Volunteers inspected by Lord French

Digest of stories from The Luton News: Thursday, March 14th, 1918.

Lord French at Bedford

Bedford was very much alive on Sunday when nearly 5,000 Volunteers paraded in the capacious grounds of the Grammar School for inspection by Field Marshal Viscount French, G.O.C., the Home Forces. The assembly comprised the 1st and 2nd Beds V.R., 1st and 2nd Northants V.R., 1st Hunts V.R. and the 2nd Herts V.R.

The Luton (2nd) Battalion mustered 703 - 23 officers and 680 NCOs and men, including the machine gun section, stretcher bearers etc. Major H. Cumberland Brown, O.C., was in command, and the senior officers present were Capt H. Inwards (second in command), Capt and Adjt W. D. Morton, Capt G. A. Fyson (Asst Adjt), Capt H. Head (commanding A Company), Capt H. W. Graves-Morris (B), Capt P. G. Gladwell (C) and Capt F. Lucas (D).

On arrival from Bedford, the Luton men marched via High Street to the school ground and took up the position allotted to them. The Regiments were paraded in close column of half-companies, and when all the contingents had arrived the general salute was rehearsed, and the troops 'stood easy' until the inspecting officers arrived.

When the 2nd Battalion arrived home, large crowds lined the route as they marched back to the Park Street headquarters. Prior to dismissal, the C.O. expressed thanks for the admirable muster and for the general bearing of the Battalion.

"You will be glad to know," he said, "that the Field Marshal said many complimentary things about you. He admired your physique, your equipment and your steadiness on parade. I am proud to have commanded the Battalion today."

  • The important and urgent question of providing Luton with motor ambulance in view of the number of accidents which occur was brought up at the Bute Hospital annual meeting on Monday evening by Mr J. Neil (Davis Works representative). He said the represent system was antiquated and Luton was 20 years behind. The idea, it was said, would be costly, but it was decided that the Hospital Committee should take steps to bring the matter forward with the Corporation.

  • Two Cockernhoe men in the employ of Mr A. T. Oliver, of Wandon End, who were working the engine and threshing tackle last Thursday somewhere north of London had arranged to stop with their tackle all night to avoid long journey home, but altered their minds and went. Next morning they found pieces of shrapnel had hit their engine and many pieces had fallen round about.

  • Yesterday the Winter Assembly Hall was transformed into a centre of festivity. It was the children's day, and the occasion of the annual effort of the Luton Children's Guild of Kindness in aid of the Children's Sick and Convalescent Home.

  • News has been received by Mrs Sives, of 70 May Street, Luton, that her husband, Rifleman John Archibald Sives, of the Midlands Rifle Brigade, died in Egypt on February 28th, from appendicitis.

  • Missing since last May, Pte Arthur Phillips, of the Leicester Regiment, is now reported killed, the War Office having so informed his family at 67 Wimbourne Road, Luton.

  • Cpl H. Meads, son of Mr W. Meads, late undertaker, of 2 Windsor Street, Luton, has been in France for three years and has seen good bit of hard fighting. He has been home for 4 days leave, and has now returned to France.

  • A tribute of respect to the memory of the late Pte A. T. Cain and Pte J. Whittemore was paid in the Parish Church, Stopsley, on Sunday afternoon, when solemn memorial service was held on their behalf.

  • Sgt H. Watts (Royal Fusiliers), son of Mr Joe Watts, of Gloucester Road, Luton, would like his old friends to know he is still "alive and kicking". He joined up in September 1914, and is now an inmate of C Block, Kingston, Surbiton and District Red Cross Hospital, New Malden, Surrey, but is hoping soon to get his discharge "after a year of it and eight operations".

  • Complaints of children knocking at street doors and then running away are frequently made to the police, but the culprits are hard to catch. Pc Bone caught a very respectable little girl doing this last Monday week in Wellington Street, just as she was fleeing from the door. She was brought before the justices yesterday and, being penitent, was bound over, her mother being ordered to pay 2s 6d towards the expenses.

  • A county parade of Scouts took place at Luton on Saturday in which seven troops took part. Dunstable and Eaton Bray troops marched over, and the Bedford boys nearly all cycled from Bedford. The other troops present were the 1st Luton, Blue Foxes (St Saviour's), Luton St Peter's Scouts and the troop from Stopsley.

  • Yesterday the sad death of a child named Arthur Currant, aged two years, son of Frederick Currant, a soldier (now a prisoner of war in Germany), of 151 Castle Street, Luton, was investigated by the Deputy Coroner (Mr Whyley). It appeared that the little boy's mother was unwell, and had a large family. He went to the house of his grandmother at 143 Castle Street on Friday morning. The following morning he was playing there with his cousin Fred, aged 13, in front of the fire. There was a saucepan of boiling water on the fire. Whilst playing, the child must have knocked the handle of the saucepan. It fell over and the water went all over the little boy. His grandmother applied oil, and the child was quickly removed to the Children's Home. Everything possible was done for him, but the scalds were all over the front of the body, and the shock was so terrible that the child died on Sunday night. A verdict of accidental death was returned, and the jury sympathised with the distress mother.

  • A satisfactory year's work was the report at the annual meeting of the Governors, Trustees and Committee of the Luton Children's Sick and Convalescent Home held at the Town Hall on Tuesday evening. Dr Bone, the medical superintendent, stated that during the year 282 children had been under treatment, 239 were discharged cured, 23 relieved, five unrelieved and five died, leaving ten in the home at the end of the year.

  • A large crowd gathered on Market Hill on Tuesday evening when Mr Arthur Mayhew and Lieut Barnfield, from the Ministry of National Service, gave an open-air cinematograph exhibition showing the work of the various branches of the Services.