THE DENSTONIAN MARCH 1916

DENSTONE COLLEGE STAFFS THE DENSTONIAN

VOLUME XI

Edited by H. D'A. CHAMPNEY, E. C. BREW IS, & F. IV. S. PODMORE

DENSTONE COLLEGE

1916 CULL & SON, LONDON INDEX TO VOLUME XL. Page Athletic Sports 49

Contributed Articles :— The U.S.A. and the War Denstonians at the Italian Front 3 In an Outpost of Empire 21 Denstone Revisited 23 Our Latest Ally 24 In France : A Broken Village 36 A Denstonian in Dublin 37 Day by Day as a Signalling Officer 38 Kultur and Shakespeare 39 The Battle of Jutland 53 Shakespeare in the Dark Ages 55 The Great Push 72 On the Last Crusade 75 On Leave 96 By an African Shore 98

Cricket:— Averages of the XI., 1916 68 Critique of the XL, 1916 68 Matches 63, 68

Editorial .... h «i 35. 53- 7i. 93

Football:— Critique of the XV., 1915-16 31 Matches and Dormitory Matches 15, 88, 105 Review of the Season, 1915-16 32

Mothers' Window, The 76

National Mission, The 87 Notes :— Page Boys Left 18, 51, 90, 108 Boys' Library 20, 108 Chapel 19 Confirmation 34 Contemporaries 20, 34, 52, 70, 92, 108 Cricket 90 Fire Brigade 20 Headmaster 18, 33, 107, 108 Lectures 18, 33, 108 Literary and Scientific Society 18, 33, 108 Lighting 19 Masters 17, 51, 89 Mistresses . Museum 18, 51 Music Competition 34 1 New Boys 19. 5 1 Obituary 19. 5*i 9 8, 51, 7°. 92 Prefects 51, 91, 108 Preparatory School 5i. 92 Prizes and Exhibitions 17, 90 Swimming 70, 90 Volunteer Training Corps 33 O.D. News i6, 32, 50, 69, 89, 107

Officers' Training Corps . 33. 5'. 70, 86, 108 Poetry: — The Ballade of Night Defence

Rev. David Edwardes, The 93 War News 5. 25. 42. 57. 77. 99 War Obituary T4» 3°. 47. 61, 82, 103

Illustration : Rev. D. Edwardes. The Denstonian.

MARCH, 1916. No. 238. VOL. XL. No 1.

what fills the squalid dug-out with the EDITORIAL. vision of red roofs and grey walls, and the long sweep of our distant hills. Again HE coming of 1916 still sees the and again come messages—from the great country at war, and peace as spaces of the seas, from the sodden plains far off as ever. The motto of of Flanders, from the sands of Egypt and "Wait and see" did not do the islands of Greece ; but always there is mucTh for 1915, and it is to be hoped that the same tender affection for what they call , " Deeds" has been established as the with touching accord the " dear old place." / motto for the future by the introduction of Is not this love the very secret in' the Compulsory Service Bill. The love the heart of the public-school man ? At Old Denstonians have for their school is Denstone we learn to think first of the shown by the number of letters, mostly School and what we owe her; it does not from the front, published in every issue, matter about ourselves. The lesson is not and we have cause to be proud of the way forgotten; it bears its fruit as love of Eng• in which they have rallied to their land amongst the slag-heaps of Artois and country's call, the pestilent swamps of the Tigris. The It is difficult at first to understand what war has indeed been at once the apology it is which prompts such letters, to know and the glory of the public school system. THE BALLADE OF NIGHT THE U.S.A. AND THE WAR. DEFENCE. By G. E. Jackson, O.D., late Lecturer on Political Economy in Toronto University. By Brcdin Dclap, R.N., O.D. " The people in Berlin," says an Ameri• The shit> was steaming o'er the sea. can of hyphenated sympathies,* " believe Steaming witli all her might; that anyone who has once been in America They'd done their very best to make The headlights good and tight. knows the country and the people." It is And this was just because, you see, to be hoped that those in Denstone do not They mustn't show a light. makethesamemistake. Nostrangervisiting America sees more than a single stratum The Snotty and the young Marine Were sitting up in A, of American life and thought, and the truth They wept like anything to think about America can only be learned in a How long it ivas till day ; symposium. " If only this long night would pass, There are nevertheless two considera• It would be grand," said they. tions of which most Englishmen lose sight, " If many a ship across the sea which have at once determined the position Should come, with many a gun, and shaped the politics of the United States Do you suppose," the Snotty said, for many months. Forming as they do the " That we should see some fun ?" " / doubt it," said the young Marine ; keynote to British and foreign diplomacy, " / fear they'd turn and run." they do not depend on superlatives for their importance. " Oh, let us brew some cocoa, please," The first of them relates to Europe. Of The Snotty did beseech ; " A steaming jug, a roomy jug, the total production of iron and steel That holds enough for each ; throughout the Continent, the Germanic We'll put it here between us both, allies are responsible for something like two- Nicely within our reach." thirds. In other words, so far as war The Snotty and the young Marine munitions made of steel—guns and shells, Talked on an hour or so, machine-guns and bullets, rails and rolling- Until their stock of topics now stock and locomotives—are concerned, our Was running very low, own unaided efforts would avail but little And all the able seamen sat against the great preponderance of Ger• And grumbled in a row. many. We depend for our success upon " The time has come," the Snotty said, America; and, in an opposite sense, so do " To talk of many things ; the Germans, Of why projectiles are not square, And whether cordite stings. We believe that American neutrality And if we're really going straight, will give us victory, provided only that the Or steaming round in rings." trade in munitions continues. The second great consideration relates to "I wish I knew," the Snotty said, " The time for packing up," the problematical value of American inter• The young Marine said nothing but vention in the war. There are in the " Give us another cup." An odd request, because, you see, " Mr. George von Skal, in the published corres• They'd drunk the whole lot up. pondence of Captain von Papen, p. 13. 3

United States more than four millions of In summing up his record, posterity will Germans and subjects of Austria-Hungary. bear these things in mind. His own The States of Wisconsin and Minnesota generation is in danger of forgetting them ; may be reckoned as German communities. but among his hasty critics, the best class The population of Chicago, the largest rail• of American—educated, travelled, and way centre in the world, of Cincinnati, St. reflective—is not often found. From such Louis, and Buffalo, is also largely German. men come regrets that the language of their War between the United States and the President is strangely chosen. More than Germanic powers might well absorb the most men, Americans are sensitive to munitions on which we depend, in a civil ridicule ; and Mr. Wilson will go down to war of weeks or months. history as the man who, whatever his We need not dwell either on the British virtues, at a time when millions of half- or the German attitude to neutrals so educated workmen died gladly for their situated. The difficulties of American country, said he was " too proud to fight." diplomacy when a Lusitania sinks, or an But, as the record of George Washington Arabic, are very real. outweighs remembrance of a pompous r For the President—who knows that by phrase, so that of W oodrow Wilson, if it fighting the Germans he might give them is fair and manly, will in time receive full real assistance—must speak for a dozen credit from a generous people. polyglot cities, each as large as Birmingham or Glasgow. He represents a million Jews, who live in New York, nursing bitter memories of Russia. Cheek by jowl with DENS TON IA N S AT THE ITALIAN them, there are more Italians in New FRONT. York than in Naples. There are Irish in Boston who wish he would fight England, Famous though the Englishman has others who wish he would fight Germany. always been for penetrating into all the There are Americans by thousands, in the corners of the earth, his excursions during South and in New England, who want war; the present war have broken every pre• there are as many to be found among the vious record. Italy, like all other respect• prairies, who want peace at any price. able countries, has not escaped him, and Whatever Mr. Wilson does, he must " he " includes two Denstonians. make enemies, and he knows that oppo• There was once a peaceful little village, nents of social justice will exploit them. lying in the sunshine, just on the eastern He has been deserted by his chief lieu• edge of the great northern plain of Italy, tenant, who was hailed forthwith as " the and in full view of the superb mountains greatest man since Paul." In the face of to northward. The inhabitants were in• troubles that might daunt an opportunist, dustrious people; they made chairs in the he has stood for principles; and, to give little village; they tended their vineyards weight to his demands, he has an Army of in the country round. less than forty thousand soldiers. Allowing Just outside the village there is a big for a reasonable guard along the borders yellow villa—a sleepy old mansion lying of Mexico, he has perhaps two brigades to behind stone gates and sheltered by spare. cypresses and poplars, its fountain plash- 4 THE DENSTONIAN. ing lazily in the great wide court. Here In a remarkably short time this little the girls and womenfolk used to come, British colony had made itself quite at chatting and treading barefoot along the home at the old villa. Up among the hills, dusty roads, to fill their copper water-pots. where the fighting is, other little, tiny One day, in the month of May, 1915—a colonies were doing splendid work, their day never to be forgotten in Italian history ambulances climbing along the shell- —the great guns began to boom over the ploughed roads from one shattered village Austrian frontier. That long dusty road to another, and bringing loads of wounded stretching across the beautiful plain, be• from the field dressing-stations down to the came suddenly transformed. Regiments clearing hospitals on the plain below. of soldiers in their grey-green uniforms, The hospital too was steadily gaining a with their staffs and heavy knapsacks, reputation, and we know now that many a plodded along it; convoys of laden mules soldier who has returned into Italy has went by; heavy cannons, buzzing away taken with him a feeling of gratefulness like giant aeroplanes, and leaving behind towards England and the English ; and to them clouds of dust ; batteries of field-guns all of us who are working here, the know• and " mitraigliatrici.'' ledge of that fact is a very rich reward. The little village was overrun by soldiers. Now other bands of Englishmen are They pulled down the vines, trampled the stationed in other parts of the Italian front. meadow grass, pitched their tents in all There will be rough work for the motor- directions, and quartered their cavalry in ambulances in the spring up among the the cottages round about. hills, just as it was in the autumn. Our On a certain sweltering mid-day of early nurses and doctors and orderlies have long September, the old villa was invaded by a hours of trying work before them, for queer procession of automobiles and motor work in the wards of an advance hospital ambulances, which deposited a still queerer is a test of endurance not far short of life in selection of hungry Britons on the green the trenches; but it will all be done with turf in front of the fountain. These indi• enthusiasm for the love of Italy. Our viduals, who consisted of poets, historians, friendship with her is an enduring one, and artists, archaeologists, doctors, and a small our debt to her is one which will need number of ordinary mortals, proceeded to generations of faithful service to repay. produce each a large ham-sandwich from The two Denstonians above referred to his haversack and to devour it, swilling it are working with the First British Ambu• down with limejuice from a water-bottle. lance Unit. They are doing their share, They were not merely gormandizing, how• and they say : "If you know of anyone ever. They were taking stock of their new who is ineligible for the Army, who has a surroundings, and shortly afterwards they little money, and who wants to have a set to work with a will, and by dint of much really sporting time in good company, tell sweeping and disinfecting and limewash- him to join us." The " really sporting ing, and unpacking of stores from England, time" includes having to work along roads whacked that old villa into a very credit• commanded by the enemy's guns, and able " Ospedale da Campo "—a British under the eyes of hostile aeroplanes, so it Red Cross Field hospital. sounds attractive. MARCH, 1916. 5

H. T. Valentine mentions that in France he has met L. N. H. Rutledge (" we were WAR NEWS. in the Fifth Form together "), and men• tions that W. H. Kelly is in the same So far in the present War the following battalion as he is himself. " We are Distinctions have been gained by Den- having a very bad time out here at present stonians:— (he wrote on Dec. 19), for the trenches are D.S.O.—Major P.H. Dundas (wounded) in a terrible condition. Luckily, we have and Capt. and Flight Commander C. W. been out of them for a month, for our Mapplebeck (since accidentally killed). Brigade, the 12th, is well behind the line, The Military Cross — Staff - Capt. E. training with a new Division." Woolmer. Roy Wilson left for France early in The French Military Medal. — H. S. November, and was almost immediately Short. sent into the trenches. Early in Decem• Mentioned in Dispatches—Major P. H. ber he was in a party which was preparing Dundas, Rev. F. B. D. Bickerstaffe-Drew the trench for the battalion next day when (twice), Lt.-Col. VV. L. Alexander (twice ; the Germans sent up a flare which revealed since killed in action), Rev E. A. Fitch, them. Immediately all sorts of shells Lt. R. A. Starbuck Williams, Capt. R. J. followed, and Wilson received a fragment Brownfield (since killed in action), Staff through his right wrist. Capt. E. Woolmer, Lt. P. C. Clayton, and J. P. Ward is back home from the Dar• 2nd Lt. C. E. Whitworth (missing). danelles. His Division took part in the Special Promotion for Distinguished new landing at Suvla Bay, and at the Service in the Fieid—Capt. H. W. T. beginning had some pretty fierce fighting, Smith, R.A., to be Brevet Major. in which losses were heavy. After the M.V.O.—Capt. G. S. T. Dawson. first three days, except for constant shell• ing (to which everybody, whether in the C. S. Ridge was in British Columbia first-line trenches or in the reserve trenches, when war broke out, and came to England was equally exposed), things toned down a with the 2nd Canadian Contingent. He bit. The country was very difficult, and went out to France on May ist in the 7th the supply of water, ammunition, and Bn. B.C. Regt. rations to the firing line a very difficult W.H. Ridge held a commission in the matter. old Stafford Volunteers as Lieut, and took B. K. Bond wrote on Dec. 16th : — out a Company to the Boer War. The " I reached Alexandria on May 13th. I members were presented with the honorary had orders to join the 29th Division when freedom of Stafford on their return. Later I left home, but as so many of them were he served as Lieut, in the Imperial Yeo- there in hospital my orders were changed many in South Africa, and as soon as the and I was sent for duty to 15 General present war broke out he was attached to Hospital, Alexandria. Here one had a the A.S. C. as Lieut. On June 14 he was wonderful experience, for we had 1,500 gazetted Capt., and since then has been patients—English and Australians, and so commanding officer of the 5th Bn. Man• many bad septic cases—we lost dozens of chester Regt. men daily in those early days. Then on 6 THE DENSTONIAN.

June 3rd I received orders to embark for " We had rather a rough time when we duty on a transport to carry wounded were in the trenches: I used to think the down from Mudros. We had only a small playing fields at Denstone were muddy, but staff of Doctors, Sisters, and orderlies, so I have changed my opinion now! But as one's duties were various. Gradually the long as you could keep on the boards, ship—the Devanha, a P & O. boat—was which was no easy matter, as they are fitted out as a hospital ship, more being greasy and slippery, you were all right, but done each time we went to the base. We alas ! if you slipped off you went up to the were then registered as a hospital ship, and waist in mud and water. Several men got painted as such. We had many journeys stuck so fast in that we had to go to their up and down on her—from Alexandria to assistance and pull them out; in some cases Mudros, on to Anzac (once to Suvla)— the waders were left behind! " sometimes back to Alexandria, and some• R. G. Bennett served three years in the times to Malta. We were lying off Anzac Boer War, and came back from Rhodesia for nearly all the big stunts. We had a after war was declared and joined a wonderful bird's-eye view of all the fighting Rhodesian Platoon in the 3rd Batt. K.R.R. in August at Anzac and Suvla Bay. It as a private. He soon rose to be sergeant, was a very busy life and very strenuous. and has since been gazetted 2nd Lieut, in We had many bad cases, and I often buried the 6th Batt. He was wounded in the 18—20 men per day at sea. It was quite second battle of Ypres. a common thing to bury 40—50 in a day's The following is a letter from C. O. trip. It was trying work—day after day Andrews (a member of the Universities' and week after week. Of our Service for Mission to Central Africa), who is interned the Royal Edward you have had the in G.E. Africa. The letter was dated June account. Eventually the Devanha was nth, 1915, and was received on August ordered home for final refitting before the 1 8th. It is the only letter which has come winter. We reached Southampton on from him since the war began. Address Sept. 12th, with a load of wounded— and postmark were both censored out:— mostly Australians and New Zealanders. " We have just been told that we may There I left her, and after ten days at home write short letters to England. After the I returned to Mudros on a troopship. war began we were sent off to Lindi, the Since the beginning of October I have been nearest port, at twelve hours' notice, and in the trenches with the Essex Territorial were kept there, living at the hotel, for Brigade. We left Anzac, our position, two ten weeks. Then we were suddenly sent wesks ago, and had one week's rest at back to Masasi. I collected all the Mudros, and here we are on our way to Kiungani boys, who had just missed re• Egypt, for permanent work there, I believe. turning to Zanzibar, and had them com• We are due to reach Alexandria to day. bined with the Masasi and Chimata I cannot tell you how one feels, now that Central Schools, for three and a half we are away from shot and shell, and we months. In the middle of February we have had plenty." had orders to go to Morogoro, inland a J. A. Bockett, writing on Dec. 20 from little from Daresalem. We started on Flanders, mentions that O'Meara, in his Feb. 20th, and got there on March 31st, battalion, was recently hit, but not badly. thirteen of us, and 200 porters, with a 7

German and two soldiers. At Morogoro before I came out, and felt it very much, as we found ourselves prisoners, and were he was a great friend of mine, and it was guarded with loaded rifles and fixed a curious coincidence that I should have bayonets. The next day we entrained, been sent straight to his grave. The and had a twenty-four hours' journey British officers put up a large notice t0 , leaving the ladies at . thanking the Germans for putting up the At we were, in the military prison, cross." treated just as the soldiers and sailors The following account of the attack on who had been captured. On May nth we Burnt Hill, in Gallipoli, on August 21st, came here; it is far the best of the pri• when C. E. Hart was wounded, is from sons I have been quite well The Daily Malta Garrison :— all the time, and have plenty of work to "It was about half-past seven when do. But we were able to bring very few our Yeomanry gained the position, on the books." edge of the Scimitar, whence the attack C. G. Carson is at present at that part was to be launched. Dark was falling of the line where Bruce Hall lies buried by fast, but watching through our glasses the Germans. The cross they put up to from Chocolate Hill, we suddenly saw a him and the other heroes of the S. Staffs, stir and a move among our men in the is plainly visible in front of the trenches. scrub on Burnt Hill Then before one Writing just after Christmas, he said :— realized that the last charge had begun, " We were very lucky in being withdrawn our men were swarming across the Scimitar to a town about twice the size of Uttoxeter, as if running for a prize. In an incredibly where we are in good billets. In the short time they had swept across the bare trenches the mud is up to our waists, with• gully, against which, even in the dusk, out exaggeration, in some places ; when their figures showed out plainly, and then we were there, our left rested on a canal. they vanished into smoke and darkness, After arriving there at night, on looking on the top of the hill. Obviously they over my parapet in the morning, on the had taken the first trench. The last seen extreme left I saw Bruce Hall's cross ; it of the Turks was a few isolated figures appeared to be just in front of the German standing up to fire or clambering over the wire. There is a railway line on our side of trench to bolt. No one doubted that the the canal, and the embankment runs down hill was taken. To our profound disap• ten the canal towing path. The cross slopes pointment we learned later that, through backward, and the inscription is as was insufficiency of numbers, after having given in the Times obituary notice. If held it all night, the troops were with• opportunity had offered I should have gone drawn in the early following morning. out to the grave, but when we were there The hill was swept by the cross-fire of a the moon was full, so it was impossible. I Turkish battery, as well as raked by enclose a rough sketch of the cross, but 1 machine-guns from behind, and during the am no artist. There is a mound of earth evening it was decided that the position in front, and the surrounding ground is was untenable, and that it was not safe to very rough, chiefly covered with coarse leave troops there during the night, com• grass and heather and the usual debris. manded as they were by higher enemy I heard that Bruce was ' missing' just positions on all sides. The troops who 8 THE DENS TON I A N. had fought so gallantly, and had come so and I asked him where his officer was, but near success, were withdrawn during the he answered that he didn't think he'd got next night to their old positions, and a any left, and did I think the Bosche would portion of the enemy's front trench in the counter - attack before or after dark ? plain was all that remained to us the day Eventually I found a second lieutenant, after." who ' believed he was left in command.' N. Fi Humphreys wrote on Oct. 20th :— He'd be charmed to have the guns im• "As all the papers have been proclaiming, mediately, and would I be good enough to there has been a push on this bit of front, find the best places for them ? The only and for a few days I had a 'tummy' full thing he would like more than a biscuit of war. On the morning of the attack was a drink. After this there uprose a we got orders to go and reinforce some of mighty shouting from the German trenches our men who had been held up by the about sixty yards away, and they came forth Bosches'barbed wire in front of the trench. in clouds. I did feel an ass, being without It was too thick for them to get through, my guns, 200 yards away. After I had so they sat down outside and proceeded to made quite certain that my revolver was dig themselves ' hiding-holes.' I arrived loaded, I had another look at the advancing at our front-line trench with my guns, to foe, and discovered to my intense relief find practically none there. I inquired of that they were proceeding ' hands up.' a stray engineer where the people were I There were over 700 of them, and we was supposed to reinforce. Then for the weren't much over 200. I was senior first time I learned what had exactly officer present, but at Bisley we were not happened. The distance to the Bosche instructed in the etiquette of accepting trenches was about 250 yards, and the surrender, so I beat a hasty retreat. I wire was thirty yards in front of their don't know what the other wretched trench. By a lightning calculation I found 'sub.' did, but all the prisoners arrived that I had to go forward about 200 yards, back in due course, so I suppose his educa and it was quite daylight and the ground was tion was more complete than mine. It quite level, with hardly any cover. Frankly, transpired later that, owing to a very vague I wasn't quite happy about it. I had idea of the situation, we had advanced over heard, however, that the Bosche would the open ground in a most awe-inspiring issue forth and slay the poor people unless manner, and had frightened the Bosches someone helped them, so I wandered out out of their lives. They thought that the of our trench and did quite a red Indian guns were some new form of ' frightful- ' stunt ' on my ' tummy ' to where• ness ' with which they weren't acquainted, abouts I thought our men must have got. and thought that discretion was the better I took one man with me in case of happen• part." ings, and left the guns behind for the W. A. and E. G. Harrison were in India moment, because it wasn't good enough from November, 1914, till July. They taking them forward till I knew exactly were then sent on active service to Arabia where I was to take them. After about (Aden), and were in the successful action seven ' years V I found myself looking against the Turks and Arabs on September into a cavity which contained a Tommy. 25th. The Brigade Order afterwards He intimated that he was glad to see me, issued said:—"The feat of marching to Waht, turning out its garrison of four guns, October 19th, 1914,and was through Neuve

7oo Turks, and 100 Arabs, holding it Chapelle, where he met Canon Tyrwhitt. against reinforcements from La Hej, and T. Newton wrote, on November 9th, a returning the same day to Sheikh Othman, letter which did not arrive until December was a magnificent test of the endurance, 22nd. He has left France. Three weeks dash, and spirit of all engaged. A dis• before he wrote they were in the trenches tance of at least twenty miles was covered, in France, feeling very wet and cold, when and troops had to march across a waterless suddenly they were relieved and sent on a and shadeless desert, with deep sand, on march to the rail-head near Amiens. There an exceptionally hot day." Next day the they spent two days fitting themselves out, General warmly complimented "The and they were packed into cattle-trucks Buffs." and sent off to an unknown destination, F. H. Jenkins is now in Egypt, having which proved to be, after a two-days' left England on November 7th. After his journey, Marseilles. " I don't think I shall stay in Florida, he is glad to be in a warm ever forget that journey. About six of us country again. " I got command of my officers travelled in an open truck with the Flight just before leaving England, and bully-beef tins and biscuits and some this gave me my third Star in just under oranges. The scenery all the way was a year. Thank goodness it's raining just magnificent, but I don't think there was at present; we need it to keep the dust anything to touch the Rhine Valley for down. Yesterday I had to go about 100 beauty. We had a rousing reception at miles out in the desert by train to look for the port; in fact, all along the route we landing grounds, and the dust was awful, were cheered to the echo. We immediately as there was quite a strong wind blowing. embarked, and set sail the following morn• This part of the desert was as hard as a ing. The voyage was just like ten days' rock, with about two inches of very fine leave, and several times I wondered when sand on the top, which picks up with the I was going to wake up and find myself slightest breeze and forms clouds through getting in my dug-out, eating stewed bully- which one cannot see two telegraph poles beef and tinned fruit. We arrived at our ahead. I am writing this in bed in camp, destination on a Sunday afternoon, and as I refuse to get up in the rain. Here's words utterly fail to describe adequately the best of luck, in lukewarm tea, to all at the grandeur and beauty of the view as we the College." entered the harbour. It was a gorgeous J. V. White says that when they come day ; on the hill-side lay the city with its out of the trenches in Flanders they look numerous mosques and ancient ruins and for all the world as if they had been having wall glittering in the sinking sun, and still a game on the Big Side ground on one of standing as relics of ancient times when its worst days. He has the elder Kemp the place was in the hands of the infidel. and Laithwaite in his battalion—the latter Behind the city towered enormous moun• is Machine gun Officer, " and a very good tains, while on the left was the stately man he is too ; Kemp is in command of a Olympus. At the foot of the city was the platoon. We fed together yesterday and harbour, full of British warships, French talked Denstone." and English transports and hospital ships, and several Greek vessels. I had often C. R. Norman left for Flanders on THE DENSTONJAN. longed to see this country, but never through crowded streets and cheering thought I should do so while on the Last people. The whole night we marched Crusade. We disembarked almost at along, footsore and half asleep." once, and set off through the city to our A. Sykes is a Corporal in the ist Cana• camp, ten miles away. It was a very dian Pioneers. interesting march, and we must have H. Kerr-Fox, in the 6th Regt. S.A. created some impression as we swung Infantry, writes that a fair number of through the crowded streets singing " The Dutchmen have enlisted for service in Boys of the Old Brigade." We arrived East Africa. about 11.30 p.m., and found absolutely G. E. Jackson has returned to England, nothing but the inevitable bully-beef and in order to enlist. biscuits. However, we were all tired, and G. W. Reid is instructor in a grenade were soon fast asleep, and we slept until school. His pupils include French and the rain came. About breakfast-time I Belgians. Grenades were used, he writes, was wondering how to make a meal off first by Chinese pirates in the 1 ith Century, the inevitable when your parcel was and by our Navy in the 18th. They re• brought to me I (The letter was to Mrs. appeared at Port Arthur in 1904. Hibbert). It was awfully good of you to G. L. Tomkins and W. V. Clark have send it, and I thank you all very much had a strenuous course at Wellington Col• indeed for it." lege, Southern India, cramming a two- Later he wrote : " We were suddenly years course into six months. They finish pushed up to Serbia to reinforce the in April. Clarke has been made a Corporal, British already there, and immediately and has been placed in charge of a platoon. took up our position in the line—a line He describes a fougass, which is used which consisted of rough barricades on the against the N.W. Frontier tribes : " A hole top of a mountain about four miles north six feet deep is dug in the side of a hill, and of Lake Doiran. There was a thick mist in it is placed about fifty pounds of gun• during almost the whole of our operation, powder, and the hole is then filled with big which enabled the enemy to creep quite stones. When the charge is exploded the close to our positions unseen. About stones fly out and down to the valley midnight we retired, and took up a position below on to the road." at dawn with our right resting on the lake. B. Delap sends from H.M.S. Vanguard About mid-day the fog lifted, and we saw a copy of the second number of Strafe, about the prettiest bit of shelling we have published on board ship and plentifully yet seen—French 75's and some of our illustrated. A S. Mason and P. Burrows field guns." Later they retired again, this have each sent us a copy of Tlie Dump, pub• time on to Greek territory. " As we lished at Christmas by the22nd Division. marched through Doiran the town was The Germans are still punishing people shorn of everything, as we had left nothing who helped Mapplebeck to escape last behind us, even driving herds of cattle in March. On September 22nd they shot the front of us, and innumerable donkeys, following, whose names should be remem• who seemed to wander about aimlessly. bered with honour by Denstonians :— It was an extraordinary contrast to the day, Eugene Jacquet, merchant. only a week before, when we marched Georges Maertens, merchant. MARCH, 1916. 11

Ernest de Coniach, Sub-Lieut. of my men when the collision happened ; Sylvere Verluelst, workman. one or two men were flying overboard, and The manner in which the first-named one or two jumped overboard. One of died we know from a notice posted by their bodies was found the next morning, General Joffre, and which says : " He died but it could not be identified. I don't know like a hero, his hands free, without any what happened to my three men who are bandage over his eyes, and on his lips the missing. words 'Vive la France! Vive la Re- " At present we are in tents, which are publique !' " R.I.P. a little better than dug-outs. When we H. Sutton writes :—" We left Suvla Bay left Suvla we had to send all our kit away on December 15th. I suppose you will beforehand, with the result that of course know all about the evacuation now. They we have not yet seen them. I arrived took us to the base, and I had quite an here without a blanket or anything, but I exciting experience coming from the base managed to get some things from the to Iiubros. I was in charge of 200 men Ordnance when I got here, and I also got sent to reinforce us from the base, and we some new underclothing. The things I had were not on the same boat as the rest of on were just about walking, and I had to the battalion. We were on the boat have them buried very deep down when I belonging to the Khedivial Mail Line, got them off." quite a nice little boat. We had been Roy B. Mitchell sends a booklet of going for about half an hour when we ran pictures from Blackboy Camp, W.A. tilt into another boat, smashed our bows, H. C. Fenwick writes feelingly of the and tore off a lot of the plates. She then mud. " The first time we went into the swung round and hit the other boat again trenches we got a good dose of shell-fire, with her stern and smashed her stern in but I think we were paying more attention and also her rudder. The crew and a few to the mud than the shells. It was mud stewards on board, being Greeks, all rushed for meals, mud for mattresses, and mud on at once for the lifeboats, and of course our clothes. It took our company over three men, seeing the crew doing this, followed hours to pass through a trench about four them, and at once an awful scene followed. hundred yards long. I was stuck in one Some of the crew got the life-belts and place myself for three-quarters of an hour, some didn't, and then they started dragging and had to be dug out in the end by two them off each other and tearing them to men from a Pioneer Battalion. What a bits. After a time we managed to restore wonderful home a leaky dug-out becomes, some sort of order and calm the men down with a biscuit-box fire, a few nails and a little. Of course, to make things worse, waterproof sheets, and one or two flicker• it was quite dark when it all happened. I ing candles." He is a bombing officer. am quite certain that if I had had my L. A. Cumin has left the wood " where revolver with me I would have shot some we lived for several months without see• of the crew. They managed to get the ing houses, horses, women, children, or boat back into port, and tied it up to a animals." He adds : " C'est avec plaisir steam trawler on each side, and we re• que je vois qu'il va grossir le nombre de la mained on board all night, and the next ' meprisable petite armee anglaise.' " day we got on another boat. I lost three With regard to the Zeppelin attacks on 12 THE DENSTONIAN.

London and Paris, he regrets the IOES of I was relieved from the trenches last night innocent lives caused by a war against for forty-eight hours. The strain is great " un peuple d'assassins." in this line. There are only fifteen yards H. Jacks was on duty at Northern Com• in one place between us, but in others it mand Headquarters during the Zeppelin varies from 50 to 100 yards." raid early in February. B. Girling had a long talk about Den• G. D. Gurnhill, who is in the British stone with H. J. Amps at St. Vincent, on Red Cross Mission to Italy, writes from his way home to enlist. He is now in the San Giovanni di Manzano, Italy:—"Here R.H.A. I have been a week. I am at present a B. Webb is a machine gun officer, but kind of assistant at the garage, but I hope has lately been unwell and in hospital. to be promoted to driving. Payton is a F. G. Dobson is a Major in the hospital orderly here, and we often talk of R.A.M.C. Denstone." Lieut.-Colonel C. Averill is at home on J. B. Hardinge is in the British Mediter• sick leave; also E. S. Rerrie. ranean Force. In describing an expedition J. C. Parker has been invalided out of on New Year's Day, he writes:—" The the Navy. He says that his vessel before distance from camp is five miles. I hired he left her had steamed 85,000 miles, and a pony, and it took me two hours to get burned 49,000 tons of coal, in two years. th ere. I had a Greek driver with a huge The Monmouth had only taken the Ber• stick behind urging the brute on. We went wick's place off the Amazon two months along tortuous mountain paths, through before the Coronel battle; and a year after the most rocky, desolate, forsaken-looking the action a special service of thanksgiv• country I have ever seen—a place fit only ing was held at Portsmouth by the sur• for brigands, or the Kaiser. The only road vivors of Admiral Cradock's original West is a mule-track along the side of steep Indies Squadron. cliffs and bottomless abysses. My heart L. Eardley-Wilmot, who is Adjutant of was in my mouth the greater part of the his Squadron, was attacked from behind at time. Finally I arrived. The place a height of 9,000 feet by a Fokker mono- turned out to be only a dirty hole, in• plan'-. " We were quite alone, and waiting habited by dirtier Greeks I was charged for a couple of bombing machines. We 8s. 4d. for dinner, consisting of a leg of were only thirty yards away, and he circled chicken—mostly leg—one omelette, and a round, but 1 got about fifty to sixty shots little so called wine; it tasted more like at him, and got him. He nose-dived about vinegar. After returning in a pouring rain 3,000 feet, when 1 lost sight of him, as over the same country at the same pace, Archies got much too numerous and close." I finally reached camp in the sweetest of D. E. Smallwood and R. E. Kimbell tempers." have passed into Sandhurst. G. C. W. Westbrooke writes from G. D. M. Abbotts has been wounded in Flanders :—" We have a rotten piece of the hand in Flanders. line here, but we are just beginning to C. W. Townsend writes from Egypt:— make it possible. I am writing in a cellar, " Ancient Greek has been a great help in about a thousand yards behind the firing the Greek islands. Lemnos was exception• line. It is quite comfy, as things go here. ally interesting." 13

F M. C. Houghton writes of an alarm, the Hun wire, as we lost count of some n Somewhere in the distance was a voice willows we were going along. They saw vellin", ' Stand to ! Stand to ! Stand to!' us, and we lay flat in the mud for three or coming nearer and nearer. And machine- four minutes while they gave us rapid fire—

conditions, although good passing was 1881 and 1882, and he was a prefect. T0 almost impossible. The North Staffs July 1882, he left for Yorkshire College scored by a long dribble, followed almost Leeds, and has been in business in his immediately afterwards by a score by our• native town of Leek since then. He used selves, through a good run by Tobias. to play cricket for Staffordshire.—R.I.P. In the second half the play was mostly J. L. Hardy (1913) is engineer student in mid-field, although on two or three with Messrs. Darracq & Co., Ltd., auto• occasions our three-quarters got going. As mobile manufacturers, Surenes, Seine a result of one of these, Wilson scored far France. ' out, and Lutter had hard luck in a fine kick T. H. Briggs was invalided out of the at goal, which just missed. The whistle Army after the South African War, and is went with no more additions to the score. now at Edmonton, Canada, in business. The team was :—Back, Weigall; three- 1'. Girard de Menon is a chemical manu• quarters, Wilson, Glaisby, Barnes,Winkler; facturer at Lyons. halves, Tobias, Auton ; forwards, Baness, E. A. Oldham was in the Amalgamated Beith, Williams, Collis, Lutter, Austin, Rhodesian Mines until war broke out. Fergusson, Macdonald i. R. F. Power was Second Officer in the In the Big Side Dormitory Matches the Royal Mail S.P. Co. before the war. results were as follows :— E. K. Middleton has been engaged for First Round: — Shrewsbury beat the last twelve months in the construction H.M.H. iii. ; Meynell beat H.M.H. i.; of high-explosive factories. Lowe beat Woodard; H.M.H. ii. beat J. B. Gurnhill before the war was in the Selwyn. drawing offices of Messrs. Newell & Co., Semi-Finals :—Shrewsbury beat Lowe, Misterton, Gainsborough. and Meynell beat H.M.H. ii. F. W. M. Dain is an architect and sur• Final:—Meynell beat Shrewsbury. veyor at Burslem. The Middle Side Matches resulted in the J.W. Knight, after spending from March victory of Shrewsbury, who met H.M.H. ii. to September in Shorncliffe Military Hos• in the Final, after having previously beaten pital, has been invalided out of the service. Meynell and H.M.H. iii. E. E. Tipper is an assistant to the Chief The following colours were awarded last Technical Officer in the Telegraph Depart• term: — ist XV. : W. G. Schofield, W. ment of the Midland Railway at Derby. Ewen, J. Barnes, A.Beith, R. M.Williams, H. M. Milward was " Mentioned in A. G. Tobias, J. H. Auton, H. C. Collis, Dispatches" during the South African 2nd XI.: C. A. Wilson. War for bravery and good example in sav• ing the guns at Vlakfontein in 1901. He has been orderly officer to General Goringe, U.D. NEWS. and latterly Adjutant to Volunteers at Bangalore (India). He is now serving We regret to note the death, on with the First Batt. Sherwood Foresters. February 19th, of Arthur Henry Wardle J. B. Storer has lately composed a new in his 53rd year. He came in September, song in aid of Red Cross Funds, called 1875, and was in H.M.H. He left a name " Who'll Follow ? " Lie has been organist as a cricketer and was in the XI. in 1880, at Watlington Parish Church since 1902. MARCH, 1916.

K. B. Allan is Acting District Commis• members of the staff wear brassards and sioner at Gambago, via Coomassie, Gold are considered to be employed on Govern• Coast, West Africa. ment work. He writes a long letter describing his B. Holloway played the Duke of Guise duties, which seem as numerous as those in Mr. Fred Terry's production of Henry of Pooh Bah. " As a medical officer one of Navarre, and was the Bassanio in the does not meet with a great deal of medical recent production of The Merchant of work, as the natives still trust more to Venice at S. James's Theatre. their fetishes than to European medical H. R. Hignett played S. George in skill. At the Ramadan last August, at a Where the Rainboio Ends. Moslem service, prayers were offered up for the success of the British Nation, and also, I was informed, for myself." The NOTES. natives, though unwilling to enlist, sub• scribed £bo to the Imperial War Fund. At the end of last Term a Patriotic " The natives here loathe the Germans," Entertainment was given, consisting of a he adds, with regard to the neighbouring capital little play called Brothers in Arms, Togoland, "and they do not regard them as This is excellently written, and it conveys white men. ' Kultur' was enforced in the an admirable lesson. It was very well German colonies." presented by Mrs. Hibbert and Messrs. W. H. Johnson has returned to England Whitmore, Butler and Huskinson. Pre• after over six years in Algoma. He is now ceding it, Miss Lloyd Williams and a curate at Saltburn. Messrs.Whitmore, Butler and Lawton gave P. J. K. Law is rector of Huntville, an amusing farce called A First Experi• Canada. ment, and Mr. Wood played a selection of A.W.Stablefortb is farming in America. patriotic songs, in which everybody joined He was lately married. with considerable gusto. Next evening the R. G. Webb is at the Church of the programme was repeated for the enjoyment Ascension, Lavender Hill, not at Primrose of the local Volunteer Corps from Denstone, Hill, as was stated in the November issue. Rocester, Uttoxeter, Norbury, etc. S. P. B. Mais had an article in the The following obtained Commercial January Nineteenth Century on the atti• Certificates at the end of last term :—Fifty tude towards their profession of public words-a-minute Pitman's Shorthand Speed school masters who have served in the war. Certificate, C. D. L. Turner; Association T. A. Sparks, 130, East 67th Street, of Book-keeping Teachers' Elementary New York, is Chairman of the Patriotic Certificate, P. J. Newbery; Gregg Short• League of Britons Overseas, New York hand Complete Theory Certificate, R. Branch. Hilton. A recent number of Punch contained We returned this Term to find the "The Golden Valley," by P, Haselden necessities of the war had deprived us of Evans, Mr. F. A. Woods, Mr. F. Ogle, and Mr. L. V. Marsh is in the Eastern Telegraph Crompton, but we trust our loss is only a Company at Marseilles, and as Conscrip• temporary one. Meanwhile we have wel• tion is of course the rule in force, all the come substitutes in Mr. H. R. Simpson, THE DENSTONIAN.

B.A., of Sidney Sussex College, Cam• master showed some slides also dealing bridge, the Rev. W. Smith, M.A., of with the War. They included twenty S. Edmund Hall, Oxford, and Mr. C. made from films showing aeroplanes and Averill, B.A., of S. John's College, Cam• various effects of shell fire, and several bridge. Mr. Averill "is an O.D., and Mr. gave excellent views of trenches. Simpson taught in the Preparatory School Last year's volume of the Denstonian for a time a few Terms ago. (1915) will be of permanent interest as a Continued increase in numbers has record of the part Deustonians played in caused a further increase in the staff, and the war. A complete set of the six num• we welcome Miss M. Fyldes. Certainly bers, with title-page and index, may be had the truth of the proverb about the ''ill for 5s., post free. wind " has been proved. Miss Fyldes was By the death of Colonel Bill, Denstone at the University of Geneva when war loses one of its oldest, as well as one of its broke out, and then was at S. Mary's Col• most practical friends. From the begin• lege, Paddington. She holds the Cambridge ning of the movement which resulted in the Teachers' Diploma, and if anything were building of the School, down to the very needed to commend her to us, she is sister last months of his life, he was always to Captain G. B. Fyldes, O.D., whom ready to give practical proof of his interest many who are still here will well remember. in us. He was one of the original Building When the Zeppelins showed that their Committee. In the early days of struggle range was longer than had been anticipated, he often provided our Cricket professional. it behoved us to set an example to our He gave us the handsome Challenge Cup neighbours in the way of darkening our which is the " Blue Ribbon " on Sports lights, and that was done at once, thus Day, and very few Sports Days were with• anticipating the somewhat belated " light• out his presence. ing order " of the Government by a week. The following Prefects have been made By the very simple plan of putting the this Term:—J. B. P. Winkler, A. G. clock forward we solved all difficulties. Tobias, C.J. N. McCracken, A. Beith. The new arrangements cause no difficulty, The new School Officers are : M. Y. and we hardly even notice that it is strange Townsend. Prefect of Hall, and R. Bassett, to be going to bed at 7 o'clock! Prefect of Chapel. At a meeting of the Staffordshire Field H. E. Baness is Company-Sergeant- Club in January, the Headmaster read a Major. paper on Ronton Priory. In spite of the bad weather, we have On February 13th Mr. Pollard gave a been able this Term to experience some of most interesting lecture on " Ancient the delights of trench digging, an operation Legends in the Light of Modern Dis• which seems—though not by design—to coveries," dealing especially with recent involve the drainage of the Tuckshop pond. excavations in Crete and Asia Minor. On Many, too, have exchanged impolite', mes• February 17th the Rev. G. Preston Tonge sages across the quadrangle by means of came to tell us about the work of the a " buzzer." Missions to Seamen, and his lecture and The following Prefects left last Term : slides threw many interesting sidelights on W. G. Schofield (Meynell), ist XV. Col. the War. On February 20th the Head• 1915; Company-Sergeant-Major/1915. 19

C. Girling (H.M.H. i.), VIII. Bisley, them in the Chapel of the Holy Family. As it was felt that no work but the very '9W.4G. Ewen (H.M.H. i.), L.-Corp best could suffice under the circumstances, O.T.C., ist XV. Col. 1915. the scheme has been submitted to the well- known artist, Mr. Christopher Whall, who The following is the list of new boys :— is enthusiastic about what he calls this Barker, John Jervis Yeoman Prep. "noble work." We hope to print later full Bickley, Norman Cyril H.M.H. iii. particulars of the design of the Mothers' Boden, Edward H.M.H. ii. Window—a window which is intended to Corbishley, John Selwyn express the anguish of all suffering mother• Cutter, Harry Gordon Selwyn hood in the person of Our Lady. At Elliot, Gerald Augustus Meynell present, although many have already most Fletcher, Francis Leonard H.M.H. iii. generously subscribed, we appeal for any Graham, Edwin Chris• further offering which others may care topher Carr Meynell to make. Such subscriptions should be Green, Geoffrey Lindop Woodard addressed to Mrs. Hibbert, whose interest Griffiths, Vincent Llewellyn Lowe was largely responsible for the inaugura• Harrison, Sydney Brewster H.M.H. i. tion of the scheme. Hibbert, Francis Dennis (day boy). Mr.Bernard Johnson,Mus.Bac.,F.R.C.O., Hobday, Millward Guy was kind enough to come to act as judge Chevallier Selwyn in the first round of the Dormitory Musical Johnstone, William Rodger Woodard Competition. Kay, Richard Prep. Llewellin, George Cecil Our thanks are due to Mrs. Salmon for Protheroe H.M.H. lii. so kindly arranging for our refreshment Matthews, David Keneth on S. Chad's Day. Fingland Meynell Morgan, Robert Arthur Selwyn Everyone seems to be very much inte• Penney, Guy Evelyn rested in our new lighting arrangements. Roulstone Prep. Scottish evening papers and sedate London Price, Edwin Plenry Meynell journals both write with enthusiasm of our Scampton, Raymond Taylor Shrewsbury scheme of outwitting the Zeppelins. We Smartt, Brian Charles quote the following from the Guardian :— Urquhart Percy Selwyn " The Pall Mall Gazette had an enter• Whitehead, Norman Pride H.M.H. ii. taining little account of the way in which Wildsmith, George Hector H.M.H. i. Denstone College has sheltered itself from Wood, David Francis Lowe Zeppelin attacks. From being a promi• Wood, Keneth Campbell Woodard nent landmark at night it has now appa• rently ceased to exist after dark. This In response to the request of many remarkable result has been achieved by mothers and friends of those Denstonians beginning and ending the day nearly two who have fallen in the war, it has been hours earlier. So far from the boys resent• decided to place a memorial window to ing the change, they seem to enjoy it. 20 THE DENS TON I A N.

' Jones minor rises at 5.30, just as if he practically surrounded by glass, the small were at Tidworth or Aldershot in those amount of damage done is really very re• happy summers before the war; he break• markable—boys being, moreover, very good fasts at 6.30, after chapel; with shining in reporting it at once when it does occur morning face he tackles Thucydides at 7.30, and his dinner at half-past eleven. The preacher on S. Chad's Day was Rev. And so the day wears on, past games or J. H. Hamilton, of S. George's, Wolver• parade at 12.30, and meals at three and hampton. We hope later to have with us six, till 7.15 sees our hero in bed, with the Fr. Murray from Longton, as well as last dormitory light turned off. It is true Fr. Lancaster. that for some the day is not yet ended. Even the young prefects of 1916 may sit It was very nice of Mr. and Mrs. Hus- up till nearly eight in darkened studies, kinson to desire that their baby should be and Masters, feeling secretly a little dissi• christened in our Chapel. The Service pated, sometimes burn the midnight oil of was beautiful, and we wish Enid Felicity ten o'clock, correcting the crimes of the Orme Huskinson a happy life. Modern IV., perpetrated long ago in the pearly light of dawn.' " The Editor desires to acknowledge the receipt of the following :— Blue, Marlburian, Reptonian,Elstonian, The School Fire Brigade has been re• Cadet, Lancing College Magazine, Berk- organized by the Rev. W. B. Smith, and hamstedian, King Edward's School displays great vigour. Unexpected faces Chronicle, Cuthbertian, Felstedian, East- constantly peer through ladder-rungs into bourniau, Framlinghaniian, Olavian. Cot- rooms on upper floors. tonian, Corian, Liverpool College Maga• zine, Bloxhamist, Armidalian, Ardingly Boys' Library.—The Librarian acknow• Annals, Hurst Johnian, Merchistonian, ledges with thanks the receipt of the Stouyhurst Magazine. following:—F. A. Woods, Esq., Burning of Rome (Church), and Illustrated London All MS. intended for insertion must be News, 3 vols.; A. W. Shelton, Esq., Wis- written on one side of the paper only, and den's Almanac, 1916. forwarded to the Editor, H. D'A. Champ- During 1915 some 70 volumes have been ney, or to the Censor, Mr. H. M. Butler, added to the library including Baring- Denstone College, Staffordshire. Gould's Lives of the Saints in 16 volumes. There is now practically no room for any The yearly subscription of 4s. 6d. (or fresh accessions ; indeed on some shelves ios.6d. for three years), post-free, should be the books are standing two deep already— sent to the Rev. F. A. Hibbert, Denstone a most unsatisfactory arrangement. College, Staffordshire. The Librarian appeals to all who use the room to assist him in keeping it as tidy as possible. Considering that the room is Cull & Son, Houghton St., Strand ; and at Chiswick.