News from the Front January 1915

A THORNABY MAN’S VIEW What’s on Stage and Song STOCKTON’S FALLEN

H Umpleby of the 2nd Liege Grand Theatre Stockton- Private John Wilson Blackburn, 2nd Btn Kings th Battery: “A Fallen Idol” play by Miss Own Scottish Borders. Killed in action 10 Edith E Hinter January 1915 and is commemorated on the Ypres Menin Gate Memorial Belgium. Writing to his parents at 4 Hippodrome- Chelmsford Street,Thornaby,he Stoker Alexander Chantrell, Royal Naval Reserve “Gentleman the King” A of the HMS Formidable killed in action on the 1st tells of the Christmas he spent at thrilling military episode by January 1915, and is buried in Durham Road the front. “We have given the Mr Henry Bedford and Cemetery Stockton. enemy something to think about, Company Stoker Matthew Cook, Royal Naval Reserve of th and I think that before long there Empire Theatre- the HMS Pembroke drowned on 16 January 1915 will be such a shock for the Showing a patriotic war aged 41.He is buried in Gillingham Woodlands Cemetery Kent. Germans that they will wonder drama “A son of France”. what has struck them, and before Petty Officer William Denham, Royal Naval Reserve of the HMS Formidable. Killed in action long too! I can see it coming off st The Red Cross on 1 January 1915. He is commemorated on the along the line, and I don’t think Excellent work of the Chatham Naval Memorial. they will be long in France, for Stockton detachment. Private Patrick Hearty, 2nd Btn Alexandra they cannot keep losing men at Although only in its first year Princess of Wales Own (Yorkshire Regiment).He rd the rate they are doing. They the Stockton detachment of was killed in action on 23 January 1915. He is behave like savages. I have seen the British Red Cross buried in Rue-David Military Cemetery, Fleur baix France. beautiful churches,houses,and Society has become thoroughly established, even hospitals where the D.L.I. at St Peters Stockton having already received wounded lay, destroyed by them recognition from the war out of revenge. In some places Last evening a party of 250 people assembled in the office. parish hall at Stockton, including 150 members of there is scarcely a house left the D.L.I. The hall presented a most animated whole and the road is simply appearance. Refreshments were provided by the covered with big shell holes. The Sunday school teachers and during the evening poor people suffer the most, for Colonel Johnson in a short address said he wanted they have no bread and no to take that opportunity of expressing to Mr homes, and they go about in a Pennington the united thanks of all the officers and men of The Durham Light Infantry for the excellent most aimless fashion. The entertainments he had so ably organised for them. Germans will have a heavy debt The entertainments which had been provided there to pay when it is finished. The were exactly what were wanted for the soldier on fighting spirit of our men in such duty. In the daytime he was full up with his routine trying conditions is simply duty and at night he wanted some healthy marvellous. We have had very entertainment. bad weather. Some of the 19th January-North Eastern Daily Gazette prisoners we take say the

Germans are tired of the war. They are now playing a losing A Stockton Fund The mayoress of Stockton wishes to thank those game.” Private H Barwick of 4th ladies and children who have sent to her comforts York’s Reserves, with 1st January 1915 for the brave soldiers and sailors, including Mrs A Nance the dog who has Watson, 14 West End Terrace, who sent a helmet been trained to carry North Eastern Daily Gazette and 2 pairs of mittens. Also Master R. Watson (8 messages. Stockton and years old) who knit by himself, two mufflers. Thornaby Herald.2.1.1915

News from the Front January 1915

H. M. S. FORMIDABLE H.M.S. FORMIDABLE VICTIM SECONDARY EDUCATION An inquest was held at Brixham, IMPORTANT MOVE Yesterday, on Stoker Alexander EFFECTED AT STOCKTON Chantrell of Stockton, one of the victims of the Formidable disaster. The separation of the girls Evidence of identification was given department from that of the by the deceased’s father, who wore boys at the Stockton Secondary a Royal Naval Reserve uniform. |He School was formerly effected on said Alexander’s mother received a Tuesday afternoon by the letter from him on January 2nd; the chairman of the governors, day after the Formidable was lost. Councillor F.T. Nattrass. The Evidence of Chief Stoker Snowden chairman at the outset said that showed that the majority of the the day marked an exceedingly ship’s crew sank with the ship, owing important juncture in the to the bad weather. The jury found school’s history. The girls that the deceased met his death by present constituted the first drowning as a result of the sinking of “girls” section of the institution, H M S Formidable on January 1st and he wished them[Type on behalf of the Governors, continued a quote from the document or the summaryduring operationsof an interesting of war. point. You can position the text box anywhere in the document. Use the Drawing Tools tab to change the formattingsuccess of the under pull quote the new regime. BIG FIRE AT STOCKTON Those who were acquainted H M S Formidabletext box.] was sunk by two torpedoes fired from a German submarine Between £1,400 and 1,500 with the school’s history hitherto st worth of damage was done on 1 January 1915, whilst on exercises. by the fire at engineering were aware that it had been She sank in 180 feet of water about 37 w o rks o f Messrs Ashm ore, conducted on dual lines, with miles off the Devon coast. She was the Ben so n , Pease and Co. The Mr.J.J. Peat as headmaster. outbreak occurred in the The governors had decided first British battleship to be sunk during the m o t o r sh o p . Although the First World War. Only 199 men were fire brigade worked hard for upon this scheme, and that day saved out of a complement of about 750. 3 hours the place was gutted Miss Nelson took charge over a before the fire was sub d ued . separate girls department for The machinery was The Captains last Words the first time. Stockton and completely destroyed. The rd cause of the fire remains Thornaby Herald 23 January A survivor from the Formidable states that un kn o w n . 1915. he saw Captain Loxley on the bridge Evening Gazette. 23rd Jan u ary coolly smoking a cigarette and heard him 1915 say to Lieutenant Simonds, who was superintending the launch of the boats “You have done very well Simonds” The final words he said were “steady men, it’s all right, no panic men, keep cool and be British. There is tons of life left in the old ship yet. The Captain’s terrier, Bruce, was standing by his side as the ship disappeared.

4th January 1915, North Eastern Daily Gazette