Why I Remember

October 1914 - The Portent

The Society of Miniature Rifle Clubs “Roll of Honour”

The SMRC “Roll of Honour” will contain the names of all members of clubs affiliated to the Society who, at this time of national emergency, have patriotically responded to their country’s call and have joined or rejoined some branch of His Majesty’s forces. Octobers Roll of Honour includes an entry for Crawley. The names listed are: Cook, A.E., Goring, A., Winterton, Earl., Caffyn, L.J., White, E.W., Garrott, H., Wilson, G.S., Stanford, S. F., Drager, D. G.

Of those nine men, two of them, Garrott and Goring, would not come home.

Meanwhile the local newspaper columns carry the news of:

TWO SONS AT THE FRONT – Mrs Constable, of East Park, has two of her sons at the war, namely Bert and Charlie, the former in the RAMC and the latter in the Royal Engineers. Both had recently written home, and are, happily, quite well, Charlie, in the course of an interesting epistle, says: “I have been in charge of a pontoon bridge over the river today, so I have had leisure. I have been washing clothes, boiling them in a biscuit tin, and got them fairly clean.” Bert is on an ambulance train, and he says: “In the earlier part of the war I had shells burst within 20 or 30 odd yards and then escaped without a scratch. Once my chum and I had a chap on the stretcher struck by a piece of shell while we were carrying him; that is near enough if you like.”

There are two subsequent letters from Bert in which he reports:

“We have just come from where the big fight is going on, and we saw a German airship being shelled, but they didn’t hit it, worse luck. The Germans are still holding their position, but by the way our boys are going on something will have to shift soon. The noise of the big guns is deafening, and they keep it up all day without a break.”

Writing on the 9^th inst. Bert says:

“Just a hurried line to let you know I am well, and that I have been promoted to Lance Corporal. I thought you would be pleased to hear it. We have made a move at last, and we are very busy. I find I have plenty to do now, especially when we are loaded. I have to be responsible for 3 carriages; that means about 50 or 60 patients. I have to see that they are all attended to and get their food, and kept clean, and lots of other little things, but still it makes the time pass much quicker, especially with a few shells to liven things up as well.”

Also recorded this month is the news of the districts first fatality:-

AN IFIELD MANS DEATH AT THE WAR.- With much regret we record the death of Mr Francis Franks, third son of Mrs Franks and the late Mr William Franks, of Ifield village. He was a Lance Corporal in the Durham Light Infantry, and was seriously wounded in a recent engagement. He received the best possible treatment in a hospital in Paris, but succumbed to gangrene on Thursday October 8^th and his funeral took place on the following day with military honours. The deceased soldier was 24 years of age. In a communication with his mother the Matron at the Paris Hospital refers to the brave way he fought for his country and to the brave manner in which he bore his suffering. This is the family’s great consolation. He was buried in the City of Paris Cemetery, Bagneux.

Today October 19^th marks the centenary of the first day of the huge battle that would come to be known in history as First Ypres, a conflict that would see the virtual destruction of the British Army.

We can only imagine how much  more demanding Bert Constable’s work would become over the next shocking four weeks.

Recruiting at Crawley – September 1914

Mr E. C. Titcomb, who has been appointed recruiting officer for this district, convened an informal meeting at the George Hotel on Tuesday night to consider the question of recruiting, Major Messel being present to explain the objects of the gathering. It was decided to hold an open air meeting in the square tonight (Saturday), when it is hoped the young men of Crawley will give a good account of themselves.

The recruitment meeting was deemed a success as recorded by the Sussex & Surrey Courier: - With the view to obtaining recruits for Lord Kitchener’s Army an open air meeting was held in the Lower Square on Saturday evening, when there assembled probably the largest crowd ever seen in Crawley. The Town Band first played selections, under Mr Melville, and also discoursed suitable music at the close of the meeting, the programme including the Russian, French, Belgium and English National Anthems.

Earnest appeals were made to the young men of Crawley to volunteer their services at this hour of country’s need, and referred to the war as a righteous war, not of our seeking, but one which must be fought to a finish for the honour and liberty of the people. Employers were urged to keep open the positions of those who had joined the ranks, and all were urged to do their part in seeing that the dependents of men were well looked after.

Mr E. C. Titcomb also addressed the meeting, and read out a list of those who had already entered their names from Crawley and district. In response to his request for more recruits to come forward, nine young men stepped forward amid loud applause and added their names to the list. The greatest enthusiasm prevailed throughout, and it is hoped that other eligible young men will follow the example of their comrades.

Four Letters

The following four letters all appeared in the local press during the first weeks of September 1914 and give a very clear idea of just what was happening in Crawley a hundred years ago.

Crawley Parish Church

Sir;

Arrangements are being made to chime one or more of the bells daily, at noon, during the war, in order that all who hear them may remember the brave men who are fighting for out Country and Empire in this great and terrible struggle. May I beg all who hear the bells to say a silent prayer to Almighty God and ask Him to bless our Naval Military Forces, and to crown their arms with victory and to restore peace among the nations of the world.

I remain, yours truly,

H.L.B Lennard.

The Rectory, Crawley, Sussex,

September 1^st 1914.

A Turners Hill Record

Sir;

I find that we have had 24 of our boys join the colours from this village. How do the surrounding villages compare with this?

Yours faithfully,

Noah Whitman.

Late 4^th Royal Sussex Regt.

Turners Hill, September 2^nd 1914.

Recruits at Crawley

Sir;

Lord Kitchener has got his first 100,000 men: the second 100,000 is now being enrolled. What are we going to do? Crawley and Ifield are remarkable for their devotion to athletic sports and games. They should therefore have numbers of young athletic and healthy men, the very sort that are wanted.

Within the last few days I hear of a number of our playing members of the Cricket Club, who have joined. J. A. D Dempsey was gazetted to a commission in the Army and is now at the Front. Several others who have kept wicket, batted or bowled for Crawley will keep their honour bright and be bold to battle for their King and country. I hope that the club may soon see its way to publish its Role of Honour – the names of its members who would serve the King and save their homes and ours. I hope also that the Football Clubs and the Harriers may set up a similar role; a wholesome emulation will ensue.

I most seriously deprecate hasty condemnation of those who do not immediately join. No one but the man himself knows his circumstances, his duties and the calls upon him which constitute his duty. As time goes on we shall become aware of those who can and those who won’t go. Again, all men are not alike, as there are many weak in body, so there are some that are so mentally constituted that they are weak in spirit. Let us not be too hasty to condemn, but rather pity those whose spirit is in their stomachs or their courage in their boots. And such pity will be hard enough to bear.

The better educated and richer in this worlds goods are setting a splendid example. I have no doubt it will be followed. Courage and energy are the property of no class and of no family alone. But time presses. The sooner men join the sooner they will be trained and the sooner will they have the honour and credit of fighting and of striking that blow for England and freedom which must in the end prevail. As Mr Kipling has just written –

“Who stands – if freedom fall? Who dies – if England live?”

Your obedient Servant,

W.J. Chalk.

Crawley, Sept 2^nd, 1914.

Letter from the War

Writing to his mother at Tindsley, Mr Tom Thorns says:

“Before we started fighting we were all very nervous, but after we joined in we were all happy, and most of us laughing till was finished. Then we all sobbed and cried. Even if I never come back, don’t think I’ve died a painful death. Everything yesterday was as quick as lightning. We were in action on Friday morning of Heligoland. I had a piece of shell as big as the palm of my hand go through my trousers, and as my trouser legs were blowing in the breeze I think I was very lucky.”

The Heroes Walk

It was immensely gratifying to see the commemorations in the Memorial Park in Crawley on my last visit. The display of photographs and the wildflowers that form the Heroes Walk were a splendid tribute. I spent an hour in the park and was very moved to see so many people walk from one picture to another to study the faces and images of the time. Of course the family photograph of Uncle Ted and Eddie is there and it made me feel very proud that one hundred years on residents of the town could see their faces. I hope that this tribute can continue throughout the centenary years.

Special thanks must go to Toby Shaw and Ruth Growney of the Crawley Borough Council. 

First Troops Arrive in Crawley Amidst Anti War Protest

On Sunday afternoon Mr W. Kensett, so well known at Horsham for his peculiarities, attempted to address a gathering in the Middle Square on the subject of ‘Peace.’ He had himself advertise the meeting some days before, and at the appointed time Mr Kensett appeared and, mounted upon a box, commenced his speech. A numerous gathering had assembled and frequently interrupted Mr Kensett’s remarks, which were soon brought to an abrupt conclusion by some ladies present singing the National Anthem. For his own safety Mr Kensett was escorted to the Temperance Hotel, where he remained until the crowd had cleared away. The whole proceedings were of an unseemly character, especially on the Sabbath, and it was fortunate that those present did not show more resentment.

Meanwhile the first troops had arrived in Crawley. The papers report that:

Mounted troops to the number of nearly two thousand arrived at Crawley on Wednesday and were billeted in the town for two nights. The local licensed houses, the public schools, the YMCA, stables and other buildings were requisitioned for the men, and the horses were located in various fields and meadows in the vicinity.

The arrival of so many troops and horses occasioned much pleasurable excitement, and in the evenings of both days great crowds were about the streets. The Crawley Town Band kindly and thoughtfully turned out and rendered excellent music, and the enthusiasm of the large concourse of people were such as has never been equalled in this district.

The West Crawley Brass Band also came out on Thursday night and added much to the enlivenment of the town. The soldiers left the town with happy memories of their stay at Crawley. Full details of the troops’ movements are withheld in deference to the expressed wishes of the authorities.

This very first arrival of soldiers in the town was a precursor to the building of a ‘permanent’ soldier’s camp at Pease Pottage. Crawley, so often in the past a half way house between London and the Coast, was assuming the same role in war time. 

Crawley Coming to Terms with a World at War

Amidst all the chaos and uncertainty that followed the declaration of war, everyday life in Crawley did have some semblance of normality. The local cricket scores show that Crawley played at home versus the Pirates on Wednesday evening with darkness preventing a definite result. The game was well contested, and some hard hitting was seen. The fielding and bowling was very keen. Young Eddie Cook made seventeen with the bat and took six Pirates wickets that day.

The Crawley and District Rifle Club published their annual report which expressed its satisfaction on winning the Loder Shield and the Winterton Cup and various individual prizes, but in a notice issued subsequently Hon. Secretary A. E. Taylor writes:

“Since the report and balance sheet was printed the Crawley Rifle Club has been called upon to act as Volunteer Civil Guard, and a watch has been organised and is now acting by night at the culvert under the railway line at Ifield. This will entail some considerable expense, and as far as can be ascertained no grant will be available to defray the same. The club funds are not sufficient to bear the burden, and donations are invited. The committee are also opening the range free of membership subscription, and the opportunity has largely been responded to; many are now learning to shoot and fitting themselves for useful work if their services are required. Regular subscribers will greatly help on the work by remitting their subscriptions now so that available funds may not fail. The loan of a bell tent will be appreciated.”

The Rifle Club AGM took place on Friday of the following week. The Hon. Secretary explained the formation of a Civil Guard and read the correspondence dealing with the subject. When it came to election of officials, Mr A. E. Cook was again chosen as Hon. Treasurer, his brother Mr C. Cook to act as his deputy due to his absence on military duty. Uncle Ted was also selected as Club Captain and Uncle Chris re-elected to the committee. Amongst all the other people present it is also noted that Great Grandfather Bert was also in attendance.