Stories from the Luton News: Thursday, December 9th, 1915.

Yesterday, men wishing to enlist were to be seen standing on the steps of the Luton Corn Exchange. They were not inside because they could not get in for the time being, and this affords some little indication of the rush of men to get enrolled before Lord Derby's scheme ends on Saturday next.

Some men are inclined to grumble because they are now kept waiting so long when they do go to enlist, but they have only themselves to blame. A fortnight ago they could have gone through the whole procedure in about an hour. Now they have to wait their turn.

A large recruiting staff is at work, and the medical examination goes on practically continuously, but if a hundred men turn almost at once it follows that those who came last have to wait a considerable time.

Many of the men employed at the engineering works who wish to attest are starred munition workers who must remain at their work, but they wish to attest under Lord Derby's scheme so as to guard themselves against being classed with conscripts should conscription come later on.

• The news has reached Studham and Luton of the death in action on November 27th of Company Sgt-Major Albert Saunders, 112, 2nd Battalion, King's Royal Rifles. The son of Mrs Emily Saunder, of Studham, and brother of Mrs Ellen Smith, of Holly Street, Luton, he was 32 years of age and lived with his family in Folkestone. He was married to Lilian Malin, of Burton-on-Trent, [in Folkestone in October 1911] and they have one little boy [David Malin Saunders, born July 16th, 1912]. On Thursday, November 25th, Mrs Saunders went to Victoria Station, London, to meet her husband, whom she was expecting home on leave. He did not arrive, and her subsequent fears were confirmed, for he had been shot through the head on the previous day and had passed away on the day she expected the reunion. [Noeux-les-Mines Communal Cemetery].

• Sgt Alfred Birley, 1st Battalion Gloucester Regiment, has been given a commission in his own regiment. Sgt Birley, whose wife is staying with her sister, Mrs W. O. Payne, of 27 New Bedford Road, Luton, will be remembered as having been one of the speakers at the great recruiting rally at Luton on October 2nd, shortly after his escape from a prisoners-of-war camp in Germany.

• Pte Joseph Walker, Bedfordshire Regiment, son of Mr Stephen Walker, of Offley, was among the wounded soldiers who were drowned by the sinking of the hospital ship Anglia recently. He was 23 years of age and unmarried and had lost both legs in the fighting on the Continent.

• Mr W. Tilcock, of 60 Brunswick Street, Luton, was on Monday officially notified that his only son, L-Cpl Percy Tilcock, 1485, 1/2nd Field Company, East Anglian Divisional Engineers, had died of wounds received while serving with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, and had been buried at sea on November 26th.

• Pte S. Coote, 4770, 1/5th Bedfords, has been invalided home from the Dardanelles and is in a military hospital at Nottingham suffering from dysentery. His home address is 16 Windmill Street Luton, and he had been in hospital in Valetta, Malta, for 19 days before being sent home.

• Nurse Shrimpton, formerly the chief staff nurse at the Bute Hospital, has just been promoted to Sister of the hospital. She is a skilful and painstaking lady who is popular with patients and colleagues alike.

• Shillington Manor, a well-known country house dating from 1740 and situated on the borders of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, was burned to the ground in the early hours of Sunday morning. It was unoccupied at the time but was recently occupied by Capt R. B. Lucas, who is now at the Front. No definite cause can be ascribed for the fire.

• Yesterday a unique case came before the Mayor and other magistrates at Luton Borough Court when Jabez Swain, a cabman of Hillside Road, was summoned for exacting and taking more than the legal fare to the amount of sixpence from Herbert Arnold on December 3rd. Defendant denied the offence. Town Clerk Mr William Smith said it was the first case to arise under new bye-laws which set fares at one shilling a mile and 6d for any part of a mile. Swain had demanded 2s for a journey of one-and-a-quarter miles [a 1s 6d trip]. Swain was fined 2s 6d and ordered to return the overpaid 6d.

• An application was made yesterday to the Luton Bench for the approval of a variation in plans to the King's Arms public house, 82 Chapel Street. The Mayor said they had gone into the amended plan carefully, and consented to the application in view of the fact that they did not see their way to pull the premises down.

• A public notice advised parents and guardians of children that on and after January 1st, 1916, cases of Measles and German Measles with the borough must be notified to the Medical Officer of Health, either by the doctor in attendance on the case or a parent or other person having charge of the sufferer.

• The Hayward Tyler section of the men's Voluntary Aid Detachment was formed some 10 years ago and is recognised by the War Office. Every one of the men is thoroughly experienced, and many of then hold medallions of merit. When taking part in the inspection by Lord Ampthill at Elstow, and afterwards in the ambulance operations at the great Territorial recruiting demonstration at Luton Hoo, their work left nothing to be desired. The first section of Luton's Red Cross men are already doing active work, being attached for night duty to the Wardown Hospital.