Diary: Ex-Mayor has serious accident

Digest of stories from the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: June 23rd, 1917.

Former Mayor Councillor Albert Oakley [photo by Frederick Thurston] met with a very severe accident on Thursday afternoon, and is now in the Bute Hospital suffering from painful injuries.

At 2.30pm on Thursday he was driving his pony and trap along Ash Road when the pony stumbled and fell. Councillor Oakley, who lived at Hillcroft, High Town Road, was thrown out and fell heavily on his head and face in the roadway. He was removed to hospital by means of a Messrs Oakley Bros motor van which was in the vicinity. At the hospital it was found that he was suffering from severe concussion, and bruises and injuries on the face.

Alderman Edwin Oakley visited his brother in hospital later on Thursday and found him sleeping. Yesterday, however, the patient was very restless and had not recovered from the effects of the concussion. Today his condition, we regret to say, is precarious. Fresh symptoms have arisen, and it is possible that the accident may have caused internal injuries which doctors have so far been unable to diagnose.

Councillor Oakley's oldest son, Pte Albert Oakley, got leave from Bedford and was by the bedside of his father all night. Just before going to press we learn that the patient's condition this afternoon is worse, and that the specialist gives very little hope of recovery. [Councillor Oakley passed away at 5.30 the following morning - Sunday, June 24th].

  • After having served and been wounded in France, and coming to England to prepare for further duty abroad, it has been the sad fate of Pte George Charles Fensome, son of Mr and Mrs Fensome, of 93 Hitchin Road, Luton, to meet his death as a result of an accident while at bombing practice. The event occurred on Wednesday at a North East coast town, and the family were at once informed by a telegram from the young soldier's officer.

  • Considerable enthusiasm is being shown by the members of the Luton Fire Brigade in the practices and preparations for a competition to be held on Thursday evening next at the depot adjoining the Fire Station in Church Street. It will be an opportunity for the Fire Brigade to demonstrate the high standard of efficiency to which they have attained undr so able a leader as Chief Officer Andrew.

  • Today can hardly be described as typical of leafy June, the month of roses. The early prospects of a glorious day have not materialised and the pretty maidens in white who are vending the cleverly created roses for Alexandra Rose Day looked quite cold as they paced the streets. But there were not many who evaded the vigilant eyes of the ardent sellers and, truth to tell, few desired to do so, soldier and civilian alike. There were 25,000 flowers for sale at prices ranging from one penny to sixpence, with the proceeds this year solely for the Children's Home.

  • The marriage took place at St Peter's Church, Eaton Square, London, at noon today of Lieut Reginald Mark Plummer (Bedfordshire Regiment and Royal Flying Corps), elder son of Mr and Mrs F. W. Plummer, of Rookwood, New Bedford Road, Luton, and Muriel Blanche Corrisande Radclyffe, eldest daughter of Major C. E. R. Radclyffe (Life Guards) and Mrs Radclyffe, of Hyde, Wareham, Dorset, and Foxton Hall, Lancashire.

  • The story of the part the 1/5th Battalion Beds Regiment has played in the war has just been published on the initiation of Mr Edmund Rimmer. the Secretary of the Luton Co-operative Society. The large number of Luton men who are serving with the regiment gives the book and exceptional interest for Luton people. Mr Rimmer has carefully retained many interesting reports from The Luton News and the Saturday Telegraph and dovetailed these into the narrative. There is a vivid description of the work on Gallipoli, and a considerable portion of the work is from the diary of Mr Rimmer's son who met his death on the peninsular. There are also many photos of officers and men in the book, which is on sale at 1s 6d, all proceeds for the Beds Territorial Comforts Fund.

  • A graphic account of the Battle of Messines comes from Gunner Sidney R. Bailey (R.F.A.), son of Mr F. Bailey, of 17 Crawley Road, Luton, in a letter to his parents.

  • Pte H. G. Preece, well known in Luton junior football circles and who has been in hospital for some considerable time as the result of wounds but is now in training again prior to going to France, wrote: "Perhaps it would interest you to know I saw the Zeppelin brought down on Sunday, the actual time it met its fate being 3.20 am. The sight I shall never forget. I first sighted the Zepp about 2.30 am after being woken up by the gunfire, and I watched it till it met its doom. Shells were falling all around it, and they crippled it as it stayed in one place for nearly half an hour. Then I saw a black speck, probably an aeroplane, over the top of the Zeppelin. Some minutes after I noticed a red spot right in the middle of the Zeppelin, and then it burst into flames and came down. The people and soldiers cheered immensely, and ships let their horns 'go' for quite a few minutes."

  • CSM Arthur John DayCompany-Sgt-Major Arthur John Day (Bedfordshire Regiment), of 6 Gaitskill Terrace, Luton, had received the French award of the Medaille Militaire for distinguished service in Egypt. He had previously gone through the Dardanelles Campaign and had an incredible escape when shrapnel smashed his pocket watch without sustaining injury himself. [CSM Day is pictured, right]

  • After recently being reported missing, Pte James Green (Middlesex Regiment) sent a letter to his aunt, Mrs Hill, of 144 North Street, Luton, saying he was a prisoner of war in Germany. Aged only 18, Pte Green left the employ of George Kent Ltd last May to join up and was drafted to France last August.

  • Rifleman Horace J. Day, whose home is at 74 Highbury Road, Luton, is in hospital at Manchester suffering from a gunshot wound and a fracture of the leg. He joined the Bedfordshire Regiment last October and was drafted to France, where he was transferred to the Royal Irish Rifles and was wounded during the Messines Ridge engagement. He was a member of the Luton No. 2 Salvation Army Band and had been employed by hat manufacturers F. J. Elliott & Co, Guildford Street.

  • Lieut-Colonel J. S. Collings-Wells, of the 4th Bedfordshire Regiment (old Herts Militia) son of Mr and Mrs A. Collings-Wells, of Caddington Hall, has been award the Distinguished Service Order.

  • We learn that Harry Vardon, the famous golf champion, has been in the district during the past week, and went round the links of the South Beds Golf Club on the Warden Hills.