The Warmington detachment of the Volunteer Training Corps, under the Commandant, Mr H. F. Bennett, on the invitation of Mrs Holbech, recently had a drill at the Grange, Farnborough. In welcoming the Corps, Mrs Holbech thanked the men for drilling, in the case of necessity, after their hard day’s work. She stated that, in looking through some family papers, she found a document, one hundred and thirty years old, dealing with “Farnborough in the case of invasion”. This stated that in the event of invasion, Mr William Holbech was to be on horseback with a certain number of men with pistols; further men were to be ready on horseback with lockflints, and others were to be armed with pitchforks. Mr Bennett thanked Mrs Holbech for her kind remarks with reference to the Corps. Refreshments were provided on the lawn.

Banbury Guardian, July 1915

Whilst working on a horse-rake the other evening, a lad named William Farley, eldest son of Mr Thomas Farley, had the misfortune to meet with a severe accident. The horse bolted, and he held on till the reins broke. The animal then rushed into some barbed wire railings, and this caused the shafts to break, and the horse was thus liberated from the rake. A part of the ironwork fell on the boy’s leg, which was fractured, and he was considerably cut by the barbed wire. The lad was taken to the Warneford Hospital in a car lent by the Rev. Gordon Savile.

Banbury Guardian, July 1915

Mr and Mrs Canning gave a garden party at their home on Wednesday in last week in aid of the Clarendon Hospital (Red Cross), Kineton. Tea was arranged at small tables in the picturesque old garden, after which an al fresco concert and dance took place, but about 7.30 it commenced to rain heavily, and further outdoor entertainment had to be abandoned. There was a good attendance, and the proceeds amounted to £2 5s.

Banbury Guardian, July 1915

The eggs received by the Banbury depot of the National Egg Collection during June were as follows:

• Alkerton and Shenington, 522
• Wardington, 302
• Chipping Warden, 278
• Farnborough, 258
• Bodicote (including a special gift of 227 to Oxford), 239
• Adderbury School, 201
• Warmington, 200
• Barford, 187
• Bourton, 186
• Cropredy, 177
• Mollington, 147
• Fenny Compton, 146
• Chacombe, 140
• Greatworth and Westhorpe, 120
• Marston, 116
• King’s Sutton, 105
• Culworth School, 94
• Overthorpe, 81
• Claydon, 72
• Boddington, 69
• Avon Dassett, 58
• Banbury, 47
• Anonymous, 43
• Swalcliffe, 30
• Thorpe Mandeville, 24
• Aynho, 20
• Hook Norton, 15
• Arelscote, 14
• Twyford, 12
• Total, 3,944

The number of eggs sent to the Base Hospital at Oxford has been considerably increased, and in future a weekly supply has been promised of 42 dozen to that hospital by the Banbury depot. The rest are to be sent to the central depot in London.

Banbury Guardian, July 1915

During the week considerable damage has been done by the storms passing over the neighbourhood. During the thunderstorm on Wednesday week a beast was struck by lightning on Mr T. A. Madge’s farm at Chapel Ascott, Southam, and killed, and another one was killed on Mr Charles Bishop’s farm at Whichford. On Tuesday night two lambs were killed on Mr Harold Tustain’s at Ell’s Farm, Bloxham Road. All were insured in the County Fire Office.

During the storm which visited Deddington on Sunday five sheep belonging to Mr John Palmer of Hazel Lodge Farm, were killed by lightning. There was a tropical downpour of rain mixed with hail. A fine old elm tree near Blue Barn Farm at Dun’s Tew, was struck by lightning in a storm which occurred in the previous week.

During the storm which visited Brackley and district on Sunday afternoon, a cottage occupied by a shepherd named Carpenter, employed by Mr W. J. Boddington on Halse, about two miles from Brackley, was struck by lightning. The chimney was destroyed and also a hole made in the roof and through the ceiling of one of the bedrooms, but luckily none of the occupants of the house were hurt, although they were sitting in the kitchen near to the fireplace of the chimney which was struck. A two gallon jar which was standing on the floor in the pantry was struck, the bottom of the jar being cut clean off.

The following casualties are reported from Sunday’s storm in addition to the above: A. E. F. Waller, Heyford, a horse killed; S. Gibbs of Hook Norton, a beast; and Mr A. H. Boddington of Farnborough, a foal. The losses in these cases were covered by insurance with Messrs J. W. Prescott and Son, through the Commerical Union Assurance Company.

Banbury Guardian, July 1915

The second puppy show of the Warwickshire Hunt was held quietly at the Kennels on Saturday. There was an entry of 23½ excellent couples and the judges were Mr Fort, master of the Meynell; the Hon. Alex Parker, ex-master of the North Warwickshire. Welsh who is now huntsman, showed the hounds on the flags in the best possible manner. The judges made their awards as follows:

Dogs: 1st prize, Dividend walked by Miss Heath Stubbs, Manor House, Butler’s Marston; 2nd, Hercules, walked by Mrs Gaskell, Diana House, Kineton; 3rd, Celtic, walked by Mr Valentine Snitterfield.

Bitches: 1st, Cora, walked by Lord Willoughby de Broke; 2nd, Drapery walked by Mr E. Elkington; 3rd, Twinkle, walked by Mr Tomlin, of Red House, Lighthorne.

Among those present beside the Right Hon. Lord Willoughby de Broke and Mr Fielden (joint-masters) were Lady Willoughby de Broke, Lord North, Hon. Mabel Verney, Hon. Mrs Walter Verney, Mrs and Miss Joan Fielden, Mr and Mrs Sumner, Dr Oldmeadow, Mr Clarke, Mr, Mrs and Miss Charteris, Idlicote, Miss Hardy, Mr J Lowe (Ettington), Miss Heath Stubbs, Mr E. Knott (Fenny Compton), Miss Fairbrother (who represented her father who was unable to be present), Mr Lea, Mr T. Taylor (Burton Dassett), Mr Kendall (Wellesbourne), Mr Spencer (Oxhill), Mr Hulme (Wormleighton), Mr Tilley (Walton), Mr E. Gardner (Burton Dassett), Mr Wilks (Tredington), Messrs C., E. and W. Griffin, Mr W. E. Coles etc.

After the judging Mr Fielden announced that the prizes would be given away on the lawns of Kineton House, to which the company then repaired, the usual luncheon being abandoned this year. Mr and Mrs Fielden entertained the company to tea in the drawing room. Lord Willoughby, in a brief speech, said he thought they had splendid judges this year, in fact, the very best, because they had given him the first prize, and he had walked many puppies before and never had a prize. He was proud of it, and would be pleased to present the cup to Mr Elkington of Warmington, as he came second with Drapery.

Banbury Guardian, July 1915

Trooper Fred Quartly, of the Warwickshire Yeomanry, who was on the Wayfarer, which was torpedoed off the Scilly Isles, gives a somewhat graphic account of the affair in a letter. He states that they had about a thousand horses on board, and one man to ten horses, the rest going by another boat. It was about two o’clock on the Sunday, when just off the Scilly Isles, there was an explosion in the bottom of the ship,  making a hole forty feet long and twenty feet wide in one place, and the engine room was filled with water, drowning two of the stokers immediately. The men were got into the boats, one of which capsized, five men being drowned, and then another ship seeing the distress flag flying came along and picked them up. They could not use the wireless as some of it was broken by the explosion. Then as the ship did not sink, the ship’s officers and one of the Yeomanry officers went back again, and they sent for twenty men to come back and feed the horses, and another ship came and took the rest back to Falmouth, and then the ship that picked the first lot up towed the disabled vessel to Queenstown, arriving on the Tuesday evening.  Two salving boats met them on the way back and kept pumping water out of her, or she would undoubtedly have sunk. Trooper Quartly was one of the men who went back to feed the horses, those on the lower deck being three-quarters immersed in water. There was a half gale on the Monday evening, and the disabled vessel sank four feet, and she could not have stood the strain much longer. It was a terrible experience for the men who went back.

Banbury Guardian, July 1915

Mrs Gardner of Fenny Compton, has received a notification from the War Office stating that her husband, Private William Gardner, was killed in action on June 8th. Private Gardner was a son of the late Mr Thomas Gardner and Mrs Gardner of Priors Hardwick, and was thirty seven years of age. He enlisted in the first Battalion of the Royal Warwicks on January 10th, and went to the front a fortnight before his death. He leaves a widow and one child.

Banbury Guardian, July 1915