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Diary: Prison closes with fewer convicts

 

Stories from the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: December 11th, 1915.

Proof that the war has called to better work those men who were apt to keep the law courts busy comes in an Order which has been issued by the Home Office for the closing of His Majesty's prison at St Albans, which was erected in November 1867.

Diary: Final rush of enlisters

 

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

Corn Exchange enlisters

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.

Cooking up trench delicacies

 

Some amusing details of the way soldiers in the field try to improve upon their field rations are given in a letter by Cpl E. Grice, a member of our staff who is with the 1st Eastern Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, R.A.M.C. He has been experimenting as a cook and has written from Gallipoli.

"Today is Sunday, and we have had an issue of bread - the first for three days, and then only a slice - so you can understand what a luxury it is.

Runaway horses tragedy at Biscot Camp

Biscot Camp

An unfortunate accident occurred in the military camp at the Biscot Huts on Tuesday evening [November 30th, 1915] when one soldier was killed and another slightly injured.

Shortly after five o'clock a van was drawn up outside the bread store in the road nearly opposite the windmill, when a military motor lorry came along. One or both horses in the bread van took fright and bolted.

Heartbreak for a wounded soldier

 

A badly wounded soldier incapacitated from further active service was mourning the death on Friday, November 12th, 1915, of his little daughter.

Doris Clara Farr, one of two little children of Cpl Charles Farr, of 47 Newcombe Road, Luton, was found to be suffering from diphtheria and died the following day at the age of four-and-a-half years. Her funeral took place at the Church Cemetery the following Monday.

Stormy weather at Suvla Bay

 

An idea of the weather experienced at Suvla Bay, where so many Luton lads were fighting, may be gathered from a letter written by Sgt E. A. Spinks, of the East Anglian Field Ambulance.

"Towards night," says the Sergeant's letter, "we could see vivid flashes of lightning away over the sea and very dark clouds. Suddenly a terrific wind was blowing, sand and rain flying in clouds. The sea, which had been a pond all day, was driven up into great waves which soon covered out small stretch of beach, flooding the tents nearest the sea.

Baby girl taken to Biscot Camp

Biscot camp

A baby girl was discovered on Saturday evening [November 20th, 1915] in one of the huts belonging to the Biscot Mill Camp of the Artillery School. It was the subject of what the Luton Reporter described as a very amusing story that was going the round of the soldiers quartered there in regard to the discovery. However, it was not anticipated that there would be a tragic ending to the story.

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