Stories from The Luton News: Thursday, August 10th, 1916.

Although around 800 mothers of serving soldiers were afforded an opportunity of visiting Luton Hoo at the invitation of Lady Wernher to view its gardens and conservatories, many more were left disappointed that planned transport arrangements did not materialise.

In response to a letter from the Mayor, Alderman Staddon, urging townspeople to make it a special Mother's Day, hundreds of mothers gathered at the Town Hall at 1.45 on Tuesday in anticipation of being conveyed to the Hoo. But one letter writer said that, despite waiting until 3 o'clock, no vehicles or cars arrived to fetch them. Some took the tram and walked the remainder of the way, but many went home cruelly disappointed. Those given tickets for a 4 o'clock collection from the Town Hall found only one two-horse wagonette there for them, which filled up.

The idea had been that the mothers would be entertained individually at home before going to the Hoo. Furthermore, Lady Wernher's offer to entertain around 3,000 mothers of soldiers at the Hoo was declined in favour of feting by individuals, and as a result the tea she had been prepared to offer was not available to them at the Hoo, as some had mistakenly expected.

Said the letter writer: "Some had a meeting (at the Hoo) and vowed to sit on the grass till they were fetched as promised, and to the shame and disgrace of someone who blundered the poor, tired and weary, but honoured mother of brave and honoured sons, could be seen as late as ten o'clock arriving home in twos and threes, disappointed, very indignant and, in the opinion of the writer, badly insulted."

In another letter, a mother wrote: "God forgive us for not giving a word of cheer to lonely mothers and help to keep them brave until the boys come home. If provision could not be made for all then none should have been made."

• There were mothers destined never to see their sons again. The latest details published of those killed in action on the Somme included Pte Albert Smith, 1st Bedfords, on July 22nd - four days after his brother Cpl Frederick Smith; Pte Albert Ford, Beds Regiment, on July 17th; Pte Alfred George Brown, 7th Northants, on July 16th; Pte William Fensome, Essex Regiment on July 1st; Gunner Frederick Dean, Royal Garrison Artillery, on August 6th; and Second Lieut Richard Norman Butcher, 20th King's (Liverpool) Regiment, on August 8th.

• Among the woundeded was Lieut F .C. W. Newman, aged 20, son of Mr Harry Newman, of 25 Westbourne Road, Luton. The promising Luton and Bedfordshire cricketer was in the Hospital for Wounded Officers in Park Lane, London, suffering from a wounded right leg and shell shock. He had been buried in debris three times during a 36-hour bombardment.

• In a letter home from the No 1 New Zealand Stationary Hospital, France, Pte James Osborn, aged 25, wrote to parents Mr and Mrs A. Osborn, of 195 Dunstable Road, Luton, to say he had heard he had been mentioned in despatches for getting a load of ammunition to safety out of the fire of German incendiary and gas shells. He had joined the Transport Service, and was attached to the Ammunition Column.

• Second-Lieut Ronald Haye, eldest son of Mr J. Johnstone Haye, of 69 London Road, Luton, was wounded in the right shoulder by shrapnel last Sunday week "somewhere in France". He is now recuperating at Wilton House, Salisbury.

• While concerns were being expressed by the Luton Local Tribunal over the results of Military Medical Board examinations of men considered fit for service, a meeting of the Luton Rural District Council heard on Monday that a man from Houghton Regis who was nearly blind and suffered epileptic fits had been passed for military service. The Council's Surveyor said he had engaged the man for work out of charity but he could only do a certain amount of work and it was necessary to send a second man out after him to clear up. The man had practically no strength to speak of, and could not see, yet at Bedford they had considered him fit for service and kept him.

• Wedding bells rang out at the Parish Church yesterday for Miss Eila Cumberland, the only child of Mr and Mrs E. Anthony Cumberland, of 'Greenhurst', Hart Hill, Luton, and Captain James Ernest Sutcliffe Smith, of Bacup, Lancs. The bridegroom's family is prominent in the industry of Lancashire, while the bride has been a member of the Wardown Military Hospital staff, and her father is senior partner in the firm of Messrs J. Cumberland and Sons, auctioneers and estate agents.

• Athletic sports were held in Stockwood Park yesterday afternoon and evening (by permission of Mrs Crawley) in connection with the North Midland Divisional Veterinary Hospital. They were in the nature of preliminary competitions to test the athletic strength of this Corps with a view to challenging the men at the Round Green Hospital in about a fortnight's time.

• Taking the town as a whole, Luton loyally responded to the appeal of the Mayor to "carry on" over the August Bank Holiday. These are Luton's dog days as far as the straw trade in concerned, and on Monday the town atmosphere was both that of a holiday and of an everyday character. The shops generally were open, and many factories were open as well. Market day was observed as usual and the principal streets were thronged with a holiday crowd. From holiday traffic on the railways it was obvious that many Lutonians have gone to the seaside for a change.

• Some idea can now be gleaned of the part Luton Town FC is likely to take in the coming season. At the general meeting of the London Combination held at Winchester House on Friday evening, it was formally agreed to adhere to the constitution of the Combination as in existence last season, and not to admit six extra Southern League clubs who were anxious to be allowed to come within the privileged circle.