Monday 22 December 2014

Christmas at Crawley 1914 - Part Two


In December 1914 war had become part of daily life in Crawley. R. Cook & Sons building business continued being run by Herbert and Chris as elder brother Ted is on military service. Chris has attended a meeting of the newly formed Crawley Civil Guard and young Eddie Cook is into his second full year at Brighton Grammar School with cousin Don just having completed his first term.

 
Sergeant Ted Cook spent Christmas day 1914 away from home on guard duty at Newhaven.
 

CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES AT NEWHAVEN – In many hundreds of Sussex homes families were thinking on Christmas day of their loved ones in the Fourth Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment (T) and wondering whether they were having a good time. No great anxiety need to have been felt, for “Tommy Atkins” has the happy ability to adapt himself to almost every sort of circumstance. Had his Christmas dinner been on dry brown bread and water he would still have shown a happy resignation. But such a contingency did not arise. Instead, generous friends and well-wishers in his own town and village sent him plenty of seasonable fare that he might once again enjoy himself in the old fashioned way. His own relatives, of course, forwarded him presents, Christmas cards and affectionate letters, and the Officers of his Company and their friends also made a liberal provision of good things for him. In such circumstances even a pessimist would have been jolly, much more our light hearted, happy-go-lucky Territorial of whom we are all so proud.

 

‘C’ COMPANY ON GUARD – Most of the men belonging to ‘C’ Company (East Grinstead and Crawley) were on guard from 10am on Christmas day until the same hour on Boxing Day. The nature of their thoughts during those 24 hours may be left to the imagination. However, the Christmas dinner lost none of its attractiveness by being postponed for a day. The menu was a sumptuous one, comprising turkey, goose, pork, brussel sprouts, cabbage, potatoes and plum pudding. The toast of Colonel Mostyn who attended was heartily honoured, and other officers were also toasted. Plenty of dessert, tobacco and chocolate was provided and the Company passed the afternoon in a jovial manner. After tea a concert took place.

 

Mrs Beale (wife of Major S.W.P. Beale, who formerly commanded the Company) visited the camp on December 23rd and presented each man with a pipe, gloves, socks, and either a cardigan or a slip on given by friends at East Grinstead. Tobacco was sent by the ‘Buffs’ of the same town. The ‘Boys’ were very grateful for all the kindness shown to them. The hut in which they dined was lavishly decorated, various mottoes and greetings being worked out in cotton wool on the Company’s blankets, which were hung around the building. The Sergeants of the entire Battalion also dined together on the night of the 28th.

 

War Broke: and now the Winter of the world

With perishing great darkness closes in.

The foul tornado, centred at Berlin,

Is all over all the width of Europe world,

Rending the sails of progress. Rent or furled

Are all Art’s ensigns. Verse wails. Now begin

Famines of thought and feeling. Loves wine’s thin.

The grain of human Autumn rots, down-hurled.

 
1914, Wilfred Owen.

Sunday 14 December 2014

Christmas at Crawley 1914 - Part One


Christmas at Crawley in December 1914 was a Christmas like no other. The newspaper columns were full of war news both at home and from the Front.

 

DEATH AT THE FRONT – It is with much regret that we announce the deaths at the Front of two Crawley men in the persons of Corpl. Edgar Gorringe who lived in Ifield Road, and Prvt. Edward Gregory Sangster, whose parents, formerly of Crawley now live at Povey Cross. Both belonged to the Royal Sussex Regiment, and were killed in action, the former being thirty years of age and the latter nineteen. The sympathy of many friends will be extended to the bereaved relatives, who are widely known and greatly respected in this district. Corpl. Gorringe was killed on October 31st and Prvt. Sangster fell on the 6th of November but the news was not officially communicated to the parents until this week. Fortunately both were single men.

 

PRVT. W. WRIGHT, of the County London Rifles, son of Mrs Wright, of Victoria Road, Crawley, has been wounded at the Front, though happily not dangerously. – Prvt. Hibberd, who returned to Crawley wounded a short time since, is mending splendidly; but Prvt. Allen, of Ifield, is, we regret to hear, in a serious condition.

 

Meanwhile in Crawley itself there was a - DANCE AND SOCIAL held at the Railway Hotel last week that resulted in upwards of £5 being sent to the fund to form a Christmas present for the King of Belgium. There was also a RECRUITING MEETING held at the George Hotel Hall on Saturday December 12th, when an appeal was made for recruits for the Southdown Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment, but there was an extremely disappointing response, only two young fellows giving in their names at the meeting, one of whom subsequently failed the medical examination. The Chairman of the meeting Mr Lehmann expressed its sorrow with the relatives of Corpl. Franks, Corpl. Gorringe, and Prvt. Sangster, who had laid down their lives in that sacred and noblest of all causes – the defence of their country; and he assured the relatives that they had the profound sympathy of the whole neighbourhood.

 

The German song of hate, from which the Chairman quoted, showed how this war had been carefully planned and eagerly awaited by our enemies. Germany’s one objective had been this country, and if she could she would inflict upon England the fate which had befallen Belgium. He therefore appealed again to the young men to join the Colours in defence of our country, impressing upon them the words of Nelson’s glorious message.