The younger son of the late Hon Robert Marsham-Townshend, of Frognal, Sidcup, Ferdinand Marsham-Townshend was a 2nd Lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards. He died on the 16th May 1915, aged 35. At first he was missing, but his body was found and buried. Cut off with a party of Scots Guards he preferred death to surrender. His body was identified by a letter found on his person addressed to his mother. A Memorial Service was held at Christ Church, Down Street, W London. A description of the service and attendees is given…
Category: WW1
Lieutenant Oswald Payne
Lieutenant (John) Oswald Payne was the son of Mr & Mrs Frederick Payne of New Farm, Bromley. Prior to the war, he was a junior partner in the firm of Baxter, Payne, and Lepper, (Bromley and Beckenham), and a Fellow of the Surveyors’ Institution and secretary of the Kent Branch of the Land Union. Payne joined the Artists’ Rifles immediately on the outbreak of war and was later granted a Lieutenant’s commission to the 4th Royal Warwickshires and later to the 1st Battalion. He was killed in action in April…
Warning to take your own Tea on Holiday with you
In 1918 the Ministry of Food proved it cared about its nations love of Tea after sending a message out to the public warning them that they may not be able to obtain supplies of their beloved brew whilst visiting holiday resorts, telling them to ‘take their own’ with them. Take Tea With You The Ministry of Food desires to warn visitors to holiday resorts that they must not rely on being able to obtain supplies of tea while away from home. Persons who do not propose to stay at…
Children to be paid to pick Blackberries
Blackberries – Children to get 3d. A lb for picking A discussion took place on the subject of blackberries for jam. The Kent Agricultural Committee wrote asking the Food Control Committee to appoint an organising agent for the borough to arrange and superintend the picking of blackberries by children and their conveyances to recognised jam manufacturers. Children would be paid 3d per lb. (pound) for all they picked, and the organising agent would be paid £3 per ton (imperial) for his services. Tuppence for transport would be provided. In the…
Great Demonstration on the 4th Anniversary of the War, 1918
With the entry of the American troops, fresh and ready for the fight, in April, 1918 and the failure of the German Spring Offensive, the mood of the country becomes more optimistic for an end to the fighting. There was a celebration of the 4th Anniversary of the war on Martin’s Hall. These three men, The Mayor, Frederick Gillett; the Right Honourable H.W. Forster M.P.; and Sir Leonard Powell, all gave rousing speeches at the demonstration. It still needed three months until the Armistice was finally signed and the fighting…
Miss Beatrix Batten
It’s always nice to see women receiving awards for their efforts. Here we have Miss Beatrix Batten, Commandant of Abbey Lodge V.A.D. Hospital, Chislehurst awarded the M.B.E She was born in April 1886 and lived with her parents and sister at Foxdeane in Lower Camden, Chislehurst. Her father was a solicitor. Known as Trixie she graduated from Girton College, Cambridge. She volunteered with the Red Cross in 1913 and rose to become Area Commandant. She was awarded the Red Cross War Medal for over 1000 hours of unpaid work during…
Voices of the Home Front – talk at Kew
I will be presenting a paper at the Voices of the Home Fronts: Reflections and Legacies of the First World War Conference at the National Archives at Kew on Friday 19th October. Under the ‘Post-war provisions and practicalities’ section I will be talking about the housing crisis after the Great War and how Bromley implemented Lloyd George’s policy, ‘Homes Fit for Heroes’. Tickets are on sale now [su_button url=”https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/voices-of-the-home-fronts-reflections-and-legacies-of-the-first-world-war-tickets-47713533463″ target=”blank” style=”flat” background=”#51ccd1″ color=”#ffffff” size=”6″ radius=”0″ icon=”icon: ticket” icon_color=”#fffff”]Book tickets here >[/su_button]
‘Voices of the Home Fronts’ – talk at Kew
I will be presenting a paper at the Voices of the Home Fronts: Reflections and Legacies of the First World War Conference at the National Archives at Kew on Friday 19th October. Under the ‘Post-war provisions and practicalities’ section I will be talking about the housing crisis after the Great War and how Bromley implemented Lloyd George’s policy, ‘Homes Fit for Heroes’. Tickets are on sale now [su_button url=”https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/voices-of-the-home-fronts-reflections-and-legacies-of-the-first-world-war-tickets-47713533463″ target=”blank” style=”flat” background=”#51ccd1″ color=”#ffffff” size=”6″ radius=”0″ icon=”icon: ticket” icon_color=”#fffff”]Book tickets here >[/su_button]
Update to Military Ancestors database
I have recently updated my database on Military Ancestors. I am therefore pleased to announce that the database now contains names from World War 2, from the outbreak of war in 1939 to the end of 1940. [su_button url=”http://www.militaryancestors.co.uk/search/” target=”blank” style=”flat” background=”#51ccd1″ color=”#ffffff” size=”6″ radius=”0″ icon=”icon: search” icon_color=”#fffff”]Search database here >[/su_button] The database is very easy to use, but please use the advice below to help you narrow down your search. Help and Advice The site allows you to make searches using surnames, but also keywords such as road…
Playing Sports on the Front Line – August, 1918
Soldiers on the Front Line often took part in a variety of entertainment and sporting activities to keep up morale during the quiet periods of war. One such letter, written to the Editor of the Bromley & District times in August 1918, provided an insight into one such event. Two members of the Royal Engineers, who were both local to the Bromley district, were reported as being the local competitors for one such sporting event. Corporal J.B. Hopgood, an old member of Bromley Football Club, and Corporal W.E Copping of Bickley.…