'Let peace avoid mistakes of the past'

Digest of stories from the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: October 12th, 1918.

Aware that hostilities seemed to be nearing an end, the Telegraph in its leading article nevertheless thought it was time to think of the consequences of peace on Luton and urged the powers that be to avoid the mistakes of the past. It said:

Events of the last month have shaken the Britisher from his proverbial stolidity. We were slow to commence war, hesitant in applying those measures which we now know were absolutely essential to victory; and in midsummer, while never doubtful of ultimate success, we were predicting long and arduous enterprises before we could talk of peace. The brilliant achievement of Sir Douglas Haig and his gallant heroes during 'The Fall' has abbreviated immensely the period to peace.

There are indications that we are almost as unprepared for peace as for war. But it is not national or international affairs we are at the moment concerned with – our trouble is the general unpreparedness of our own town for demobilisation. True, the trades are keenly alive to post-war possibilities, particularly the engineering industry, but municipally we are lagging.

We are thinking chiefly of the vitally necessary schemes to cope with the ever-increasing population, principally the Housing and Town Planning Scheme. The return of the boys from the war will be a matter of many months perhaps, but the best sign of prosperity is a job waiting for a man rather than a man waiting for a job.

And if the recent vision of Councillor Barford materialised, there will be work for a regiment of men in Luton and district for many a long day. It is up to the Luton Corporation, therefore, to push forward the scheme with utmost possible speed, and have everything ready for the willing hands as they return home.

What is the town planning scheme going to be? Are we going to see Haig Alley or Haig Avenue; Byng Passage or Byng Boulevard; Allenby Annexe or Allenby Square; Plumer Court or Plummer Promenade; Brighten Terrace or Brighten Crescent; Beatty's Yard or Beatty's Arcade.

We hope the Council will rise to the occasion and give us a scheme of which we can be proud – useful and ornamental, for these terms are no longer as oil and water.

There is at the moment a widespread demand for accommodation, and big demands are invariably synonymous with exploitation. Luton can, and must, rise above that spirit. A tense feeling was evident this week among certain allotment holders that they stand to be victimised. There will bhe no such trouble if a man's garden piece is at his back door – where it should be.

We would like to see every artisan dwelling erected after the war comprise among its appointments a bathroom, and something approaching a 20 pole plot attached to the house.

The outskirts of Luton are largely held for sale as building land. If the Corporation has power to do so, and we believe it has, why not acquire a big tract of this, compulsorily if need be?

An interim report of the Women's Housing Committee of the Ministry of Reconstruction favours improved methods of heating, better hot water systems and labour-saving arrangements. It is of interest to note that it is regarded as essential each house should have a minimum three rooms on the ground floor (living room, parlour and scullery) and three bedrooms above, two of them capable of containing two beds. Angle placed skirting for bedrooms, or concrete rather than wood, are recommended to reduce dust.

Other points about the ideal home are: No winding stairs; more shelves and cupboards; living room to be as large as possible, at cost of the parlour if need be; garden attached to each house, only 12 houses to the acre; a common playground for each considerable group of houses, with covered shelters.

  • L-Cpl Percy Appleby MML-Cpl Percy Appleby (Bedfordshire Regiment), whose home is at 50 Albert Road, Luton, and who recently won the Military Medal, has been admitted to the 2nd Stationary Hospital, Abbeville, France, suffering from wounds officially described as 'gunshot, eye, left and contused right eye, severe'. A letter to his mother said he was feeling quite all right, though both eyes were bandaged and he could not see. He has lost the sight of the right eye, but he says the left is not so seriously injured. [L-Cpl Appleby is pictured right].

  • For bravery on the field, L-Cpl E. GT. Harvey, a former Luton resident who was killed in July 1916, has been awarded the Military Medal. His parents have attended a public presentation to receive the honour. A former scholar at Christ Church Schools, he joined the Beds Regiment early in September 1914.

  • Trooper Cyril George Day (Staffordshire Yeomanry), formerly dental mechanic with Mr George L. Wardill, of Park Street West, Luton, has been killed in France. He was not yet 20 years of age, and had only been overseas about three weeks. He was the only son of Mr and Mrs George Day, of 27 Hockliffe Road, Leighton Buzzard.

  • News has been received that Signaller John Mayling (Norfolk Regiment), of 420 Hitchin Road, Luton, was wounded while fighting on the Somme on September 5th and had had his right leg amputated below the knee in hospital in France. He has been brought to England, and is now at Weymouth progressing well.

  • News has reached his parents and friends that Pte C. Arnold (Lincolnshire Regiment), of the Sugar Loaf Hotel, New Town Street, Luton, was wounded in the are and thigh on September 18th. He is now lying in Tunbridge Wells Hospital, and is getting on as well as can be expected. Pte Arnold is 27 and has been in the Army 18 months.

  • The troops of the Biscot Garrison, headed by their newly organised band playing marches of popular airs, marched to the Parish Church on Sunday in very favourable weather. After church, the troops marched back to Camp and formed up under the Adjutant, Capt C. Bell, for the presentation of Military Medals to Gunner Higgs (R.F.A. (T)) and Mrs Croft, aunt of the late Pte H. Bunyan (6th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment).

  • On Tuesday evening a party from Biscot Camp visited Wardown V.A.D. Hospital and entertained the staff and patients. Under the direction of Cpl Carter the Biscot Orchestra gave selections which were highly appreciated, before members of the Biscoteers Concert Party carried on for 90 minutes.

  • No story, but a death notice recorded the loss at sea with the sinking of the SS Burutu of Frank Oliver, husband of Jeannie Frances Oliver, of St Leonards, Sussex, and youngest son of the late Samuel Crisp Oliver, of Park Square, Luton. He was aged 42. [The Burutu sank in a collision with the SS City of Calcutta off the coast of South Wales on a stormy night on October 3rd, 1918, when neither ship was showing lights due to wartime restrictions.]