Diary: V.A.D. Hospital work progressing

 

Stories from the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: November 27th, 1915.

Excellent progress is being made with the cleansing and preparation of the Wardown Mansion and annexe which will shortly be opened to receive wounded soldiers and be run as a Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital.

The control will be in the hands of the local Red Cross Society, the two commandants of the V.A.D. (Mrs J. W. Green and Mrs R. Durler) being in active charge, supported by the ladies of the two local detachments.

Townspeople generally can hardly realise the amount of work which has already been put in by the ladies of the local detachments in the preparation of the hospital for its new sphere of usefulness. The ladies have for several weeks been working extremely hard doing duties which, under ordinary circumstances, one would never expect them to do - scrubbing and putting the institution in order after the whitewashers and other workmen have effected their part of the cleaning. They have not spared themselves in the least, and the result must be very gratifying to all concerned.

Diamond Foundry men enlist

  • This morning there was a splendid crowd of men at the Luton Corn Exchange, waiting their turn to be examined by the doctor and then attested. It was one of the briskest mornings for some time past, and more like the usual Monday morning crowd. Tomorrow, 60 employees of the Diamond Foundry will present themselves, and special arrangements have been made to deal with them. The men are to present themselves in hourly batches of 20, the first (pictured) arriving at 10am.

  • News has been received by Mrs Gentle, 17 Adelaide Terrace, Luton, that her son Pte Harry Gentle, 1st Bedford Regiment, was killed in action on November 15th, 1915. He joined the Army about four months before war broke out, and prior to enlisting he worked for Cookson and Co, straw hat manufacturers, 7 Bute Street. He would have attained his 19th birthday this Christmastide.

  • Yesterday's official list of killed included Coy Sgt-Major T. Hammond, 1/23rd Battalion, London Regiment (TF). He made many friends in Luton while the battalion was stationed here and he was billeted in Oak Road. For gallantry in the battle of Neuve Chapelle he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

  • Mrs Andrews, of 15 Adelaide Street, the wife of Luton's double DCM hero Coy QMS Arthur Andrews, has learned in a letter that her brother, Pte Andrew MacKean, 10th Gordon Highlanders, was killed in battle on September 25th. No official notification has yet been received.

  • The Rev Frederick Humphrey, a former minister of the Park Street Baptist Church, Luton, is just back from the Dardanelles, where he has been serving as a Nonconformist chaplain with the Forces. He has returned home on a short leave of absence.

  • During the last few days there has been a welcome addition to the Luton Public Library in the form of five trays containing a complete collection of British butterflies. Mr W. B. Munns, of Tennyson Road, Luton, has loaned the exhibit to the town. Many of the butterflies were bred by him.

  • As the result of a suggestion made by a few customers of the Blockers Arms, High Town Road, it was decided to arrange a harvest festival for the benefit of local soldiers at the front. It turned out a great success, and small parcels of cigarettes and tobacco will be sent by landlady Mrs Moore to local lads.

  • This morning a unique event took place at the works of Messrs Janes Bros, engineers, High Town Road, when Mr F.C.W. Janes was presented by his employees with a handsome silver mounted walking stick, suitably inscribed, as a token of appreciation and goodwill. Mr Janes had met the recent increases in the cost of living in a very liberal spirit, and the relations between himself and his employees are excellent.

  • Yesterday afternoon the Luton Fire Brigade received a call at 4.35 to the works of Messrs B. Laporte and Co Ltd, chemical manufacturers, Park Square. Some chemicals took fire while being unloaded, but owing to the promptitude with which the employees got to work the fire was practically out when the brigade arrive a minute or two later. The damage done is estimated to be under £50.

  • Sapper A. Webdale, the old Clarence back, captained the 3/2nd East Anglian Royal Engineers in today's match against Luton Town in front of a small crowd. Roe headed Luton into the lead after seven minutes, Wileman increased the lead from the penalty spot before a minute later Dyke made the half-time score 3-0. The superiority of the Town continued to be very pronounced in the second half and they did everything but score until Butcher found the net in fading light towards the end. Final score 4-0.