H o v e

a n d t h e Gre a t Wa r

A RECORD AND A R E VIE W together with the

R oll o f Ho n o u r and

Li st o f D i sti n c tio n s

By

H . M . WALBROOK

’ Im ied una er toe a u fbority cftfie Hov e Wa r Memorial Com m ittee

Hove Sussex Th e Cliftonville Press 1 9 2 0

H o v e

a n d t h e Gre a t Wa r

A RECORD AND A REVIEW together with the

R o ll o f Ho n o u r and

Li st o f D i sti n c tio n s

BY

H . M . WALBROOK

’ In ned u nner toe a u tbority oftbe Have Wa r Memoria l Comm ittee

Hove Sussex The Cliftonville Press 1 9 2 0 the Powers militant

That stood for Heaven , in mighty quadrate joined

Of union irresistible , moved on

In silence their bright legions, to the sound

Of instrumental harmony, that breathed

Heroic ardour to adventurous deeds,

Under their godlike leaders, in the cause O f ” God and His Messiah .

J oan Milton. Fore word HAVE been asked to write a “ Foreword to this book ; personally I think the book

speaks for itself. Representations have been ’ made from time to time that a record o fHove s

share in the Great War should be published, and the idea having been put before the public meeting of the inhabitants called in April last to consider

the question of a War Memorial , the publication

became part, although a very minor part, of the

scheme . I should like to emphasize the fact that the ” Roll of Honour is its keynote . That Roll contains the names o fHove men and women who r gave their lives for the Empire , and whose memo y u m st never be allowed to fade . Without their sacrifi ce and the sacrifi ce of thousands upon

thousands of others , not made in vain , this book

would never have been written , for there would

have been no history worth recording .

o f The rest of the book , besides the List

Distinctions gained , contains an account of the town ’ s endeavour to do its share worthily in those dark and trying years . I have read through its pages and can testify to the care and trouble fi l Mr . Walbrook has taken to t y enumerate th e vi FOREWORD various phases of war work carried o u t by the s o citizens at home, faithfully and under the inspiration o f the highest ideals o f civic and

national patriotism .

o f s e t Several names individuals are down , but many more are omitted it may tr u thfully be said that probably some of the most self—sa crifi c ing work was done by men and women u nknown to their fellows , and away from the public eye .

All that need be added is j ust this , that no call was made to the people o f Hove during those n o t to years that was cheerfully responded , and the town can hand on this history to the j udgment its of its citizens who shall come after, feeling that record in the Great War is one o fwhich it need n o t be ashamed .

R N T . G A . R SA EA ,

’ - 1 1 1 1 . Mayor s Parlour, Mayor 9 4 9 9

T . own Hall , Hove

1 1 I . November st , 9 9 From Pe ac e to Wa r

o f 1 1 N the opening days July, 9 4 , a great o ff Iflotilla lay Hove, the First Battle Squadron o f the British Fleet, stretching in two maj estic lines from a point opposite The Drive to o n e o f opposite the coastguard station . At the head it were such formidable battleships as M a rlborough Ne t ne St Vincent er Colossus Hercules u . Su b , , p , , p , ’ Va n ua rd Collin wo oa g and g , each name an epitome o f power ; and thousands o f the residents and visitors ga thered along the Front to admire them as they lay at rest in the sunshine, and , after dark , to watch their searchlights flinging their beams in o f all directions , or to behold the magical spectacle o f their illumination by myriads electric lights .

England and the world were at peace, but pride in the Navy, and the sense of its protecting power, are inborn feelings of o u r race and when considerably over a thousand bluejackets were entertained to dinner in the Town Hall the streets through which the men marched were gay with flags and lined with h In c eering crowds . conversation with the Mayor

. . L e e n e (then Alderman E H y) , the Admiral , n fi Sir Lewis Bayly, expressed not o ly his grati cation at the welcome extended to his o flic e rs and men but also his fairly con fident hope o fpaying another o f such visit to the town in a couple years . At o f last, after three days balls and dinners ashore and afloat , the great squadron departed as silently and maj estically as it had arrived . I n little more FROM PEACE TO WAR than a month it had taken up its station in the misty region o f Scapa Flow ; the Great War

had burst upon the world , and the British Fleet had settled down to the sternest and most triumphantly performed task in all its long and r glo ious history . Within a week of the declaration o fwar the town had begun to organise itself to make the fullest possible contribution to the national strength . The fi rst steps were taken during the Mayoralty o f L e e n e 1 1 Alderman y , and when , in November, 9 4 ,

he was succeeded by Alderman A . R . Sargeant, the work increased as the crisis deepened . By the o f unanimous desire the Town Council , Alderman fi and Mrs . Sargeant lled the mayoral positions o f during the remaining four years the war, and presided over what became , year after year , a still more united and enthusiastic c 1v ic community . I n a very remarkable degree the Town Hall was the ’ o f flo r o f centre and heart the whole war c t the town . Hove had the honour o f making a worthy contribution o fits own sons to the fighting forces of the Empire . The lives of thousands more were saved by the work done fo r the wounded in the local military hospitals and by the War Hospital

Supply Depot and its allied organisations . A - o n great deal of munition making went , and every patriotic fund o f the time was handsomely supported . It was felt by all that, in such a cause and such a crisis , patriotism was not only a duty but a privilege , and rich and poor displayed an equal ff generosity . A thousand unessential di erences of party and class were obliterated , and in the solemn FROM PEACE TO WAR ix religious Observances held year after year in the H a ll o f Town , the Church England and the Nonconformist Churches participated in perfect o n e o f harmony . Alderman Sargeant said in his “ - o f war speeches , these years are a testing time ” democracy . The democracy of Hove proved good

metal . The best hearts are ever the bravest . o f o f That is as true civilians as soldiers . During o f o f those years trial the strong hearts Hove, as n of the ation , were in a splendid maj ority .

Side by side with all the war work, the ordinary life and admi n istration of the town went o n o f smoothly . The education the children , the o f care of the aged , the administration j ustice, the policing of the streets (a work in which the Speci a l Constables gave valuable assistance) and the other civic responsibilities o f ordinary times

were fully maintained , with the result that when , wa s at last, the long strain of the war ended the normal life o fthe town was found to have suffered

no irreparable dislocation . Thousands of Hove men and women of all classes who worked nobly during those years are not even mentioned by name in this book fo r the simple reason that there is not the space for even

s o . splendid a list But their service is known . o f Theirs , too , is the consciousness duty done

and done not in vain . Of them all the town is proud ; and it is to be hoped that their spirit will animate and inspire o u r civic life in the fut u re o u r as it animated national life in the past . Contents Foreword From Peace to War Roll o f Honour List of Distinctions xxxiii The Call to Arms Military Hospitals Munition Making The Depot The Prisoners ’ Comforts Fund The Red Cross Collections for War Funds The E m ergency Committee War Pensions War Finance The Belgian Refugees The Churches Food and Fuel Police Work Miscellaneous Activities ’ Soldiers Sunday a t- homes at the Town Hall— Church of England Soldiers and ’ Sailors Hostel— Women s War- time Club Billeting— Hospitality to soldiers— Drives for the wounded— National Service— Part ’ time work on the land— Women s Land Army — Women in uniform — War Distress — Committee National Baby week . The Armistice a n d Peace CONTENTS xi

Illustrations

’ Re a ding the King s Proclamation at the Town 1 1 1 Hall , Peace Day , July 9 , 9 9 T he Bandage Room , Hove War Hospital Supply Depot facing p .

Packing Room , Invalid Comforts Fund for Prisoners of War facing p .

Invasion Poster facing p .

“ T r The ank Hova arriving at Hove Pa k facing p . The Memorial Wreaths

Peace Day Celebrations— Procession of ex- service

Men passing Town Hall facing p . Peace Celebrations Children ’ s Day at the

Recreation Ground facing p .

R oll o fHono u r

Ci iz s w h o a d th e G a t S a ifi e Na a l M il ta t en m e re cr c on v , i ry , or Air S ervice Taeiz' na me 1a m for eo errnore — ECCLESIASTICUS

e . . . . ABBEY, Lt . No l Roland AUSTEN , Pte Hubert R Sussex

Grenadier Guards . Regt .

- . . . AC KLOM Lt . D . s. o . , . Col Spencer, AUSTIN , Pte Bertram R Sussex

. AND BAR , M . C . Highland Lt . Regt

In f . . . AUSTIN , Pte Harry Manchester

ADAMS , Pte . William Thomas . Regt .

M G . . . i n aller O Corps Av s, Sig George . xford

AD m sO N . . In f. , Pte William Percy and Bucks Lt .

. N Middlesex Regt i . . R . . . Av s , Sto Harry Reserve - ” . ALDOUS , Ldg Signalman Ernest Hope .

...... George R N H M S s - Willia m Aw L l. C . . “ , . p R Sussex Invincible . Regt . - L. ALEXANDER, Cpl . Frederick BACK, Pte . Albert John . Richard . R . Sussex Regt . . . ' R Sussex Regt fle r s . e . ALLEN , Pte J y Somerset B AC K HAUSE R , Sapper Douglas Cambridgeshire Regt . R E Charles . . . D WS, . i . AN RE Lt Er c Bernard - Lt . BAINES, Sec . Frederick R . A . F . l . R Athe stan Fanshawe AND EWS, Pte . George John

Williams . R . Sussex Regt . , . i l . P e Willi m F e d i BAKER Pte Arch ba d John t . a r er c k ANDREWS , R . Sussex Regt . R . Sussex Regt . BA R , te . Ernest Edward . . . KE P ANSELL , Pte David Irvin ff E . urrey egt . Su olk Regt . S R BA R, unner rancis Edgar . ANSELL, Trooper John William KE G F

A. R . G . 1 1 th . David . Hussars - . Lt. . , i l ANSELL, GunnerWilliam Henry BAKER Sec Freder ck Gera d E . . R . . A. W Yorkshire Regt

- ARMSTRONG DASH , Lt . Arthur . BAKER, Pte . Frederick John . u siliers Lancashire Fusiliers . Northumberland F . xiv ROLL OF HONOUR

B ALC HIN . . . , Driver Herbert James BECK, Pte George John Percival R . Sussex Regt .

. . BANFIELD , Cpl . Marcus E . BELL , Pte Percy Mackenzie

. . R . Sussex Regt . R Sussex Regt NF R D Se c -Lt a rle s Ge o r e B E O . . C h R ifle m a n , g BANKS , Albert James .

. . London Regt . R Sussex Regt

B HAM , aj . Charles Henry, . EN M BANKS , Pte . Joseph R . Sussex T M . D . ( . ) Regt . R ifle m a n BENNETT, Douglas BANKS, Pte . Reginald . f Brad ord . London Regt . BA S , te . obert rank . Sm n . NK P R F O . BENTON , rd Sydney . R . Sussex Regt . R . N.

BARB R , te . lbert Henry . R R - R G u n n e r E P A E 1NGTO N STO NE M . B , R . Sussex Regt . Hugh B . Canad . M . G .

BARBER, Pte . Edward Frederick . Corps .

. . usse egt . . R S x R BICKFORD , Maj Arthur Louis

BARBER, Pte . Edward John . C . I . E . Khyber Rifles .

. . E . R Sussex Regt B ABER , Pte . Bernard John

Bdr R E . . . A BARKER , . William . . . R Sussex Regt

th . . . . BLACKMAN , 4 cl Eng Rm Art BARNATO , Capt . Jack Henry R . N. . . f George Henry . H M S . Wool . R . A . F . “ i e n Q e Mary . BARNETT, Pte . FrederickWilliam BLANCH , Gunner David Henry . James . London Regt . R O A . . .

BARNETT, Sgt . George Bernard . f B A , te . l red ercy . m l L NN P A P I . Aust . p Force . R . Sussex Regt . - L t . BATCHELOR , Sec . Edward . BLOCK , Maj . Frederick James . R . London egt W 1 k sh ir a rw c e . R . Regt BATEY, Pte . Jasper Matthews . BOAST, Cpl . Leonard Horace . Army Cyclist Corps . R . F A . .

A E NSB Y L - B TT , . . Cpl Harry ohn B o NAs . . J , Pte George Frederick

. . . Chase R Sussex Regt R . Sussex Regt .

. . . BAXTER, Pte H E Surrey BOND , Pte . Henry Albert . Regt .

- Lt . BEARN , Driver Harry Herbert . BONE , Sec . Harry Whitten ’

Sta fl rdsh ire . . o bury . S Regt ROLL OF HONOUR XV

- R E L ...... BOOKER, Cpl Henry BROOK , Pte James William .

Griflith R . Sussex Regt . BOONE , Maj . Henry ,

E A , . . D s o R ...... BROOKS Pte Arthur Neil R W . . Surrey Regt . BOSTOCK , Pte . Thomas Smith . BROOKS, Pte . George . Rifle Brigade . R . Fusiliers . - L . . BOTTING, Cpl Frederick BROOMFIELD , Driver Gordon . Charles . R . Sussex Regt . R . F . A. L - B OXALL . . . , pl R F A C ohn . . . . J . BROWN , Sgt Albert . usse egt . R S x R L - BROWN , . Cpl . Ernest . f B C , te . l red eorge . OY E P A G Middlesex Regt . R . Sussex Regt . BROWN , Sgt . Frank Bernard .

. BRADEN , Sapper John William R . A . F . R E . . BRUNTON , Pte . Robert . R . Sussex

BRANDON , Wireless Teleg . Regt . f . Charles Henry l red . . A BURCHELL , Pte George

R . Sussex Regt . Remarko . BURCHELL, Pte . William Ernest .

. BREACH , Pte . Charles Frederick Canad . R . Highlanders .

. f London Regt BURDEN , Pte . Al red William

. . . BREACH , Pte . Ernest . London Percy R Sussex Regt

Regt . BURDEN , Pte . George Percy .

. . BREACH , Pte . Harold . Grenadier R Sussex Regt

Guards . BURGESS, Pte . William John .

Ve n o u r . usse egt . . . R S x R BREWER, Pte Guy W . R . Fusiliers . BURR , Driver alter George R F A . . . BRIDGER, Pte . Percy William , w s - B U R R o . Lt , . M . M . R . Sussex Regt . Sec Leonard R i h to n g . Northumberland B R ID C E R Su m . , l Ab e Thomas i Fus liers . R . N. Edward . . Division BUTCHER , Gunner Edward John . S B R IC C , . Boy Mech Robert R . F . A.

William . R . A . F . 1 st . BUTLAND , cl Torpedoman - . Lt . . R N BRIGHT, Sec John Leslie Albert Victor . . .

. . R Sussex Regt H . M . S . Princess Irene . - Lt f BRIGHT, Sec . . Kenneth BUTT, Lt . Francis Wil red .

Coldwell . R . Sussex Regt . R . A . F . xvi ROLL OF HONOUR

- Lt. I st . . BUTTERWORTH , cl Engineer CATON , Sec Frederic E f R N R . John Wil red . . William . . “ . . . . H M S Vanguard CAWOOD , Capt . William

R E . A . . . dr . i B . Benjam n Crane CADDY, Hubert Mallett

R F A . . . . CHADWELL, Cpl Frederick E R . . - Henry . Lt . CAIN , Sec . . Alan Victor , Hampshire Regt . CHADWELL Signaller Herbert Frederick . R . N V . R . CALLOW, Pte . Albert Edward . “ H . M . S . Vivid . R . Sussex Regt . CHAMBERLAIN , Sec . Lt . Eric CA W, te . illiam Cheslyn . B A LLO P W . . . Dunstan , Loyal N . usiliers . R F Lancashire Regt .

-Lt - . . Lt . CAMERON , Sec Hector CHAMBERLAIN , Sec . Rupert

. William Lovett Cameron Maurice . Scots Guards . Highlanders . CHAPMAN , Flight Lt . Charles - l r H a m i to n M u ra . L. . CAMPBELL, Cpl James y

l . . . L - oug as usse egt . D R S x R . . CHAPMAN , Cpl Gordon ff CAPELIN , Pte . Albert Edward . Su olk Regt . In . f. Canad CHAPMAN , Lt . Stephen James .

Sm n . CARD , Able . Joseph “ R N D ivisIO n . CHAT PIELD . . Nelson , Driver Reuben . R F A Batt . . . .

. CARDEN , Pte . William Richard . CHEESMAN , Lt George Leonard , M . A . Hampshire Regt .

T , . . . C AR te Henrie Nugent . L E P CARN , Pte homas Richard Middlesex Regt .

CLARKE , Pte . Reginald . London CARR, Lt . Dudley Reed . Regt . Norfolk Regt . - , l . i -Lt CLEEVE Brevet Co Freder ck CARSON , Sec . . Richard R . F A ohn tewart . . . e n die r u a rds J S Gr a G . Hartley . C LEVELAND Pte Th o m a s . , . George L - CARTER, . Cpl . Joseph . W R . Fusiliers . R . . . Surrey Regt - Lt CLIFFORD , Sub . . Ernest

, . . CARTER Capt William Thomas Alfred .

f . Sea orth Highlanders Howe Batt .

CA R VIC K . Co AT E s . . , Lt James Bruce North , , Pte Walter R . Sussex Im l M . C . , Aust . p . Force . Regt . xviii ROLL OF HONOUR

R ifle m a n . DENYER, Nathan ECCLES, Lt Arthur John

T lc h e r . f o . Thomas Al red . , M C R E

- DEWAR BROWN , Pte . Ian Gracie . EDWARDS , Pte . Charles Edwin , l Im . . Seaforth Highlanders . M . M . Aust . p Force

DEXTER , Pte . Charles . EDWARDS , Pte . Walter Thomas .

Middlesex Regt . Cheshire Regt .

. . Bdr . DICKINSON , Lt John Malcolm ELLIOTT, . Harry Alderton

R . . . A. R Sussex egt R F .

- L . f D IP LO C K . . . , Sgt Horace Reginald , ELLIOTT , Cpl Wil red

M . M . R . Sussex Regt .

E LM s . i . Doo , Pte . Reginald Herbert . , Pte Gordon W lliam

. . R . Sussex Regt . R Sussex Regt

E . E . . DOR , Trooper Frederick EM LEN , Pte Albert

th . . 9 Lancers . R Sussex Regt

DOSSETT, Cpl . Halbert Edwin , ETHERINGTON , Pte . Frederick . M 1v1 . . . . ff . R Fusiliers N . Sta ordshire Regt

, . . DOYLE Pte Alexander William EVANS , Sgt . Arthur James , M . M .

. . R Sussex Regt R . Sussex Regt .

, . . DOYLE Pte Herbert James . EVANS , Bomber Cecil Johnson

. . R Sussex Regt R . Sussex Regt .

. . . , E W 1 NGS . . DRURY Pte Fred R Sussex , Gunner William G H

. R F A Regt . . .

D UM B R L e W E L Pt . illia m . , FAR Lo w . . George , Sgt Charles Ewen . . A R Sussex Regt R . G . .

- . Lt . . DUNCAN , Sec Kenneth FAULKNER, Pte . John Edward .

. Devonshire Regt R . Sussex Regt .

. . - . Lt . . DUNFORD , Sgt Horace R J FIELD , Col Kenneth

6 th . R A. D . s. o . . (Inniskilling) Dragoons Douglas,

. . i t h h r s o o r . . C DUNK , Pte Albert Alma FIFIELD , Pte Harry p

O f In f. . . x ord and Bucks Lt R . Sussex Regt .

DUNK, Pte . Arthur Edward . FISH , Pte . George William .

R . Sussex Regt . R . Sussex Regt .

DYER, Trooper Charles Robert . FITCH , Pte . Frederick William .

Sussex Yeomanry . R . Sussex Regt . ROLL OF HONOUR xix

- Sm n . . FLAVIN , Ldg . Thomas GANDER , Sapper John Henry E R . Hubert . . M c Na u h to n g . GARDNER, Pte Harry Victor,

R ifle m a n . . . FLEET, Thomas Francis M M Welsh Regt

. FI e de ric k GAT FS Sm n . London Regt , Able — R N. . . . Lt . B . A . . . FLOWERS , Sec . Herbert, John H M S

W . R . . Kent Regt . Good Hope

- Lt . . . . FLOWERS, Sec . John Arthur GEORGE, Pte Arthur James

R . Sussex Regt . R . Sussex Regt .

s FOOT, Pte . Samuel . Middle ex GEORGE , Pte . Gordon Stanley .

Regt .

i . . FORD , Pte . Albe t William . GEORGE, Cpl Percy William

R . Sussex Regt . R . Sussex Regt .

f . . Pt e . . FORD , John Henry GIBBS, Cpl Al red l o th R . Sussex Regt . Hussars . L - . . . . , p . BBS C l Leslie eorge FOREMAN , Pte George Henry GI G

. . R . Sussex Regt . R Fusiliers

GLAD MAN . . - , Cpl ames arwick L . . . J W FOSTER, Cpl Leonard Arthur Gloucestershire Regt .

R ifle m a n DW , l Il GLA ELL Doug as . CeC FRANKLAND , Capt Robert ff Alexander . Rifle Brigade . Colville . S . Sta ordshire f R GLF DHILL . . N. Regt . , Lt . Al red

- . i . . Reserve Submar ne E FRANKLAND , Brig Maj Thomas

. GOAC HE R Hugh Colville R . Dublin , Pte . William Edward .

Fusiliers .

- - L. . L FRAPE, Cpl Reginald David . GOAD , . Cpl . Claude Louis .

. . S A n I f. R Sussex Regt . . (Scottish)

2 n d . . FRASER, Mate Jack Stewart . GOATCHER , Pte Michael

Mercantile Marine . “ ” H . M . . Patani GODDARD , Pte . Victor James . ’ f In f o . . FREEMAN , Pte . Frederick D . Cornwall s Lt i . GO DLONTON O rd - Sm lliam Charles . n W , William R W . . . H M R N. Surrey Regt Charles . . . . ’ Bdr FRENCH , . Edward John . Minesweeper Erin s Isle . R F A . . . - Lt GOLDIE , Sec . . Barré Herbert .

FROST, Pte . Alec . H . A . C . xx ROLL O F HONOUR

GOLDS , Pte . Harold Arthur . GROUT, Pte . Walter . R . Sussex R W . . Surrey Regt . Regt .

- . R Lt . GOLDSMITH , Pte . Harold A G UBB , Sec . Lawrence

R . Fusiliers . Ernest Pelham .

dt R F A E ...... GOODERHAM , A GUBBINS , Pte . Stanley Edgar

. Go o Dw 1N Coldstream Guards , Sapper George

R E . . Russell . . HAINES, Gunner Alfred Ernest R F A . . . GOODWIN , Pte . Thomas Edwin . R W . . . . R . Sussex Regt . HALL, Pte Arthur Kent Regt . GOODWIN , Pte . William Francis . HALL, Pte . Ernest . Middlesex

Regt . GORTON , Pte . John Henry . - L. . Middlesex Regt . HALLETT, Cpl Charles

- Arthur . Gordon Highlanders . Lt . GOULD , Sec . . Ernest William

. . S . Lancashire Regt . HAMBLY, Pte Thomas Sutton Loyal N . Lancashire Regt . Sm n . GOULDING , Able Albert .

S . R . E . A. M . . H HAMEL , Gunner Ernest

. O 1 st . P . Themistocles HAMMOND , cl . Harry .

R . . N GRAHAM , Pte . Edwin George

. R . . Mundell Sussex Regt HAMMOND , Pte . Wilfrid Albert . - Sm n Ch a ile s GRAVETT, Ord . .

. David HANDS , Pte . Robert Gilbert . “ . . . . H M S Hawke R . Sussex Regt .

Se - L . e t . GRAVETT, Pte . Edwin Thomas HANNAY, Herbert

R . Sussex Regt . Thomas . R . Fusiliers .

- L. . GRAY, Lt . Gordon Evelyn HANSFORD , Cpl Reginald

. . . R N. Eliott . . John R Sussex Regt “ . . . . HAR D 1 NG R ifle m a n H M S Good Hope , Edward

. . . ohn London egt GRAY, Trooper William Charles J R

r . Sussex Yeoman y HARE , Pte . Albert . R . Sussex

. . egt GREENHILL, Lt Benjamin R N V R HAR M E R P Willi R . . te a m . Pelham Knowle . . , . Frederick “ H . M . S . Hampshire . Notts . Derby . Regt .

- Lt. GRIFFITHS , Sec . Harry HARVEY, Gunner William

f. R F In . . A James . Somersetshire Lt . Samuel . . ROLL O F HONOUR

HAWKINGS, Lt . Claude Ernest HOLDEN , Gunner Frederick

R . G . A. R . N. . . . . Vincent . H M S John “ ” . HO LDS O C K O - Iris T . Sm n . , rd

Z . . Fre d l k HA ELDINE , Pte Robert e r c William Tubbs . “ ” . . O R . N . . . R Sussex Regt . H M S pal .

. . HEADLEY, Lt Alfred Norman HOLLAND , Pte . Archibald .

R . N. . Reserve R . Sussex Regt .

. . H OLLIN DA E - G L L. . HEATH , Pte James George , Cpl George

. . M . G . . R Sussex Regt Frederick . Corps

- L. . . , F . . HEATHER Cpl rank HOPKINS, Pte Arthur William

. Sussex Yeomanry H . A . C .

. HENLEY, Gunner Alfred John HOPKINS, Cpl . George Harry .

R . E . A. I s f t Li e Guards .

H RB RT, Lt . alcolm E E M Ho P K INs . . , Pte John James a va n a ri Glo u c es C g Norton . l u si iers. R . F e rsh ire t Regt . HOPKINS , Pte . Percy Albert . Se - t c . L . H , usten ILL A R . Sussex Regt .

n . Shelbour e London Regt . Stric kels HOPKINS , Pte . William . H , aj . Edwin rundel . ILL M A London Regt . R . Sussex Regt . R N How, Sto . Richard Harry . . .

1E . . “ H MA , Lt Leslie Howls H M S g L N . . . O een Mary . Rifle Brigade . HOWARD, Pte . James Frederick . HILLS , Pte . William . R W R . Berkshire Regt . . . Kent Regt .

- HOWICK, Gunner Lancelot Lt. HITCHINS, Col . Henry R . F . A. Percy . William Ernest . Manchester

Regt . HUGHES , Trimmer William

R . N. . T . . Henry eserve HOBDAY, rooper Archibald R

. . . . City of London Yeomanry . H M S Ganges

, . . . . HUMPHREY Pte George HOBDEN , Pte Edward Thomas

. Lincolnshire Regt . Manchester Regt - Se L . . e t. . , HOBDEN , Ernest HUMPHREY Pte William

. . R . A G . . R Fusiliers

H D K s - - N L . o G I L . . , . Cpl Percy HUMPHRY, Cpl Alfred B fl% E e n u K t . William . The ( . Walter Hampshire

Regt . ) Yeomanry . xxii ROLL OF HONOUR

W K E K E IC H . HUNT, Pte . Arthur Edwin . , Capt George . City

of London Yeomanry .

. . K E K EW ICH . HUNT, Cpl Cecil Alfred , Capt Hanbury

. Sussex Yeomanry Lewis . Sussex Yeomanry .

. HURST, Pte Harry Mortimer KERLY, Pte . Ernest Leonard .

. M . G . Middlesex Regt . Corps

- . Lt. INWOOD , Sec Charles KIDD , Capt . John Newman . M G . . . . Hawkins Corps 6 th Dragoon Guards .

. . . K 1NG . . . IRELAND , Pte Charles R Sussex , Cpl Cecil Charles, M M

. R E Regt . .

. . K 1NG . . JACKSON , Pte Frederick William , Pte Thomas R . Sussex Regt . Warwickshire Regt .

AR R OLD - Sm n J , Ord . . Frederick KINGSBOROUGH , Driver f Arthur . H . M . S . Wake ord .

Hawke . KIRK , Pte . Charles Edward .

AY . . J , Pte Ernest Alfred . R Scots

. . - L. . R Sussex Regt KNEE , Cpl George .

AY . . J , Pte . Herbert Charles . R Sussex Regt

. . P O I st . . . . R Sussex Regt KNEE , cl Harry “ H M S . N . . R . . . EST ICO . . J , Sgt Francis William Macedonia

. s . K NIGHT C a t. D . s. o . R Sus ex Regt , p John Peake,

EST ICO Sm n . . . J , Able . Herbert R H A

N . . R . . Henry Division KNIGHT, Cpl . Walter Wilson . “ . Howe Batt Tank Corps .

- - . Lt . K N1 GHT L . . . JOHNSON , Sec Derrick , Cpl Leonard Gann

ivewri h t . S . . . g R F C . R . Sussex Regt e JOLLIFFE , Pte . Augustine L . KNIGHT, Pte . Leslie Lempri re .

R . Sussex Regt .

- Lt . . JONES , Sec . . Arthur William . LAKE, Sapper Mark Canad

. H . A . C . Eng

U K E s . . J , Pte . Louis . R . Sussex LAKE , Pte Percy Albert

. . Regt . R Sussex Regt

- S t . JUPP , Pte . Herbert . R . Sussex LAKER, Co . g . Maj Albert

Regt . John . R . Sussex Regt . ROLL OF HONOUR xxiii

L - f . . . LANE, Capt . Al red Bloomfield LUSH , Cpl Charles William .

R . E Rifle Brigade . . f . o . LANE , Cpl . Frederic City MACE, Pte Robert Sidney .

o r . . L ndon Yeoman y R Sussex Regt .

- L. J . . LANGRISH , Gunner Charles MA OR, Cpl John Oliver K O M . . . . G . . William . Corps Scottish Bord

LANGTON , Pte . Patrick Francis . MANFIELD , Pte . William . Notts .

R . Sussex Regt . and Derby . Regt .

- LARMAN , Cpl . Shoeing Smith MARCHANT, Pte . Charles R F A John . . . . Frederick . Lancashire

AR R usiliers . L T E . . F , Pte Arthur Frederick

Welsh Regt . MARE , Pte . Cyril Ronald

a n d Cl l . . . Char es John R Sussex LASLETT, Steward Frank

.

. egt N. . . . Roland R . H M S R

Cressy . MARKS , Lt . Arthur Sampson .

. . LAWS, Pte . George Henry . R Sussex Regt

. . Sm n . R Sussex Regt MARLER , Able Albert

...... LE E . . l N , Wa ter R V R H M S Cpl Arthur Cyril Rifle “ . Brigade . Hawke

. f LEE . , , Sgt Thomas . Rifle MARTINEAU Maj Al red John ,

R . A . G . . Brigade . ED

LE LLI . f . OTT . , , Pte Ernest Stephen . MASLEN Pte George Al red

. . Middlesex Regt . R Sussex Regt

, . LINDEN , Cpl . Walter . R . Sussex MASLIN Pte George Henry

. . . Regt . John R Sussex Regt

LITTLEWOOD , Pte . Charles James . MASLIN , Sgt . Herbert John .

Liverpool Regt . Sussex Yeomanry .

LIVERMORE , Pte . Frederick MASON , Pte . Algernon Douglas . M W . G . . O . R wen . . Surrey Regt . Corps

. LOVE , Pte . Bertie Charles . MASON , Pte Walter John Dart . o f ’ f In . R . Sussex Regt . D . Cornwall s Lt .

LOXLEY, Capt . Charles Eric MATTHEWS , Pte . Clement Henry

. . Smart R Fusiliers . R . Sussex Regt .

- . Lt . LUCAS , Sec Perceval MATTHEWS , Gunner Harold

. A . R . O . . Drewett Border Regt Edward . xxiv ROLL O F HONOUR

- Lt . MAUGHAN , Sec . Alfred MORLEY, Sgt . William Leonard .

R A. William . . R . Sussex Regt . f MAx W E LL Bdr es . . , Al red Ern t MORTON , Pte . Herbert Charles . E R . . A. R . Sussex Regt .

MAY, Drummer John Edwin . R iflem a n MUNN , William R . Welsh Fusiliers . Harold . Rifle Brigade . T D , . i . MEA Pte Freder ck homas R D P e a m e O CH t . s MU , J Frederick . R . Sussex Regt . - M S t. f Q . . MEATON , Sta f g MURPHY, Pte . Richard George . Howard James . R . Sussex Regt . R , . il Pte MUR AY Sgt James Ham ton M ESSENGE R . . , Herbert Sydney D . S M Gordon , . . Divisional G . M . Corps . R N Engineers . . . Division . e MICHELL , Capt . No l Burgess, M UST CHIN , Cpl . Joseph Charles . B A . . . . R Fusiliers

. . M ID D LE D 1TC H L - R Sussex Regt , . Cpl . George

NEv1 LL . ff , . William . Su olk Regt . Capt Rupert William Rifle Brigade . MILLS, Gunner David Percy .

R F A . u lla lo ve . . . . NEWELL, Pte Stanley F s M ILSO M renadier uard . , Deck hand Henry G G R N - . . . . S t. William Reserve NICHOLAS, Co . g Maj . Gerald “ . . . . H M S Cosmos Arthur . R . Sussex Regt .

NALL . M I . New a m , . z . Sgt Edward George NICHOLSON , Capt Eric

. . 1 R Sussex Regt 4th Hussars . E A , te . illiam ohn . MIN L P W J . NICHOLSON , Pte Nathaniel

M G . . . Corps R W William . . . Surrey Regt .

M iTCHELL . f . , Pte Al red James NORMAN , Lt . Alfred George R . Sussex Regt . Bathurst . R . A . F . MITCHELL, Pte . William Henry NORRIS, Pte . William . Alfred . Leicestershire Regt . R . Fusiliers . - Lt . MOORE , Sec . . Robert Rifle N RTH , unner Edwin oseph Brigade . O G J R F . A Sharp . . . I st . MOORE , cl Boy Sidney

OVE R R E . R N N . Victor . . . H . M . S . , Maj Arthur Kerr ” Bulwark .

P . O . NUNNE . . MOORE, Sto . Walter Louis . , Pte Ernest William

R N . . . . R Sussex Regt xxvi ROLL O F HONOUR

. ( g EST E D . PHILLIPS, Pte Percival John . l , Pte Alec William .

R . Sussex Regt . R . Sussex Regt .

P1 M L TT . - O . L. . , Pte Percy Enoch RADFORD , Cpl Fred

. Manchester Regt Alexander . R . Sussex Regt .

PINC HIN . , te Charles Edward P . RADFORD , Pte Harold Stanley ichard . R Denman . R . Sussex Regt . P1 NHEY , Lt . Kenneth leetwood f E n - F R m . . RAMSAY, Chie g Art A R . ordon . . R N G Robert Darney . . “ PINY OU N . . , Pte Henry R Sussex H . M . S . Invincible .

. Regt R ANSDA S - LE eC . Lt f , . Al red

, . . PIPER Pte Harry George Charles . Loyal N . Lancashire

Regt .

PO KNEY . C . , Pte Ernest James R ifle m a n RAPLEY, Stanley Daniel . usse egt . R S x R Lo ndon Regt .

. . POOLE, Pte Ernest Albert W AR D - f RA L. . . , Cpl Al red Joseph

Northamptonshire Regt . - PO P LETT L. . . , Cpl Harold Harry RAY , Pte . Frederick William . E . Surrey Regt . R . Sussex Regt . POTTER, Trooper Walter READ , Pte . Edwin . R . Sussex Edward . Sussex Yeomanry . Regt .

P R . OY NDE . , Lt Robert Hamilton R E D PO R D . , Pte . Arthur Sta flo rdsh ire . S . Regt R . Sussex Regt . PRESTON . Cpl . George William , Ist . REID , cl Boy John Alexander M . M . R . Sussex Regt . R . N. . . . Fay . H M S ” ST , . . PRE ON Pte Thomas Bowsher Bulwark .

REMINGTON , Cpl . George Albert l st Cl. . PRONGER, Sto Leonard . H M S Percy . London Regt R N. . . . Edwin . . - L . . . , Cpl Charles Nubian . REY J London egt . Sm n R PROWSE, Able . Arthur

. . R . N. . . . , Roland . H M S RICE Pte Albert George

. Pathfinder . London Regt

. . PULLEN , Cpl . William . RICHARDS, Pte Ernest Frederick In . f. R . Sussex Regt . Canad

PUSEY, Pte . Alfred . Grenadier RICHARDSON , Cpl . Harold

M . . G . Guards . George . Corps ROLL OF HONOUR xxvfi

RICHARDSON , Lt . Victor, M . C . SANDERS, Pte . Alan Bernard .

R . Sussex Regt . R . Sussex Regt .

RICHARDSON , Sgt . William Pryor . SANG, Pte . Sydney Theodore . R A G . . . . Cameronians

' lifle A . RIDER, Pte . Thomas SAUNDERS , Pte . George . Cambridgeshire Regt . Cheshire Regt .

- L. . RIDLEY, Cpl . Edward John SCOBIE , Lt . John Angus Nicolson E . R Sussex Yeomanry Mac Ewen . . .

ROBERTS, Pte . Edgar William SCOBIE, Lt . Keith Macdonald .

Christian . R . Fusiliers . R . A . F .

ROBERTSON , Pte . Albert . SCORE , Pte Charles .

R . Fusiliers . SCOTT, Lt . Francis Caleb .

ROBINSON , Pte . Richard Alfred S . Rhodesian Horse .

Leonard . R . Sussex Regt . SCOTT, Pte . Hugh .

ROSE , Pte . Cecil Charles . Northumberland Fusiliers . S . Wales Borderers . SCOTT, Pte . Thomas Henry

H . . . ROSE , Maj . ugh Alexander George R Fusiliers R F . A Leslie , D S . O . . . . SCOTT, Pte . William Howard . R o Us L - , . Cpl . Arthur . R . Sussex Essex Regt .

Regt . SCULTHORPE , Driver Harry .

R . F A ROWLAND , Pte . William . . .

R . Sussex Regt . SHARP, Pte . Henry Herbert . L - RUSSELL, . Cpl . Percy Albert . R . Sussex Regt .

. Lancashire egt . S R . SHARP , Pte . Thomas William

. RUSSELL, Pte . William George . Canad Inf.

. London egt . . R SHAW, Pte Sidney Wigmore - Se . Im l. . e Lt. SADLER, William Aust p Force

ouglas . E . urrey egt . D S R . SHEA , Capt Joseph Patrick

- D C . M . . Lt . . . . SAMUEL, Sec Edgar Barnett . Lambert, M C AND BAR, f . In . Middlesex Regt . Durham Lt

- L t. . . SANDBACH , Sub Joseph SHEPPARD , Pte . Arthur Edward

R . Fusiliers .

SANDEMAN , Lt . William Alastair SHEPPERD , Pte . Albert .

Fraser . Gordon Highlanders . R . Sussex Regt . xxviii ROLL O F HONOUR

. . r SHORT, Pte Arthur Aaron SMITHERS, Lt . Edward Hen y

Aust . Pioneers . Keith . Manchester Regt .

R SHORT, Signaller Frederick SMITHE S, Capt . Reginald W . R . . . Charles Kent Regt Cuthbert Welsford .

SILVERTON , Pte . John Henry .

. . R Sussex Regt SMYTHE , Pte . Frederick Charles .

ff . . SIMMONDS, Sgt . Herbert Cli ord R Fusiliers

. R . . Cecil Sussex Regt SOUTHWELL, Lt . Henry Kenneth R . . N. SIMMONS, Gunner Thomas . Martin R F A . . . -Sm n SOWTER, Ldg . George .

- R . N . . L. . . SIMON , Cpl Eric Division Drake

W . R . . . Kent Regt Batt

. . SKINNER, Pte . Charles James . STENNING, Pte Albert John

R . Sussex Regt .

R ifle m a n . SKINNER, Harry STEVENS, Gunner William

. R . F . A. Rifle Brigade . Maurice

R W L - SLATER, Cpl . Cyril . . . Kent STILL, . Cpl . Charles Albert .

Regt . R . Sussex Regt .

. - SLAUGHTER , Gunner Ernest STILLWELL , Cpl . Shoeing Smith

R . G . A. R F A Herbert Edmund . . . .

Sm n , . MART ble rchibald STO LLE R Y . B . A. S A A , Lt John Cecil ,

R N . . . . William Division R . Fusiliers .

. . SMITH , Pte Frank STONE, Pte . Albert Ernest .

. Northamptonshire Regt R . Fusiliers .

- L. . . S t. SMITH , Cpl Frederick STONER , g Edward . R . Sussex

. . W Yorkshire Regt Regt .

— Lt . SMITH , Sec . Herbert Dudley . STONER, Pte . Edward . W R . Lancashire Fusiliers . . Kent Regt .

SMITH , Pte . Reginald Frederick STONER , Pte . George Thomas . W M . R C . . Victor . . Corps . Surrey Regt .

- L. . . . SMITH , Cpl Rolande Walter STRATFORD , Pte Joseph

Derrick . Cameronians . R . Sussex Regt .

T - . See Lt SMITH , Pte homas Albert STREET, . Herbert Duke .

Straughan . R . Sussex Regt . R . Sussex Regt . ROLL O F HONOUR

T I s P O I st . t . . . STRINGER, cl Stoker OWNSEND , cl a R N Alexander Douglas . R N . Frederick Ch rles . . . “ H . M . S . Hampshire . Division . Howe Batt .

T I s Cl P O t . . . ST UNE LL . s . , Sgt Alfred Erne t OWNSEND , John ’

lk . . . . . Su flo Regt . George R N H M S “ V k r i n o . - Lt. SU MME RSCALES . . , Sec Claude T S t. W S D , g Leonard . Connaught Rangers . O N EN Yorkshire Regt . PP , . SU LE Lt Edward James T R AP P LE R rd , g i . i A r Mech Coll s . W . Riding Regt . Albert Edward . R . F . C . WA , Cpl . rthur udley T S YNE A D . . URNER , Pte Albury Charles o Cleveland . L ndon egt . R R . Sussex Regt . T . . . T m ASKER , Pte Harry R Sussex URNER , Gunner Jesse Willia

. R A . G . Regt Harry . . T T . AYLOR, Pte Gordon Shepperd . URNER, Sgt . William David .

Devonshire Regt . Grenadier Guards .

. . T HO R OW GOOD . PW D , i , Capt Leslie U AR Sto Freder ck R N . . Vernon . R . F . C . VALLINT T , i . s. Master Mar ner HORPE , Pte Walter Charle “ . S . S. . Lancashire Fusiliers . Thomas John Miles

. . T Se -Lt VICKERS, Pte Frank Henry C . . ODD , Charles Leslie N. Z 8 . Engineers . Morgan . . Lancashire Regt . T VOMECOURT, Lt . Jean Francois OMLINS , Pte . Frederick Constantin Maxime dc Herbert . iddlese egt . M x R Cre va isie r , Baron de . l TO M SETT I st C . , Signaller Ernest Artillerie de Campagne . Clement . Lancashire WAKEFIELD , Pte . Benjamin s li r Fu i e s. James . Labour Reserve Corps .

TO MSETT . , Pte John Frederick . WAKEHAM , Pte . Ernest . Wiltshire Regt . R . Sussex Regt . T -Lt ff OTHILL, Sec . . Geo rey Ivan WALES, Pte . Albert Edwin . rancis . . usiliers . F R F . R Fusiliers . T . . I st . . OWNER , Cpl Charles John WALKER, cl Air Mech

R . E . Arnold . R . F . C .

. R ifle m a n TOWNSEND , Pte Ernest Victor . WALKER, Henry

R . Sussex Regt . Arthur . London Regt . xxx ROLL OF HONOUR

' - L . WALSH, Pte . Joseph Bernard . WHITE , . Cpl George Charles

R . Fusiliers . David . R . Sussex Regt .

- S t . ff . WARDLE , Sta g Joseph WHITE, Pte Herbert Wakely . i In f Walter . R . Warwicksh re Canad . Lt . .

. Regt WHITE, Pte . John Ernest .

WARREN , Trooper Reginald Grenadier Guards .

. . . - ouglas E Kent . Lt. D R WHITEMAN , Sec George . A R . E . . Yeomanry Worley . - L . . , WASHER Cpl George WHITEMAN , Pte . Montague i . . Im l Frederick V ctor R Sussex Ambrose . Aust . p . Force . Regt . WHITING , Pte . Robert . - L . . ASH R, Cpl illiam W E W Middlesex Regt . l . i l . Char es M dd esex Regt Wa l e r Pte . t WICKEN , . WATERS , Pte . Arthur George . WILc o x . , Pte George Reginald . R . Sussex Regt . R . Sussex Regt . WATTS , Pte . George Frederick . WILKINSON , Pte . Albert . R . Sussex Regt .

- L . . WATTS , Cpl Victor Hinton . WILKINSON , Cpl . Frank . . usiliers . R F R . Fusiliers .

WAY . . , te Henry ames . . P J WILLIAMS , Pte John Beevor

. . R Sussex Regt H . A . C .

- Lt - WEAR NE . . L. . , Sec Kenneth WILLIAMS, Cpl Leslie John . W . R . . . R W Martin Surrey Regt . . Surrey Regt . “ - WEBB , Pte . William . WILLIAMS FREEMAN , Capt . ff R . Su olk Regt . Harry Peere .

. . WELLING , Trooper Sydney R Warwickshire Regt

. W LL E R I M . Thomas George Sussex , Pte Percy Leonard .

. Yeomanry R . Sussex Regt .

. . WILLM E R WELLS, Pte Tom Devonshire , Sgt . Walter W . A .

. Regt Essex Regt .

WET HE R HEAD . , Fitter Arthur WILSON , Signaller Edwin Erle

R . E . A. R N Philip Sterling . . .

- . L. . B . A . WHALE, Cpl Arthur, Division u siliers . . WINKW O R T H —Lt R F , Sec . . Henry

WHEELER, Pte . Albert Edward . Edward Vernon .

Middlesex Regt . Northamptonshire Regt . ROLL OF HONOUR xxxi

WISE, Sgt . Robert Charles . WYATT, Pte . John Moses .

R . Berkshire Regt . Northamptonshire Regt . -Sm n WYATT , Ldg . . Samuel . WISEMAN , Cpl . George William . R N . . . Division

WYATT, Pte . William . . . . In . f. WOOD , Pte Albert R Sussex R . Marine Lt

. Regt WY ND OW , Pte . Harry Ernest .

. . WOOLF, Signaller Samuel . R Fusiliers

YOUNG, Sapper Alfred William .

WOOLGAR, Pte . Albert James . eCIl i , . C . R , Fusiliers . YOUNG Pte V ncent R . Sussex Regt . WOO“ i : Pte . Freder ck Henry . . . R YOUNG , Pte Charles Stanley Fusiliers . R . Sussex Regt . W f RAY, Pte . Al red Edward . YOUNG, Signalman Frederick

R . Sussex Regt . George Victor . R . F . C .

L a n d Army

l\/Iiss . . GIBBINS, Maud Winter Land Army

Mis s ing — pres umed de a d

B O NAs . . . . , Pte William R Sussex HENSON , Pte Ernest William

Regt . Henry . R . Sussex Regt .

— . Lt . CRABBE , Sec Hubert Lyon HOLMES , Pte . Ernest Henry

. rd . W R . Bingham 3 Hussars Hugh . . Surrey Regt .

W . a . K E K E IC H . CRISP, Pte Walter H rt , Capt John . The

. ff . . Canad Scottish . Bu s (E Kent Regt )

- D L. . . K UMMER, Cpl Percy ELSEY, Pte . Richard Cecil , M . M .

. . R Sussex Regt R . Sussex Regt .

' F L - ifi d Cl o r . ITCH , . Cpl . Arthur KIRK, Pte . John Abraham .

R . Sussex Regt . Canad . Inf. xxx ii ROLL OF HONOUR

. . SCAR R ATT . . LOVE, Pte Percy George , Pte Robert Lade u siliers R W R . F . . . Kent Regt .

. . MACRO , Pte Arthur Reginald SCOTT, Pte . Robert . W R . . . Surrey Regt Canad . Inf.

. . . AR R, te ichard usse . . . . P KE P R R S x SPICER, Pte Ashby R Fusiliers Regt . - S . . CO . t . STEVENS, g Maj Edward REES, Pte . Hugh Glyn . London R . Sussex Regt . Regt .

R ifle m a n STEVENS , Pte . Frank . R . Sussex REEVES, Ernest Edward f Regt Ri le Brigade .

l r . - C . L . RICHARDSON , Cpl . William STILL , p Walter Edwa d R Henry . R . Sussex Regt . Sussex Regt

- M G . L . . . t . Ross, Sec . George Harry TOFT, Cpl Sydney

Thornton . Essex Regt . Corps .

Addenda

C itiz ens w h o ma de th e Gre a t S a crifi ce

‘ Sta fi rdsh ire o . EDWARDS, Lt . Stanley Robert . S . Regt

ETHERINGTON , Pte . Walter George . R . Sussex Regt . xxxiv DISTINCTIONS

n BODLEY, Maj . Ronald Victor BUNKER , Pte . He ry Gordon . W R . . . Courtenay . Kent Regt Military hde da L Military Cross . Chevalier ’

. - L . de la Légion d Honneur BUNKER, Cpl . Jack . * f R . Sussex Regt . Military BOONE, Maj . Henry Gri fith . hde da h E A R . . . Distinguished — S t. , . g . Service Order . Thrice BUTCHER Co Maj

. . mentioned in Despatches . Bernard Norris R Sussex Regt Military Cross . BOYLE , Dr . A . Helen . Serbian Distinguished Conduct Order of St . Sava IV . fide da h Serbian Military Red Cross * CARVIC K . , Lt ames Bruce hde da L J l Im . North . Aust . p Force .

BOYLE , Louise Judith , Lady . Military Cross . r ed Cross services, u ilia y - S t . R A x . . . CASEY, Regt g Maj James - Hospital , Third avenue , Rifle Brigade . Meritorious f . o Hove Member the Service Medal . f Order O the British Empire . fr CASTLE , Sgt . Al ed James .

B RAz IE R . . . In f. , Pte William George Highland Lt W R . . Su rre . y Regt . Military Military Medal hd eda h CHARLTON , Sgt . William * . . . . eorge Cameronians BRIDGER, Pte Percy William G

. R . Sussex Regt . Military Military Medal

. CHR IM E S . . . . . Medal , Lt Charles R A F La Croce a l Merito di P O . BROOKER, . William Guerra ; and a Co m m e m o . Thomas A ive special appreciation of his ra t Medal for service in Liberia . gallant conduct from the

CLEW E . . fo r R , Capt Donald Lords of the Admiralty , f entioned in H . M S putting out a ire on . . M ” espatches . Ceto . D

. . f COLES , Cpl Francis William BROOKS , Sgt . William Al red . Meritorious Meritorious Service Medal . Service Medal . -Lt COMPTON , Sec . . Claude .

B R U NW IN . . . . , Sgt William Edgar R Sussex Regt Military

R E . . . . Military Medal Medal DISTINCTION S XXV

D E NNANT CONNOLLY, Col . Benjamin , Miss Florence .

C . B . . Bloomfield, . , M A Army Matron , Auxiliary Hospital , - h . Medical Service . Brought T ird avenue Royal Red f n d o . a to the notice the Sec of Cross, class . tate fo r ar fo r valuable S W . DICKINSON , Capt Thomas services rendered in con LA 8c . Malcolm . . R F . C . n ex io n with the war . Distinguished Flying Cross .

. Twice mentioned in CONNOLLY, Capt Bloomfield

. George Henry . Despatches

Military Cross . DILL, John Frederick Gordon , Offi M . D . Medical cer to CORRELL , Capt . Charles several Red Cross Hospitals Edward . Yorkshire Regt . in Brighton and Hove . Military Cross . Officer o f the Order o f the COTT IS . , Sapper Percy James British Empire .

R E . . Serbian Gold Medal D IP LO K - Lt C . . , Sec Frederick fo r zealous service . Harry . R . Sussex Regt . W W i CO LISHA . , Lt Bob D stinguished Conduct

Thompson . Aust . Artillery . Medal . "1 . Military Cross D IP LOCK . . , Sgt Horace Reginald

W . . S t . illia m R . E . A. Cox , g Alec . R Sussex Regt Military

. Military Medal . Medal a"* D OSSETT , Cpl . Halbert Edwin . DAVENPORT, Capt . Hugh R . Fusiliers . Military Richard Bromley . Physical ’ fide da h B a o n e t T ra in in s and y g H . Q D U D EN Y ffi E . . . O France cer of , Lt Eric Alvan

R E . the Order o f the British . . Kent Yeomanry .

Empire (Mil . Div . ) Military Cross .

p . dr A R A i i B . . . Ment oned n Des atches . G . DUNFORD , rthur

. DAVENPORT, Mrs . Muriel Military Medal and Bar V - . Bromley ice President, DUNKERTON , Capt . Edmund

Hove War Hospital Supply Lloyd Hain . York and

o . o f Dep t Commander the Lancaster Regt . Military f o . Order the British Empire Cross .

- * COL S t. Ar DEADMAN , g Edward ECCLES , Lt . thur John

. . T l h r . c E o e . R . Albert R Fusiliers . Military

Meritorious Service Medal . Cross . xxxvi DISTINCTIONS

i ECCLES, Lt . Henry Ernest FURNER, W lloughby , M . D . , a rsla k e M Offi K . . . R . A F Military edical cer and

Cross . Administrator, Auxiliary ‘ - EDWARDS , Pte . Charles Edwin . Hospital , Third avenue, Offi o f O l . . Im Aust p . Force . Military Hove cer the rder i hde da L o fthe British Emp re . Ink AR NE R Lt - T G D . . EGGAR, . Col . homas , Pte Harry Victor i O fiic e . . r Macdonald R . A . F . Welsh Regt Mil tary of the Order of the British hde da h

Empire (Mil . Div . ) GARNER , Lt . Ernest James .

Mentioned in Despatches . R . A . F . Air Force Cross .

- . E L . S t . entioned in espatches MERY, g Charles M D

Thomas . R . Sussex Regt . GATES , GunnerCharles Walter .

R . A. G . Military Medal and two . Military Medal

. Bars GATES, Capt . George Brian . - E M SLEY L. . . . , Cpl . Richard . R A F Distinguished

R . Sussex Regt . Military Flying Cross and Bar .

. GE E R E . Medal and Bar , Cpl Henry Thomas . ‘ R E . . EVANS, Sgt . Arthur James . Military Medal . - . . ff S t R Sussex Regt Military GEORGE , Sta g . Joseph

Medal . Charles . - Lt. . . EWER, Col George Guy . Military Medal

. Essex Regt Distinguished GOAD , Maj . Charles Eustace .

. Service Order R . Sussex Regt . Milit a ry i" - F E LD L . I t. . , Col Kenneth Cross R A O Douglas . . . GOLDIE , Maj . Kenneth swald . Distinguished Service Lancers Officer of O o f rder . the Order the British

- WALK E R Lt . . FORESTIER , . Claude Empire (Mil Div )

. . . . Frederick R H A Military GOLDSMITH , Capt . Leonard

. R E Cross and Bar Stanley . . . Military

. FOWLER , Lt . James . R . Welsh Cross

u siliers. . GOO D HAR T Ca t. r F Military Cross , p Joseph Hen y

2 0th . FURNER, Duncan Campbell . Hussars Military Superintendent Hove Special Cross . Mentioned in

. Constabulary . Member of Despatches the Order of the British GOVER, Capt . Arnold Charles .

Empire . LA . Military Cross . DISTINCTIONS Xxxvll

- L. . . GOWER, Pte . Albert . HEMSLEY, Cpl Horace

R . Fusiliers . Military Army Cyclist Corps . Medal and Bar . Military Medal .

. . H ic c s . GREENING, Mrs Rosie Mary , Charles James

La Médaille de la Reine Divisional Inspector, Home

. iv Elisabeth Counties D . Ministry

B M a . f G R IB LE o f . o , j Howard Charles Food Member the F A R . . . h Distinguished Order Ofthe Britis Empire . O Service rder . Mentioned “ HILL , Maj . Edwin Arundel . in Despatches . R . Sussex Regt . Mentioned ff . GRIGG, Sgt . Cli ord Kirshaw i p . Mentioned in n Des atches M a H IT CHCOC K . Despatches . , j Frank Bridge

R . A G . . ilitary Cross . Zo e . M GRIMWOOD , Miss Ethel Twice mentioned in Hon . Sec . Belgian Relief f espatches . and Re ugee Committee . D * - i H iTC HINs Lt . La Méda lle de la Reine , . Col Henry

Elisabeth . William Ernest . - S t . HANNEY, Reg . g . Maj . John Manchester Regt Twice

R . F . A. . Edward . mentioned in Despatches Distinguished Conduct HOBBES, Capt . Adrian Wrigley Medal . Meritorious Service F s k e . i o b ro . R . H . A M litary Medal . Cross . Mentioned in HARRIS, Sgt . Harold . Tank Despatches . Corps . Distinguished

Conduct Medal . Croix de HODGE , Gunner John . R E A. . Virtute Militara . . Military Medal

(Roumania) . HOLLIS , Capt . Herbert Stanley, ff S t - I st . . . H ARD , cl ta g aj s E S M M . E . B . . . , (Lond ) illiam Henry . T W ( . ) Twice Military Cross . mentioned in Despatches . HEATH , Sgt . James Henry . H M S, Cpl . ichard Charles . Middlesex Regt . OL E R Distinguished Conduct R . Sussex Regt . Croix de uerre (Belgium) . Medal . G

H R HO E R t - O C V ff S . HEATHER, Capt . Walter . , Sta g Maj . F A R . . . Croix de Guerre Daniel Macaulay . (Belgium) . Meritorious Service Medal . xx xviii DISTINCTIONS

' HUDSON , Miss Beatrice Lilian . KELSEY, Pte . Richard Cecil .

St . j ohn Ambulance Brigade R . Sussex Regt . Military D IV (Hove Nursing . ) Medal . Brought to the notice of Bdr. K T, Herbert eorge . o f EN G the Sec . State for War F R . . A. for valuable nursing services Military Medal . — in . Lt . connexion with the war . KERRIDGE, Sec Charles A R . F . . James . Military HUGHES, Cpl . Sydney James R W Cross . i . . . . Perr n Surrey Regt * G, pl . il l . Military Medal . KIN C Cec Char es

E . R . . Military Medal IO NID ES , Miss Helen ‘ , . . Euphrosyne . KNIGHT Capt John Peake o f R . H . A . Distinguished Member the Order of O th e . British Empire . Service rder Twice mentioned in Despatches . i JENNER, M ss Kate . Red

LAM P AR D . . , Lt Sydney Martin Cross Hospital , Third Su e rin . avenue . Lady p Military Cross f o 6 . 5 LE E . . tendent Sussex , Capt James Vernon n d , a . Royal Red Cross class Sussex Yeomanry . Military

M - S Cross . . Q . . t . JENNINGS, Co g Henry S t - Malcomb . Middlesex Regt . LENTON , Co . g . Maj . John

Meritorious Service Medal . Henry . R . Berkshire Regt .

Military Medal . JENNINGS, Arthur Oldham , - Lt . . Superintendent , LEVITA , Col Cecil

Co n sta b u M . V . o . Brighton Special Bingham , f o f O lary . Member o the Order Commander the rder of

o f . the British Empire . the British Empire (Mil

Div . ) Mentioned in KEEN , Capt . Harry Marshall . Despatches . Brought to the Sussex Yeomanry . Military f notice o f the Sec . o State Cross . Mentioned in for War for valuable services Despatches . rendered in conne ion with “ x W K E K E ICH . . , Capt George the war . Thanked by the

o f . f r City London Yeomanry Minister o fNat . Service o

. Mentioned in Despatches valuable services .

l . o KELLY, Sgt . Burnam . S . Wa es LEWIS, Lt . Walter L ndon

Borderers . Military Medal . Regt . Military Cross . DISTINCTIONS

. M . . LISTER , Capt Charles artin MILLER, Capt John Alfred

R A . . 1 . E . . . Military Cross Tennant 4th Hussars F A O fiic e r o fthe Order of the R . . . LOAN , Sgt . Thomas . British Empire ( il . iv . ) Military Medal and Bar . M D Mentioned in Despatches . -Co n dr LONG, Temp . Sub . MODERA , Maj . Frederick Leonard Reuben . Meritorious Stewart . R . Fusiliers . Distinguished Serv ice Order Service Medal . . . “ and Bar Military Cross , . LOXLEY Capt Charles Eric Mentioned in Despatches . . . . O mart usiliers Twice . S R F . MORRIS , Capt Frederic scar mentioned in espatches . ff D General Sta LA .

MARCHANT, Sgt . William Military Cross . * . . George R Dublin MURRAY, Sgt . James Hamilton

i . i Fus liers Military Medal Gordon . Div sional Eng .

. R . N and Bar . Division . - i Se rvic e M e da l S t. . . MAXFIELD , Co . g Maj D stinguished

. Joseph Philip . Scots Mentioned in Despatches M U STCHIN Fusiliers . Distinguished , Pte . William

Conduct Medal . George . R . Sussex Regt .

Meritorious Service Medal . Military Medal .

. . . . H , MAYNARD , Mrs E F NEED AM Maj Roderick l a c a u H . Belgian Relief and Refugee M y Bertram . Q .

ff. Committee . La Médaille Sta Distinguished Service

O . de la Reine Elisabeth . rder Mentioned in

“ . M —S Despatches ff Q . . t . MEATON , Sta g EVILL N , lorence ary , Lady Howard James . R . Sussex F M Twic e m en tio n e ( ) . p i Regt . d in George De uty Pres dent , , Despatches . Brighton Hove Preston and Patcham Div . British Red MESSENGER , Pte . Frederick Cross Society . Donor and Joseph . “ Commandant o f The Lady Military Medal . ”! George Nevill Auxiliary

. e CH , Capt No l Burgess, MI ELL . Hospital , Hove

B A. . R . Fusiliers . Commander o f the Order entioned in espatches . f M D O the British Empire . Lady

. o f O MILES , Capt Harold Julian . Grace of the rder of

R . A . F . Croix de Guerre St . John o f Jerusalem in

avec Palme (France) . England . x! DISTINCTIONS

* M rs NICHOLSON , Capt . Eric POLLAK, . Frances Minnie .

e w a m l th . s N z . 4 Hussars Mentioned in Despatche

Mentioned in Despatches . for work in connexion with

wounded soldiers . NOAKES, Cpl . George . ”‘ Distinguished PRESTON , Cpl . George William .

. . a Conduct Medal . R Sussex Regt Milit ry Medal . NY E . . , Lt Arthur Reginald P i , . . Gurkha Rifles . M litary UTMAN Capt Edward James ivle n io n e C ross . t d in Military Cross

. Despatches . and Bar

- , . . L. . . TT ORBELL , Cpl John RA LEY Pte Jack

W . a R . . . Kent Regt Military Middlesex Regt Milit ry hde da h Medal .

DS , gt . eorge . . f REYNOL S G PACK , Pte Gerald Al red Cheshire egt . eritorious Alexander . R M ervice edal . Twice Military Medal . S M mentioned in Despatches . - Lt . PALING, Sec . Walter R DS , gt . Herbert N. . Edward . . Division REYNOL S George . Howe Batt . Mentioned

. s Meritorious Service Medal in De patches . ‘ RICHARDSON , Mrs . Bertha . PARKER , Sgt . Howard T A Hon . reas . Belgian elief R E . . . R Archibald . f and e ugee Committee . Mentioned in Despatches . R La Méda ille de la Reine PAR . SONS, Capt Robert Elisabeth . R . E Henderson . . ”" RICHARDSON , Lt . Victor . Military Cross . R . Sussex Regt . Military ARS S , Lt . rederick . ust . P ON F A Cross . E x e d p . Force . Military R D , te . Thomas alter . hde da h I LEY P W R W . . Surrey Regt . S t - M a Wa l er . t , . . PEPPER Arm g j Military Medal and Bar .

. Henry M - S t Sta . . . BB S , f g a RO IN Edgar Meritorious Service Med l . William .

. H o c kl . l PERRIN , Pte Arthur y Meritorious Service Meda .

. Military Medal I st ROBINSON , grade Air Mech .

PERRIN , Pte . Bert . Middlesex Harold Victor .

Regt . Military Medal . Albert Medal in Gold . xlii DISTINCTIONS

h - . . T L. STEVENS, Pte T omas William HWAITES, Sapper Cpl .

. . R E R Sussex Regt Arthur Dennett . . . i Distinguished Conduct Mil tary Medal . Médaille ’ hd e da h d Ho n n eu r avec glaives en

Bronze .

- SYDNEY TURNER , Maj . T CH D , . l . R ve s REN AR Lt Ro and Cuthbert Gambier y . R E A . . . Military Cross . Officer o f the O rder of the British Empire . . UHTHOFF, Capt Roland King . . E ( ) R . Mil Div Distinguished . . O Military Cross Service rder . Croix ’ - d O ffi c ie r Lt. . de la Légion UPTON , Cdr Herbert ’ R . N. r . . d H o n n e u (France) . Croix Lionel Reserve ’ de Chevalier de l O rdre de Distinguished Service Cross . C rO Ix la Couronne (Belgium) . de Guerre (France) . Chevalier de la Légion ’ d Ho n n e u r ( ) . . . France TAPPERE , Sgt Albert Frederick Meritorious VALLANCE , Capt . Vane de Service Medal . Valence Mortimer . R . Irish i Lancers . Mil tary Cross . TAYLOR , Pte . George Dive . Twice mentioned in R . Sussex Regt . Military Despatches .

lVIe da l.

W N W - AI E R IGHT Lt. , Col .

i . . . . . l TAYLOR , Bandsman Harry Arthur Reg na d R H A o f O R . Sussex Regt . Military Commander the rder o f Ade da h St . Michael and St .

George . Distinguished

T ervice Order . Croi de . S x HORNTON , Lt Edward G u e i re ( ) . . l N. . . R . avec a me rance Chicheley . H M S P F

Leonidas . Distinguished WALES , Capt . Arthur B . Service Cross . Essex Regt . Military Cross . Commendation o fthe Lords Thrice mentioned in o fthe Admiralty for taking Despatches . Croce di charge from the water When Guerra (Italy) .

*

Ist . had been destroyed by enemy WALKER, cl Air Mech .

mine . Silver Medal of Arnold . R . F . C .

the R . Humane Society . Mentioned in Despatches . DISTINCTIONS xliii

- S t . . . . WARD , Co . g . Maj George WHEATLEY, Sgt Frank

R . Sussex Regt . Distinguished Distinguished Conduct Conduct Medal .

. edal . . M WICKEN , Pte Percy Charles

ff . ( . ) . . The Bu s E Kent Regt WATERS, Cpl Jack Stanley

. R . Sussex Regt . Military Military Medal

- Medal . WILLIAMS FREEMAN , Maj .

Francis Clavering Peere . WEBB , Cpl . Charles . . i i . o ldste a m R Warw cksh re Regt C Guards . Military O Distinguished Service rder . Medal . Mentioned in Mentioned in Despatches . Despatches . WINGFIELD , Lt . Lawrence

WELLB O R NE . , Lt Harold Harry Arthur . R . Fusiliers .

. Gordon Distinguished Flying Cross . Military Cross . S - t . YOUNG, g . Maj James - F R . A. S t. . . WESTLEY, g Maj . Ernest Harold

John . R . A . F . Meritorious Distinguished Conduct

Service Medal . Medal .

Died o n s ervice

Addenda

Ist . DILL, Capt . Richard Wale Gordon . Life Guards Military

Cross . Mentioned in Despatches .

o f . fo r DRAPER, Mrs . E . F . Brought to the notice the Sec of State War for valuable Red Cross services in connexion with the war . f o . HUDSON , Miss Dorothy C . Brought to the notice the Sec of State for War fo r valuable Red Cross services in connexion with

the war .

f f f r M AVR O O R D AT O o . o o G . , J Bought to the notice the Sec State War for valuable Red Cross services in connexion with the war .

Th e Ca ll to Arm s HIS Chapter will not be a history of the deeds

of Hove men at the Front . That will never

be written in any chapter o r book . I t will live only in the souls of the men who performed them . All that this Chapter purports to show is how the men of the town responded to the call to arms . Even that is most strikingly exhibited in the

Roll of Honour which precedes it . Those sacred pages prove the numbers in which they enrolled and the faithfulness with which they served . s o o f h That long list of names , behind many whic lie living sorrows too deep and too proud for

t e o fth is . tears , is h epitome and the crown chronicle r There is not a st eet in the town , however stately, n o t however humble , upon which it does shed its lustre ; and so long as Hove lasts it will be held

in honour . I n those fatefu l summer and autum n days o f 1 1 9 4 , Hove was often astir with the comings and o f goings armed men , and often by night the dark streets echoed to the tramp O fsoldiers o n their way to the railway station to entrain for the port o f o r l departure for France F anders . There was very “ little of the pomp and circumstance o f glorious ” a r a b o u o f m w t some these a rc h in gs past . Hove o n e would be in bed and asleep , and no about but

a policeman . Here and there a window would light up suddenly at the dull thud - thud from the street

below, and a hand would be waved ; but the town THE CALL TO ARMS as a whole had not yet go t into what we may call — its war stride . The work had begun , and once commenced it never stopped u ntil the war was won ; but the great impulse and impetus that made it what a s it was took time to develop . I t w the same all over the country, and people have often said it is the English way . I t certainly has been so again and again in o u r history ; but there are signs that at last we have got o u t o fit and learned how to deal promptly and effectively with a great national h O e emergency . Let us p that such is the case . “ ” The o ld way of muddling through may have been fi magni cent but it certainly was not war, neither was it business . Organisation , preparedness , and putting brain and will into things— that is the quicker way and in c o m pa ra bly th e m ore economical ; and no experience has ever s o tremendously taught us that lesson as the experiences through which we passed between the August o f 1 9 1 4 and the 1 November of 1 9 8 . Local recruiting fo r the n e w armies began o f 2 0 immediately after the outbreak war , with - o n Church road as the headquarters ; and Sunday, 0 August 3 , two great processions through the town culminated in a crowded and enthusiastic i public meeting in the Town Hall , the f rst of the o f kind in England , and the outcome a suggestion

Arc hda ll . made to the Vicar (the Rev . M Hill) , by two gentlemen , who called upon him privately and asked him to lend his help in the promotion o f recruiting by the Church fo r what they described truly as a Holy War, a Crusade . The Mayor (at L e e n e that time Alderman y) presided at the meeting, O THE CALL T ARMS v

and n o t only the Church o fEngland but also the Protestant Free Churches were fully represented n o f o the platform . I n those early weeks the conflict the situation o n the western front was

critical . The Germans were nearing Paris . As Sir Arthur Conan Doyle said In his speech at this “ o f meeting, The enemy is almost within sight our v o f shores . We ha e had to change the base ”

Is . operations , and there a possibility of disaster ’ T o these words , and to the Vicar s dramatic reminder that at that moment Dover was less distant from the battlefi eld than from Lord ’ s cricket ground , the audience listened in a great quiet . One result o f the Speeches was that many men offered themselves for the fighting forces before a leaving the h ll. 6 o f On December the same year, another recruiting procession was followed by another

meeting in the Town Hall . Alderman A . R . n o w Sargeant, had entered upon the mayoralty which was to last until the war had been won , the o f armistice signed , and the victory the Allies 1 1 crowned in the Peace Celebrations of July, 9 9 , and speaki n g from the chair on this occasion he declared that never had a nation been engaged in a more Christian cause than that for which England i M P . was then f ghting . Mr . G . . Wardle, for J “ Stockport, also made a stirring speech . We are fi " not a people who like ghting for its own sake, “ o f i he said , but when it is a question f ghting a ” bully we are the hardest people o n earth to beat . m Once ore many men came forward , leaving the “ hall amid cheers to be played by a band to th e 4 TH E CALL T O ARMS

o flic e s f recruiting , and Maj or Barton and his staf

had a busy night . I 0 1 1 c o n sc ri On Sunday, October , 9 5 , when p

tion was becoming a probability, a demonstration bigger than any that had preceded it was organised two o n u by the towns , and held the Br nswick lawns . On this occasion a great procession of troops proceeded from the Madeira — drive along the whole length o f the Brighton front through o f o n cheering crowds , while the mass people the Brunswick lawns was described by qualified onlookers as surpassing all precedent . There were I four platforms , presided over respectively by (No . ) — N . . M . P . o . 2 M r C Thomas Stanford , ( ) the Mayor o f o f Brighton ; (No . 3 ) the Mayor Hove ; and O (N . 4 ) Sir Cavendish Boyle ; and the speakers

n M . P . included Archdeacon Hoskyns , Maj or Tryo , , ’ O a M ll M . P . . . M P . Mr William y , , M r H . Booth , . ,

Colonel Bruce , the Rev . Felix Asher, the Rev . W Charles Spurgeon , Major W . . Grantham and o f Mr . Alfred Morris . The anxiety the military situation had by this time been deepened by the treacherous entry o fBulgaria into the war o n the o f - side Turkey, Austria Hungary and Germany, and the note sounded by every speaker was earnest “ ” in the extreme . I t seems a strange thing , said o f the incumbent Holy Trinity church , Brighton “

o f . . (the church the great F W Robertson) , it seems a strange thing to hold a recruiting meeting o n a Sunday, but victory is only to be won by fi o f sacri ce , and on this day all days in the week

we think about sacrifice and know what it m eans . A Similar note was sounded from each platform

6 THE CALL TO ARMS

fi the ghting forces . Eager recruits , however, were ’ coming in by day and night, and after a week s trial at the Hove battery were , when found to be fit , sent to the Crystal Palace to take up regular III training . a short time there were a hundred and twenty men from Hove alone in the Sussex Di v ision o f the The early m en who j oined in 1 9 1 4 found themselves participating in - o f s the ill fated defence Antwerp , and afterward the di v ision played its part in the glorious but ill v planned Gallipoli ad enture . After the evacuation o f m o f n a Gallipoli so e them we t to S lonika , a number went to s ea with the Royal Navy as a rtifi c ers v signalmen , and others found themsel es 6 rd in France with the 3 (Royal Naval) Division , which won the reputation o n French soil o fbeing v s o able to outmarch e erybody, at least , claim the to s a m men who belonged it, and who shall y the nay At a gathering of the members o fthe Sussex 2 1 1 fo r Division on August 3 , 9 9 , the presentation ” o f 1 1 the 9 4 star to those who had earned it, the

Commander, Viscount Curzon , recalled the fact that their casualties during the campaign had averaged

1 5 per cent . of the total strength and many a story he had to tell o funsurpassable gallantry . Less than a fortnight after the Conan Doyle meeting it was announced that the whole of the

R E A T . 1 s t Home Counties Brigade . . . ( ) had volunteered for active service abroad , and Colonel — t wa s Sir Berry Cusack Smith , Bar , able to report to the War Office that the brigade was at full o f strength , excellently horsed , and in a high state ’ fi rd ef ciency . Hove s battery was the 3 Sussex , and T HE CALL TO ARMS 7

- it was raised and commanded by Lieut . Colonel o f P . H . Barton , and had its full share the war in that shim mering land o f heat and flies which — welcomes no man Mesopotamia . I t marched up 1 1 the Tigris in 9 5 from Basra to Kurna , and then Na sir a h went by boats to ey . After the British reverse at Shaik Saad in 1 9 1 6 the battery was hurriedly recalled from N a sireya h and marched from A Kurna to Amarah and from marah to Orah , where it proceeded to take part in the attack on the ’ e n emy s lines o fentrenchments at Hanna and the a i a fights at F a la h ife h and Abu Roman and Sa n y t. After this the battery went to I ndia to re - arm and sa w afterwards returned to Mesopotamia . I t more fighting in that inhospitable land before the war was brought to its triumphant conclusion , and at the time we are writing it is still there as part of the o f arm y occupation . M en who have come home “ ” speak of the Show o u t there as only the beginni n g o fsomething that will materialise a hundred o r a M thousand years hence . At present esopotamia is little more than a forbidding s u n - baked waste o f ragged humanity , flies and disease, watered by two mighty and almost useless rivers . British engineers will , it is to be hoped , alter all this make the rivers navigable and irrigate the land , until, in the words of the prophet, the wilderness a n d and the solitary places shall be glad , the desert rej oice and blossom as the rose . Let u s turn now to the 6th (Cyclist) Battalion o f the Royal Sussex Regiment . At the outbreak o f H o v e with war this battalion was embodied in , . the county cricket ground and the adjacent skating 8 THE CALL TO ARMS

rink as its headquarters . With Colonel C . Somers im to Clarke in command , it left almost mediately take its — fi up allotted war stations along the coast , rst in

Norfolk and afterwards in Sussex and Kent . I n 1 1 8 d o f February , 9 , under the comman Lieut . to Colonel Leonard Holmes , it went Ireland , where it helped at fi rst to strengthen the west coast defences against a possible German attempt at a landing , and afterwards , when that danger was i eliminated by the navy, proceeded to var ous parts o f i I reland to guard mportant munition factories , In particularly Co . Wicklow . M eanwhile a new 2 n d 6 th line battalion , the , had been raised and trained in Hove by Colonel Somers Clarke , and, after doing duty in Norfolk , was sent to Chiseldon camp in Wiltshire to train as an infantry battalion with a view to active service against the enemy in

German East Africa . However, u nder the command o f - Lieut Colonel Frank Johnson , it went to I ndia instead , where it did good service in helping to repress the M a h s o u d risings and raids which caused s o much anxiety to the government o fIn dia during fi the rst three years of the war . A third battalion - under Lieut . Colonel Finlayson was also raised as fo r a reserve the earlier formations , and this also had its headquarters for a time in Hove , though m ost o fIts tra ining was done near Windsor . As the years passed and the battalions were thinned o f by casualties, the regiment lost a good deal its fi county character, but a fair proportion of its of cers were always Sussex men .

So far, we have been dealing with units raised to primarily for service abroad . We have now THE CALL TO ARMS

refer to the organised citizen — defence o fthe Home o f 1 1 o f land . I n the autu mn 9 4 , two battalions the Home Protection Brigade were organised in o n e i Hove , by Sir Henry King, which held its f rst drills o n the Western lawns and had a s its fi rst

— n ffi . . . . Commandi g O cer, Lieut Colonel N A K

1 1 . . Burne, succeeded in 9 5 by Major W W

Sandeman , and the other organised in the westerly

o f . . part the town by Major A W Leney , who was

its Commanding Offi cer throughout . These two battalions were at fi rst affi liated to the Central o fV n Association olunteer Traini g Corps , but as time went o n they were offered to a n d accepted by the Government as battalions ofthe S u s s ex Vo lu n te e r o f Regiment , and became a part the armed forces o f the Crown . The Lord Lieutenant of the County (Lord L e c o n fi e ld) was appointed Co u nty l Cu sa c k ~ Sm ith Commandant , with Co onel Sir Berry ,

t u d . 1 1 8 Bar , as Co nty A j utant I n 9 , they were amalgamated a s the 4 th Volunteer Battalion o fthe R m o f oyal Sussex Regiment , under the co mand

W . a Maj or W . Sandeman , with he dquarters at the skating rink by the county cricket ground . Both a before and after the amalg mation , the battalions carried o u t the v aried and responsible duties allotted to fi them with admirable spirit and ef ciency , and it was a sign of the times that each , in the early days , included men of between sixty and seventy years o fa e w h o n . g , were as keen and willi g as the youngest o f o f The members military age , course , gradually fi In left to j oin the forces in the eld . the battalion right thro u gh the war were to be found that friendly mingli n g o fclass with class in a lofty singleness o f 1 0 THE CALL TO ARMS

s o purpose which did much to ensure victory . Before being taken over by the Government both o f battalions had succeeded , with the help many n generous inhabitants , in armi g and equipping m v o f the sel es , and , with the assistance paid o f instructors , had attained a hi bgh standard fi ro u d o f . ef ciency, and the town was very p them o w n Each , we may also add , had organised its War o f Savings Association , as a result which many a man has admitted that the war taught him n o t only how to defend his country , but also how to save is a s h money . The amalgamated battalion w nearly - wa s o f a thousand strong , and capable holding its

o wn . 1 1 with any in the country I n September , 9 9 , the War Oflic e decided to release from their o f V obligations the members the olunteer Force , and i n common with the other Lords Lieutenant o f L e c o n fi eld Counties , Lord received a message from the King conveying His Maj esty s appreciation o f i o f the serv ces rendered by all ranks the force, and o f those wh o by their willing support III o f contributed to its success . the course the a mess ge , which was dated Balmoral , September 1 8 f , His Maj esty used the ollowing words Although happily never called upon to assist in repelling f f o f its invasion , the orce on various occasions gave proo o f value and military spirit , notably when many its members volunteered fo r whole time service on the coast o f 1 1 8 in the summer 9 , thereby relieving troops urgently fo r required service overseas, and also when the call was made upon them to assist in anti - aircraft defence and

other temporary services . With the passing o f the emergency it has n o w been decided to release them from their obligations and to take

steps to commence the disbandment of the force forthwith . THE CALL TO ARMS 1 1

I wish to take the opportunity through you o fc o n vey in g my high appreciation o fthe services rendered by all ranks f of the orce and also by all who , by their willing support,

contributed to its success . I cannot forget the sel f- sa c rifi c e and patriotism which o f inspired so many my subjects , who from reasons of f health or age were unable to serve abroad , to come orward and train themselves fo r any eventuality in the hour o f ’ their country s need . These words o f His Maj esty were read with fi V grati cation by the olunteers and , we may add , received the complete endorsement o f the nation . Meanwhile the familiar s e a — front o f Hove had undergone o n e o fthose curious metamorphoses o f which there were s o m any in those days that people almost lost the faculty o fsurprise . All along the in te rv a ls ~w e re m coast at regular gun e placements , with stretches o f barbed wire entanglements and trenches dug in the upper parts of the beach ; and although after the battle o fJutland the might of the British Navy was never again challenged by the enemy, these defences were maintained throughout o f o f a considerable period the war . The work the Sea Scouts was also a feature o f this phase o f o f the home defence . The chief duty these lads was to keep a look -o u t for any Sign o f a n enemy o r - submarine air craft, and report it immediately to the coastguard , and they were also expected to lend a hand with the rocket apparatus when required . They went o n duty in the very fi rst week o f the v war, and their igil was maintained until the signing o f the armistice . Incidentally this work cost a good - o f deal in shoe leather, for most the patrolling had to o f be done on a pebble beach . The maj ority 1 2 THE CALL TO ARMS

wh o the lads were really Boy Scouts , while thus engaged , were permitted to wear the Sea Scout o f uniform , and most them came from other parts o f England . This work was often monotonous but it was responsible , and they did it cheerfully, a n d many o fthem will have piquant memories to the end of their lives o fthe days and nights when they kept the look- o u t o n the beach of Hove during the years of the great war . to Lastly, there has be recorded here the work o f o f v a special court inquiry, which arose ine itably o u t o f the huge compulsory enlargem ent of the fi ghting forces . We refer to the tribunals before o r which those who , for one reason another , desired o f to be relieved their military obligations , were permitted to plead their cause . A local tribunal wa s f o n m 1 1 for Hove ormed Septe ber 9 , 9 5 , and 1 1 1 8 between that date and November , 9 , when it fo r met the last time , it held one hundred and sixty meetings . Those who served o n it included L e e n e the Mayor (Alderman Sargeant) , Aldermen y, n Colman , Jago and Marks , Cou cillors Bedford , Lo a ds m a n Brailey , Humphrey and and Sir Walter M ié v ille with — , Maj or General Mason as the Military Representative and afterwards National Service v H e n e a e Representati e , assisted by M r . g Harrison

— and later by Maj or General Fry . Decisions were given in no fewer than cases , and against 2 0 o f them only 4 appeals were entered , which only 1 1 o f 4 were successful , and these last, six had the original decision confi rmed by the Central Tribunal .

fi o f . These gures , as the Town Clerk Hove (Mr fi Jermyn Harrison) remarked in his nal report,

Military Hospitals

o f HOSE were days metamorphosis . The

whole world , as people often said , seem ed

upside down . And nowhere locally did the fi nger o f Bellona work a change more swift and dramatic than that which took place in the new buildings o f the Brighton and Hove Grammar — S chool in the Dyke road . Even the change which was to come over the Royal Pavilion later was less a stonishing and a great deal less abrupt . The masters and boys were j ust beginning to be familiar with the new class — rooms when suddenly their whole educational character and equipment was transformed . Doctors , surgeons and nurses took possession the outward and visible Signs o fa great s r o f chool we e replaced by those a great hospital , 1 1 o r and by Friday, August 7 , 9 4 , three days ’ a o f fter Britain s declaration war, the administrative officers o fwhat was during the next four and three q uarter years to be known as the 2 n d EAST ERN N R GE E AL hospital , had actually entered and occupied t h e f building, and the Red Cross flag was lying from the flagstaffo n the front lawn . Six days later all was ready for the reception o fthe fi rst hundred fi 2 1 and fty patients , and thenceforward , until May , 1 1 9 9 , when it closed , the hospital was the means u nder Providence o frestoring thousands o fwounded m e n a n d ailing . I t is worthy o f note that this was the first military hospital in the whole country to be 1 4 MILITARY HOSPITALS I S mobilized as a unit with its establishment complete and its whole record is one o fwhich the grammar school and everyone connected with it will ever have reason to be proud . Nor does this apply only to those who s o brilliantly organised and so faith fully carried out the magni ficent work done here for our soldiers . It applies also to the patriotic f spirit displayed by the headmaster and his staf , the o f boys , and the parents in face the inevitable disturbance o f scholastic work and general in c o n To s a v e n ie n c e involved in such a conversion . y that never was a gr u mble heard is really to put the case far too low . Nowhere was anything but pride and thankfulness expressed in regard to what was to o o f done . I n the cases , , the schools in Portland

— - road , Holland road , and Stanford road , which passed through a similar conversion , precisely the same spirit was manifested by all concerned . I t was o n e o f the countless cases in which the war fi lon o interva llo came rst, and everything else, g , took l a second p ace . The size o f the hospital will be realized when th e we mention that grammar school buildings , together with the neighbouring council school in - 00 Stanford road , contained, in all , 5 beds , and that the Hove branches alone (the Portland - road council school and East Hove council school in

- - Holland road , with its annexe in Cromwell road) , accommodated 4 7 5 more— o r very nearly a total o f a thousand . When we add the branches in Brighton we arrive at a total o f beds ; and it is a lso worth mentioning that as many as twenty four auxiliary hospitals in the Sussex district were 1 6 MILITARY HOSPITALS

o f attached to this great centre , which three received direct convoys . The successive Com manding Offi cers in charge o f the 2 n d Eastern

- General hospital were Lieut . Colonel Rooth ,

- Lieut . Colonel Paley, H a ll - Colonel Gordon , Lieut . Colonel E . — Hobhouse , and Lieut . Colonel F . E .

T . Apthorp Webb , ( ) and throughout the whole of its war history Sister Carter was the — a s matron . The hospital in Dyke road w used as fo r a centre m uch special work in dentistry and ear, nose , eye and throat cases , fractured femurs , etc . , and several members o f the staff were nominated as consultants fo r the district in X - ray work and in f cases o malaria and venereal disease . There was a splendid gift room equipped by a host o fsocieties Io n ide s a s and individual donors , with M iss the

h o n . devoted secretary, and the generous provision made here fo r the varied needs o fthe patients greatly o f facilitated the work the hospital . The religious life o fthe patients was a lso cared for by ministers f of a ll denominations . The Church o England chaplain in charge during the fi rst three years o f the war, was the Vicar of Brighton (then the wh o Rev . Canon Hoskyns) , in addition to his pastoral work raised the funds fo r the erection in h a l the grounds o fa handsome and commodious c pe . On his retirement o n accepting the archdeaconry o f fi . Hastings , the War Of ce appointed the Rev o n ff Canon J . S . Flynn , who had been the sta

i . from the open ng, as his successor The Free Church principal chaplain under the United Navy and Army Board was the Rev . H . Ross Williamson ; MILITARY HOSPITALS and the Roman Catholic chaplain in charge was v fi rst the R e . Father Tatum and afterwards the

Rev . George Galbraith , M . C . The recreative side o f the life o f the hospital during the fi rst three years was in the care of the Soldiers Christian

Association , who had a room of their own in the u b u ildin g with a pe rm a n e n t s pe rin te nde n t. Splendid i i enterta nments were also g ven , often two or three o f times a week , at which the leading performers

the Theatre Royal , the Grand Theatre and the Hippodrome took part with an enthusiasm worthy o ftheir audiences and o fthe occasion and during the latter part o fthe war the patients had the u se of a large and handsomely appointed recreation hut , presented by Mr . Bernhard Baron , in which hundreds o f musical and dramatic enter in m n ts ta e . and lectures were given Altogether,

here and in all the other military hospitals , every thing was done that gratitude and sympathy could suggest, not only to cure the patients but to make

them happy while there . ’ H o ve s chief military hospital was the PORT LAN D ROAD branch o f the 2 n d Eastern General opened

- 1 1 . . in June , 9 5 Lieut Colonel Reginald Jowers , was the medical offi cer in charge d fi fi v e l uring the rst months , and when a f ood o f some hundreds o f dysentery cases came from

- Gallipoli he changed places with Lieut . Colonel E . ‘ Hobhouse , and went to take charge o f the John Howard Home in Kemp Town , - while Lieut . Colonel Hobhouse took command at Portland- road a n d remained in control until 1 1 the hospital closed in May, 9 9 . This hospital 1 8 MILITARY HOSPITALS opened as an ordinary medical and surgical hospital with outdoor wards for cases of tuberculosis , but ultimately became a centre for mental and I 1 1 6 epileptic cases . n November, 9 , a gift room was provided , the building being presented by - 1 1 Maj or General Marsland ; and in March , 9 7 , ’ a local committee under the auspices o fthe Soldiers Christian Association prov ided th e men with a fi n e s recreation hut . From the gift room the patient were supplied with practically everything which a soldier in hospital would look upon a s a little th e luxury, and among those who helped here were

M rs . . Mayoress , . Cresswell Gee , Mrs W Keen , and s the two hon . secretaries , Miss Coen and afterward

M rs . Brownlow, while generous contributions were received from many private donors as well as from ’ C l e e n l h Mary s Guild , the Lord Roberts Memoria Workshops and the Hove War Hospital Supply ’ Depot . During the last year of the hospital s career M rs . Brownlow and Mrs . Keen managed o f the gift room , and the work done by them was the greatest help to the thousands o f patients and

to the hospital generally . The Church of England V fi . chaplain was rst the Rev . E Cresswell Gee , icar ’ of St . Philip s , Aldrington , and afterwards the o f wh o Rev . F . H . D . Smythe , Vicar St . Barnabas , collected the funds for the building o f a small

chapel in the grounds . The EAST HOVE (Holland - road) military hospital o n 2 1 1 o n 8 opened August 7 , 9 7 , and closed May , 1 1 a n d o fwo rk 9 9 , and during its year three quarters

it admitted and treated 4 , 3 5 5 patients . Th e medical offi cer in charge during the greater part o f th e MILITARY HOSPITALS I 9

R . . . T . time was Maj or Richard Whittington , A M c . ( and for many months Dr . Winkelried Williams for f special cases . Here again the transformation ef ected e o fth e was c o m ple t . The large hall school became ’ ’ b o s c h e m istr the men s mess room , the y y laboratory became a surgical dressing room , while the large schoolroom o n the ground floor was converted into f a recreation room . Several o the patients had ! known the buildings years before , as schoolboys The contrast for them can be imagined easily fi n e enough . The swimming bath here was greatly appreciated , the water for it being provided by the o f generosity Alderman Colman . A workshop for o m er j y, carpentry and boot repairing, which was also very popular with the men , was originally equipped o u t of the proceeds o f a sale o f articles v made earlier by the patients , and when it e entually closed , the tools , lathe , etc . , were sent to the Brighton branch o f the Lord Roberts M emorial

Workshops . Sister Winifred I ngle was the devoted fo r sister in charge, doing all that was possible the comfort of the patients while the recreation room was managed by the Soldiers ’ Christian Association who provided it o n the most lib e ra l scale with literature , games and unlimited stationery . Y R G I 2 The LAD GEO E NEV LL hospital at No . 4 Palmeira - square was fo r soldiers suffering from shell shock , partial paralysis and other nerve inj uries requiring highly specialized and lengthy treatment, and it had the honour of being the fi rst of the kind started in the United Kingdom . Lady George ’ Nevill s vain quest o f a haven for a case n eeding se t such treatment, led her to to work personally to a o MILITARY HOSPITALS raise the funds for founding and equipping this fi place o fmarvels . The nancial response was as fi n e as all such responses were during the war , ’ Mr D Av i do r Go lds m id while . g kindly lent the f a s house . The great feature o the hospital w the electrical room equipped with apparatus of the newest kind including radiant heat and light baths ,

- X rays and high frequency applications . The o n 1 1 1 hospital opened March 7 , 9 7 , and both Lord and Lady George Nevill took an unceasing r personal interest in it, the former acting as honora y secretary . They had the satisfaction o f seeing scores o f men cured who otherwise would have “ ” drifted into incurables . Mrs . Searle , the matron , f and a devoted staf , were all Splendid , and a visit to this hospital gave o n e an unsurpassable realization o f what war can inflict and science and kindness can heal . Nor were the needs o f the blinded officers 1 1 6 forgotten . I n September, 9 , Sir Arthur Pearson 1 2 - — secured No . Kings gardens as a week end f r - convalescent hom e o o ffi c e r patients at St . ’ D u n sta n s , and a year later he bought the historic 8 - No . Kings gardens , the house in which King Edward VI I stayed several times o n his visits to

M r . Arthur Sassoon . This latter house he is keeping Th e l permanently . bril iant midsummer sunshine o f o f the Hove front, and the lack rowing facilities s ea - - along the coast , make the river side more suitable as summer headquarters for blinded men , and the months from June to Septem ber are spent by the patients at the places which Sir ' Arthur has secured up the Thames ; but during the autumn z z MILITARY HOSPITALS

and tended back to health . Twenty beds were fi allotted to soldiers all through the war . At rst a only police reservists were taken , but in Janu ry, 1 I 6 fi 9 , the War Of ce asked Miss Catherine Gurney, the founder Of the home , to take other soldiers s h e also , and and the committee agreed . Dr . Eliot C u rwe n and Dr Desborough Clark were the fi u n fi a in l honorary medical of cers and worked gg g y , s e rv Ic e s as also did Sister J . R . Cowen whose won “ n n special mention . The hom e has o t an operati g theatre so only minor operations could be perform ed , but many cases Of serious wounds were treated . The patients were as happy there as in any hospital in the town and discipline was exceptionally good . Many concerts and other e n te I ta in m e n ts were giv en o n e V by friends , notably by M iss Violet anbrugh a n d her party which is still remembered by the staff f 1 as a delightful evening . I n the winter o 1 9 7 Princess Victoria paid the home a quite unexpected fi visit, was shown over it by M iss Grif n , and talked pleasantly to all the patients . At the request o fthe local branch o fthe British o f R IG H T N Red Cross Society the committee the B O , V N R T N D IS P E NSAR Y in I 1 HO E A D P ES O November, 9 4 , placed at its disposal certain o fthe hospital wards at its Hove branch for the treatment of soldiers , and a num ber o fwounded Belgians were recei v ed there under the auspices of the Society . Afterwards o f the committee the dispensary, at the request Of fi — the War Of ce , placed twenty four beds at its disposal , and the number was subsequently raised

- - to thirty two and fi nally to forty three . Between MILITARY HOSPITALS

v 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 No ember , 9 4 , and December , 9 , the total number o fmilitary patients treated here was 8 8 8 and the medical offi cers in charge were

- e ff . Captain G o rey Bate , Lieut Colonel i a z n R v . Hu t, Dr Clapham , the late

r . . M . W . J Stephens and M r . A . J . Owen n o Last but by means least, the Hove Borough

Sanatorium near Hangleton , overlooking the

neighbouring golf links , was able to take a number u o f Of infectio s cases soldiers at Shoreham Camp , w v who had been stricken down ith scarlet fe er, diphtheria o r typhoid and nurse them back to - n health . Twenty seve such cases were dealt with fi t wo f during the rst years o the war . After that

the military authorities were a ble to de a l with them . We hav e n o t gone into details as to what was done in all these hospitals to cure the soldiers both

in body and mind . On that the soldiers themselves a re the best historians . We know that many thousands o f brav e men were brought back to health in these establishments organised so hastily and yet with so marvellous a completeness , and ministered to from beginning to end by hundreds o fskilful and devoted men and women who found their reward in their work and in the lifelong gratitude of those for whom they laboured with s o e n e ro sI pure a g ty . Mu nition Mak ing

HOSE war nights o fmoonlight and starlight n o t u were an nmixed bane after all . They fi made locomotion dif cult , caused many f a ll O fin c o nv e n ie n c es accidents , and in licted sorts ; h and yet even ere there was compensation . Did they not enable many dwellers in big towns to behold for the fi rst time in their lives the m arvellous spectacle o fthe heavens by night ? When Brighton and Hove were o n e glare o fgas and electricity who s a w Orion o r Ca ssio poea ? We all found them easily enough in those winter and summer nights f No w o the years o f war . that the lights have come back and the glare o f the two towns shines III again for miles every direction , we have to get away o n to the Downs to see the constellations In s all their glory . The Palace Pier by night I too much for Orion . Some o f us may remember that even in the blackest nights o fthe years o fwar there would be tiny scraps o fbright window- space here and there at which the constable on his rounds would n o d his head pleasantly and pass on . He knew that the slender white beam striking across the road betrayed a munition factory hard at work right n round the clock , doi g its bit to back up the men

’ at the front and supply them with the m eans o f defeating the enemy . The work done in these factories is well worthy o f commemoration . A number o flocal fi rms converted their plant from MUNITIO N MAKING 2 5 peace - time manufa ctures to those of war in a most ’ F o r — remarkable way . example , an organ builder s

- — became a shell case factory, a window blind manu facturer turned to the construction o f steel fi fo r w ttings collapsible boats . Those ere y ears o f amazing transformations, and the change that came over the whole industri a l system wa s only f a n o n e o many . It certainly transcended nythi g ever dreamed o fbefore 1 9 1 4 by any Chamber o f

Commerce . The most romantic local story in this connexion s r a f i . Ca w rdin e . o , perhaps , that of F , Ltd , - r Mortimer road , and the p esent writer frankly Ca rwa rdin e wishes that Mr . himself were here telling it in his vivid way instead o f its having to u o f be set forth in the d ll medium print . One would indeed need the pen o fa Jules Verne to do justice to the quite magical rise and lav ish scale o f ’

Ca rwa rdin e s . n e . o o f M r operations As he told us , his contracts fo r wooden packing— cases for army

- purposes , piled up in North street , would have fi lled that thoroughfare from the pavements to the tops of the houses from Castle— square to the Clock n n Tower . He did things o the gra d scale . He was i n the habit of buying rope by the ton and u trees by the whole forest . He would load p the e n tire length of a long railway train with his u o r prod cts , and purchase wire by the nine ten n tons at a time and ails by the twenty tons . His “ fi fo r rst order was blanket boxes , into which were to be packed all sorts of things fo r n to Tommy Atkins , from bla kets Shoelaces and for the shell alone h e made something like 2 6 MUNITION MAKING

wooden cases . One Saturday night

early in the war came a telegram , an hour before midnight, ordering cartridge boxes to be s upplied by the following Thursday . The workers , o t then numbering eighty, were g together early

next day and worked all Sunday, and by Thursday i we I e morn ng Of the boxes dispatched , the fi ve remainin tg hundred following next day , a piece o f work fo r which the fi rm received the offi cial o f fi . thanks the War Of ce . Another of Mr ’ C a rwa rdin e s orders was for boxes lined with tin , with sliding lids and spliced rope handles ; a Iio th e I i i n while , requ ring thirty screws each box , f o n u o 2 000 . called for an o tlay £ , screws alone “ ” He soon had s e ve n s h 0ps o r work - rooms in full f o f 2 blast and was employing a staf 5 0 . He was o n e o fthe fi rst to engage women for the sort o f carpentry required , and he still speaks with warm appreciation o f the way i n which they did their fo r v l Work . His genius in ention also p ayed its F I v — f o f . o r d o part nstance , the o e tailing the sides a b o x u sed to be a j ob fo r which a workman was Ca rwa rdin e paid ninepence . M r . invented a m achine with which a m a n and a boy could dove - o f tail eight hundred box sides in a day . Another h is inventions was a drying- box for newly- cut timber i n which the s a p o fthe wood was expelled by steam pressure . Another was a machine by means o f which four thousand holes fo r screws could b O I ed u be in an ho r . A fourth was a contrivance fo r cross c u ttin g tim b e r by which s ix b o x Sides could c u t fi o f be simultaneously, and a fth was a sort " Brobdingnagian thermos consisting o fo n e copper MUNITION MAKING 2 7 v o f essel inside another , by means which thirty gallons o fglue could be kept liquid and ready fo r u s e w d o f . It all sho ed what can be one by a man din e . Ca rwa r energy and ideas , and Mr has good f o f reason to be proud o his record . One his most cherished possessions to — day 13 a large photograph o fthe crowd o femployés taken when the factory o fIts a n d u v was at the height energy prod cti eness , and it certainly makes a thrilli n g souvenir o fa very exciting time . 81 The story o f how Messrs . Morgan Smith turned from the work o fbuilding o rgans to that o fmaking wooden cases for munitions is scarcely fi rm less romantic . This promptly installed a number o f additional electric m otors and other a machinery to meet the new dem nds . They o wn conveyed in their lorries , and in logs eight O i n dh e a d feet long, timber from the woodlands ,

Haslemere , Albourne and other places in Surrey ,

Sussex and Hampshire , and then dried it , cut it a n up , and fashioned it into mmu ition cases for Woolwich and the Shell - fillin g factories in various o parts f England . Here were made between a h o f and c ses , each to old three

- the famous three inch Stokes bombs , and over

boxes for the proj ectile , all made to the o fM u n ItI n s order o fthe Ministry o . There were o f also made here a number larger boxes , among ’ them some fiv e hundred mechanics tool chests fi fo r ordered by the War Of ce the Royal Air Force , and a quantity o fboxes in which were packed the “ ” depth - c h a rge s w h ic h played s o useful a part in the victory over the German submarine . During their 2 8 MUNITION MAKING

o f - 8: four years war work M essrs . Morgan Smith f employed a staf of about a hundred , including fi v e o f seventy girls and women , whom Captain

o n e o f o f. fi rm Arthur Smith ( the heads the , who for over eighteen months was adj utant o f tiie I st Volunteer Battalion Of the Royal Sussex Regiment) “ says : They were I ea lly excellent in the quick way o fth e m in which they grasped the work , a number became quite as expert carpenters as the m en , and they all did their very utmost to ‘rise to the a occasion . I t is also worth dding that the employés made a weekly contribution to the local military o wn W a r hospitals , and ran their Savings Association , thus , like wise people , blending prudence as well as philanthropy with patriotism . Less than fi fty yards away an almost equally dramatic transformation took place . After nearly ' half a century s peaceful manufacture o f lifts and - i b l r fi rm o fF . . G e e e window blinds , the W , two days to f after war was declared , turned the manu acture o fsteel fi ttings and superstructures for collapsible t h e boats , and continued to make them during III 1 1 following four years . 9 5 they further adapted their wood — working department to the manufacture ofthe shaped wooden blocks which were placed inside munition boxes to prevent shells (packed four in a case) from knocking accidentally against each other I — fi e ld while O I transit from the factory to the battle . o f By means Special machinery, mounted and made by themselves , and kept going night and day while the demand for the eighteen - pounder shell was at

O fth e s e . its height, they made about blocks

3 0 MUNITION MAKING later the M inistry o fM unitions put down special machinery fo r this work and the voluntary services No r o fthe company were no longer needed . can there be many fi rms in the country whose employés a f c n Show a better record o military service . o f Between ninety and a hundred per cent . the men o f military age employed by the Brighton and Hove Gas Company In 1 9 1 4 j oined the fighting forces , and the general manager , Mr . C . H . Rutter, has informed us that he cannot recall a single instance o fan able - bodied employé who would have been o f any value to the fighting forces o f the country n o t j O IIIIn g up .

During the war Messrs . Allen West 8: Co . ’ made a vast amount o f the company s ordinary control gear for the Admiralty , who used the gear O II all classes o fwarships as well as O II harbour cranes ; a large volume of under- carriages for the heavy Handley Page bombing machine, o f o wn d 00 000 bomb throwers their esign with 5 , fo r d hand grenades them , Mills han 000 grenades , Stokes shells , and - C s h ell fuses . Of the three last named a onsiderable number Of the detail parts were made at their Hove works . They also undertook a large contract for a delicate little m easuring instr u ment required o n aeroplanes as part o f their wireless telegraphy i wa s equ pment , and this contract entirely dealt with at the Hove works . We cannot give precise particulars o fthis interesting little instrument fo r “ i ” it is s till not only delicate but a ls o c o n fide n t a l. This fi rm worked n o t only fo r the Admiralty but fo r fi o f also the War Of ce , the Ministry M unitions , MUNITION MAKING 3 1 the I nland Waterways and Docks Department and other Government departments , and can look back upon hav ing made a vital contribution to victory . n A large umber of engineering , motor and other fi rms took s u b - contracts under the Board o f Management o fthe County o f Sussex Munitions e Area . Messrs . Langton , Ltd . , of the Wick Garag ’ D Av i do r— fi in g road , for example , were at rst r engaged in the prod uction Of Stokes bombs . Afte a while they turned to making fuse — hole plugs in o u t which they were highly successful , turning considerably over Th e fuse — hole plug is a very useful contri v ance which seals the nose o f a Shell during its journey from the factory to the battery . I n connection with this work they considerably enlarged and improved their pla n t and put down an electro — plating plant which was of considerable assistance to the Board o fManage ment (of the committee o fwhich the Mayor and

Mr . C . B . Smith , the Borough Electrical Engineer, ’ n W o rk s a t were members) . Taig s Engineeri g , that m - v ti e in Conway street, the Ho e Engineering W e — h i . . . E . t Works , Mr . Jones and M r T L Rogers were also sub - contractors to the Sussex Boa rd o f

Management, making fuses , caps for fuses and

Stokes bombs . o f r B W in te r h And what shall we say D . J . . w o v — f con erted his drawing room into a actory and , also working as a sub— contractor under this Board o f o f Management, produced a large output fuse caps ? W in te r and components D r. has long been famous o f o n e o f as an amateur mechanic, and his model the Brighton railway locomotives which stands 3 2 MUNITION MAKING under a glass case at the top o fthe staircase leading o n e to the Brighton art galleries , is of the most is perfect things of the kind in existence . I t also o n e o f the most popular exhibits in the building, particularly with the men at the railway works . ’ - Dr . Winter s war work , therefore , was only the o f development an Old skill and enthusiasm , but o f o f the secretary the Board Management , fi M r . Herbert Reason , has testi ed to the mechanical ingenuity displayed by him in his highly u n co n e n tio n a l v workshop as most remarkable . With a

View to increasing his output, and perhaps also with the idea of restoring his drawing- room to more ° O in ed normal uses , he afterwards forces with a Brighton contractor and shited his machinery to ’ their works . Dr . Winter s record as a munition maker and contributor to victory is certainly not the least remarkable feature o f this part o f o u r

history . n o t Last but not least , let us forget the hundreds of Hove women and girls who in the February h o f 1 1 t fo r and Marc 9 7 , lef London and other - fillin places to work in the great shell g factories . At that time the Governm ent appealed to the o whole co u ntry for fthese recruits . A local committe e was formed in Hov e and a meeting o f ladies held in the Town H a ll at which the methods o f the great factory at Willesde n were fully

d . SO a describe well was the loc l appeal made , and s o o f good was the spirit the people , that the number of workers who offered themselv es from

this town actually exceeded the allotted proportion . High Offi cial testimony was afterwards paid to the MUNITION MAKING 3 3

“ th e da n e r splendid work they did , particularly in g ” a rea s in which high explosives and de a dly c h e m ica ls had to be manipulated . Every single one o f the thousands o f workers referred to indirectly in this chapter can honestly sa y that he o r s h e did something that helped to force Into the hand of Germany the pen with which

1 1 1 1 8 . she signed the armistice of November , 9 We wish we could publish the names o fevery o n e o f them . The sailors and soldiers would be as o f o f proud them as they are the soldiers and sailors . All we need sa y is that the whole nation knows that they were a vital and absolutely indispensable in o f s o factor the winning the war, and long as the present generation lasts their services will be remembered with the highest admiration and the warmest gratitude . The D e pOt

H a ll O II HE scene is the Town December 4 , 1 o n 1 9 6 . A bazaar behalf of the Hove Depot has j ust been declared open by P rincess Patricia (now Lady Patricia Ramsay) , and

Mrs . H . R . Bromley Davenport is addressing the crowded gathering . As she stands there , holding s o n s h e her little by the hand while Speaks , every word is distinctly audible through the length and fo r o r a wo m a n breadth ofthe hall , there is not a man in the building who does n o t know that the speaker is O f has been , and , the soul and inspiration the whole work . And presently she entreats everyone present to ask h im s elfo r h e rselfth e s e two qu estions : “ What are these men doing for me 3 ” What am I doing fo r them W u ords co ld scarcely be simpler , yet they sank into every heart . Many eloquent speeches were delivered from that platform during the years of n o t f war , but one created a deeper ef ect than that o fthe lady who stood that day and j ust talked for a few m inutes to o n e o f the most representative l assemblies ever seen in the ha l . We have quoted the two questions because they epitomize perfectly the spirit which enabled the Hove Wa r Hospital Supply Depot to carry through a w o rk which will be remembered long and grate fully III thousands of hearts and will redound to o f o f Its the credit the town to the end history . If the people of Hove had done nothing else In the T HE DEPOT 3 5 war but the work carried o n at 4 Grand - avenue and Airlie House , their record would still have been a fi n e one . The HOVE WAR HOS P ITAL S U P P LY DE POT o riginated In a conversation which Mrs . Bromley Davenport h a d in the February of 1 9 1 5 with M rs o f . Clement Cobbold Ipswich , in which that lady described what was being done by the depot which s h e had organised in the Suffolk M rs town . Shortly afterwards . Bromley Davenport,

M rs . . Montgomery Paterson , Mrs Dives and M iss Holden called upon the Mayor and Mayoress o fHov e to suggest the inauguration o fa similar

M rs . depot in this borough . Alderman and Sargeant at once fell in with the proposal , and the Mayoress sent o u t invitations fo r a meeting at the Town

Hall to explain the scheme . This was attended b y a representative company, and a speech by ff M rs . Cobbold had precisely the same e ect upon the audience that her conversation three weeks earlier had had upon Mrs . Bromley Davenport .

I n those days , when there were willing hearts , o n 6 things had a way of moving quickly, and April , 1 1 9 5 , the Hove Depot (the third in the Kingdom , the other two being at Ipswich and Kensington) was Opened with a modest couple o frooms o n the fi rst floor o f4 Grand— avenue (kindly lent by the

West Brighton Estate Company) , and a working

o f 0 . capital J£7 I t is impossible to give anything like a full account o f the perfectly magnifi cent work which f w o u t o . gre these simple beginnings From April , 1 1 1 1 9 5 , to March , 9 9, when the depot closed , as 3 6 TH E DEPOT

many as three thousand entirely voluntary workers , o f representing practically all ranks local society, to devoted their time , Skill and money the work of designing , making and dispatching to the various headquarters and naval and military hospitals of the B fi ritish and Allied ghting forces , dressings , splints , b s andages , drugs , clothes , foods and other thing u rgently needed fo r the treating o f the wounded o f fi and the comfort the men who were still ghting . The number o ffi nished articles sent o u t from th e o f de Ot o n 6 1 1 its Opening the p April , 9 5 , to o n M 2 1 1 1 closing arch , 9 9 , was as follows

80 4 Roller bandages 7 , 9 7 r Sewn bandages

Splints (metal , wooden , etc . ) - - Crutches , bed cradles, bed rests and tables Dressings and appliances

Ward linen , etc .

o f . Articles clothing , etc Slippers and trench feet

ffl . Socks, mu ers, mittens , etc Miscellaneous

These articles were distributed to the hospitals home and abroad as follows For British combatant troops For British sick and wounded in hospital For British prisoners of wa r To Allied countries

THE DEPOT 3 7

o f 2 000 The cost this work amounted to over J£ 9 , , a n d this su m was subscribed almost entirely by the de Ot people of Hove . Each worker at the p also m o f ade a money contribution Sixpence a week, and the amount thus raised covered the entire c ost o f administration so that every penny given by the public could be used in the purchase o fra w material . The de pOt was open all day not only for workers fo r u f but visitors , and a to r Of its loors was an o n e inspiration . Rapidly the entire house , of the largest private residences i n the two towns , was wa s absorbed , and from top to bottom every room m a hive of labour . I n one roo bandages and from to swabs were the average daily 1 00 o f output . Another averaged pairs slippers o n e a week . I n room splints were made , in another fo r they were padded . There was a room the making o f dressing- gowns suited to the various climates in which the war was raging, and in another the picking o fto w fo r the padding of splints went O II all day with a briskness and skill perfectly

to . fascinating watch Tragic, too , as the background o f wa s o f it all , the whole spirit the place was as bright as the sunshine which poured in through

‘ the windows . There were no dull faces . The white uniforms o f the wome n workers helped to disseminate cheerfulness , and humorous illuminated incitements to energy laughed from the walls and — o f looking glasses . The motto the whole pla c e 3 8 T HE DEPOT

’ might ha ve been the Old Ka la ” to argon k a z th eion estin v , Work is comely and di ine . Such was the enthusiasm that the work n o t only absorbed , as we have said , the whole Of 4 Grand e avenue, but swelled over into Airlie House opposit f (kindly lent through the instrumentality o M essrs . V Fitz H u h V o o lle g , Woolley, Baines and y) , where the carpenters and metal and papier méché workers AS were installed . time went on a number o f branches o f the de pOt were also established in various parts Of the county and even in the adj oining o f a s B e a rs te a d counties Surrey and Kent, follows Cu c k fi eld (Kent) , Burstow (Surrey) , , Farlington

Voluntary Service Corps (Haywards Heath) , F ra m fi e ld H e a th e rde n , Great Bookham (Surrey) , - in - H e n fi eld working party (Cross hand) , , Hurst pierpoint, Kemp Town (Mrs . Campbell Jenkins) , L e w e s Lim s fi e ld Lancing College working party, , p , ’ Littlehampton,Parish Church Girls Club (Hove) , ’ Portslade, Rottingdean , Shoreham , St . Stephen s ’ ’ working party, St . Thomas Girls Club , Steyning , U c k fi eld , Wadhurst (Kent) , Winchelsea , and No r Worthing . was this the whole of the great fi organisation . There was also a number of af liated “ groups o f workers as follows Aldrington ’ ’ Catholic Girls Club , Catholic Wom en s League , ’ — - Connaught road Girls Club , George street Church o f England schools , Hoove Lea school , Medina ’ ’ n college , Mrs . Bowdler s Girls Club , Presbyteria ’ ’ - Ladies working party, Women s War time Club, T HE DEPOT 3 9

’ - Belle vue school , Hurstpierpoint , Women s Guild at Southover rectory near Lewes , Kingston working h Swa n b o ro u . party, g All these branches and groups o f workers were entirely indepen dent fi nancially , but they sent in their work at regular v inter als and were o fimmense help . v 1 1 ina u I n No ember , 9 5 , the Army Council g u ra ted a scheme to c o — ordinate and regulate the general v olume o fwo rk o fth is kind wh ich was then being so freely rendered by voluntary organisations u and individ als throughout the country, and Colonel Sir Edward Ward was appointed Director- General V o f oluntary Organisations . I n compliance with this scheme the Mayor appointed the de pOt as the Hove Association fo rVo lu n ta ryW o rk Organisations fo r supplyi n g ( i ) hospital requisites and ( ii ) fi comforts for troops in the eld . Up to this time the de pOt had sent its supplies in answer to direct appeals from hospitals , etc . After the inauguration o fthe Army Council scheme the big offi cial hospitals at home and abroad addressed their requisitions to

- the Director General of Voluntary Organisations , and he in his turn directed the various depOts to send what was required . This arrangement worked admirably, saving much time and avoiding a great deal o f overlapping which otherwise would have been inevitable . The townspeople supported the de pOt in a o f worthy spirit generosity . We have already mentioned that practically its whole income was o f contributed by the people Hove . The following 4 0 THE DEPOT statement o freceipts as given in the fi nal balance sheet shows h o w the money was raised

1 1 - 1 9 5 9 . RECEIPTS . I; s . d . Donations I 1 6 0 ’ Workers contributions 1 1 8 ’ Visitors 3 4 1 I 6 I D e Ot 1 1 8 2 8 p week, September, 9 Bazaars 1 7 6 Flag days (excluding D epOt week) 1 7 5

Entertainments ,

. 8 2 2 I concerts, etc 3 5 Collections at 1 1 0 8 2 churches , etc . Rummage sale 3 0 1 3 0 Profit on teas 7 7 I 7 4 o f 1 06 Sale wool , patterns, surplus stock, etc . , 5 7 3 Deposit interest 1 1 6 0 1

1 0 7

We shall Show in another chapter how e n th u S ia stic a lly they threw themselves into the events “ 1 1 8 of the week in September , 9 , and into the f various lag days . Indeed , it is not too much to s a y that the support o f the de pOt was felt by a ll to be a matter which touched the honour o f the town and even the honour o feach individual . Again and again the Mayor and others acknowledged this generous pride in the warm est terms . Splendid a s was the devotion of the workers in Grand - avenu e it is also true that the whole town sha red in both the credit and the success . During the first three months Miss Scovell acted

1 1 . . as hon . secretary, and in July, 9 5 , Mrs Evelyn S Dives succeeded her and continued to hold that T HE DEPOT 4 1 responsible position during the remaining period o f nearly four years . Mrs . Bromley Davenport was vice - president from beginning to end with o f special direction the work rooms , and was , as we f f o . have already said , the soul the whole great ef ort E s E . I t was fo r her work here that h e received the C . . v from His Maj esty, and ne er was a distinction more

fi nely earned . Great and important help of a technical kind was also given In the fi rst year by s u r Miss Dorothy Roberts as hon . surgical pe in te n dent . Her technical knowledge undoubtedly laid o f o f the foundation the success the surgical work . o f The constant help the president, the Countess o fCh ic h es te r l , must also be cordially acknow edged , o f while the Mayor as chairman the committee , a s h o n . and the Mayoress treasurer, threw the full weight o f their public prestige into the work o f enlisting popular support . I t should also be ’ recorded that Lady Sh iffn er s room at the Royal ’ Pavilion hospital , i n which Dr . Martin s plaster s tump — buckets were m ade and fi tted u nder her de Ot supervision , owed its origin to the p where Lady Sh iffn e r was working when the invitation came to her to open and direct the new department v at the Royal Pa ilion . AS to the gratitude with which the work o fthe de Ot o f fi n p inspired the men the ghti g forces , we could easily fi ll this book with the letters o f h n o . thanks that poured in upon the secretary .

We must, however, content ourselves with a few is sentences . Here an extract from o n e received 4 2 T H E DEPOT

from a casualty clearing station in Fra nce in I 1 6 September, 9 Of all the various things we receive yours are the very f best . They were so beauti ully made and finished and

every little detail thought o f.

Here o n e from Lunev ille Your cases were an absolute godsend and I do not know what we should have done without them as they arrived just as the shells began to drop on Verdun and we were

getting our patients into the cellars . Here another from Burra in M esopotamia The boxes o fthings you have kindly sent h ave only just

arrived , and I am writing to thank you most heartily for f them all . We greatly appreciate these gi ts and the kind thoughts o four people in England for the comfort of our f sick and wounded . Please accept my heart elt thanks and convey them to all the kind people who have so generously

contributed . And here one from Rumania You have sent us a wonderful variety of hospital requirements and you seem to have thought of everything

which would be most appreciated by our sick and wounded . I must also thank you very sincerely for the excellent

packing . The transit to Rumania is so long that the

packing has to be particularly strong , and it is very seldom

that we receive such professionally packed goods .

One from a trawler at s ea I have the honour to thank you on behalf of the men Of the above trawler for the socks , mittens, helmets ,

mufflers and cardigans you have so kindly sent us . I can assure you these n ts are much appreciated and will keep

the men warm during the cold weather .

’ Th e Prison e rs Com forts Fu nd E W except those immediately concerned know how great a part Hove was privileged to play in the amelioration o fthe hardships o fBritish o f o f h o w prisoners war . The story the town becam e responsible for all the supplies o f m edical comforts which went to o u r countrymen who were ’ prisoners in the enemy s hands is o f historical interest . I t is also a remarkable tribute to the pertinacity and warm - hearted devotion o f

Mrs . Bromley Davenport who sugg ested the formation of the I NVAL ID COM F O RTS F U N D F O R I W PR SO NERS O F AR and acted a s its hon . secretary throughout . 1 1 6 The fund was started in J uly , 9 , as a branch o fthe Hove War Hospi tal Supply Depot after the ’ publication o fthe Go v ernment Committee s report o n the conditions of the Wittenberg camp during the typhus epidemic, when the German doctors in charge , to the everlasting discredit oftheir profession

fl fo r . in that country , ed their own safety There was already a small fund under the same name for m e dica ls u lie s to sending pp British prisoners , formed P ic to n W a rlo w not long before at Bedford by Mrs . , and as soon as the new fund was started the two were amalgamated . The new organisation had the advantage at the o u tset of the professional advice o f V Maj or Priestley and Captain idal , the two doctors who were in charge of the W ittenberg cam p during the epidemic . 44 ’ THE PRISONERS COMFORTS FUND 4 5

At first it did its work from o n e room at 4 Grand avenue , but it soon outgrew its birthplace . A separate committee for it , distinct from that Of th e de Ot p , was formed under the chairmanship of the Mayor ; a home and headquarters was found at 1 - 9 Second avenue, generously placed at the disposal o f o f the committee free all cost by the owner, l v Mr . Lewis Woolf, and ater it mo ed again to a — o f large house in Third avenue . As a work this kind obviously could not be entirely supported o f locally, the Central Prisoners War Committee 1 1 6 th e from October, 9 , onwards , undertook fi nancial responsibility and made grants of money e r according as they were r quired . A sum of ove 8 was spent by the fund, and to this have

o f . to be added the large supplies clothing, etc , sent in by the various War Hospital Supply D e pOtS throughout the country for distribution . The c o - ordination o fthe work of control of all food and clothing supplies to prisoners took plac e 1 1 6 in October, 9 , but the fact that medical comforts and drugs might also be necessary for British soldiers in enemy camps had not been foreseen by th e authorities or pro v ided fo r in the scheme . The War Office regulations as they stood forbade the dispatch o f medical comforts and drugs in bulk . The question was taken up at once with the War fi Of ce , but considerable delay took place while conferences were being held to det ermine what drugs and comforts ought o r ought n o t to be 1 1 dispatched . Finally, early in February, 9 7 , it was decided that the I nvalid Comforts Fund (under the general control of the Central Prisoners ofWa r ’ 4 6 THE PRISONERS COMFORTS FUND

Committee o f the British Red Cross Society) should be the sole authorised association for the s o fs u c h ending articles to prisoners , and the principle was laid down that in all but exceptional cases

dispatches to individual prisoners Should cease . The obj ect aimed at was the maintenance o r an adequate supply o fcomforts and drugs at the o f headquarters each camp . The authorities approved a standard case contain ’ h a s - o il ing suc articles castor , Scott s emulsion , b i- o f Sulphate quinine , malt extract, disinfectant, s a n ita s — o v a ltin e soap , Soda mint tablets , milk, , ’ plasmon arrowroot, Brand s essence, Benger, o f compressed packets wool , gauze swabs , cough

mixture , ammoniated quinine , iodine tincture ,

calcium lactate , bismuth soda and ginger, m ustard th e rm o e n e leaves , g wool , zinc ointment , plasmon

cocoa , plasmon oats , invalid bovril , bandages , boracic

lint and other necessaries . Monthly consignments o fsuch cases were sent Off to the presidents of the British Help Committees in each of the principal

camps in Germany, Austria , Turkey and Bulgaria , the contents being based o n the particular local

needs of each camp , and the closest possible touch n was kept with each committee . I dividual parcels

were dispatched to chronic cases , and also such a rticles as surgical boots and belts , trusses , elastic n o f stocki gs , and glasses for the use men particularly f in need o them . 1 1 I n July, 9 7 , the whole subj ect of medical supplies was reconsidered in consultation with the o f fi Army M edical Department the War Of ce, the c ontents of the standard cases were revised and ’ THE PRISONERS COMFORTS FUND 4 7

altered , and special consignments were approved 1 1 8 for eastern countries . I n January, 9 , further changes were made and the War Office permitted hospital clothing in small quantities to be added ; and a few months later the schem e was fi nally extended to allow the dispatch o fany article required o f for a prisoner, subj ect to the securing a permit III from the Army M edical Department London . Considering the enormous diffi culties o ftransport and also the suspicion with which medical supplies o f were regarded by the enemy, the results the work were successful beyond all expectations . Over 1 cases and parcels were dispatched to Offi cers fi and men in all enemy countries , classi ed as follows

’ ' n N t mh ’ r 1 1 8 M en s rectian om J u e 1 1 6 to ov . fi , 9 , , 9

To Germany, Austria, etc cases parcels To Turkey and Bulgaria 3 0 1 cases 6 1 2 parcels

1 6 - 3 2 4 3 ’ Ofi cers section 1 6 parcels and cases

fi The acknowledgments were at rst poor, the men not recogn is ing the importance o freturning their acknowledgment cards , and also perhaps being afraid that these might be counted a s part of their o f 1 1 8 correspondence, but by the beginning 9 they were averaging about 75 per cent . , and by o f the summer 89 per cent . the consignments were acknowledged . How gratefully they were II acknowledged we shall show a little further O . ’ 4 8 THE PRISONERS COMFORTS FUND

I 1 1 After October , 9 7 , medical articles were no longer allowed to be sent in private parcels to fi o f Of cer prisoners war . A special section of this

fund was , therefore , started to deal with their

requirements , and through its instrumentality it became possible to send individual parcels in the fo ffi c e rs O n l a o . cases y few articles were prohibited , and the offi cers themselves o r their relatives were able to name any medicines they wished sent and o f have them dispatched at once . The cost the

parcels was paid by them , unless exceptional

circumstances made this impossible , i n which case parcels were sent free of charge and the cost as far as possible met by donations which were given from time to time for this purpose by those wh o had themselves benefi ted by the medical parcels they h a d ,received , and desired to Show their appreciation o fthe work o fthe Invalid Comforts Fund in this

way . Small bulk consignments were also sent to the Offi cer camps in order that new prisoners might l r be ab e to obtain dressings , invalid food and ordina y

remedies without delay , and these were supplied by ’ O ffi c e rs the general fund . Otherwise the section

- was practically self supporting . At the signing of the armistice very large

o f . quantities medical comforts , drugs , etc , were sent to Rotterdam fo r the prisoners who were fi nding their way into Holland o r being repatriated 2 0 000 by that route . These were in value over J£ ,

and proved most useful . The hon . secretary Of the fund also went over to Rotterdam to assist in

the administration .

’ 5 0 THE PRISONERS COMFORTS FUND the honorary secretary dispatched within a few o m in hours a large quantity fe m et e . The Foreign Office arranged that it Should be taken by a King ’ s m essenger across the North Sea in a destroyer and to thence by Dutch courier Constantinople , thereby ensuring the reliefofsuffering at the earliest possible m oment . Under the conditions obtaining at the time , a parcel by the usual route would have taken from nine months to a year to reach its destination . Sometimes a message would come through that a large number o fBritish wounded were expected I at a certain camp in Germany . mmediately large quantities of bandages and other medical requisites were dispatched and , as the letters from the m en demonstrate, were a means of preserving many a man from death . Towards the end of the war it was found possible to arrange for a reserve o f medical supplies to be kept at the D utch Legation in Berlin , whence they could be sent by motor car wherever an emergency arose . And now let us quote a few o fthe Cxpressions o f gratitu de which M rs . Bromley Davenport received in connection with this work . Captain Reginald Clibb o rn o rth u m b erla nd u silie rs , N F , wrote as

O II . 1 1 8 follows his return to England in D ec , 9 I simply must write and thank you for the stuffyou sent

out to me while I was in Germany . The parcels arrived r - with the utmost regula ity, and invariably in tip top T condition . here is not the shadow of a doubt that the department under your care was the best run of any in

connection with prisoners of war . None of the camps I

was in (six in all) were ever short of medical comforts, s thanks to your plendid organi sation . ’ THE PRISONERS COMFORTS FUND 5 1

Sergeant C . Lowman , Hants Regiment, wrote as 1 1 follows from Birkenhead in February, 9 9 I have just recently returned from Turkey where I have fo r been a prisoner the past three years . I was captured

at Kut with General Townshend . Owing to the hardships we endured in the siege and the terrible way we were treated after falling into the hands o f the Turks my

constitution was completely wrecked . I now feel it my duty to write and thank you for your kindness in sending us parcels o fmedical comforts which I am sure saved the

lives o fmany prisoners in Turkey . I have been in hospital

since last October, when the English first arrived at

Constantinople , but am getting much stronger now . Again fo r many thanks all you have done .

o n 2 Here is a letter written from Blackpool January , 1 1 n o t i 9 9 , which only gives an eloquent test mony to the work o f the fund but contains an authentic s tatement o f the starvedcondition into which s o many o fo u r countrymen who had been prisoners i n German hands were allowed to fall when the v u 1 1 8 British and Allied ictories of A gust, 9 , had ’ s ounded the knell of Germany s hopes

Dear Mrs . Bromley Davenport, Some time ago I as ked my father to inform you how very valuable I had found your cases o f comforts when working with the officers at the prisoners of war

hospital at Denain , then in German occupation . I now wish to thank you again on behalfo f the British sick and ’ o f wounded the prisoners hospital at Langensalza (Saxony) , where I was working with other British medical officers

a n d whence I have just returned . o f Since the Allied advance in August, large numbers prisoners in the last stages o fstarvation have been received

at Langensalza . Many were in a hopeless condition on a - 0 rrival , and inevitably died something like 5 per cent . T h e remainder undoubtedly owe their lives to the fact that ’ 5 2 THE PRISONERS COMFORTS FUND

f we were able to eed them on glaxo and other milk foods , : etc . they were far too weak to assimilate ordinary Red

Cross food from parcels . There is no doubt that at Langensalza alone some hundreds o flives were saved by

these foods that would Otherwise have been lost . As o f Langensalza is only one camp out many , it is obvious that the Invalid Comforts Fund has been the means o f saving an incalculable number o fmen from an otherwise

certain death . I thought you might perhaps like to have this direct testimony to the good work for which the fund

. is responsible I am , yours truly ,

. T . . . (Sgd ) E Ashdown Carr, Capt And here is a characteristic outpouri n g of a ’ u soldier s gratit de from Private Wm . Scott (late 1 secretary Bayreuth) , 3 th Royal Scots , 2 0 1 1 writing from Edinburgh on January , 9 9

D . Dear Mrs . H . R . B . , As secretary and executive member of the late British

Help Committee , Bayreuth (Bayern) , I was instructed by f f o . o the men No 3 company that camp , on my return to

this country , to write you and express their gratitude and fo r thanks the care, kindness and consideration which were

so lavished on them by you and your staff. The cases were

a real godsend to us . Particularly after the March ff o f O ensive was this the case , when large numbers our men ff f o f su ered amputations , and we had the satis action seeing

them , with your timely aid , turn the proverbial corner . f In the camp itsel a room was allotted to your supplies ,

and dressings and medicine were given four hours daily . This arrangement worked excellently and was a real

blessing to the boys . Will you therefore accept the heartfelt thanks o fa ll th e T a ffi e s f Tommies , Jocks , and Paddies , and not orgetting the Aussies and Canadians who were at Bayreuth I am sure that even now in the midst o ftheir pleasure they have f r a warm thought o you .

Believe me , yours very sincerely , W m . . (Sgd . ) Scott

The R e d Cross

N the two immediately preceding chapters we dealt with organisations which were creations o f the war, and which , so to speak , sprang up in a night . I n the present chapter it becomes o u r duty to s a y something o f the work do n e by the local divisions of two noble societies which date f 1 1 arther back than 9 4 , the British Red Cross o f Society and the Order St . John of Jerusalem . is Of these the former the more widely known , the latter incomparably the older . The British Red 1 0 8 Cross Society received its Royal Charter in 9 , o f whereas the Order o f St . John Jerusalem was already long established in England when it received f i e e n ‘ its Royal Charter rom Q Mary in 1 5 5 7 . I ndeed we know that in Sussex the history o f the f Knights Hospitallers o fthe Order o f St . John o

J erusalem goes back m ore than six centuries . I n f o n o . his book the churches Sussex, Mr Frederick Harrison m entions that in the year 1 3 0 6 the living o fSompting (the famous church o fwh ic h contains so much Saxon work) was in th e gift o fthe Knights

Hospitallers . Consequently both these societies had organi sa tio n s in complete working order when the storm In 1 1 burst August, 9 4 , and were able to get to work ’ at once . The Red Cross Society s working parties fi were already meeting in the rst week of the war, o n e o f d and them , under the irection of Mrs .

Dives , met daily in the Hove Town Hall . It was T HE R E D CROSS 5 5

' also under the direction o f this society that the fi rst party of maimed and ailing Belgian soldiers to arrive in the town was recei v ed in the Hove r Dispensa y to be nursed back to health . The working parties went O II to the end of the war in - fi ever increasing numbers and ef ciency, and lectures o n nursing and classes fo r the teaching o fRed Cross work were important features o n the educational ’

o f f . . side the society s ef orts Mrs W . W . Sandeman received the O . B . E . from His Maj esty in recognition of her work as chairman of the committee and deputy president o f the division ; and devoted service was also rendered by Lady George Nevill who succeeded her ; by Mrs . Dives and afterwards

Miss Blanche Fair in the hon . secretaryship ; and by Miss Holden , who gave valuable help in connection with the various classes and lectures .

Beyond all else, however, in its local work stood ’ out this great society s hospital fo r the wounded o f 6 - the British and Allied armies at Third avenue, fo r Hove . The house it was provided by the late

Sir Cavendish Boyle and Lady Boyle , who also u made genero s contributions towards its support, while the whole of the furniture o fthe hospital was either given or lent by members and friends o fthe society . I ndeed no war hospital in the town had more generous friends than this . Its atmosphere o f was of the happiest , and a favourite description “ ” wa s th e it by the soldiers best Shop in the place . 1 1 From its opening in September, 9 4 , to its close o n 1 I 8 the last day of December, 9 , the total number o f patients treated , British , Colonial and American , was 5 6 THE R E D CROSS

Dr . Willoughby Furner was the senior medical O fi D e n n a n t f cer , M iss Florence the matron , and

Mrs . Cox the quartermaster , and in these and other individual cases we Should like to pay them the v tribute they deserve . I t will , howe er , be more in accordance with the scheme o f this book if we quote some sentences from the report issued after u the hospital had closed , in which Dr . Willo ghby Furner himself summarized the services rendered by the entire staff. He said More things are done on the field of battle than get O into General rders , and much was done in the hospital which this brief report leaves unrecorded ; but looking back on the work of the hospital fo r contributory causes f f of its smooth and e ficient per ormance, I find them in the excellence o f the medical and surgical staff which I

had the honour to collect , in the capacity of the matron , V A D s lVIrs Sisters , nurses and . . which . Sandeman and Pu ttic k Miss , the commandants, were able to secure, and in the wise proceedings o f the House Committee under the

judicious chairmanship of Mr . Alastair Sandeman . The closing o fthe hospital leaves the remembrance o fgood

work done , and to me the knowledge of having worked with many who seemed willing to set no limit to their

work but the limit of their power .

Everything, big or little , was carefully thought o u t. For example the Dominion and American “ ” o w n patients had their special visitors , Lady

M rs . H ee m Bagot looking after the Americans , y and Miss Foskett after the Australians , and Miss

Turner Payne after the Canadians . The patients belonging to Scots regiments , who were generally s o wn Pre byterians , also had their chaplain , the o f R ev . . H Ross Williamson , while the Church

England chaplain was the Rev . F . H . D. Smythe .

5 8 T HE R E D CROSS train to the ambulances and from the ambulances to their beds in the hospitals . Only those who have taken part in such work know its difficulty . Let the reader try to imagine the task o fpainlessly moving a man whose inj uries compel him to lie upon his stretcher with an arm o r a leg raised at a “ ” more or less acute angle in a cradle . The members o fthe Ambulance Brigade conveyed many cases of this and similar diffi culty from the train to the o u t o f hospital bed , and the thousands thus handled o fn o t there is , we believe , the record a Single man r being d o ped . Most Ofthe hospital work o fthe Hove Division was done at the Red Cross hospital i n Third a avenue , the L dy George Nevill hospital and the La rn a c h hospital , but wherever these i ndispensable helpers were required they willingly went . The v s N 1 di ision wa also the o . section of the Voluntary o f Aid Detachment , Sussex 5 3 , which Councillor o f C . G . Yates , Brighton , was the commandant ,

Mr . Charles Parks the section leader, and Councillor

o f . E . J . J . Thompson , Hove , the acting secretary wa s N early every member of it a Hove man , and the smoothness with which the work was done is no doubt attributable to the fact that every member o f the section not only had his heart in it, but was technically equipped through having earned the First Aid Certi fi cate o f the

Ambula n ce Brigade . No r was it only with the convoys o fwounded from the battle front that this di v ision concerned o f itself. On nights air raid calls special squads with stretchers ready to be used in case o f T HE R E D CROSS 5 9 emergency were in attendance at the appointed l Iv - stations at the Town Hal , y place school and - o il Glebe villas . Certain members were also told to be in a ttendance at the h o s pita ls w h e re the removal o fthe patients to places of safety would have been the fi rst consideration had a raid materialized n o w locally . Indeed , there is no harm in saying o n o n e that more than occasion , when the enemy that flew by night came fairly near , the hospital v patients were actually moved . Happily , howe er , it was possible to get them all safely back to bed with n o th m g worse than the memory o fa few hours f i e m e n t h ic h c u o o e x c t w . , they generally seemed to j y Between twenty and thirty air raid calls were o f f attended to in the course each year o the war . Important help was also given in the performance o f orderly duty at the hospitals ; and in the year I I c v ill 9 7 , at the Lady George N hospital alone , the ’ members o fthe Hove men s division put in hours o fservice in this manner . And let it never be forgotten that all this arduous work was done voluntarily and gratuitously by m en who had their own professions and businesses to attend to during the day ! Those were years in which this spirit o f self- sa c rifi c in g practical patriotism was a common place . Let the present and future be years in which it is gratefully remembered . Every word of this applies with ‘equal force to the Ho v e N ursing Division o f the St . John o f Ambulance Brigade , the m embers which did splendid service at the hospitals at home and abroad . The division owed much to the enthusiasm o f Miss Alice G . Mayhew, who was appointed lady 6 0 THE RED CROSS

1 1 6 divisional superintendent in January , 9 , and I 2 later became commandant Sussex 9 , and under whom the membership increased from - fi e o n fi v e . Q . twenty to hundred \ uite fty per cent o fthe members went abroad and served in various the wh o capacities in military hospitals , while those , o n e o r for reason another, were unable to leave home helped at the Brighton and Ho v e military hospitals and also at the Sussex Cou nty hospital a n d the Alexandra hospital for children , both of s which were h O I t staffed as a result o f the war . Another important work done by the nursing fi division was at the W . A . A . C . recruiting of ce in

Western road , where a number of the members l o n h elped the ady doctors the medical boards , giving the whole day to the work and doing it v o f oluntarily . The division received a letter thanks from the Ministry o f Labour fo r this u Its partic lar service . whole war record, however, was equally good and provided an excellent n illustration of the high ideals o f the St . Joh

Ambulance Brigade translated into action .

6 2 COLLECTIONS FOR WAR FUNDS

“ their mind when they sa w the workers c a rry Ing o n in b e dIa ggled hats and skirts and dripping boots , and bein bg swept this way and that by the s ea o n l o f 1 1 blasts from the the Be gian day 9 5 , ’ 1 1 6 the Allies day of 9 , and the French Red 1 Cross day o f 1 9 7 . Other curmudgeons gro wled that there were to o u many . These good so ls would not have obj ected to paying twopence for a half farthing flag once a o u t o n e - year, but to be asked to carry such a Sided “ bargain fi v e times a year wa s re a lly too much ; such proceedings were destructive o fthe economic s o a d liéitum habit And so on and forth , , as each

flag day cam e round . Perhaps by this time they have realised how m istaken they were . The plain fact is that these collections and their associated f In fi ef orts were thoroughly practical . the rst place o f III they raised thousands pounds . the second ! they helped to keep people cheerful . t was good in those grim davs to be able to “ help win the war by buying a twopenny or sixpenny flag from a charming young lady ; and the Hove alderman who , when someone complained of the rapid succession ofthese c o llec tin gda ys replied cheerfully “ The more the better ! was a sound psychologist as well as a good patriot . fi l The rst great war co lection in the town ,

however, was unaccompanied by the spectacular o fs o o f I aids many the later efforts . t came in th e very opening weeks o fthe conflict when the fi rst crash o fthe catastrophe was still booming in o u r ears . One of the most general fears in those early COLLECTIONS FOR WAR FUNDS 6 3 days was that the inevitable dislocation o f a ll our peace industries would cause a great deal o fpoverty among the working classes , and the Prince of Wales appealed to the whole nation to support a fund which bore his n ame and the obj ect of which would be to relieve such distress as might arise as a result

f . . o the war The Mayor (then Alderman E H . L e e n e n y) , promptly called a public meeti g in the

Town Hall , which was largely attended , and at which a Lo ca l Representative (War Distress) e Committe was formed, and in a short time a sum o f 6 2 0 fo r J£4 , was raised the central fund .

Happily, as we shall Show in another chapter, the v local need for this fund ne er became urgent, and twelve months later, Alderman Sargeant, at the end fi in of his rst year the mayoralty , was able to announce that there was so little war distress in the town that very little money had had to be spent in relief. The generosity with which the people o fHove to fi o f responded this , the rst the war appeals , was symptomatic of the spirit they continued to exhibit through the years to come . As we Shall Show , ’ they took a real pride in their town s contributions , and in no borough in the c o u n try wa s the note o fc iv ic patriotism and loyalty more resoundingly struck . It is impossible to give anything like a precise ’ estimate of Hove s total contribution to war funds . Many subscriptions probably went direct to central organisations . Several appeals , moreover, did not pass through the Town Hall . We are , ffi however, easily able to give su cient evidence of 6 4 COLLECTIONS FOR WAR FUNDS the soundness o fo u r claim as to the generous civic o f o f loyalty the townspeople . Here are a few the c sums colle ted , apart altogether from the thousands of pounds raised on flag days

Hove Ambulance fo r the Red Cross £6 2 8 Pavilion Military Hospital Drives Fund £6 7 5 Lord Kitchener Memorial Fund £990 ’ The King s Fund fo r the Disabled

’ Nor should the Mayor s special appeals in aid o f ’ the ( b e e n s Nurses and the Royal Sussex County n hospital be omitted, both havi g a direct con nection ’ with the war . The townspeople s contribution to ’ the hospital was £ 96 2 and to the Q l e e n s Nurses

Of th e many flag days the most remarkable were those held in 1 9 1 6 and the two following fi years in aid o fthe Hove Depot . The rst took 1 1 6 o n place in May, 9 , a beautiful day (the “ ” depot generally enjoyed fi n e da y s c lim a tic a lly fi 2 0 as well as nancially) , and it was hoped that £ 5 ,

00 . or perhaps even £3 , would be raised The total

v 0 . 1 1 pro ed to be £5 5 In May, 9 7 , came the second with the total practically doubled 1 1 8 while the third , held in May , 9 , realized over g Special reference is due to the D e pdt week of 1 1 8 fo r o f 9 , it showed the local gift organisation

and spirit o fenthusiasm at their best . I t opened o n 2 2 Sunday, September , with a service in the o f Town Hall , at which the Bishop Lewes , in one o f — his many masterly war time addresses , described o f de é t the work and the needs the p , which at

6 6 COLLECTIONS FOR WAR FUNDS Davenport once more expressed to perfection the motive Spirit inspiring the whole of this local effort . “ ” “ S h e Our work in Hove , said , can only be regarded a s a labour o flove and gratitude for those who have sacrifi ced s o much for the honour and f glory o England . From beginning to end the Speeches at this meeting formed a tribute to the

townspeople of which they may well be proud . A country fair at the county cricket ground wa s “ o f another feature the week . It was j ust such an open — air fair as many o f us had seen at Lucerne and Bruges in the years before the war, with o f stalls for the sale innumerable articles , artistic

and domestic, and various entertainments added , including a perfectly charming performance by children o f some o f the o ld country dances o f H a ll England . On another day the Town was “ ” se e wo rk th e thronged to the depot at , enthusiastic - amateurs from Grand avenue coming across , bringing their materials with them and sitting at tables to Show the townspeople how they worked — and what they made splints , bandages , gas shields , s o pneumoniaj ackets , Swabs , socks , and forth with

tea, music and lantern pictures to add to the general wa s charm of the occasion . Then there a special m a tinee at the Hippodrome in which a number of leading musical and dramatic artistes from London took part ; and on the Saturday morning a Market

in the Town Hall , which was to have been held

- in Grand avenue, but had to be held under cover o f because bad weather, and at which wonderfully o f laden stalls chiefly fruit, flowers and vegetables , ’ I and even costermongers carts (donkey and all ) , COLLECTI ONS FOR WAR FUNDS 6 7 were served by ladies o f the de pdt a n d other o f helpers , and a vast crowd purchasers enabled “ ” them to do what is called a roaring trade . O n Saturday afternoon came a baseball match o n the county ground between a team o f Canadian artillerymen from Witley and one from the

Canadian Forestry Corps at Sunningdale, which n the Witley team wo . The game did not suggest that baseball would ever supplant cricket as the o f wa s national summer game England , but it followed with interest by a large company of n spectators , who gave the players the warm receptio due to such gallant kinsfolk and visitors to the old country . All through the week, too , an art shop 8 — was open at 4 Church road , stocked with beautiful o ld china , silver, pewter, glass , embroideries , lace , painted fans and other choice things , all generously de dt given by the owners to be sold for the p , and fi here again a busy trade was done . The nancial result o fthis whole effort was the addition o fover ’ to the depot s funds . Let us pass now to less “ domestic but not less f sincere ef orts made to collect money for war funds . Most o fthem were j o m t efforts made and organized c o — in operation with Brighton, in which the people o f the two to wns worked together with m utual fi heartiness . The rst was in aid of the Russian

1 1 . Red Cross , and took place in May, 9 5 I n c onnection with it a great meeting was held in the

Town Hall , at which M . Alexis Aladin , a former o f member the Duma , made a most moving speech o n behalf of his country and the chivalrous part s h e o f had played in the opening stages the war . 6 8 COLLECTIONS FOR WAR FUNDS

Even then the terrible disaster o f the battle of s ix m Tannenberg , onths before, was only faintly realised by the general public in England , and ’ M . Aladin s reminder that Russia had already lost o flic e rs and men sent a thrill o fhorror and astonishment as well as a throb o f In sympathy through the hall . those days mighty Russia stood o n an equality with France and Belgium in the admiration o f the people o f this o f country . I ndeed , right up to the time her tragic defection from the cause o f the Allies under the influence o f the aliens heading the Bolshevist movement no flag was more acclaimed than hers and no melody more applauded than the noble and f pathetic hymn o the Tsar . I n the ensui n g July came the fi rst o fthe street o f collections for France , in aid the French Relief

Fund . On this day a procession of over volunteers marched pas t the Mayor o f Hove at ’ the Town Hall , and saluted Sir Thomas Brock s noble statue o f ( b een Victoria at the end o f - o f Grand avenue , and th e enthusiasm the public for our brilliant Ally showed itself in many ways , and not least in the collection o f for the fund from the people o f the two towns . I n September a “ day” was given to Serbia for the

Serbian Relief Fund, and on this occasion a public n meeting was held in the Tow Hall , at which M i a to v ic h - M . Chedo j , the well known Serbian statesman and author, and Mr . Crawford Price, o f Tim es the Balkan correspondent the newspaper , o u t o f gave eloquent addresses, while doors the

7 0 COLLECTIONS FOR WAR FUNDS

F a lling a s it did in the immediate shadow o fthe death of Lord Kitchener through the sinki n g of Hu m s/fire o ff n . . o H M S . p the Orkneys the evening “ " o f 8 1 1 6 AllIe s fo r June , 9 , the week the Relief and Red Cross Funds o f the Allied nations fixed fo r 1 2 1 1 1 6 June 7 , 9 , became inevitably a matter “ ’ o f somewhat maimed rites , and its principal “ o f i n feature , The Pageant the All es , was postpo ed to the followi n g week as a mark o frespect to the great soldier whose name a n d personality had ’ played s o great a part in the raising o fBritain s n e w

. e n e ra l n o r armies N either the g sorrow, however , the inclement weather that prevailed throughout the week weakened the patriotic determination o f ff all concerned , and the general e ort resulted in the raisi n g o fov er I ts most popular event wa s the visit o fa contingent o fthe 1 2 th Battalion Canadian I nfantry under the command of M aj or D e s f . . o H G e de . This early unit the Canadian Expeditionary Force had fought gallantly in France and received a public ovation in both towns . They brought with them their military band and a lso an fi n e b u le n o n exceptionally g band , and gave co certs ’

w . the Palace Pier and at St . Ann s ell Gardens On the Saturday the Mayor o fHove j oined with the Mayor o fBrighton (then Alderman Sir John Otter) in entertai n i n g them all to lunch at the Clarence l l Rooms , and those present wi l sti l remember the stirring speeches made by hosts and guests and “ the enthusiastic Singing o f Th e Maple Leaf and “ ” Go d Save the King . “ The events o f Allie s week included not only f n a flag day but also a country air which , owi g to COLLECTIONS FOR WAR FUNDS 7 1

to H a ll the bad weather, had be held in the Town ’

o f . instead at St Ann s Well Gardens , and which brought together one ofthe densest crowds o fpeople ever seen in that building ; an auction of pictures and other works of art generously given to be sold fo r the cause , an athletic meeting on the Preston

Park cricket ground , a military concert by the ’ W e ll Canadian bands in St . Ann s Gardens , and o n the Su n da y a drumhead service o n the Brunswick v lawns , which was attended by a ast congregation and at which a lofty address was given by Arch “ o f deacon Hoskyns . The postponed Pageant the Allies ” duly took place in the Town Hall on u the afternoon and evening o fJ ne 2 0 . It consisted of a series o fbeautiful tableaux arranged by Miss h lW s s e m E t e e t and t to music by Mde . Marie Ho e H o lm a r . . d and Mr E W . y , illustrating the history o f s o the various Allied nations , and nothing artistically c o m ple te was seen in Brighton o r Hove o f during the war . The whole thing was a feast colour and sound packed with historical and dramatic fi w signi cance , and there was a idespread desire for ffi o f so its repetition . The di culty, however, getting many people together and rehearsing them at a time s o a when everyone was busy was consider ble, and this beautiful entertainment was n o t seen again . No praise can be too high fo r the spirit which expended so much thought, imagination , time and money upon a spectacle born but to live a day . There was so much of that spirit in those years that no o n e o f thought anything it, but it deserves to stand o n record here . 7 2 COLLECTIONS FOR WAR FUNDS

I n the following October there wa s another successful flag day for the Red Cross producing in Hove alone ; a nd in November a collection in the two towns for the huts which were doing s o great a work for the soldiers ff throughout the war area . This e ort , which was spread over a week, was preceded by a public meeting in the Hove Town H a ll over which the

Mayor of Brighton (Alderman Otter) presided , and which wa s attended by PrincessVictoria of Schleswig wh o fi Holstein , in a short speech , testi ed to the “ great work” which the huts were doing and wished f the ef ort every success . The collections included the inevitable flag day, but the chief feature was a brilliant attack on the leading hotels , a special “ ” menu c a rd s et before every diner inviting him “ o r her to make a donation to be charged i n the ” bill . Nearly was raised in this way, several

1 00 . donations being of £ or more The churches , schools and pla ces o f entertainment in the two towns also allowed themselves willingly to be placed under contribution fo r a cause which had so fi n captured the popular imagination , and the al ’ result was a handsome fulfilment o fthe Princess s

o f . wish , a total over being collected The reader will have noted that this part o fo u r record conducts us , in a way, over a great deal o fi f fi o f f the huge eld o conflict . The rst the 1 1 o f collections in the next year, 9 7 , was in aid the M esopotamia Comforts Fund for British troops . I t took place in April and was organized — by Miss Stella Maude, sister of Lieut . General o f Sir Stanley Maude , whose brilliant recapture

74 COLLECTIONS FOR WAR FUNDS had presented the girls with a part o f its large

— central hut in the camp and that it was unfurnished . Accordingly the society organised a collection which was spread ov er a week in April to raise the money fo r furnishing it comfortably and also for endowing it with a paid worker to live among the girls and “ m f other them . The ef ort was stimulated by a n l public meeti g in the Town Ha l , at which the H o n f . f o Lady Cunlif e , central president the ’ Girls fo r Friendly Society, persuasively appealed fi o f contributions , and the nal result the whole f ef ort was the raising of £4 5 0 . I n the following “ ” June came another we e k in aid o f v huts . The German offensi e of the preceding March had caused a number O fth e s e h uts in France with their equipment to fall into the hands o f s ee the enemy, and all England was anxious to the f loss made good . Th e ef ort in the two towns was varied and strenuous . It included a public m eeting H L e co n fi eld in the ove Town Hall at which Lord ,

Sir Arthur Yapp , the general secretary of the ’ Ia n . n You g M en s Christian Association , and Mrs M alcolm were among the speakers ; a flag day, a in sports gymkhana Preston Park , concerts and i o n e o f enterta nments in Bri bghton and Hove , at F o rb e s which Sir Johnstone Robertson , who by wa s this time residing with his family in Hove , recited , and elaborately organised hotel and house — fo r to house collections . I n fact, as some one said , “ a whole week people talked hut, ate and drank to - s e e hut, went the theatre and concert room to and hear hut , and generally lived and breathed ” nothi n g but hut ! Over was the fi nancial COLLECTIONS FO R WAR FUNDS 7 ;

f . o n 1 result of the ef ort And the following J uly 4 , ’ the day of France s National Fé te which was not forgotten o n either Side o f the channel even in

- those years of death grip with the enemy, another collection for the French Red Cross realized in 6 H o ve alone over £ 90 . I t will be remembered that the Church Army o f o wn had followed the with huts its , and in August this year there was a collection in Hove fo r these also which brought in over £600 ; and then i n September came the last local street o f collection before the signing the armistice , and by an appropriate coincidence it was in aid O f the ” D a wa s British Red Cross Society . This last Our y fi another magni cent success , Hove alone contri

1 00 . O II buting nearly £ , 3 It was this occasion that a number o f large copies of the noble American “ Red Cross poster, The Greatest Mother in the W ” o rld we re . , exhibited in Brighton and Hove This work depicted a Sister of the Red Cross O II nursing a wounded soldier a stretcher , and was o n e Ofthe most beautifully conceived and artistically o f executed all the pictures inspired by the great war . The signing o fthe armistice did not put an end f to these helpful and cheery ef orts . Two street 1 1 o n e collections were made in 9 9 , in April in aid O f the and the other in May which ’ D u n s ta n s realized over £700 in aid of the St . fo r Home Blinded Soldiers . This latter had been preceded from time to time by numerous efforts in the way of concerts and other entertainments , the proceeds o fwhich were devoted to the splendid 7 6 COLLECTIONS FOR WAR FUNDS work with which the name of Sir Arthur Pearson v will e er be honourably associated, but this was fi o f the rst Town Hall appeal , and the response the n people was an eager and generous o e . I ndeed it must n o t be forgotten that all these Offi cial collections organised chiefly from the Town Hall had a back ground O f unoffi cial appeals which ne v er seemed to stop , in the form Of concerts , lectures , public m m eetings , and any kinds of entertai nments for war funds o f all sorts such as the Lord Roberts o r v Memorial Workshops , to relie e the special war expenditure o fOld — established societies such as the o f l Church Eng and Waifs and Strays Society, the British and Foreign Sailors Society ( O II behalf o f which a very fi n e meeting was held in the Town Hall in the course o f which Admiral Gaunt presented the society with a piec e of the fu nnel o f S v H . M . S . the ship which had O co ered herself with glory in the r a id O II Zeebrugge o n ’ St . George s Day, and the M issions to

Seamen . The fact is that Hove was looked upon by everyone outside the town as a kind o fgold v mine , and the Mayor was continually recei ing requests for flag days for practically every sort Of war fund in the country . It was ofcourse impossible fi to appeal Of cially for all , however deserving they might be , and the flag day collections were III wisely limited to about fi v e in a year . one way o r s another, however , scores Of admirable cau es a n d non ossum us were helped by the townspeople , a p was never returned by the citizens to a deservi n g appeal .

7 8 COLLECTIONS FOR WAR FUNDS

who have taken part in it will testify, but the average human boy does not seem to mind getting a ll grubby, and these youngsters worked with a will and seemed enormously to enj oy fi lling the sacks n and hauli g them in the trucks to the depot . At fi rst only newspapers and weekly and monthly periodicals were collected , but afterwards books , cardboard boxes and almost anything in the nature o f paper was accepted S O long as it was dry and free from grease . When the paper had been sorted o u t (and we may mention incidentally that the work o f sorting and classifying gave employment to a disabled ex - soldier) it wa s sold to the paper- mills a t good prices , and the money thus Obtained was largely used, with other money collected, in sending parcels o ffood to any Hov e prisoner o fwar who w a s ascertained not to be in receipt o ffood parcels from his regimental care committee . These parcels were very kindly dispatched through Lady ’ Otter s War Work D e pOt at Brighton . On the occasion o fthe silver wedding of Their ( me n Maj esties the King and A , a collection of Silver articles was made in Hove as in many other towns throughout the Kingdom . The obj ects thus collected were then sent to London to be either o r sold melted down , according to their value, a n d the proceeds given to the Red Cross . All classes contributed, rich and poor, and the long list o f the donors which was kept at the Town Hall was a document which few could read u n moved . Here was the written record of the Old soldier who brought and handed over his silver “ m o f b a ttles n edal , the cherished mem ento lo g COLLECTIONS FOR WAR FUNDS 79

o f ago , the lady who drove up in her car and “ m a ssi e left a . v Silver bowl with the words we ” w o u n de d a n d cannot do enough for the brave , of the poor woman who came and went anonymously leaving perhaps some such article as a Silver o f thimble . The spirit it all was beyond praise . There was a collection for the supply of Christmas puddings for the men at the Front, and there would no doubt have been others had not the War Offi ce taken over the responsibility fo r this provision

- o f seasonable Yule tide comestibles . There was another to provide games , etc . , for a military hospital at Salonika , where Major C . H . Benham , a respected member o f the Ho v e Council worked and where he gave his life fo r his u ff co ntry . Among other smaller e orts , funds were ’ fo r also collected the Indian Soldiers Fund , the Queen Mary ’ s Work for Women Fund and the provision o f a Hove bed at the Anglo - Russian h ospital in Petrograd . ff I n all these varied e orts , hundreds , probably fi thousands , of people took an active and unsel sh part as organisers , helpers and givers , and we wish o n e o f we could write the name here Of every them , fi sa but it is impossible . Suf ce it to y that rich a nd o f poor , from the humble denizen the mean street who always had a penny “ to help the boys ” to the anonymous donor who dropped the cheque ’ 00 for £5 into the Mayoress s collecting box, all “ ” did their bit and did it well . Th e E m e rge n cy Com m itte e

ARLY In the war the local authorities Of C several ounties and towns , particularly those o n o r fi lying near the coast, were of cially warned that the enemy might attempt a landing In In o f this country, and that View such a contingency certain steps should be taken . Extensive civilian preparations were accordingly made to secure , in fi such an eventuality, a free course for the ghting forces in the defence o fthe country a n d also to ensure public order and discipline . The local civilian arrangements for dealing with such a situation were drawn up by the HO V E E M E R G ENCY COMM ITT EE acting under a body known o f as the Sussex Central Organising Committee , which the Lord Lieutenant o f the county was chairman . The Hove committee was composed m as follows The Mayor (chair an) , Alderman E . H . Al r a L e n e . e de m n . . y , Alderman J Colman , J J Clark , Co l Councillor . Nourse (military representative) , e Sir Walter F . Mi ville, the Chief Constable and the F o r Town Clerk (hon . secretary) . the performance o f h is particular emergency duties each o f these gentlemen wa s sworn In as a special constable ; and we may add here that In the event of the emergency arising , the executive action taken under this committee would have devolved upon the police , o f acting, course , under the military authorities . — Seventy four special constables were allotted to , and fi instructed in , de nite duties under the scheme . 80

8 2 EMERGENCY COMMITTEE

If he is not of proper age and physique and has not been a appointed a special constable, he should join the ne rest volunteer corps which is affiliated to the Centra l Association O flic e of Volunteer Training Corps . The War have recognized this a ssociation and volunteer corps affiliated

thereto . Every man who takes this latter course will be

provided with a badge and will be counted as a combatant ,

though no arms , ammunition or clothing (other than the

badge) will be supplied from public sources, and no n financial assista ce will be given . Anyone who does not enlist or join an a fl'ilia ted volunteer

corps must not take part as a combatant, and in case of invasion must at once surrender any arms which he may

have in his possession at the Police Station , Town Hall . He will be liable for a ll non -combatant duties such as

digging trenches , etc . In any event the inhabitants will not be required to - leave the town , but non combatants and those who are not required to undertake non - combatant duties should remain quietly in their houses in the confident assurance that their f interests are being carefully sa eguarded .

two Later on , when circumstances had altered , ” inv a sio n po ste rs were printed and kept ready to n n be circulated if ecessary, givi g instructions to the inhabitants (i) in the event o fthe military authorities ordering an immediate evacuation o fthe town and

(ii) if leaving the town were Optional . One of these o sters with p , certain details omitted , is reproduced at 8 page 4 , and the public of Hove will no doubt regard

it with interest . Happily the emergency which would have called fo r its issue failed to materialize but it will enable the least imaginative person to form som e idea o f what invasion m eant fo r s o many towns o n the continent during the war and what it would have meant fo r Hove had the enemy h r succeeded in achieving it ere o anywhere near . EMERGENCY COMMITTEE 8 3 This important committee also organised the c ivilian precautions against air raids, and the following memorandum o finstructions which they issued in the early days o fthe war will be read with — III s o renewed interest to day . common with many other public announcements of those years it is worthy of preservation as a historical document . The memorandum ran as follows

BOROUGH OF HOVE .

As T o R AIDs MEMORANDUM AIR . The following suggestions as to the steps to be taken by the public in case o f air raids have been approved by the Admiralty In all probabil ity ifan air raid is made it will take place

at a time when most people are in bed .

The public are advised not to go into the streets , where f they might be struck by alling missiles ; moreover, the

streets being required for the passage of fire engines, etc . , s hould not be obstructed by pedestrians . Ifthere are no facilities fo r procuring water on the upper o f o f floors houses , a supply water and sand should be kept there so that any fire breaking out on a small scale can be i at once dealt with . Everyone should ascertain the posit on o f the fire alarm post nearest his house , and on a fire breaking out should immediately notify the Fire Brigade f rom that alarm post . All windows and doors on the lower floor should be o f closed to prevent the admission noxious gases . An indication that poison gas is being used will be a pec uliar a n d irritating smell following on the dropping of the

bombs .

Many enquiries have been made as to the best respirator . Competent experts advise that in all probability a pad of c otton waste contained in gauze to tie round the head , and s o f aturated with a strong solution washing soda, would be ff e ective as a filtering medium for noxious gases, and could 84 EMERGENCY COMMITTEE

be improvised at home at a trifling cost . It should be fo r damped when required use, and must be large enough to protect the nose as well as the mouth the gauze being

so adjusted as to protect the eyes . The supply of electricity in private houses will probably be cut o ff temporarily to prevent any light whatsoever

giving any indication to an enemy . Owing to practical di fficulties the supply of ga s will not o ff be cut in the town , but occupiers of houses and premises where gas is laid on should extinguish all gas lights in their houses as soon as they know a raid is taking All s or is likely to take place . occupiers of houses and shop should therefore provide themselves with candles or small if hand lamps, and on a raid taking place , or it is known

that a raid is imminent, should use these instead of electric

or gas light . o ff Gas should not be turned at the meter, as this practice involves a risk o fsubsequent fire or explosion from

burners left on when the meter was turned o ff. The risk outweighs any advantage that might accrue from the ga s

being shut o ffat the time of a night raid . Persons purchasing portable chemical fire extinguishers should require a written guarantee that these comply with the specifications o fthe Board o fTrade Office of Works or some approved Fire Prevention Committee .

Unexploded shells or bombs should not be touched , as they may burst if moved the police should be informed

where these are so soon as this can be safely done . In the case of incendiary bombs it may be possible to remove

these without undue risk . Subsequently other notices were issued and the following one was destined to remain in force until the signing of the armistice

— BOROUGH OF HOVE AIR RAID WARNINGS . Notice is hereby given that the arrangements now in o f force for giving notice air raid are cancelled , and instead thereof the following are substituted therefor

EMERGENCY COMMITTEE

a W s D yligbt a rning .

1 o f o f . That in the event information impending raid by aircraft or bombardment from the sea being received by

o f . daylight , a signal consisting three double explosions at intervals o f about ten seconds will be given from the - Corporation yard , Sackville road , on hearing which the public should return home and keep to their houses until “ ” the all clear signal is given . “ 2 O . n the notification all clear being received , con stables on bicycles will be despatched with whistles and placards intimating that immediate danger of an attack has

passed .

( a ) In the parish o f Hove the electric light will be

appreciably lowered , and kept lowered until the danger is

past . 5 o f ff ( ) In the parish Aldrington , owing to the di erent

system under which electric current is supplied , the electric o ff light will be cut until the danger is past .

cr enin fits S z g qfLig . Special attention is drawn to the necessity fo r effectively ff screening windows, doors and skylights , so as to e ectively

prevent bright light being visible outside .

To look back nowadays u pon the years in which the perusal and consideration of such public notices “ wa s as these part Of the daily round , the common task ” of us all seems like looking back upon a h fantasy . Yet o w easily and cheerfu lly every ! body bore the burden They were , indeed , not pleasant years . Yet who that lived through them does not feel that if such a period had to be imposed v upon mankind it was a pri ilege to share its burden , if only for the sake o fposterity P The Hove Emergency Committee in conj unction with that of Brighton and the local branches o fthe 86 EMERGENCY COMMITTEE

British M edical Association , the British Red Cross n Society and the St . John Ambula ce Brigade also prepared a schem e fo r the rendering o ffi rst aid to ci v ilians wh o might be wounded as a consequence f s o e a . a bombardment, whether from the or the air The Mayors o fBrighton and Hove accepted the

— chairmanship and vice chairmanship respectively, while Dr . E . Rowland Fothergill , who was very largely instrumental in organising the scheme , fi h n f - was the rst o . secretary o the sub committee formed for this particular purpose . About sixty members o f the medical profession and a large n o f f umber nurses of ered their assistance . The v o f ser ices stretcher bearers , with their stretchers , l V were provided by the ocal olunteer Battalions , the St . John Ambulance Brigade , the Railway l ’ ’ Ambu ance , the Boys Brigade, the Church Lads B ’ rigade, the Boy Scouts , the Boys Life Brigade R A ’ E . . and the . Cadets , the boys organisations also providing the cyclists and messengers . Eleven dressing stations (afterwards reduced to three) were lent free o fall cost to the committee at the following addresses

Aldrington Parish Church Hall . - West Hove Club , New Church road .

Shelley Hall . - Ellen street School .

Ralli Hall .

Ventnor Hall .

Public Library . T own Hall . ’ R l s - o t . Gymnasium , Holland road - Ivy place School . United Methodist Schoolroom .

88 EMERGENCY COMMITTEE

belligerents . Air raid alarms , however , were n frequent enough , and on many nights Germa airships and aeroplanes on their work o f indis crimi n ate murder were near enough to Sussex for the fla sh ings o fth e aerial combats to be distinctly Visible from high points on the Downs behind the ff two towns . On such nights the emergency sta all were at their posts , often enduring a wearying “ ” wait o f many hours before the all c le a r s ign a l allowed them to return to their homes and their

. h . . w o beds As Dr Copeman , succeeded Dr Rowland h o n o f s u b Fothergill in the . secretaryship this in committee, wrote a letter to the local newspapers after the armistice had been signed and when the “ work was fi nished : When o n e considers that in a ne rly every instance the doctors , nurses , special constables , stretcher bearers , cyclists and messengers ’ had already done their usual hard day s work before n taki g up these duties , it will be conceded that the inhabitants o fthe two towns o we a very real debt o f gratitude to all , and none the less so because they were fortunate enough n o t to be given the opportunity of putting their skill to the supreme " test . Wa r P e nsions HE unprecedented demands ofthe war on the valiant manhood o fthe country were inevi tably a ccompanied by unparalleled demands upon the organisations ministering to the needs o f ’ ’ sailors and soldiers dependents and o fthe widows

of men who had fallen in earlier wars . Following the entry o fthe British Expeditionary Force into the fighting i n Flanders and France the number of maimed and inj ured men increased with terrible speed , and Government departments and voluntary organisations alike found themselv es faced with obligations entirely beyond their capacity . Prior to the war the work done outside the Government departments had been ca rried o n by o f n o f a number voluntary associatio s , which the Soldiers ’ and Sailors ’ Families Association and ’ ’ the Soldiers and Sailors Help Society, with head quarters in London and branches in many towns in the country , were the most prominent . At the outbreak o fwar Hove formed only a part of a o f larger division , but very soon a Hove division the Soldiers ’ and Sailors ’ Families Association was o f found necessary, and under the presidency

Mrs . G . W . Rogers with other willing helpers this division administered not only Hove but Portslade . The Soldiers ’ and Sailors ’ Help Society with

— Mr . S . J . Matthews Hughes as hon . secretary also o u t carried much needed work . 90 WAR PENSIONS

1 1 The War Pensions Act, 9 5 , created a M inistry o f Pensions to take over and c o — ordinate all this v work , lea ing it to be administered locally by Local v War Pensions Committees . Unfortunately Ho e being j ust short of the required population was n o t a nd fo r entitled to a separate local committee , a time was administered by the East Sussex Committee o n which Hove had representatives . The dis advantages o fworking with headquarters at Lewes were obvious , and after several representations had been made to the Ministry, a separate Hove War

Pensions Local Committee was formed in October , 1 I 9 7 , with the Mayor as chairman and the Town a s Clerk secretary . Rooms in the Town Hall fi ffi were at rst used as an o ce , but subsequently, o f IO - owing to the growth the work , Norton road was taken as permanent headquarters . - The work is carried o u t through s u b committees . - o f Of these the Disablement Sub Committee , which

Colonel Rogers is chairman , and of which , in the - earlier part of the war , Mr . Matthews Hughes was to hon . secretary , deals with all matters relating

men after their discharge from the forces , advises o n a them their pensions , and deals with their m edic l treatment . Until the work was taken over by the Ministry o f Labour this s u b - committee also arranged for the training o fthose who were unable — s u b to follow their pre war occupations . This committee also has power to make advances to men o f pending the settlement their pensions , and to make supplemental allowances o f various kinds

under the o fiicia l regulations o fthe Ministry . I t further enquires into applications and makes rec o m

9 2 WAR PENSIONS o f separation allowances , and gives grants of money o f w o f in times illness and to ards payment rent , and i n various other directions covered by the ffi o cial regulations . It also applies for grants from ’ the King s F u nd to assist widows to start in an o o r o r ccupation business , to change their homes o r o n apartments , to meet expenses consequent their widowhood . Assistance is also given in making applications to the Civil Liabilities Committee for grants to enable the wives of men o n service o f to meet payments rent and taxes , insurance premiums , the school fees of the children and other o f s u b — obligations . The work this committee , o f owing to demobilization , has course been rapidly reduced . Altogether it has dealt with about ad v ances o n separation allowances and extra allowances for sickness , etc . , and during its busiest time it was paying out considerable sums every o f week . A large number ladies gave valuable voluntary help as Visitors , taking the weekly grants to the recipients and making a report o n each

case to the offi ce . — There is also a Special Appeals Sub Committee , presided over by Alderman Colman , whose duty it is to investigate and report with recommendations o n the cases o f men who appeal against the Ministry ’ s decisions that their disabilities were not v caused by or aggravated by military ser ice . Finally there is a Finance and General P u rposes S u b - o f Committee , which Alderman Barnett Marks fi is chairman , and which deals with the nancial side o f ff the work , the question of sta , and administrative

matters generally . WAR PENSIO NS 9 3

Even the far- reaching organisation thus outlined did not, however, entirely cover the local cases coming under the purview of the Ministry o f

Pensions . There was still another class to be o f dealt with , the cases men on service who , prior to to their enlistment, had been helping support parents o r other dependents . These cases were enquired into by the Old Age Pensions Committee o f the Hove Council , and on the reports submitted to the Ministry grants were made to the dependents to make up the diminution in their income caused ’ by the man s absence on service . Several hundreds ’ o fsuch cases passed through this committee s hands . “ ” SO m uch for the organisation . What ofthe soul ? O f this important work Here it may truly be said that the aim of the committee and the staff is to be as little Of the machine and as much o f the friend and helper as possible . They encourage the men and women to call personally at the Offi ce and interview perhaps the assistant secretary,

0 o r . r . . . . o Mr C R Taylor, Mrs Rogers her o n assistant, Miss Friend , the separation allowance side, and obtain whatever advice and assistance can be given according to their needs . Ifthe regulations n o t do provide the required assistance, then a kindly o r word , perhaps a letter to the Ministry for instructions o n the particular case proves that the Hove Pensions Committee is always and sincerely sympathetic . After the armistice the Ministry requested the Hove Committee to take o v er the area o fPortslade Urban and Rural with Hangleton and West

. wa s 1 1 Blatchington This done in October, 9 9, 9 4 WAR PENSIO NS with the result that some 7 2 0 additional cases were added to the men and women already ’ o f o n the committee s books . I t will give an idea the growth of the work entrusted to their care when we mention that the committee in the first three months o f their existence paid o u t some £4 00 in supplemental allowances : at the close of the 6 000 war these payments had increased to some J£ , fi per quarter, and this gure had doubled by

1 1 . October, 9 9 The history o fWa r Pensions in Hove would s till be incomplete without some mention o f the “ ” home for m o th e rle ss c h ildre n o fHove men o n active service . Here again we are in touch with the “ soul ” of the particular effort to which this — f chapter is devoted . The boarding out o these children with families was not found to be entirely to - satisfactory, chiefly owing the over crowded state o f the t own during the war years . The Hove fi Committee , however, was not Of cially responsible f for organising a home o this character . A small committee wa s a ccordingly formed among those

who perceived the need , and a house in Ventnor “ a nd villas was taken named The Haven . This house wa s furnished by means o fvoluntary s u b s cri tio n s l o f p and gifts , and under the inf uence the f matron , Miss Nicholson , and her staf , it soon became a real home and centre of happiness for numbers of children and a source o fcomfort and

consolation to their fathers , to whom the knowledge O f the care be 1 ng bestowed upon their children “ o f Th e brought ease of mind . The little inmates

H aven all seem to compose o n e big family .

96 WAR PENSIONS

o f o f service its large number voluntary workers , a fi given without stint and at great person l sacri ce, m a e y be taken as an arnest that, in Hove at least, there will never be lacking those willing and able ’ to carry o u t the country s duty to the brave m en wh o fought and suffered for the Empire and fo r o f the freedom mankind .

9 8 WAR FINANCE

N o Hove resident wh o lived through them will soon forget the scenes that attended the raising o f — the greater war loans the public meetings , the o f fi rush investors in banks and post of ces , the facade o fthe Town Hall almost hidden by posters and flags , and , above all , the enormous crowds on the s e a - front while the Special fi nancial campaign o f 1 1 8 i o f July, 9 , was being stimulated by the vis t E bert with 1ts the tank” g which , accompanying bank, stood on the boundary of Brighton and Hove In front of the King Edward memorial and from tim e to tim e took exercise in its ponderous way along the adjacent lawn . This particular monster had been In action in France and showed grim Signs o f battle o n its scarred walls and roof. I t was only here three days but the whole town seemed to go s e e o f and it, and seldom has such a mass people congregated o n the front as o n the Saturday evening when it took its departure . The local money- effort may be said to have 1 1 6 formally begun in March , 9 , when the Mayor was urged by the National War Savings Committee to form a local committee fo r the encouragement o f war savings, and to organise War Savings Associations by which money might be raised from

all classes . He promptly called a meeting of o f fi representatives thrift and bene t societies , who formed themselves into a general committee while a representative executive committee was o f appointed under the chairmanship the Mayor,

and with Mr . H . Argent and Mr . John Baker as

i . wa s j oint hon . secretar es . Mr Argent shortly

afterwards compelled by ill health to retire, and WAR FINANCE 99 thenceforward Mr . John Baker splendidly carried n sin l Lh n f h n o g e a ded the arduous duties o the o . secretaryship . After the appointment o f these committees fi fty- S ix War Savings Associations were rapidly 1n formed schools, church congregations and the In larger places of business the town , and by this b s rib e I 3 6 2 a s s u n . means alone over 5 000 w c d i 5 d. fi 1 1 1 War Savings Certi cates up to March 3 , 9 9, o f 1 000 including the remarkable total J£ 5 , from the Hove elementary schools alone The work done among the children in the teaching and practising of thrift is surely part o fthe silver lining o f o f the huge cloud the war . The propaganda was taken up in the most spirited way by the teachers , who among other things promoted an m o n 1 n essay co petition thrift, particularly regard to the war, which produced some admirable work from the j uvenile essayists as well as some that F o r had its decidedly humorous aspect . example ,

- “ the Portland road boy, aged nine, who wrote I ” spend what is necessary and save the rest , surely epitomised the general duty very accurately . The following short treatise o n war sa VIn g by an is Aldrington small boy, aged seven , also worth pre s e rv m g

W in I want to this war by saving up my money . When 1 3 6d Offi I get 5 . and . I will take it to the War ce and - lend it to buy some war ships . Then when the war is

over I can tell the soldiers I have done my little bit . Since the year 1 9 1 7 certain Hove tradesmen and business fi rms have also been licensed as offi cial o f fi agents for the sale War Savings Certi cates . 1 o o WAR FINANCE These agents purchase the certifi cates outright with their o wn money and then re- sell them to their fi o n customers and others . They make no pro t the transaction , and are doing an excellent and patriotic work for the State by encouraging thrift . There are between fi fty and sixty o f these official agents i n Hove . Early in 1 9 1 7 all the War Savings Committees throughout the country were urged by the Govern ment to do their utmost in the flotation o fthe new fi v e . per cent loan , and Hove took a very active As fo r part in it . the war proceeded the demand money went hand in hand with the will to victory . I n October o fthe same year National War Bonds were introduced as a Government investment ; all the local War Savings Committees were pressed into the service o f the State to help to popularise 1 8 1 1 these securities , and up to January , 9 9 , over

was thus invested in the town . o f 1 1 8 l The early days March , 9 , witnessed a specia f ef ort by the Hove War Savings Committee , spread “ ’ over a whole week known as Business Men s ” Week, to increase the sale of the National War wa s Bonds and the War Savings Certificates . Hove asked to invest towards the cost of a u o f s bmarine, and as the result an agitation of its irresistible energy, with the Town Hall as centre, this amount was not only realised but more than o f to ta l wa s doubled . At the end each day the raised posted in front ofthe Town Hall , and the concluding fi 2 0 80 . gures were J£ 3 , 7 The appetite of the to Exchequer, however, in those years only seemed o n grow by what it fed , and a few months later,

1 o z WAR FINANCE an open - air o n e in front o fthe Town H a ll in the ’ presence o ffour of Commander Locker La m pso n s armoured cars from Russia, and once more the h a d Press , as it done all along, gave generous and h fi re su lt o f able elp . The nal was that instead (the amount aimed at) being contributed 1 0 8 o f the town invested J6 , a worthy climax more than three years o f steady and unstinting o f support the Treasury . We have dwelt in some detail o n these special I campaigns . t should not , however, be forgotten that the various War Savings Associations were o n going methodically all the time , contributing a ls their weekly to t to the needs of the State . It is pleasant to be able to add that these organisations will continue their work . Like the allotments they “ ’ ’ s are s till ca rry Ing on and will continue to do o . We hear as we write that the word “ war ” will be eliminated from their Official title and that they will in future be known as National Savings Associations . As such they will continue to be a boon both to the members and to the nation . It cannot be to o clearly understood o r too plainly stated that only by the labour and thrift o fall classes will this nation recover from the effects o fthose years o fgigantic spending . Peace, as the poet has told us , has her victories no less renowned than those Of war , and there is a mighty victory yet to be wo n under the o f flag thrift . Th e B e lgian R e fu gee s

E shall have to thank Belgium fo r the remainder o four lives for the n oble stand ” she has made . So said the Mayor (then Alderman Le e n ey) in a speech at the Town H a ll o n 1 1 1 August 3 , 9 4 ; and the words are j ust as — true to da y as they were then . Through all the ’ years of war the memory o f little Belgium s acceptance o fthe gage so insolently flung in her face by Germany shone bright and clear in the a n d hearts of all thinking men women , and it will preserve its lustre s o long as the history o fEurope

endures . th e The story of Belgian refugees in Hove is , o f no doubt, a typical epitome the privileges , pleasures and diffi culties which the German invasion o f that country cast upon the British nation . I t is the bare truth that the thousands of wh o to men , women and children made their way this country before and after the fall of Brussels o f and Antwerp were received with a passion pity, to admiration and gratitude , and a sincere longing do eve rything that could possibly be done to make o r them happy, rare in the history of this any other f l . o and I n the great maj ority cases , moreover, ff these e orts were more than repaid by thought, a lso word and deed . It has , however, to be said that there were some who made the task of their

English friends harder than it need have been , a fact which no o n e recognised more frankly tha n 1 03 1 04 T HE BELGIAN REFUGEES

v 1 the Belgians themsel es . I n the January o f 9 1 6 M rs a Belgian lady wrote as follows to . F . R .

Richardson , the hon . treasurer of the local committee

e n e J vous prie , chére madame , de pas englober dans la e a rec ia tio n f m me pp dé avorable tous les Belges de Brighton .

La plupart , sinon tous , réprouvent les procédés incorrects le e t de ceux qui , parfois, ont usurpé titre de Belge , ils sont ’ e rsu a des l ivra ie p que vous saurez discerner du bon grain . We believe these sentences to be a j ust comment o n the minority Whose conduct was incorrect . Nationality in the higher sense o fthe term is not a mere question of race . Let us be quite honest , fo r m and a om ent imagine the situation reversed , and England i nstead o f Flanders invaded by a ferocious enemy . There were Englishmen at hom e during those years who did n o t lift a fi nger to help H o l their country . w wou d these individuals have behaved had they been refugees in a foreign land with their beloved businesses at home at the m ercy o fthe foe ? It is not very diffi cult to answer that m question . N either, by the sa e reasoning, is it difficult to account for the complaints uttered here and there concerning a small minority o f th e

Belgian exiles . The work o f relief was conducted in the two towns by the Belgian Local Relief and Refugee o f Committee (Brighton and Hove) , which the two Mayors were respectively president and vice M rs president, . Montague Williams chairman ,

Mrs . F . R . Richardson hon . treasurer , and

Miss Ethel Grimwood hon . secretary . The original idea was to receive a certain number of the exiled

1 06 THE BELGIAN REFUGEES

remitting the rates and taxes , while the gas company reduced its account by o n e third— two typical illustrations o f the universal attitude o f this country towards the Belgians . Afterwards the house was converted into a club for Belgian ladies and ! wa s ceremonially Opened as such by the o f Duchess Norfolk . It was here that Monsignor a c o — de W chter , Bishop with Cardinal Mercier of to devastated Malines , delivered a striking address 1 1 his compatriots in December, 9 4 , in the course o fwhich h e said We refugees must Show in this country that we are not unworthy o f its goodness and that we merit its benevolence . We must behave s o as to uphold the reputation of Belgium ” o f i in a foreign land . The record the great maj or ty o fthe refugees 1n Hove Showed upon what good soil these words fell . Again and again Miss Grimwood reminded us f f o all that we owed to Belgium . I n her report o ’ 1 1 6 the committee s work in 9 , when the Serbian s o u s h e tragedy lay heavy pon the Allies , used these words There may be other countries whose sufferings n o w appeal to us more than those of u s s o Belgium , but their claim upon can never be ” 1 1 great . And again in her 9 7 report, at a time when local subscriptions were falling away, she “ in wrote . Belgium is now no longer alone her to martyrdom , and we are beginning forget the o u valiant stand s h e made when war fi rst broke t. It would be a disgrace to the town if subscriptions were to fail altogether and the whole cost o f maintaining our refugees were to fall on the

London committee . These and many other THE BELGIAN REFUGEES 1 0 7

eloquent words from the same pen , together with o f the unceasing labours many Sincere friends , enabled the local committee to carry on prosperously f duri n g the fi v e years o its existence . I n all it was the means o f providing fo r the varied needs o f more than fi v e hundred refugees . ’ The clothing depot under M rs . Maynard s

- able management at 4 Adelaide crescent, was a typical branch of the work , providing clothes for all who needed them , and apparently achieving the miracle o f pleasing everybody . The local committee also established a school for Belgia n children and organised English classes for the adults , it secured free medical attendance for fi the sick and in rm , and it conducted two hostels and three clubs for the refugees . The total cost o f the effort was of which was raised locally, the rest being provided by the London committee ; and the spirit in which the work was carried on is suffi ciently proved by the fact that the whole administrative outlay (on what are called “ fi ” of ce expenses ) averaged less than £3 0 a year . Notable h elp came from the congregations of o f practically all the churches in the town , that All Saints alone contributing over £3 9 2 in collections and donations . From time to time the refugees were entertained o f in the Town Hall . One these receptions held 1 1 in April , 9 5 , was honoured by the presence of Clem e n tin e o f Princess Belgium , and the scene as her Royal Highness passed slowly between the h e r ranks of exiled compatriots , ranged up and down w o f the hole length the great hall , and conversed 1 0 8 THE BELGIAN REFUGEES

n o n e with each in tur , was which no spectator,

o r . British Belgian , will readily forget The tragedy o fexile could hardly have been more touchingly n o t illustrated , and they were all Belgian eyes that fi o f lled with tears at the spectacle . After another o f these receptions , when a number wounded Belgian soldiers and four hundred civilian refugees were entertained to tea and music , Baron de Maere “ ’ u h in sent a to c gle tter o fthanks to the Mayor . C est pour nous pauvres ex iles une douce consolation dans ces j ours de douleur de voir la bonté e t la générosité de toute la nation Anglaise a notre

égard , he wrote . Could we not all have replied that we counted it a privilege to do the little in o u r power to comfort a few of th e compatriots of th e little army who at Liege s o gloriously faced the bully and helped to save Europe ? We have m entioned a few o fthose who made o f o wn the cause these refugees their , and we should like to add here that four ladies o f

M rs . Hove , Richardson , Miss Ethel Grimwood, M rs . Maynard and M iss Helen Behrends enjoyed the honour o f receiving from King Albert the “ ” M edaille de la Reine E lisa b e th in recognition f o f . their ef orts Two good friends ofthe movement, alas ! were fated not to live to s ee the triumph o f 8 1 1 . . 9 One was the late Mr . F . R Richardson n who took the keenest interest in the work , lendi g his house in Adelaide - crescent for the clothing depot and helping in many other ways . The other was Father R e n k in wh o was killed by being knocked o ff his bicycle by a motor omnibus In 1 9 1 7 whil e on his way to visit a Belgian family In Preston

The Chu rches S we look back upon those wonderful years there rises clear amid all the jarring noises a f sound o hymns . Beyond all others in the history o fChristendom they were years o fsacrifice

and also o fprayer . Throughout the British Empire the Church o f England and the Protestant Free Churches prayed together in a closer unity than o f they had known before , a unity which millions Christian men and women hoped would endure

and deepen through the years to come . That hope n o t still lives , and there are lacking signs that it m a y o n e day be fulfilled . Whether that be so or

not , however, good has been done which will never

be undone in countless hearts . We have told in an earli er chapter h o w the Vicar o f fi Hove , in the rst weeks of the conflict, threw himself into the recruiting campaign o n behalf of what he perceived to be a war for righteousness h o w o f o f sake, and the Church England clergy the town and the ministers o fthe Free Churches Shared

his belief and j oined in the crusade . Each year , in addition to the innumerable special services held o wn o f by all denominations in their places worship , N IT R I S O F N T R I N two great U ED SE V CE I E CESS O , organised by a representative committee, with the

h o n . Rev . E . I . Frost as secretary, were held , o n fi generally in the Town Hall , the rst Sunday in January and on the Sunday nearest to the anniversary o fthe declaration o fwar o n August 4 . THE CHURCHES 1 1 1 These services drew such congregations as Hove had never seen before, and their sound was as the voice of many waters . They and the countless other such services held throughout the Empire were the crowning evidence o f a national self dedication to a consecrated task . Who that heard it has forgotten the prayer o f o n the Rev . J . S . Flynn in the Town Hall the last 1 1 6 o f day in 9 , with its outpouring the longing “ for peace which was in all hearts , but not a peace ” that would bring upon us a chastisement o fshame . ’ Arc h da ll Or the passage in the Rev . Hill s sermon 1 1 at All Saints on August 4 , 9 5 , in which he commended four resolves to a congregation that filled the great church from end to end

1 fo r Not to lay down our arms until the victory truth ,

justice , and liberty has been won , cost what it may .

o f f 2 . That the weapons our war are shall be kept

clean and chivalrous .

z o f f 3 . That with the mobili ation all our material orces

shall also be mobilized our spiritual forces of prayer,

humiliation and penitence .

fo r - 4 . That in our petitions victory to day and every

day we will pray God to teach us, as an Empire and as l individuals, what He means us to learn by the fiery tria

and exhausting burden He seems to have laid upon us .

’ o f Or the Bishop Lewes reminder, exactly a year ’ later, when the service took place in the St . Ann s ’ Well Gardens , that, no matter what a man s possessions might be, he was j udged that day by a new standard— the standard o f the sacrifice he was prepared to make for the brotherhood o f humanity 1 1 2 THE CHURCHES There may have been some who felt a doubt run t hrough them when they heard the Rev . Charles o n 1 1 6 Spurgeon the same day, August 4 , 9 , in the Cliftonville Congregational church sa y that guns and ships were very well but that, in his belief, God Himself would “ do something great and marvellous , and would work a miracle in this ” c onflict which none would be able to gainsay . Yet a s we look back to - day upon the extraordinary ’ events o f two years later— the German army s 1 1 8 triumph in March , 9 , with the Kaiser vain gloriously assuming the command of h is advancing o f hosts , and then the sudden change everything ’ in the following August , leading up to the Kaiser s fl o f ight , the retreat all his armies , the capitulation o n e of enemy country after the other , and the i o f gnominious surrender the German fleet, who ’ will venture to make light o fthe preacher s vision ?

Again , writing these pages more than a year after the signing of the arm istice, and when the flags and s 1 1 h ongs of July, 9 9 , are also t ings of the past, we recall some words Spoken by the Rev . H . Ross Williamson in the Town Hall on the last day o f ’ ” “ la w h e 1 1 6 . 9 God s , said, will be the same after n the war . Unregenerate huma nature will be the same . What are we going to do to make the world th e n wh e n a better one Those were solemn words , there were still nearly two years of conflict i n store for the world, but do they not seem even more solemn to- day ? How have we celebrated victory and peace ? What have we done to make the world ? better than it wa s in the pre - war days These q uestions are worth putting and worth answering .

1 1 4 THE CHURCHES in prayer were the Rev . J . S . Flynn , Admiral - R H R o ssW llia s e v . . i m o n Sir George King Hall , the ,

. Cu rwe n Pasteur Joye and Dr Eliot , and passages from the Scriptures were read by Sir George Casson D m b e rlin f Walker and by Mr . W . H . i e o the ’ ro n fo nde rs l I u Friend y Trade Society . I t is quite impossible to give any idea in writing o fthe spiritual a s well as the patriotic fervour o f this and other such meetings ; but surely we may also say that it is impossible to separate them from the extra ordinary events O f a few months later which fi rst changed the whole character o fthe war and then brought it to a conclusion in the complete victory o fright . 2 1 1 6 On October 9 , 9 , in connection with the o f Church England National M ission , a Procession o fWitness with banners inscribed with words o f e x h o rta tio n we nded , its way, singing hymns , through o f the fashionable quarters Hove to the Town Hall , where a special service was held . The Mayor and Corporation attended many special services at All Saints and at the beautiful o f church of St . John the Baptist, the Vicar which ’ acted as the Mayor s chaplain during the fi v e war o f years mayoralty . They also attended the drumhead service o n the Brunswick lawns for V o f the Canadian soldiers , at which the icar B righton (then Canon Hoskyns) , in his address reminded the visitors from overseas o f the long continuity o ftheChurch o fEngland 111 the mother “ ’ “ h e country . She was here, said , when Britain o f was an outlying province the Roman Empire, hers were the churches the Saxons destroyed THE CHURCHES 1 1 5

11 they invaded the land in the fi fth century s h e wa s made parts of it a waste , here when the ” - Norman conqueror came , and She is here to day l Similar municipal participation took place in the 1 1 6 solemn service in June, 9 , at All Saints in o f memory of Lord Kitchener, at the end which F o f R . A the Last Post by the trumpeters the . . pealed down the long nave with s o thrilling an ’

ff v . e ect, and in the ser ice at St John the Baptist s o n 1 1 8 July 4 , 9 , in recognition of the entry of the United States into what the Vicar truly described as “ this stupendous struggle between good and ” ’ e v il a n d o f u lia W a rd , at which the singing J Howe s ” Battle Hymn Ofthe Republic opened the service . The Mayor also attended the Anglo - French service of intercession held in the Town Hall in the same month , at which both the sermon and the service were half in English and half in French , and which concluded with the “ Marseillaise ” as well as the

British national anthem . To all this municipal participatio n in the religious Observances o fthe times the Vicar of Hove made a pointed allusion in his sermon at All Saints o n fi “ ” 1 1 8 . o f the rst Sunday in 9 The Mayor Hove , “ fi fi he said , has always put the rst things rst, and has reminded the town times without number that it is by the spiritual force o fGod alone that we are going to triumph . The united services at the Town Hall drew such crowds that not only would ' hundreds o f people be standing but frequently another service had to be held in the banqueting room . At each and all the Spirit manifested wa s o n e o f of humble dependence on the Giver victory, 1 1 6 THE CHURCHES

fi con dence in the purity of our cause , and a calm and unshakable belief in the fi nal issue of the struggle . Generally 0 11 the evening o fthe anniversary o f the declaratio n o fwar a great public meeting was fi o f held in the Town Hall . At the rst these o n 1 1 m eetings August 4 , 9 5 , Sir Edward Carson o f and the two borough members Parliament,

Maj or G . C . Tryon and Alderman C . Thomas

Stanford , were the chief speakers, and those who were present may stillremember the roar ofcheering that rose and fell and rose again o n the mention by the leader o f the Ulster unionists o f Lord

Kitchener, the great soldier whose name was given to the great armies then being raised throughout

the United Kingdom . What was to prove the last o f these assemblages took place n o t in the Town ’ Hall but in St . Ann s Well Gardens on August 4 , 1 1 8 n - 9 , four days before the turni g point in th e n o t war . The resolution passed that day, in Hove o n ly but at hundreds o fSimilar meetings through o u t O f o n the country, is worthy being placed wa s permanent record . I t worded as follows That the citizens o f Hove here assembled on Remem 1 1 8 th e brance Day , August 4 , 9 , silently paying tribute to ’ Empire s sons who have fallen in the fight fo r freedom on o f the scattered battlefields the world war, whether on sea f o f or shore , and mind ul also the loyalty and courage of our

sailors , soldiers , airmen and men of the mercantile marine h every day and everyw ere , unanimously resolve to do all that in their power lies to achieve the ideals on behalf o f

which so great a sacrifice has already been made .

s o S O I n these words , calm and yet determined , the whole spirit o fthe nation in those grim years

found a perfect utterance .

1 1 8 FOOD AND FUEL

’ - supported Mrs . Yorke Fausset s eloquent plea fo r ’ thrift were Mr . D . R . Sassoon s butler (Mr . Legge) ’ and the Hon . Sir Sidney Greville s housekeeper

( Mrs . Harvey) . No war meeting was more o r unanimous more enthusiastic, and it helped the ’ Control Committee s work materially . M a 2 Empire Day, y 4 , that year was observed s - a a food economy fi e ld day . The published weekly lists o fs h ips sunk by the U - boats and mines had awakened all thinking people to the gravity Of the menace to o u r food supplies and other 011 2 necessaries , and May the King had issued a Proclamation calling o n his subj ects to exercise a f strict economy i n breadstuf s . I t is historically interesting to note that more than a hundred years before , during the struggle with Napoleon , I George I I . had issued a Similar Proclamation containing several identical phrases , and we here give the two Side by Side

8 1 1 1 00 . 9 7 . B Y THE KING B Y THE KING

A PROCLAMATION . A PROCLAMATION .

r e or e R . Geo g R . Ge g I Whereas an address has We being persuaded that been presented to us by our the abstention from all u n two Houses o f Parliament necessary consumption of requesting us to issue our grain will furnish the surest Royal Proclamation re c o m and most effectual means of mending to all such persons defeating the devices of our as have the means of pro enemies and thereby of curing other articles of food bringing the war to a success the greatest economy and ful and speedy termination , frugality in the use o fevery and out o f our resolve to species of grain We having leave nothing undone which taken the said Address Into can contribute to those ends FOOD AND FUEL 1 1 9 c En side ra tio n and being per or to the welfare ofour people su a de d that the prevention of in these times o fgrave stress all unnecessary consumption and anxiety, have thought fit o f corn will furnish one of by and with the advice o f the surest and most effectual our Privy Council to issue means o f alleviating the this our Royal Proclamation present pressure and o f pro most earnestly exhorting and vidin g fo r the necessary charging all those of our o f demands the year, have loving subjects the men and therefore in pursuance o fthe women of our realm who said Address and out o four have the m eans o fprocuring tender concern fo r thewelfare articles o f food other than o f fit our people thought wheaten corn , as they tender (with the advice o four Privy their own immediate interest Council) to issue this our and feel fo r the want o f

Royal Proclamation , most others, especially to practise earnestly e x h o r t i n g and the greatest economy and charging all those o f our frugality in the use o f every loving subjects who have the species o fgrain And we do means o f procuring other fo r this purpose more par f tic u la rl articles of ood than corn , y exhort and charge as they tender their own all heads o f households to immediate interests and feel reduce the consumption of for the wants of others, to bread in their respective practise the greatest economy families by at least one fourth and frugality in the use o f o fthe quantity consumed in o f every species grain And ordinary times, to abstain we do fo r this purpose more from the use o f flour in a particularly exhort and charge p stry , and moreover care all masters o f families to fully to restrict or wherever reduce the consumption o f possible to abandon the use bread in their respective thereof in all other articles families by at least one third than bread . And we do also of the quantity consumed in in like manner exhort and ordinary times, and in no charge all persons who keep case to suffer the same to horses to abandon the practice exceed one quartern loaffo r o f feeding the same on oats each person in each week , to or other grain unless they abstain from the use o fflour shall have received from our in pastry , and moreover care Food Controller a licence to 1 2 0 FOOD AND FUEL fully to restrict the use thereof feed horses on oats or other in all other articles than bread ; grain to be given only in And we do also in like manner cases where it is necessary to exhort and charge all persons do so with a view to main e who keep horses , esp cially tain the breed of horses in horses for pleasure , as far as the national interest . And their respective circumstances we do hereby further charge will admit carefully to restrict and enjoin all ministers of the consumption of oats and religion in their respective other grain fo r the subsistence churches and chapels within f o the same . And we do our United Kingdom of hereby further charge and Great Britain and Ireland to command every minister in read or cause to be read this his respective parish church our Proclamation on the or chapel within the Kingdom Lord ’ s Day for four successive o f f f Great Britain to read or weeks a ter the issue thereo . cause to be read our said Given at our Court at

Proclamation . Buckingham Palace this f Given at our Court o fSt . second day o May in the ’ James s the third day o f year o f Our Lord one D ec e m b er o n e th o u sa n d eight thousand nine hundred and hundred in the forty- fi rst year seventeen in the seventh year o f our reign . of our reign .

God Save the King . God Save the King .

The Mayor addressed fi v e open - air public o n v meetings Empire Day that year , and also isited each o f the council schools and talked to the 1 children 0 1 the dangers that impended . The teachers carried o n the campaign by explaining ’ o f the King s Proclamation , distributing thousands o n leaflets , and promoting an essay competition the o f need for economy . Some the essays shed an l amusing ight on the situation . One j uvenile o f - Addison the Portland road schools , for example, wrote “ Do not think that you are economising if yo u rob your children of their food and then tell

1 2 2 FOOD AND FUEL

In spite , however, of all this good voluntary ff e ort the situation grew worse , and in the winter o f 1 1 — 1 8 9 7 it reached a critical stage , with butter n o n - ueues fo r practically existent , q everywhere o f meat , margarine , tea and sugar , and , worst all , a growing unrest by no means helpful to the steady and determined prosecution O fthe war . Such was the state of things out o fwhich the LOCAL FOOD N T R ITT ffi CO O L COMM EE , o cially appointed under the Ministry o f Food by the Hove Council in

1 I . . August, 9 7 , eventually led us . Mr J . B Fleuret

s fi . was appointed it executive of cer ; Mr W . Jermyn Harrison (the town Clerk) acted as clerk to the fi committee , and the of ce was at Kirkby House , at

- the top Of Second avenue , generously lent to the ff committee by Mrs . G . B . Woodru , the widow of ’ v fi to Ho e s rst Mayor . We Shall now proceed give some idea of the great work which this comm ittee carried through . The average population o fthe town including the visitors is about and it naturally eats a o f good deal . Consequently the work rationing it wa s one before which a good many people might ’ well have quailed . Mr . Fleuret s report to his committee for the fourteen months ending 1 2 1 1 8 N ovember , 9 , showed that during that period rationing documents o f o n e sort and another were issued from the o flic e to enable the community to obtain its rationed foodstu ffs letters were written (and surely at least as m any read !) cases of removal from o r into o f the borough dealt with , the dietetic needs about 2 00 orthodox Jews , invalids, and FOOD AND FUEL 1 2 3

fo r vegetarians specially provided , books d 2 1 8 issue for supplementary rations , lost ration b s u flic ie n t books replaced y duplicates after inquiry, and m any others traced and returned to their 2 owners , 73 public institutions such as hospitals , s hostels , schools , factory canteens , etc . , upplied with the rationed foodstuffs carefully measured o u t in accordance with the regulations , and an enormous number of applicatio n s fo r permission to exchange o n e retailer fo r another (often for the most tri v ial reasons) inquired into and decided . o f wa s m M uch this work , moreover , done fro an Offi ce which was being invaded daily by hundreds o f - anxious and frequently highly excited people ,

o f . and all it , as Mr Fleuret pathetically remarked, under a n ev er - ending paper avalanche o fDefence of the Realm Orders ! The nu m ber o fretailers who had to be supplied with the various rationed commodities was o f o f o n e most them , course , requiring more than article ; and the Food Control officials knew the exact amount to which each retailer was entitled s wa s for his customer , and able to secure a strict account O fthe distribution o fthe allotted supplies . “ ” What is ca lle d blu ffi n g wa s not entirely unheard

— o f in these Offi ces at the top of Second avenue . “ ” Now and then a retailer or a n in v a lid wo u ld present le u re t himself before Mr . F with a picturesque but v uncon incing narrative , only to go away a sadder o n and a wiser man . The poor, the other hand , fo r received every consideration . Cheese, instance , was always sent to the poorer districts fi rst ; and when it was discovered that enough cream was being 1 2 4 FOOD AND FUEL sold to people who could afford to buy it to spoil

gallons of milk a week, the Food Control Committee induced the Ministry o fFood to issue an order forbidding its sale except in special cases such a s those o f genuine invalids and young children . The benefi cial effect o f food control was only o f too proved when , after the signing the ”clearly i i it arm st ce , was removed for a time , only to be renewed in the winter o f 1 9 1 9 Control ro fi te e rin certainly kept down prices , checked p g and equalised distribution both as regards quality and quantity ; and it is not to o m u ch to sa y that fo r the fi rst time in the history o fth is country an honest effort was made to secure that rich and poor should fare alike . During the fourteen months of the committee ’ s 1 2 1 1 8 work up to November , 9 , the under m entioned total amounts o frationed o r controlled supplies were authorised t o n s Sugar 89 5 8 Meat 6 5 1 1 5 Margarine 1 0 6 1 0 Tea 1 9 1 9 Sugar was apportioned to 5 69 householders forj am n making, the quantities bei g carefully allotted by means o fan index number system laid down by the o f Ministry Food , and surplus supplies were distributed to avoid waste Of fruit, special attention being given to large families in the poorer quarters m o fthe town . Every effort was also ade to induce u s e o f bakers to a percentage potatoes in bread , for

1 2 6 FOOD AND FUEL

o f entire civil and military organisation the Allies . The food controllers here and throughout Great Britain may thus be said to have come to our rescue and helped conspicuously to save the fi situation . No Hove of cial in those days had to deal with a larger volume o fmisunderstanding and impatience than M r . Fleuret , and his success , and that of his admirable staff o fvoluntary and paid workers , notably Mr . J . B . Whitmore , his assistant fi o f executive of cer , is a matter for every sort grateful acknowledgment . Another contribution to food economy was the M U NIC IP AL K IT C H EN established in Livingstone road and opened by the Mayoress in September, f rec m 1 9 1 7 . The kitchen was the outcome o a o m e n da tio n from the Food Economy Committee which the Corporation promptly adopted , defraying fi the cost Of the equipment and cooking out t . Charity— that comely thing which seems to jar so o n misunderstanding people — played no part in this enterprise . The kitchen simply existed to sell c - heap , good and well cooked food , and this it did o f m enu quite brilliantly . Here is a copy the for the opening day

2 d Lentil soup .

Stewed mutton and peas 4 d. f d Cold roast bee 6 . e - f 2 d Blan mange and ruit .

Jam roll 2 d.

Baked potatoes 1 d.

— a n d~s ix e n n Not, the reader will observe , the seven p y international Slap - bang lunch o fa fashionable hotel o f the days before the war, but a very good and FOOD AND FUEL 1 2 7

- substantial and agreeable English mid day meal , quite absurdly cheap at any time, and fantastically s o in the autumn o f 1 9 1 8 as every housewife will k testify . The itchen itself and the selling counters o n were the ground floor, while the large room upstairs , which was formerly a rifle saloon , was equipped as a dining- room for the convenience o f the laundry and factory girls Of the neighbourhood a s by whom it w greatly appreciated . Forty of them o could s it down here together t a good meal . The kitchen catered impartially for all classes , and I s was as impartially used by all . t success was ff largely due to its hon . secretary, Mr . A . C . Je ery, and also , in the early days , to his predecessor ,

Mr . G . S . Coram , but above all to Lady Casson Wa lker who fo r a year undertook the personal o f superintendence the work, and whose guiding hand was visible in the smooth and pleasant working o fthe whole institution . Alderman Jago also gave valuable help . He was largely responsible for its inauguration and was the fi rst chairman of the ’ committee that regulated its a fla irs and it is highly satisfactory to record that when the kitchen closed in the spring of 1 9 1 9 the committee were able to hand back to the Hove Council the whole o f the money advanced for its equipment . “ While our soldiers were digging- in in the trenches their fathers at home were digging- in o n T N T S . the ALLO ME I n Hove as elsewhere , with the help o f the Corporation (in the exercise o f their o f powers under the Cultivation Lands Order) , large patches ofwaste ground which had pre v iously ’ been builders dumps , containing nothing more 1 2 8 FOOD AND FUEL

o dd agricultural than nettles , bricks and derelict 1 1 6 salmon tins , began in 9 to blossom into l o f f ong rows of vegetables , until the cry Falstaf “ in Th e M erry Win es of Windso r Let the s k y rain potatoes seemed almost to be in way o ffu lfilm e n t ! F o r several years before the war the Brighton and Hove Smallholders Society and other societies and individuals had been encouraging the cultivation o f allotments ; but the war , and particularly the ’ U - enemy s boat policy, caused every available inch f o space to be utilised in vegetable growing . As we write there are between and allotment holders in Hove, and the Corporation (under the order previously referred to) have under 2 6 No r their control 5 acres divided into 9 6 plots . did the Corporation merely use up every available ’ f scrap o fbuilders land . They gave the whole o the Hove Park u p to the bridle path which intersects - the southern portion , and also the north western portion o f the Hove Recreation Ground and a portion o fMarine Park . In I 9 1 7 the Hove Allotment Holders Association was formed , and the exhibitions ofallotment produce held under its auspices in the October o fthat year and the September o f1 9 1 8 and 1 9 1 9 in the Town Hall were really wonderful demonstrations o fwhat ’ 1 1 can be done where there s a will . In the 9 7 Show prize carrots were exhibited turning the scale f lb s . 0 11 o at 3 each , which had been grown a patch Old building ground i n Glendale — road ; and the

Rev . H . Ross Williamson , the early and kindly o f guide, philosopher and friend the movement , showed how he had grown , Since March , two crops

1 3 0 FOOD AND FUEL each household in the town had to be rationed fo r to coal , gas and electricity according the number o f In rooms in the house . a seaside town like Hove the task was rendered more diflic u lt than usual by the numerous changes o f tenancy continually “ ” o f taking place, and the number exceptional cases which had to be considered and adj udicated upon . Emergency supplies o fcoal were allotted to various districts and then divided among the coal merchants to fill up any shortage caused by the failure of the contractor to supply . Arrangements for these were made in conj unction with the Brighton fuel overseer, Mr . J . Johnston , whose ready c o —operation greatly facilitated the local working f o f o this important branch the national task . The Corporation also secured an additional reserve stock o fcoal to be re - sold to the coal m erchants to meet any sudden Shortage which might arise . At the time o fwriting— more than a year after the signing o fthe armistice— fuel control is still in o f a s operation , and the advantage it is conspicuous d as ever . The townspeople Should feel eeply to o n grateful Mr . Scott for his labours their a s behalf fuel overseer, carried on , as they were , in addition to all his other work as borough

surveyor . Police Work

0 body o f war- workers enj oyed a larger measure o fpublic con fidence and gratitude I N T B than the S P EC AL CO S A LES . The organi 1 1 o f sation of the force in August, 9 4 , was course

no more than a historic revival , for again and again during many centuries o fEnglish history special c o n e o r v onstables, in form another, ha e been r enrolled . Like eve y other feature , however, o f - the world convulsion , the amateur police force o f 1 1 - 1 1 9 4 9 9 was the largest ever seen , and its s o n ervice to the country was a like scale . It helped

to maintain personal safety and public order, it saved o f the State many thousands pounds , it embodied a high civic ideal in a very striking way, and it enabled thousands o f the regular police force throughout the country to join the fighting forces

without detriment to the situation at home . One o fits d u ties was that o fseeing that windows

were kept dark at night, and in this connection o f there were a good many prosecutions citizens , fi o f followed by nes , a good deal umbrage being

thus caused . Even to this day many perfectly law a biding and respected citizens who were fi ned for accidentally allowing a bright light to shine from o f their windows nurse a sense wrong . Let them , o f - however, ask any shipmaster the pre war days to tell them what he always looked o u t for in hazy weather in his way eastward up the Channel ’ a o f o f fter losing sight the light St . Catherine s 1 3 I 1 3 2 POLICE WORK

fi n d Point, and they will him answer promptly

The illuminated clouds over Worthing, Brighton and Eastbourne . Clouds lit up by the lamps and windows of a big town are like huge fi res suspended in th e h eavens and are visible quite ten m iles away even “ o f in a dense atmosphere . Such crimson banners night during those years o fwar would have indicated his whereabouts precisely to the pilot o fan enemy submarin e o r aeroplane and shown the exact spot upon which to drop a Shell or a bomb with most ’ e fle c t. That is why Brighton and Hove had to be kept in nocturnal darkness . That is why we had to grope o u r way after dark in railway stations and theatre entrances , why evening service at church was held behind drawn blinds , and why in omni buses and tramcars only suffi cient illumination was o f permitted to allow of the collection fares . AS 2 0 1 1 fi o f early as August , 9 4 , the rst batch twenty Hove Special Constables were sworn i n ; between that month and the ensuing November n ea rl a f y hundred of ered themselves , and altogether, up to the time of the cessation of duty in March , 1 1 - 9 9 , three hundred and seventy four were o f enrolled . The force was under the direction n 1 1 6 the chief co stable . I n April , 9 , it was

- re . partly organised , with Mr Duncan Furner as superintendent and Mr . Ernest E . Chant as chief 1 1 8 secretary and from April , 9 , its members o f shared all the duties the regular force , having o f entire charge three beats in the morning , three o f in the afternoon and twelve at night, the hours - m to duty in the last mentioned being from 1 0 p . .

I 3 4 POLICE WORK

less ordinary crime than usual during those years , but all sorts o fnew offences came into existence as o f a result the various orders dealing with aliens , the Defence o f the Realm Act and emergency

legislation in general , and these cast a considerable o f amount work upon the force . The present chief

constable , Mr . W . C . Hillier, who although he

only succeeded Mr . Cocks when the critical years were over h a s had every Opportunity o fforming a o n sound j udgment the subj ect , has expressed the opinion that every member of the Hove Police Force left to serve at home during the war did his f full share in the national ef ort . The Watch

Committee and the townspeople at large will , we think, cordially endorse that j udgment . Neither will the work done by the WOME N T R o f PA OLS be forgotten . The darkness the streets , o f o f l the presence in the town thousands so diers , and a certain silliness in hundreds o fyoung girls all ca lled for a friendly and tactful form o fpolice i ite work that could only be done by women . Q early in the war the women patrol movement was originated by the National Union o f Women Workers (now known a s the National Council O n o f 1 1 f Women) , and in the spri g 9 5 a Women Patrols Committee was formed fo r Brighton and

Hove with the Countess of Chichester as president, the Mayoress o f Brighton (first Lady Otter and

. M rs afterwards Mrs H . Carden) as chairman , .

R n l h o n . a egi a d Jowers as . secretary and Mrs Egg r ll as hon . treasurer . M iss M . Phi ips , the chief o f organiser the patrols , came down from London fi and gave valuable help during the rst few weeks , POLICE WORK 1 3 5

o n and the patrolling was carried in both towns , the streets o feach presenting the same problems

rs e In . though , , very varying degree I n May, 1 I a 9 7 , g to organise a distinct Hove section

the Mayoress at the Town Hall , and o n this occasion the Chief Constable of Hove paid a high tribute to the tactful and helpful work the patrols had done in the borough , not only in giving timely and wise advice to many young women and girls but by making reports on certain u to matters which had been most seful the police . h Miss M . P illips again came down and made a “ notable spee ch at this meeting . Walking quietly ” “ s h e and observantly about, said , the women f ” patrols are the visible conscience o the people . She also spoke warmly o fthe fi n e way in which the d u school teachers had helpe , ndertaking the two hours ’ patrol after a day ’ s work in the schools in no other spirit than o n e o fsincere concern fo r th f the welfare of e young girls o the day . Their work was indeed splendid . The Mayoress of Hove accepted the office o f chief patrol i n the newly formed section and the work in the borough went n ffi o with increased e ciency . The Brighton and Hove Women Patrols Co m ’ m ittee IR T R I TI U B also organised a G LS PA O C CL , with the hall under Union church , Brighton , as its headquarters , which was open every night with o f to ladies the committee in charge , and which the girl members were able to bring their soldier friends . Dances and whist drives took place at o n e o f frequent intervals , and Miss Eva Paley, the o f n m embers the committee , orga ised an amateur POLICE WORK dramatic society which gave performances at the A W a r club to large audiences . Savings Association was also organised here by Miss Hall and Miss Hayter and £3 00 was invested by the members in fi War Savings Certi cates . Altogether the patriotic club was a happy thought and played a really u seful part in the general work o fthe patrols . ‘ There is no doubt that the general e flic ie n cy o f the women patrols helped to educate the local o n o f public the usefulness women in police work , and to some extent probably influenced the Hove 1 1 Council in appointing, in the summer of 9 9 , two women police to be attached to the local l po ice force .

1 3 8 MISCELLANEOUS ACTIVITIES

s u erin the rent , and Miss Ethel Onslow, the p o f wa s 1n s irin tendent the canteen , the guiding and p g 1 n s ti ti Spirit of the tu o n . The hostel occupied the u its entire ho se, and at busiest there would be as two many as hundred visitors there in a single day . There was also good sleeping accommodation and O fi ften as many as fty men slept there i n a week, “ n o t perhaps in spacious bedsteads but in shake downs ” which were thoroughly comfortable and a special point this— particularly welcome at a time when good accommodatio n was difficult to w obtain . Reading , riting and music rooms o n were also provided , and Sunday evenings there were concerts which proved immensely popular, particularly among the men from the Dominions who in their o wn phrase looked upon “ ” the hostel as a home from home . Everything was provided in a truly liberal Spirit by Miss Onslow ’ - two and her fellow workers , and in of the hostel s o n four years nearly was spent food , tea , f o f cof ee , cocoa and cigarettes , all which were sold to the soldiers as nearly as possible at cost o f u o f price . The whole cost the pkeep the establishment was defrayed by individual donations and the proceeds o f various concerts and other entertainments organised by the committee and given under M iss Onslow ’ s enthusiastic manage ’ H u z z e s ment . After Miss Lee y retirement the hon . secretaryship was successively held by P illea u Sir George Casson Walker and Colonel H . , the latter also holding the Office o fh o n . treasurer . Nor were the needs o f the womenfolk o f o u r ’ - absent fighters forgotten . A Women s War tim e MISCELLANEOUS ACTIVITIES 1 3 9 8 ‘ 7 s l o rfl mj ww es o f sa IIo rs C ub fj and mothers and soldiers and their women friends was opened in 1 1 6 - January , 9 5 , at 3 Westbourne villas , with M rs fi i s t . . . Wake eld as hon secretary Various friends gav e or lent much o fthe furniture including f sa a piano orte, and needless to y the institution was

- - both non political and non sectarian . There was a ’ - children s play room as well as a room for adults , and cheap refreshments of good quality were o f supplied to the members , many whom won the badge for voluntary workers in connection with v the Ho e War Hospital Supply Depot . The billeting o fsoldiers which took place in the town in the early part o f the war led to some 1 0 6th interesting scenes , particularly when the

Brigade under Colonel H . G . Burrowes , was o f stationed here for a while . The greater part the

Hove Recreation Ground was used for their camp , the Portland- road schools were the scene Of military lectures and the Ralli H a llwas engaged for recreative purposes . The horses were billeted in the various to o f mews at the p the avenues , and it was interest ing to see them being groomed in Third - avenue — tethered to the trees which , by the way, may have been to the advantage o fthe brigade but was somewhat disadvantageous to the trees , which the animals were very fond o f biting . I t was R F . A. l interesting to see the . men dril ing practically all over the town .

Then again , the local military hospitals became so f crowded after the German of ensive in March , 1 1 8 9 , that the convalescents were removed from them into private houses to give dormitory 1 4 0 MISCELLANEOUS ACTIVITIES a ccommodation for the newly— arrived wounded o n men . This billeting was compulsory the house v i holders , but any incon en ence involved was c o f heerfully borne by the residents , all whom had kinsmen or friends o f their own in the fighting forces , and were only too glad to Show their s ympathy in this as in s o many other practical ways . AS to the voluntary hospitality of the town towards the Soldiers , and particularly towards the

wa s . wounded , it simply boundless Scores of hosts and hostesses threw open their drawing rooms in o f this way, and many have received letters the warmest gratitude n o t only from the men them n fa th er a n d selves but also from their pare ts . The s mothers of soldiers from the British Dominions especially sho wed in this way their appreciation o f the intimacies and amenities of English homes being thus thrown open to their sons . Other residents did much in the way o ftaking wounded men for drives in the country and in organising o f fo r parties them the theatre or the Hippodrome . Practically all these hosts and hostesses did their good work without any sort of public recognition , and the outside world never heard of it . One personal record , however , did inevitably become familiar to the whole town through the u nsought We but very natural enthusiasm o f the Press . o f refer to the work o fMrs . Pollak . At all hours the day and night this lady met the convoys of wounded m e n as they arrived at the railway station with a gift o f cigarettes and stamped postcards for each man , and it was her distinction to become known “ ’ ” throughout the two towns as the soldiers friend .

1 42 MISCELLANEOUS ACTIVITIES s o f uccesses the war . Hove , however, did what was desired by appointing a committee to recruit volunteers who were prepared to undertake work of n m in a s ational importance . A public eet gw also held a t wh ic h in the Town Hall the Home Secretary, then

Sir George Cave, came down from London to speak . Later several small branches of organisation i n c onnection with this committee were undertaken , ’ notably recruiting for th e W o m e n s Land Army and for workers able and willing to give part o r the whole o f their time to work on the land . A scheme was drawn up and it worked for several months . The Part - time Labo u r o n the Land Sub - Committee organised the conveyance to farms o fmen for work o n the land for as much ofthe day as they could spare f o r rom their own professions businesses . Cars were lent for this purpose by several gentlemen , trams

a n d . buses being also made use of Later, in certain c ases where the Military Tribunal felt obliged to grant exemption from military service it made use o f this s u b - committee to ensure that a man so exempted Should devote a certain number of hours in each week to work o f national importance o n the land . ’ We have mentioned the Women s Land Army, a nd it reminds us that surely the most picturesque feature o f the whole social revolution effected by “ ” a s h a the war w t e wo m n in uniform . Thousands o f — a s women war workers such bank clerks , for e xample , wore only their ordinary costumes , and the woman patrols wore a distinguishing badge, - but the post woman , the tram conductress , the taxi c ff wh o hau euse, the land girl , the milk girl , the girl MISCELLANEOUS ACTIVITIES 1 4 3

brought round the bread , and the girl who called at “ ” regular intervals to take the registe r o fthe gas meter all wore a distin ctive garb if not a complete uniform . So also did the workers at the depot, and we recall occasions at the Town Hall to which they went in their hundreds wearing their snow- white o f overalls and caps . Add to these the thousands ’ V . A . D S as the members ’ ’ o f the Women s Royal Naval Service , the Women s Army Auxiliary Corps and the Voluntary Aid o f Detachment were familiarly called , all whom went about in full uniform , and some idea will be conveyed o f the sartorial metamorphosis of the s ex in those amazing years . One spectre which haunted the imaginations o f many when the war broke o u t was that o f poverty . It was feared that the huge economic upheaval would cause a great deal of distress among the working classes . As a matter of fact the exact f Opposite took place . The multitude o men and women engaged u pon munition - making earned o f good wages , and the spending millions a year o n separation allowances added to the undoubted prosperity ofthe working classes during the years of fi f . I o ghting n most other industries the country ,

moreover, wages rose in an unprecedented way ; and the poor- relief statistics of those years showed an almost complete disappea rance o fthe more abj ect o f o n e forms distress . No is to be blamed for

. r not foreseeing this On the contra y, it was in accordance with prudence no less than humanity ’ that the Prince o fWales National Relief Fund was founded and that War Distress Committees were MISCELLANEOUS ACTIVITIES

organised all over the country in 1 9 1 4 to deal with

any distress that might arise . We have recorded in an earlier chapter the collection o fmoney in Hove ’ fo r o f the Prince Wales National Relief Fund , and it only remains to mention here th e formation o f the Local Representative (War Distress) Committee to deal with cases o fcivil distress arising from the u 1 1 war . This committee , expecting in A gust, 9 4 , i that its work would be extensive , formed var ous s u b committees to deal with u nemployment, work fi for women , relief, and nance , but owing to the circumstances already indicated the work very soon

dwindled , and at last it only became necessary to keep the Relief Sub - Committee alive to deal with a s such cases of distress arose in the town . This sub - committee secured grants from the National Relief Fund and then disbursed the money in the o f relief local cases . When it closed in September, 1 1 9 9 , it had not been required to distribute more o f fi v in all than a total spread over e years . n o t wa s Last but least , the coming generation 1 1 not forgotten . I n the summer of 9 7 , Hove took its Share with many other towns in the country in the observance of a National Baby week . The ’ battle- fi e ld s terrible destruction of much o f the precious young manhood of the nation had emphasised as never before the priceless value of life a n d infant , the enthusiasm with which the events “ ” Of this we e k we re taken up by the public and the Press Showed how clearly this truth had been grasped . Hove j oined Brighton in organising a great baby parade at the Aquarium and in the

Royal Pavilion grounds , and a few days later a

The Arm istic e a n d Peac e

n FTER lo g grief and pain . The great Victorian poet ’ s words must have Come back to many hearts when in the early forenoon o f 1 1 1 1 8 Monday, November , 9 , the news flashed round the world that Germany had signed the ’

1 1 a . m n armistice and that at o clock . hostilities o

- all the war fronts were to cease . The newspapers ’ that day had also contained Field- Marshal H a ig s thrilling announcement that at the end o fthe most stupendous series of V ictories in the annals o fthe

British army our soldiers were back in Mons , the a old Belgian town where C esar once built a fortress , and from which in the late summer o f 1 9 1 4 the “ n m ibl s Old c o te pt e had been forced to retreat . It n eeded but this touch to complete the glory of o f the day . Thus , at long last , had the wheel retribution come full circle fo r Germany ! People had been prepared for the news of the ’ o f end the war . At the Lord Mayor s banquet in

o n . London the previous Saturday, M r Lloyd George had announced the flight o f the German n Emperor, while the whole world had know for days past that Germany had asked for an armistice , that her power was broken , and that the longer the conflict n o w continued the deeper must be her is tragedy . Yet there no denying that when the news came that the war was over the sense o frelief was indescribable . The knowledge that at last the horror was at an end wa s like the lifting o fa weight 1 46 THE ARMISTICE AND PEACE 1 47

o from every heart, even fr m hearts that had been “ AS most deeply pierced . I listened to the cheering ” o n e o f i n the streets , wrote the mother of the “ o f fallen on this day rej oicing , I was able to think of the mothers who were happier than I and to ” enter i nto their j oy . The news was fi rst announced from the Borough

Bench by the Mayor . The carillon in the Town Hall tower rang o u t its j oyous peal o n the stroke o f eleven , and a notice containing the Prime ’ M inister s message was posted outside the building . Like magic the people came rushing from every direction , and forthwith rose such a cheer as we fo r had not heard many a long day . Presently M a o re ss th e the Mayor accompanied by the y , Town

Clerk and others , proceeded to the steps the cheering rose into a long roar, and those who were present will not forget the figure o fthe Vicar o f Hove as he stood in full view o fthe throng waving a huge Union Jack . Indeed half the crowd seemed

o n e o r . to be waving flag another The weather, unfortunately, was that of an English November at its dullest, the Skies were leaden and the roads damp , but nothing could depress the spirits of the people . I n his speech the Mayor once more reminded the town of all we owed to the fleet and the army, to Jellicoe and Beatty, French and Haig, and to “ the mercantile marine . Three cheers for the men ” who have saved us l he cried , and rare cheers they ! fi were Then followed a nely contrasting moment . “ ” sile nc e sa id Now , in hallowed , Alderman Sargeant, “ let us remember those who have given their lives 1 4 8 THE ARMISTICE AND PEACE

wh o for their country in this war, especially those Is went from this town . There not a family 1n Hove from which kinsmen have n o t gone forth to the fight fo r the sake o fEngland and of the future o f security, liberty and happiness the world . With hearts too full fo r words we think of them at this moment and o f a ll they have done in the most ” fo r righteous cause which war was ever. waged . I n a deep stillness every man in the crowd stood o f bareheaded . Afterwards cam e the singing the “ ” n Doxology, and after that God Save the Ki g .

As the thousands separated , the carillon in the Town

Hall tower played patriotic airs , and by this tim e

flags were flying everywhere . For the remainder o f the day business wa s suspended and crowds i n were pass ng to and fro singing and cheeri g .

That evening the churches were open , and, although there was no tim e for more than the exhibition of a few posters and the announcement o f from the Town Hall steps , services thanksgiving were held and attended by congregations that crowded the buildings to the doors . The religious impulse was a s spontaneous as the j oyous o n e o fthe It wa s sim l a morning had been . p y case ofthe church doors opening and the people pouring in . The Mayor and Corporation and the chief boro u gh o flicia ls attended the service at All Saints , and the fi ’ congregation lled J . L . Pearson s noble building in every part, including the lady chapel and the organ chamber . Large contingents of the Special o f Constables , members the Depot and other war a lso a ll workers were present in uniform . Like the great war services held here or in the Town

1 5 0 THE ARMISTICE AND PEACE

Vicar had n o difficulty in driving home the n o w familiar idea ls o fu n ity and u n s elfi s h n e ss as the only sure beacons i n whatever storms might be in store r f fo the nation in the years o peace . ’ o f Such , briefly , was Hove s celebration the “ ” a fli k in . n o m c signing ofthe armistice There was g, 1 n In o r in no dancing the streets , no rowdiness o f n a s front public houses . With an insti ct sure as it was dignifi ed the inhabitants felt the occasion to be far otherwise than o n e for noisy merry making . The perils from which the Empire had

e to o . escaped had be n far deadly Deep , too, in the hearts o fall lay the thought o fthe thousands o f homes Whose dear ones lay buried in the vast graveyards o fwhat by surely o n e ofthe most terrible “ ironies ever put into words was called th e th e a tre f o war . 1 1 i o f I n July, 9 9 , came the s gning the peace by fe lt Germany , and this time it was that a universal and organised celebration was called for . The Government fixed the date beforehand for the o fl'ic ia l celebration throughout the Empire 1 — a n d Saturday, July 9 Shortly after this decision was announced the inhabitants o fHove received a letter from the Mayor informing them that a

h o n . o f . . committee , which Mr G Lionel King was secretary , had been appointed to organise a series o fObservances expressing in a dignified manner and without any great expenditure o f money their I feelings o f happiness and thankfulness . t was announced that (i) a reception and entertainment would be held for the men already discharged o r ’ demobilized from His Maj esty s forces , and also THE ARMISTICE AND PEACE 1 5 1

( 11) o n July 3 0 an entertainment in the Hove Recreation Ground for the children from the Council schools with any other children who should desire to participate . It was estimated that this a l 60 progr mme would entail an out ay of about £ 0. 2 00 s o Towards this sum the Council had voted £ , that the inhabitants were only asked to contribute

00 . £4 The amount was handsomely exceeded and, as we shall Show, the programme was considerably developed . o n 6 The celebration began Sunday, July , with f two services o solemn thanksgiving . That in the morning took place in the parish church and once more the congregation included the Mayor and Corporation and representatives o f the various public bodies in the town . The great thanksgiving o f Te D eum song western Christendom , the , was th e sung to a chant in which all could j oin , and anthem was a new motet Specially composed for the day by the organist of Westminster Abbey s o f (then Sir Frederick Bridge) , the word which were taken from the last speech o f Richmond in ’ R ick a rd III Shakespeare s . The Vicar, on this o n e o f occasion , delivered of the most moving his “ . to messages If the British Empire is endure, o f and grow, and inspire the rest the human race o f with its principles, every single member it must o ” strive to be a Christian in thought, w rd and deed, o n e o f was his many emphatic Sentences . ’ The second service took place in St . Ann s Well Gardens in the afternoon and was the last o f th e united services held in connection with the Great

War . The Mayor, the Vicar of Hove, the Bishop 1 5 2 THE ARMISTICE AND PEACE o f Lewes , the Rev . J . S . Flynn , the Rev . J . F Parkes and the Rev . H . Ross Williamson all took part the band o fthe 2 n d Battalion o fthe Suffolk Regiment led the Si n ging and the congregation numbered thousands o f men and wom en o f all ’ d classes . The Bishop s ad ress was a powerful analysis o f the war as a huge conflict between idealism o n the o n e side and materialism 0 11 the “ — Go d d h a s other and , thank , i ealism triumphed Here again the Te D eum was sung to a well - known chant, the hymns were selected from those with which most English people have been familiar

Since childhood , and the service concluded with “ On e o f those thrilling renderings o f Go d Save ” o n the King , in which countless occasions during those fi ery years the people o fthe British Empire expressed n o t only their loyalty to the Sovereign but also their will to victory O Lord our God arise , Scatter his enemies And make them fall I

c 1 Then ame July 9 , one of the three dates which will never lose their Signifi cance for the present generation , the other two being August 4 and 1 November 1 . The day was proclaimed a bank wa s holiday , every Shop Shut, every public building, from the Town Hall downwards , and every thoroughfare , was gay with flags . I ndeed , the humbler the street the m ore multitudinous was its adornm ent . Nothing in the town , however, had the signifi cance o fthe two large laurel wreaths which hung on either side of the entrance to the “ H a ll I Town , each inscribed with the words , n ever

THE ARMISTICE AND PEACE 1 5 3 glorious memory o fthe Hove men who gave their 1 lives in the Great War . Peace Day, July 9, In the ceremonies of that day these wreaths ful filled the offi ce served by the cenotaph i n Whitehall . Soldier and civilian alike saluted them and through o u t that day o fhappy crowds they hung m a silence that was only broken by the music of a hymn . ’ The celebrations were timed to begin at I O o clock ’ with the reading o f the King s Proclamation o f

Peace, and as the hour struck, the M ayor and Mayoress took their places o n the carpeted platform f o f in ront the main entrance to the Town Hall , supported by a large number o fcitizens including m members of the Council , the agistracy and the o f fi clergy . Thousands people lled the broad roadway and every window o v erlooking the scene i had ts complement of spectators . The Mayor in ringing tones read the King ’ s Proclamation and

— o f . . then waving aloft the shot pierced flag H M S . Sout/za mpton which h a d received its honourable scars o f u tla n d n in the battle j , and had been le t for the

- occasion by Admiral Sir George King Hall , called fo r a cheer for the men who by land and s e a had wo n v the ictory . He then asked the assembly solemnly and in silence to salute the two memorial h wreaths , and at once every ead was bowed and bared in tribute to the immortal dead . Then , emphasising all that these men and their brethren in arms had endured and achieved for England , he h oped that the spirit which had inspired and upheld them would also imbue all classes in the great work o fbuilding up a still more glorious Empire than that which our forefathers had handed down . 1 54 THE ARMISTICE AND PEACE Afterwards the whole assembly sang the Doxology da and the National Anthem and , as on armistice y , the carillon in the tower played patriotic airs as the people dispersed . I n the afternoon came the p a rade o f ex- service men o f Hove who had fought on all the battle f ronts , France, Flanders , Mesopotamia , Macedonia ,

Gallipoli . Each had received the personal invitation o fthe town couched in the following terms The inhabitants of Hove take this opportunity of thanking for his services to the Empire during the o f o n Great War, and request the honour his company 1 fo r Saturday, July 9 , at a Reception and Entertainment ’ Hove men discharged from His Majesty s forces . They assembled o n the Brunswick lawns and after a speech of welcome fro m the Mayor and the “ " o f Go d K in th e singing Save the g march began , I 00 som e , 5 men , representing practically every unit ’ in His Maj esty s forces , taking part . The disabled - led ' th e way riding in gaily decorated motor cars followed by a naval detachment by whom was

/za m ton . o f . . Sout carried the flag H M . S p The procession t u rned from the sea- front up Lansdowne place into Western - road and thence along Church th e th e road to Town Hall where a halt was called, band o fthe 2 nd Highland Light I nfantry played “ " the melody Fo r all the Saints and the whole parade saluted the m emorial wreaths which fo r this purpose had been placed in front of the main entrance . The o f - march was then resumed by way George street,

— - Goldstone villas , Clarendon villas and Goldstone o f to street, all lined with crowds people , the Albion

THE ARMISTICE AND PEACE 1 5 5

football club ground , where refreshments followed by a programme of sports awaited the men . Unfortunately the only possible enemy o fsuch a celebration , the clerk ofthe weather, proved to be in o n e o fhis bad tempers . Rain had begun to drizzle while the men were forming up on the lawns and by the time they reached the football ground v the drizzle had become a downpour . Howe er, although he might soak men ’ s coats and women ’ s wa s skirts he not able to damp their spirits , and the various competitions were carried successfully through . This parade and entertainment was s u b - o f organised by a committee which M r . A .

Standring was chairman and Mr . G . H . Livesey f . o hon secretary , assisted by a large body helpers . o f n o f I n the evening , in spite a co tinuance o f bad weather conditions , thousands people assembled o n th e lawns where the band of the I Highland Light nfantry was playing, and as soon a s darkness fell a number o fthe Admiralty flares used o n the Dover patrol were lighted o n the s ea wall at the bottom o fAdelaide - crescent and lit up fo r the whole scene miles around . The Admiralty had distributed their surplus stock among the local authorities all over the country, and many took the place o f bonfires o n the beacon heights thereby achieving the two - fold obj ect o f p roviding a fi n e illumination and economising the supply o f

- fuel . A number o f air raid maroons were also discharged and Verey lights and rockets let o ff. On July 2 9 the children o f the infant depart m ents o fthe public elementary schools had their 1 5 6 THE ARMISTICE AND PEACE

celebrations in the school buildings , made all gay f with flags and lowers for the occasion , and the entertainment pro v ided was obviously fully

. a c c o m appreciated The Mayor and M ayoress , pa n ied by Alderman Barnett Marks (chairman o f the Education Com mittee) , paid a state visit to ff each school , and the whole a air was a great success . On the following day som e three thousand o f the elder children had their celebration in the v F o r Ho e Recreation Ground . this also each guest had received his or her personal invitation o n a card bordered with red, white and blue, and worded as follows

o f f fo r The inhabitants Hove , in their deep thank ulness f 1 1 - 1 1 8 Victory in , and Peace a ter, the Great War , 9 4 9 , request the pleasure o f the company o f at an fo r Entertainment Children , in the Hove Recreation

0 1 1 . m Ground , on Wednesday , July 3 , 9 9, at 3 p .

Happily o n this occasion the weather proved perfectly delightful and the whole elaborate u programme was carried o t without a hitch . The children marc h ed o n to the ground i n their school sections and then formed up in front of the flag f staf to be welcomed by the Mayor , who told them “ " - that as they, like the grown ups , had also in many ways done their war work it was only right and proper that they should have their day o f “ " peace play, a sentiment which was received with s enthusiastic cheering . He al o expressed the thanks V o f them all to Councillor A . W . F . arley who had organised the day ’ s programme of sports and A h rfo ld . t e to the hon . secretary, Mr . S J . , and this also was endorsed with loud cheers . Led by the

THE ARMISTICE AND PEACE 1 5 7 band o f the 2 nd Battalion Royal Scots F u siliers “ ” the assembly then s a n g La n d of Hope and Glory “ followed by the Doxology and God Save th e ” King , and when this was over and one more cheer had been given the fun of the day began . And What fun it was All sorts o fraces for boys and girls ; dreadful combats between a badger and a bear impersonated by members o fthe fi re brigade a most diverting troupe of elephants with the funniest legs and trunks clowns , niggers , and of “ ” course the inevitable Charlie Chaplin , followed from seven to nine by dancing on the green . Altogether this was a j oyous day that will long be remembered . We have said that the original scheme o f celebrations was destined to undergo a good deal f I o . development On Friday evening , August , o f the mothers , widows and children Hove men who had fallen in the war were the guests o f the inhabitants at an entertainment in the Town Hall . Here again the invitation sent o u t deserves to b e placed upon record . I t ran as follows The inhabitants of Hove express their respectful sympathy with in her sorrow caused by the death of

her Husband in the Great War, and request the honour o fher company with her Children at a Tea and Entertain I ment in the Hove Town Hall on Friday , August , at

p . m .

Never did guests receiv e a welcome more hearty o f and sincere . Some the widows and mothers were little more than girls , and among the children were babies in arms . To many the occasion must have brought back tender and almost heart- breaking x5 8 THE ARMISTICE AND PEACE m emories . The Mayor was evidently thinking o f this as he gave them his welcome from the platform o f We all felt, and a number our demobilized men have also expressed the view, that it would be nice,

s e e . j ust in a quiet way, to you here You have gone through the greatest trial in losing husbands o r o f sons in this terrible war, and on behalf the inhabitants I extend to you their very deep and respectful sympathy . We can hardly realise what f you have suf ered , but we do want you to know t hat you have the sympathy o fyour fellow towns in o u people your great trial , and we hope y will s spend as happy an evening a possible . These simple kindly sentences were the prelude of what may truly be recorded as a happy evening . During tea the orchestra played a pleasant programme , and n o f afterwards came a varied e tertainment music, c — onj uring , exhibition dancing, and last but by no — “ m eans least Punch and Judy . How the young folk revelled in that ancient marionette tragi - comedy ! How they shrieked with delight when Punch cunningly edged o n e o f h is victims into a corner and then , essaying to hit him with his s o f tick , struck only the wooden ledge his queer little stage ! The whole evening made a perfect rapp roc/z em ent between the town at large and a number of the most respected of its inhabitants . Thus closed the offi cial local celebrations of those o f — fi mighty events world wide signi cance . We have still , however , to record an observance which though u noffi cial was perhaps the most solemn and

. I O impressive of all On Sunday, August , by the

THE ARMISTICE AND PEACE members o f the mightiest Empire the world h a s ever seen .

o f o f The voices the dead , the claims the living, o f - the greatness England , the far reaching future o f the national ideals— all these entreat u s not to be weary or faint, entreat us to be brothers , o f upholding the noble inheritance, not power fo r o u r only but of thought and principle , which n o sons have given their lives . Thus and t other ’ in wise, the poet s words

’ Something ere the end , Some work o fnoble note may yet be done ’ T 1s not too late to seek a newer world .