Risen from the ranks

Digest of stories from The Luton News: Thursday, March 7th, 1918.

The number of Luton lads who have risen from the ranks grows weekly, and one of the latest to thus do credit to Luton is Sec-Lieut Arthur Pollard, son of Mr and Mrs Pollard, of 44 Jubilee Street, Luton.

Sec-Lieut Arthur PollardBorn in Luton 28 years ago, Arthur (pictured right) was educated at St Matthew's School and until joining the Army was employed by the Luton Industrial Co-operative Society at the High Town branch, being first provision hand at the time of enlistment. He was secretary to the Co-operative Grocery Employees' Association and delegate to Luton Trades Council for that body, and also took great interest in the sports of the town.

He attested under Lord Derby's scheme and was rejected as medically unfit, but in May 1916 voluntarily joined the Royal Field Artillery at Biscot. He was later transferred to the Middlesex Regiment and trained at Purfleet. He went to France in September 1916 and rose to the rank of corporal on the field. He took a great interest in his duties, so much so that his commanding officer asked him to take a commission. He came home and studied at Cookham, and on passing his examinations was commissioned on December 18th and was post on January 19th to the Northumberland Fusiliers. He was sent to Durham to take up his new duties.

He is now stationed at Clipstone. His wife and child reside at 177 Hitchin Road, Luton. He also has two brothers fighting.

  • Sorrow for wife 1: In The Luton News on June 7th last we published particulars relating to L-Cpl George Trott, of the Bedfords, whose wife lives at 59 Ridgway Road, Luton. He had won the Military Medal for bravery, but after an attack on the German lines of May 3rd was reported missing. His wife has now received an official intimation that it must be concluded that he was killed, as no further information of him has been forthcoming.

  • Sorrow for wife 2: After nearly 12 months' suspense, Mrs Godfrey, of 10 Granville Road, Luton, has been officially notified that there is no hope that her husband, Pte Ernest Arthur Godfrey, is alive. He has been missing since April 29th last. In November 1916 he was wounded, but recovered at the base hospital and was soon at the Front again. He leaves a wife and two young children.

  • Sorrow for wife 3: Mrs Munt, of 11 Oxford Road, Luton, has been waiting anxiously since last July for news of her husband, Pte Albert Edward Munt, of the Herts Regiment, who has been missing since that date. He was in the battle of St Julien amd was last seen attending to the wounded.

  • Sorrow for mother: Mrs Almond, of Chiltern Green, has received official intimation that her son, Pte Cyril Almond, was killed on May 3rd last. Very shortly after that date she had news that he had been missing since fighting in the battle of Arras.

  • Pte H. E. Huddlestone (North Staffordshire Regiment), son of Mrs Huddlestone of 11 Russell Street, Luton, was severely wounded in the chest on January 27th while fighting in the Cambrai sector, and is not in University War Hospital, Southampton. Before joining up in March 1916, Pte Huddlestone was employed as a carpenter in Essex. He was in the fighting around Ypres before being wounded.

  • A war museum for Luton is not making such progress as could be desired. The Town Council have thanked Sgt-Major Relf for a German helmet, one of the real Pickelhaube type which is the Kaiser's favourite furniture for his cranium, and two of the ordinary field caps. This gift came as a result of Sgt-Major Relf seeing the Borough Librarian's request in The Luton News.

  • An accident on Tuesday at the engineering works of Messrs L. Weekes Ltd, Langley Street, Luton, has resulted in serious injuries to the right hand of Mr A. Alder, of 30 Moreton Road, Round Green. Dr Bone was at once called, and the injured man was subsequently taken to the Bute Hospital, where metal is being extracted from his hand.

  • A troupe of Boy Scouts is being formed in connection with St Peter's Church Lads' Club, and two enjoyable afternoons have been spent in combined Scouting games with the Dunstable Troupe, the St Saviour's Blue Foxes and the 1st Luton Troupe.

  • An unusual prosecution under the Margarine Order was heard at the Luton Borough Court yesterday when Horace Carrdus, grocer, of 75 Wellington Street, was summoned for selling margarine above the minimum price on March 1st. He denied the offence. A Corporation workman was sent into the shop to buy four quarters of margarine for which he paid the maximum allowable charge of four shillings in total. When checked by a Weights and Measures Inspector, the packets were 1¼ oz light in total, making the price of the margarine work out at 1s 1d a pound, giving the defendant a profit of 3d instead of 2d. Carrdus was fined £5, his solicitor protesting that he was not allowed to be present when the weight of the margarine was checked.

  • Disabled discharged men Mr Frank Rudd, of 153 Wellington Street, Luton, and Mr H. S. Smith DCM, of 144 Park Street, Luton, both nominees of the Luton and District Discharged Sailors' and Soldiers' Association, were elected to serve on the War Pensions Committee at a meeting of Luton Town Council on Tuesday. Widowed war dependent Mrs Clark, of 152 Leagrave Road, Luton, was elected as a woman representative on the committee.