Diary: Stopsley soldier earns DCM

 

Luton News masthead

Stories from the Luton News: Thursday, May 4th, 1916.

Writing from Rugby to the headmaster of the Stopsley Council School, Harry Titchmarsh, of the 4th Beds Regiment, thanked him for his congratulations on the winning of the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

"It shows what the Stopsley lads can do," wrote Pte Titchmarsh. "I have not received it yet, but I had a parchment from my own Divisional General praising me for my gallant work on the field of fire. I was a bit of a dare-devil out there, but every Stopsley lad is doing his duty, which we are very proud to say.

"My nerves are very unsteady, but I am getting on fine now, but I'm one of the old boys and I've grinned and borne it."

[Pte Henry James Titchmarsh, 18418, was a pipe moulder at the Luton Iron Foundry before enlisting. Military records give his address as Elm House, Stopsley, and show that he had been wounded in the back while in action on April 15th, 1916. He survived the war, having later served in the Royal Flying Corps and its successor, the Royal Air Force.]

  • Much sympathy will be felt with Mr Arthur D. Clarke, of the London County and Westminster Bank in Luton, in the death of his son, Sec-Lieut Albert Edward (Prince), who was killed in action on April 20th, aged 22. He went out to France in February 1915 in the ranks of the 5th Royal Sussex Regiment and obtained his commission with the 2nd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment, in August 1915. His family lived in Harpenden.

  • The War Office have intimated to Mr and Mrs George Brown, of 65 Albert Road, Luton, that their son, Pte James Brown , 1st Beds Regiment, must be considered to have died on November 5th, 1914, or since that date, on which he was posted missing. A second son, Cpl George Brown, met his death in action on October 7th, 1915.

  • Official news has this week been received that Pte Leonard Farr, of the Highland Light Infantry, was killed in action on April 17th. He was the youngest son of Mrs Martha and the late Mr Joseph Farr, of Pickford Hill, Markyate. Pte Farr was mending wires with Luton's double DCM, QMS Arthur Andrews, of the same regiment, who first relayed the news to Luton via his fiancee. Pte Farr had been hit by a bullet under the left shoulder and died instantly.

  • The toll of the Dublin rebellion has been felt in Luton. The 8th Sherwood Foresters have figured conspicuously in the quelling of the rising, and that battalion, it will be remembered, stayed for a considerable period in Luton and Dunstable before proceeding to Watford. At the moment, casualties among the men are unknown, but four of their officers have been killed and 13 wounded. Lieut H. C. Daffen, 23, from Worksop, who was killed, was billeted at the residence of chartered accountant Mr Horace Godfrey in Ashburnham Road. Wounded officers Capt F. G. Cursham and Capt A. B. Leslie-Melville were also billeted in Luton.

  • Great regret is experienced among the Central Mission [Midland Road] supporters at the fact that Mr R. H. Fairman, the popular young leader, is leaving. He announced on Sunday that in view of the latest military situation he, as a single man, had decided to go into the Army.

  • Editorial comment 1: The "whole-hoggers" in the matter of compulsion have at last got their way, and this week has seen the introduction of another Military Service Bill - one extending conscription to the unattested married men. If we could bring ourselves to think that the additional 200,000 men now asked for were absolutely necessary to the winning of the war or to make Britain's efforts commensurate with that of our Allies, we should be disposed to accept the new Bill with some of the enthusiasm which certain other people feel for it. But we feel that it has been forced upon the Government and upon the military authorities by those to whom the very word compulsion is gratifying and comforting.

  • Editorial comment 2: In this district lately we have had a number of very sad cases in which soldiers' wives have neglected their homes and allowed their children to get into a shocking condition. In these cases the women seem to have had a good deal of money coming in from Army pay and to have spent the larger part of it in drink. It is a terrible thing, and the women are very rightly punished for their conduct.

  • Great regret will be felt at the news of the retirement of Mr David Alfred Brown, the Luton postmaster, owing to a breakdown in health. Mr Brown entered the service as far back as 1870, when he was appointed on the clerical staff at Brighton. He was appointed postmaster at Luton in April 1908. His place is being temporarily occupied by superintendent Mr William F. Berrett.

  • Two young playmates raised the alarm when a fire broke out in Mr Herbert Fryer's dry goods store opposite the Park Street home of one of the girls. A spark from a kitchen grate set fire to clothing and flames spread throughout the building, destroying furniture and stock while shop owners Mr and Mrs Fryer were out walking with their three children. Slight damage was caused to Mr John Ireland's adjoining greengrocery and fruit shop (No 72) and to Mr Evan Evans' fish shop (No 76).

  • A verdict of accidental death by drowning was returned by a jury sitting at the White Hart, Sundon, on Tuesday morning at an inquest on Leslie John Lane, aged three years and eight months, of Ping Lane, Sundon, who died after falling into the village pond at Upper Sundon. He was one of several youngsters playing near the pond in search of a skylark's nest. One of the other boys ran for help but efforts by the deceased's father and a special constable were unable to revive him. The boy's father, William Frederick Lane, was a private in the Bedfordshire Regiment.

  • Miss Poulton, Matron of the Bute Hospital, was bubbling over with gratitude to Mr J. C. Kershaw, the well-known Luton straw hat manufacturer, for the "untold boon" of a proposed £120 verandah for the female patients. On Wednesday Messrs T. & E. Neville's representative was taking the necessary measurements for a verandah to be 52ft 6in long and 10ft 6in wide that would offer the advantages of open-air treatment in the convalescence of the sick. The hospital had 15 female patients at the time.