Exemption for widow's last son

Digest of stories from The Luton News: Thursday, July 25th, 1918.

Following the application for exemption from military service by Joseph Hawkes, of Baker Street, Luton, the case was subsequently taken up by Mr Tom Smith, Secretary of the Luton Trades and Labour Council, who is a member of the Local Tribunal. He wrote to Mr Anderson MP, and last Thursday in the House of Commons that gentleman asked the following question of the Director of National Service:

“Whether his attention has been drawn to the case of Joseph Hawkes, the last remaining son in civil life of a widowed mother. Whether he is aware in respect of this family that two brothers have been killed in France, the third is at Roehampton having had a leg amputated, and the fourth is serving in Italy. Whether he is further aware that the calling up of this man will practically mean the breaking up of the home, and whether he will take steps in this matter; and whether he will take action to substitute the last remaining son of a widowed mother in place of the last surviving son of a widowed mother in all regulations for the guidance of the Tribunals?”

Sir Auckland Geddes' reply was as follows: “My attention has already been called to this case, and I am glad to inform the Hon Member that Hawkes has not been posted, and that in view of all the circumstances the Director of National Service proposed to exercise the discretionary power which he possesses by leaving the man in civil life. This power, which is entrusted to all Regional Directors, is, I think, sufficient to deal adequately with all cases of real hardship.”

At the Luton Appeals Tribunal on Monday the matter was mentioned, and Mr Gardner said he strongly recommended to the National Service Ministry to give this case special consideration. His own opinion was that the mother attended the Tribunal in a very distressed state of mind, which was absolutely genuine, and both the Tribunal and himself felt very keenly that the case was one for sympathetic consideration.

As a result he had received from the Assistant Director of National Service an intimation that Hawkes would not be called to the Colours.

  • L-Cpl Fred H. Rowe, formerly of the Beds Regiment but later transferred to the Royal Fusiliers and now of the East Surreys, volunteered and gave two pints of his own blood to save the life of a comrade in France. Son of Mrs Rowe, of 13 Warwick Road, Luton, he himself was slightly wounded on May 3rd and was sent down to hospital behind the lines. He made a good recovery and on July 11th made this sacrifice. He is now home in Luton on sick leave, making light of the occurrence, but his mother, brothers and sisters are naturally proud of the deed. At one time he worked for Mr R. Eames, Westbourne Dairy, and later for Luton Co-operative Society.

  • Second Lieut Frederick Charles Cook, son of Mr F. Cook, tailor of 3 High Town Road, Luton, was in his father's business for some time, but joined the Leicesters before he was 18, was promoted lance-corporal after six weeks in Signal Section, and went to France in March 1916. He received his second stripe while there and, after being gassed at Beaumont Hamel on August 20th, 1916, was recommended for a commission in November of the same year. He came to England for cadet training and was gazetted to the Beds Regiment on August 26th, 1917. He returned to France and was transferred to the RAF, which is very much to his liking. Indeed, we hear that he has already had the satisfaction of bringing down a German triplane. [Frederick survived the war, but from wounds he had received he sadly died at the age of 21 at the Empire Hospital, Victoria, London,on October 9th, 1919. He is buried at Luton General Cemetery, Rothesay Road.]

  • Amid many expressions of sympathy, the funeral took place at the Parish Churchyard, Kimpton, on Saturday afternoon of Pte Frederick Munde, whose death occurred at the London Hospital, Denmark Hill, on July 13th.

  • The name of Staff-Sgt-Major W. Sharp, who was, before he joined the Army, a reporter on The Luton News staff, figured in the list of Birthday Honours, he being awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. The ribbon was presented to him by his colonel on Sunday, July 7th, in Salonica, where this warrant officer is serving. Sgt-Major Sharp has had a mo0st successful career in the Army, his present responsible position being the result of several promotions.

  • At Luton Parish Church on Monday, the wedding took place of Sgt Andrew Boynton, a Mons hero, and Mabel Annie, second daughter of Mr and Mrs W. Wright, of Cromwell Villa, New Bedford Road. The newly married couple later in the afternoon left for Eastbourne for the honeymoon.

  • The wedding took place on Monday at St Pancras Church of W. G. H. Aylott, of the 230th Field Ambulance, eldest sone of Mr and Mrs W. G. Aylott, of 287 Dunstable Road, Luton, and Miss Dolly May Dean, only daughter of Mr and Mrs Charles Dean, of Belgrave Street, London. The bridegroom is home on leave after serving in Gallipoli, Egpt, Palestine and France.

  • The claim of an 18-year-old conscientious objector was disallowed by the Beds Tribunal on Thursday as he worked at a firm that he knew was largely engaged in making munitions of war. Mr Keens said the Tribunal had always held that such a fact was fatal to a conscientious claim.

  • A local manufacturer when undergoing military medical examination recently was asked if there were any ailment from which he suffered, and artlessly replied that the only one he knew of was cold feet. Unfortunately, or fortunately, this was not sufficiently serious to prevent his being passed Grade 1.