The clerk said that he had written to Mrs Holbech and Mr Ronald Holbech with reference to the death of Lieutenant Holbech and he had received a reply from Mr R.H.Holbech on behalf of his mother and himself thanking the council for their expression of sympathy. He also thanked the clerk very much for his personal sympathy and remarked that it was very hard to lose a brother but it was the death he would have chosen.
At recent examinations in Nursing Class at Farnborough 29 out or 31 candidates passed and at Fenny Compton all were successful. Dr Tibbets, Warwick, was the examiner and Dr Elkington, Fenny Compton, the lecturer in each case.
My birthday, we go back to the trenches tonight, it is raining hard. I have just had a birthday card from my Sonny and a letter from my wife, one from sister, they came on the right day, we get to the trenches and find them ankle deep in water, the dug out leaks, wake up in the morning our blankets wringing wet, but we hear that one of our platoons are in a much worse state than us, their trenches being knee deep and in some places waist deep in water, we have got to relieve them tonight for 24 hours what a sight…
…the Germans seem to know who we are for they shout “Good Old Warwicks” and our officer always tells us to give them a song back, I think we shall be pals by Christmas.
Diary of Private W Tapp, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, November 1914- January 1915
The occupation of Lodz by the Germans announced, the Russians having evacuated the town without fighting. Fierce fighting continues on the new Russian line east of the town.
Serbian troops resume the offensive against Austria.
Presiding at the Essex County Territorial Association meeting, in London, on Wednesday, the Earl of Warwick (Lord Lieutenant) referred to the Home Department instructions regarding steps to be taken in the unlikely event of invasion, and said: “I have a perfect horror of statements that are made concerning promiscuous shooting on the part of the civilian population should an invasion occur. This would only result in the most terrible reprisals, and the horrors suffered by Belgium would be reproduced here. The inhabitants of the country who desire to be of service should place themselves under some discipline or authority, so that there may be no carrying out of the advice of those who advise promiscuous shooting in the country.”
Thousands of people lined the streets of the Royal Borough last Friday afternoon, and gave the reserve Regiment of the Warwickshire Yeomanry a rousing reception as they passed through the town on a route march. A large crowd gathered outside the Town Hall, where the Mayor (Councillor W.W. Donald) and members of the Corporation gave the men a civic welcome. Colonel R/B. Charteris was in command of the regiment, which was composed of a smart body of men. They looked particularly fine as they marched down the Parade to the tune of “Its a long way to Tipperary” played by the regimental band. Upon reaching the Town Hall the regiment halted, and Colonel Charteris and the Mayor having exchanged greetings, the men removed their hats and gave three hearty cheers.
The Mayor then addressed the men, complimenting them upon their splendid physique and smart appearance. He said that he was prepared to meet a fine body of men, but he did not expect to find such a capital regiment as the Colonel presented to him. He congratulated them, told them that they did the right thing in coming forward to serve their country, and wished them God speed and every possible success.
Another round of cheering by the men, followed by cheers for the regiment given by the public, and the Yeomen continued on their route march.
On Friday they met at North End. Found their first fox in the New Covert on Burton Dassett hills and they sent him away at once and dipped down into the vale and pushed him on a right handed circle to Elkingtons Spinney and killed him in 15 minutes. They next pushed up a brace in Mr Tom Readings Gorse and quickly chopping one, ran the other to ground at Farnborough. Several declared themselves at the Fish Ponds at Farnborough and settling down to a line of one of them, hounds ran him sharply in a big ring to Mr Nicholls’s farm, where he got to ground but was dug out and killed. George Turner was hunting the Bitch pack, Mr Joshua Fielden the joint master, having unfortunately being tossed by a bull, but his injuries are not so serious as to prevent him again appearing in the saddle this week.
Just a few lines to let you know how I am going on. We had three days in billets and the men have all had a bath and change of clothes. We return to the trenches tomorrow night. The trenches that our company were in were 40 yards from the Germans so you can imagine the state of tension…
They talk about the superiority of German artillery but our arms can drop three out of seven right into their trenches whereas their shells at the same point drop about 50 yards behind us.
I have just been reading an article in the Daily Telegraph for November 23rd on the state of affairs in Germany (by an American) and I should like to criticise one or two things. He says our estimate of their losses is exaggerated. Well, I can only speak of what I have seen but if their losses in all their attacks have been the same as on our immediate fronts, as I think they have, their losses must be quite 2,000,000.
Ban Guardian 3 Dec
A Year in the Life of Avon Dassett, 1914-15
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