Diary: Military inspection at Wardown Park

From Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph, April 24th, 1915

The 2/1, 2/2 and 2/3 North Midland Division Field Ambulances paraded in Wardown Park on Thursday afternoon for inspection by Lieut-General Sir A. E. Codrington.

All the waggons were drawn up on the roadway by the bandstand, while the bearer parties were marshalled on the grass just inside the farthest entrance to the park. They had their bugle band with them, and every man had his kit bag with him, ready for examination if desired.

The interjection commenced shortly after half-past four, and special attention was paid to the interior of all the ambulance waggons. Afterwards the military hospital at the mansion was visited.

  • Arrangements are in hand for the transfer of the YMCA hut from the Moor to a site somewhere in the Biscot Mill district. The Moor is now not as convenient as it was last summer and, providing that the use of a suitable site near the windmill can be secured, the hut will be placed where it will be at hand for the artillerymen in the huts [Biscot Camp].

  • The war service badges issued to men engaged on the production of munitions of war did not appear to be generally worn, the South Beds Recruiting Committee heard at a meeting at Luton Town Hall on Thursday evening. It was unanimously agreed to ask all men entitled to wear the badges to do so to enable people to distinguish men of military age who were not engaged on the production of munitions from "slackers" posing as being employed on Government work when asked why they had not joined the forces.

  • The committee also heard that recruiting for the New Army was reportedly progressing rather slowly. The 2/5th Battalion Beds Regt was doing fairly well, although a large proportion of men who offered themselves were rejected on medical grounds.

  • Apart from Lady Wernher's offer to assist in the equipment of the Luton Volunteer Training Corps, the members themselves have already raised over £800, which "says much for the enthusiasm and earnestness of men willing to give their time and also put their hands in their pockets".

  • A report from the Bedford area said that on any night recently it had been perfectly easy to see where Luton was from the slopes of Pulloxhill. "A sort of lake of light lies in the darkness of the sky over the Barton hills between the Cutting and Sharpenhoe Clappers, and no one in an aeroplane or a Zeppelin could miss it."

  • General Sir Ian Hamilton, who recently inspected the Notts and Derby Brigade at Stockwood Park in Luton, is now in command of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.

  • A six-year-old boy from Warwick Road, Luton, who was eager to see a passing regiment was knocked down by a military despatch motorcycle rider in the Wardown neighbourhood. He was taken to the Bute Hospital by RAMC ambulance for several stitched to be inserted in a head wound.

  • A man pleaded guilty at Luton Borough Court to disorderly behaviour while an inmate of the workhouse. The court was told he used violent and abusive language when refusing to comply with regulations which required him to have a bath and await a medical examination. He had over 20 similar previous convictions and was sentenced to a month's hard labour.

  • Amid a growing wartime campaign against alcohol, the Telegraph pointed out that it understood the first prohibition measure was introduced nearly 1,000 years earlier, by Saxon King Edgar who cut the number of ale-houses to only one in any village of small town, and imposed heavy penalties on excessive drinking.

  • Luton Town FC have called upon 22 players for their 38 Southern League matches in the 1914-15 season. Roberts and Simms are the only men who have played in every game. The appearances of others are: Elvey 37, F. Hawkes 36, Mitchell 36, Rollinson 34, Frith 29, R. Hawkes 27, Wileman 25, Dunn 23, Hoar 23, Robinson 17, Roe 14, Heath 8, Wilson 7, Johnson 6, Macfarlane 5, Lindley 5, Needham 4, Durrant 3, Abbott 2 and Chipperfield 1. The goal scorers were: Simms 22, Rollinson 11, Hoar 8, Wileman 7, Roberts 5, Roe 2, and Macfarlane, Heath, F. Hawkes, Wilson, R. Hawkes and Robinson one each. The Wilson and Robinson goals were from penalty kicks.

  • Luton faced a tough final game of their Southern League season with a visit to Reading, second in the table to already champions Watford but needing victory to ensure they were not overtaken by Cardiff City. In the event Reading had a comfortable 4-0 win in front of a crowd of only 400. That left Luton with 34 points from their 38 games (W13, L17, D8, 61 goals scored and 72 conceded).

  • Luton Town, along with other leading clubs around the country, were unlikely to play any further league or cup matches until the end of the war. Football Association Secretary Mr F. J. Wall told a Press representative: "There will be no Association football, Cup-ties or League matches next season".