el Ela station, which they reached three and a half hours later. They were then given tea and entrained, the train leaving for the Suez Canal at 7.50 yesterday evening.

Source: X550/6/8

Mutilated Yeoman Dies

Cow Bridge [Z55/5/660]

Wednesday 5th April 1916: We understand, with regret, that Trooper Griffiths whom we mentioned yesterday has died of his injuries at Bedford Hospital. It appears that there are a number of intriguing aspects to this case which will be brought out at an inquest on Thursday.

Source: Bedfordshire Standard 7th April 1916

Roll of Honour - 5th April 1916

Died

Bedfordshire Yeomanry

• 2011 Private Percy James GRIFFITHS, resided Bedford (Bedford Cemetery)

Horrible Mutilation at Cow Bridge

Cow Bridge [Z55/5/600]

Tuesday 4th April 1916: We understand that Trooper Percy James Griffiths, 21, of 3rd/1st Bedfordshire Yeomanry has been badly injured as the result of an accident with a train. He was found shortly after nine o’clock last night by Frank Gosling who was cycling from Wootton Pillinge to Bedford. He was lying at the bottom of the railway embankment with both his legs severed as if by a train. The unfortunate man has been removed to Bedford Hospital.

Source: Bedfordshire Standard 7th April 1916

One Cricketer Succeeds Another

Lt Col Poyntz

Monday 3rd April 1916: The 2nd Battalion are in Grovetown Camp on the Somme and, though officially resting and finding working parties to labour for the Royal Engineers. Lieutenant-Colonel H S Poyntz, commanding officer of the battalion today takes over temporary command of 89th Infantry Brigade, He is replaced by Captain J W H T Douglas, thus one cricketer succeeds another.

Source: X550/3/wd

The Wrong Magazine

Sunday 2nd April 1916: The Hart is the news magazine of the 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. The unit is the old Hertfordshire Militia hence the name of its paper. They are currently at Landguard Camp near Felixstowe where the 3rd Battalion (the old Bedfordshire Militia) have been for some time.

On arrival at Landguard, says the editor of The Hart, they knocked at a door of a house in Windsor Terrace and said they wanted an office “for our Magazine”. “Oh dear” was the excited reply of the good dame, “Oh dear, Oh lor’ – I couldn’t have any explosives in my house!”

Source: Bedfordshire Times 14th April 1916

Distinguished Sergeants

Saturday 1st April 1916: The 10th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, a reserve unit not intended for front line duty, is at Dovercourt. They have three sergeants named, respectively, Kitchener, Germany and French. Each is over six feet in height and all are veteran campaigners. Sergeants French and Kitchener are natives of Biggleswade and Sergeant Germany belongs to Thetford [Norfolk]. Sergeant Kitchener served in the 5th (Royal) Dragoons and afterwards joined the Hertfordshire Constabulary, enlisting in the Bedfords on the outbreak of war. Sergeants French and Germany were originally in the Coldstream Guards.

Source: Bedfordshire Times 14th April 1916