“In a hurry to get the job over and get something to eat” “Dear Sir, – Thought perhaps you would like to have an account of some of the Bromley Boy’s doings, and how they covered themselves with glory. We are billeted in a factory, and on Saturday morning at 6 am we had orders to pack and get ready to march to the trenches. We started out at 6.30, and had not proceeded far before we came under shell fire. We passed some German prisoners that had been captured…
Category: WW1
Letters from the front: Harold Parker #2
Corporal Harold Parker, from the Royal West Kent Regiment wrote to his parents at West Wickham. This letter was printed later in 1917. An earlier letter can be read here > I am getting on fine here: am feeling a great deal better already. I expect in a week or two to have another eye, as the one I had in Germany was too small. I expect you have often wondered where I have been and what was the meaning of the delay in my letters and cards. When you…
Teaser the Mascot of H.M.S. Warwick
A lot of ships had pet mascots like Teaser, who was the mascot on H.M.S. Warwick during World War 1. The War Illustrated, 1st June 1918, pg 282
British Soldier saves Canaries
A British soldier with two canaries that he had rescued from a shell-struck house in France, the only living things found amid the ruins. I wonder what happened to them after the war? Source: The War Illustrated, 1st June 1918 (pg 282)
Letter from the Front: Harold Parker #1
Taken from the Bromley & District Times on 9th March 1917, pg 6 Extracts from a letter from Corporal Harold Parker, the Royal West Kent Regiment writing to his parents at West Wickham. I expect you will be surprised when you hear I am in Switzerland; as you all may guess I am very pleased to be here, and a fine reception we had coming through the country. Of course, you know why it is I got here; all the badly wounded are here, especially eye cases this time. We…
Lady Grocers keeping store in business
International Stores was noted as “The Biggest Grocers in the World”. During the war they were able to stay in business by employing ‘lady grocers’ – they used local newspapers to advertise this, like this one that appeared in the Bromley & District Times in February 1917: “Nearly 2000 of our men are in the Army, but we have an able and willing staff of lady grocers to attend to you” Women were essential workers during the war, but after the war they were expected to give up…
Private Sidney Thomas Miller
Another of our brave young heroes to pass silently to rest, as a result of wounds received whilst fighting his country’s enemies, is Sidney Thomas Miller, son of Mr & Mrs Miller, of Vauxhall Place, Lowfield Street, Dartford. Admitted on March 15th to hospital in France, suffering from severe shrapnel wounds in his left arm and leg, and having already had to have the arm amputated, he lingered for thirty hours, and then passed quietly away on March 16th, and was reverently buried, with a cross to mark his last…
Food Economy during wartime
During war time local stores would help customers visualise what they could spend their money on in adverts. Here ‘Worlds Store’, located in East Street Bromley and High Street Orpington promoted their Dried Fruit Salad to readers. “One pound of World’s Dried Fruit Salad costs sixpence… makes 12 large portions”
French Army Dogs
French Army dog masked ready to take a message through a gassed area Source: The War Illustrated, 1st June 1918, pg 282
Word of warning from the London General Omnibus Company
The London General Omnibus Company often created adverts like this in local newspapers to help inform readers about the dangers of the road, titling them as “Nursery Rhymes for the Present Times” This one for instances warns of the dangers of sitting on the kerb: “Little Miss Muffet, instead of a tuffet, Sat on the kerb one day; Along came a lorry, and now she is sorry, Her feet having got in the way” Taken from the Bromley & District Times, February 1917