Diary: Passenger on captured liner

 

Stories from the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: February 5th, 1916.

One of the most amazing naval incidents in this war is the capture of the Elder-Dempster liner, the SS Appam, on January 15th off the north coast of Africa, and its trip across the Atlantic in charge of a German prize crew.

The Appam left Dakar, West Africa, on January 11th and was due in England about January 19th. The vessel was given up as lost and sympathy was felt at Bedford for Mr and Mrs W. T. Lansberry, whose son Lieut T. Lansberry (formerly of Luton) was known to have left Duala [Cameroon] in the Appam.

On Christmas Day he cabled: "Invalided. By Appam. Tom." At 11.15pm on Tuesday [February 2nd], Mr Lansberry received a wire from the liner owners: "Have cable advice from Norfolk, Virginia, that Appam arrived there today in charge of German prize crew. All passengers said to be safe."

Lieut Lansberry is 26 years of age. He had taken an appointment at Messrs Barclays Bank at Luton, and while in the town took an active part in amateur dramatics. He remained in the Luton bank until September 1914, when he was offered a commission in the 8th Bedfords. He was subsequently attached to the 1st Battalion, Nigerian Regiment, and went to the Cameroons, where he fell victim to gastritis.

  • L-Cpl William BrownThe deaths in action in France of two more Lutonians were reported. Pte Charles William Reginald Looker, of the 1st Beds Yeomanry attached to the 1st Division of Cavalry, was found shot dead in a trench by his younger brother Richard on February 1st; and former Diamond Foundry worker Pte Harry James, 47th London Divisional Cyclist Company, was killed on January 21st.

  • Military authorities were anxious to trace relatives of L-Cpl William Brown (pictured right), 9999, 1st Bedfordshires, whose name was included in a casualty list. Letters sent to his brother, Frederick Charles Brown at Guildford Street, Luton, were returned, endorsed "gone away". [L-Cpl Brown was killed in action in France on October 22nd, 1914. He is commemorated at Le Touret Memorial and Luton War Memorial.]

  • With the appeal to raise £1,500 to provide YMCA hut for Australian and Canadian troops stationed at Folkestone realising £2,200, Mayor of Luton Alderman John Staddon announced at Tuesday's meeting of the Town Council that it was hoped to utilise the balance to replace a Luton hut destroyed in a recent gale. The aim was to provide a hut at Biscot Camp with an annexe and a billiard room that would make it the finest YMCA hut in the district. The Mayor said he had been influenced by the fact that there was reason to believe that Biscot Camp would continue to be in use for a considerable time. [The hut was opened by Princess Victoria Louise of Schleswig-Holstein, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, on April 10th, 1916].

  • Fines ranging from 20 shillings to 30 shillings were imposed at Luton Borough Sessions this morning on five people for violation of the Lighting Order in the town. Bright lights had been seen coming from premises in New Bedford Road, Bute Street, Guildford Street, Cheapside and Cardigan Street. After the cases had been disposed of, chairman Edwin Oakley said the Bench would in future deal with cases even more drastically than they had that morning. They had taken a very lenient view compared with magistrates in other parts of the country.

  • Hilda HewlettMrs Hilda Hewlett (pictured right), of Hewlett and Blondeau Ltd, Leagrave, is the subject of an interesting personal sketch in the February number of World's Work. The article opens with: "Mrs Maurice Hewlett, the wife of the celebrated novelist, has thrown aside old-fashioned views of woman's sphere and, neglecting art and society, became on of the busiest aeroplane manufacturers in England. Mrs Hewlett first won her pilot's certificate, driving machines both in France and here, then turned her attention to their manufacture."

  • Having played all friendly matches to date in the 1915-16 season, Luton Town FC's first competitive match ended in a 4-3 home win for the Blues in front of a crowd of around 3,000. Tempest gave Luton an early lead, with Bob Hawkes adding a second before the Bees replied. Butcher then scored twice to make the half-time score 4-1. Although having the better of the game in the second half, Luton conceded twice to make the final score 4-3 in their favour.