A huge number of men appealed to Tribunals for exemption from military service on the grounds of conscience. Most failed, including those making weapons of war but were not themselves prepared to fight. But among those who failed to convince were two deeply religious Luton men - Harry Stanton, of 39 Wellington Street, and Bernard Bonner, of 20 Park Street West - who were prepared to endure any hardship thrown at them, including a sentence of death, to stick to their convictions.
A friend wrote in June 1916 of the early experiences of Harry Stanton, who had stated his position in a letter to The Luton News in January. The writer said: "He had rather a stiff time, I fear - 96 hours bread and water diet, with an interval of 24 hours ordinary prison food. It pulled him down a good deal, as he is not naturally strong.
"I found him, however, facing his difficulties with great fortitude - contented and happy in the course he is feeling it right to take in the service of truth, and grateful to his gaolers for any little kindnesses they show him. From conversations I had with one of the commissioned officers, and also with a corporal or sergeant (I think), the conduct of H. E. Stanton and some others who are imprisoned there is making a good impression.
"It is evident that the officers find it very distasteful to inflict punishment upon men who are willingly patient and suffer real hardship for conscience sake. I was allowed to give H. E. Stanton an Adult School Lesson Handbook, a Fellowship Hymn Book and a copy of The Friend, much to his pleasure. He is awaiting court martial, the date of which has not been fixed."
While in prison, the following line were written by Mr Stanton:
In solitude I spend the lagging hours,
Pain, suffering and hunger are my lot;
Pain, weary pain, that ceases not,
And saps relentlessly my mortal powers
Of fortitude. Temptation oft recurs
To leave this arduous course: one thing deters,
And that Omnipotent: the strength that God
Imparts so freely to the feet that plod
The hard and narrow way of Christ's own cause
That strength enables me to firmer stand
Than ever in the cause of right: for laws
Of love 'gainst those of might. At His command
I turn again unwounded to my strife
'Gainst war, for love: nay more, 'gainst death for life.
Returning to ----, he again refused and was expecting court martial when, with 16 others, he was sent to France on May 8th. They were take to Le Havre, and afterwards to Boulogne, and have been at the latter place practically the whole of the time since then. The prisoners are allowed to write only once a week, and every Thursday Mrs Stanton gets a letter.
Last Thursday he said he was awaiting court martial, and he mentioned that four had already been sentenced. These were four named in the House of Commons on Monday [June 26th, 1916] - Marten (of Pinner), Scullard (Sutton), King (Barnet) and Foister (Cambridge). Marten is a Quaker, Scullard a Congregationalist and the other two Socialists.
The only complaint that Stanton made was that the room to which they were confined was dark and he could not read and write properly, otherwise he said he was perfectly happy.
In his letters to his mother such phrases recur as: "Keep a brave heart whatever happens: right will triumph some day".
He also showed considerable anxiety as to the fate of his friends. Of the journey to France, he spoke with pleasure of the ride to the place from which they embarked, and their joy at seeing the countryside again.
He said that if he could remember all the details of the month he had just experienced, and provided he had the necessary literary ability, he could have written a book of the style of Swiss Family Robinson, Gulliver's Travels or Pickwick Papers.
He also wrote of the visit of the Rev F. B. Meyer, who was allowed to be accompanied by a Quaker as his secretary. He contends that the reverend gentleman did not really ascertain the real facts of their condition, or he would not have said they were in a "large, clean, airy barrack-room," because they were practically in the dark.
Last Sunday week, Mr Rowntree Gillett, a Quaker chaplain, was allowed to go over the place and hold a service with them, and was allowed to talk to them next morning.
Mrs Stanton received a letter from Harry saying they were looking well, and they sent to their friends two Scriptural messages -
"But I would have ye understand, brethren, that the things that happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel" - Philippians i,12.
"Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience in all things, willing to live honestly. But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner" - Hebrews xiii, 18-19.
In a letter home Stanton referred to that meeting, and said they sang two hymns, the first time they had been able to sing. The gaoler said it was "thundering good singing," but when asked if they could not be allowed to sing sometimes he said he had not the power to allow it, but wished they could teach him to sing.
He also says that they had only just come to realise what it must have been like in the House of Commons when Mr Philip Snowden was pressing the question of the death sentence, and says: "It only shows more clearly how we are under the Divine command".
Mrs Stanton said that before her son left home he told her that if he had to be shot he would be. She had never tried to influence him one way or the other, but he was the mainstay of herself and little daughter since her husband died several years ago.
He refused pay at ------, when he was offered one shilling out of 2s 9d, being told they had spent the 1s 9d on food for him. At ------ he said the officers were much better, and he was repaid for taking all the harsh treatment and insults calmly and without fuss.
In conclusion Mrs Stanton said that Harry had been "a good son always, and she had never had five minutes anxiety with him".
Another Lutonian sharing similar experiences to Harry Stanton was Bernard Bonner, son of Mr and Mrs Frederick Bonner, of 20 Park Street West, Luton.
[The Luton News: Thursday, June 29th, 1916]