I have just been out here one month today I have seen a few letters in a newspaper one fellow says he has been in the trenches 5 days and nights without being relieved, he was lucky, my company has been in 30 days and nights during that time we have had all kinds of weather, sometimes the water was up to our ankles, the last 7 days we have had snow and sharp frosts, we got relieved last night 21st November, we didn’t have such a bad time during that month, although there were a few attacks by the enemy which were repulsed every time, we lost 108 wounded and 16 killed, we had lots of chicken until they set fire to the farms around us…
…I am officers servant so I cook for him as well as myself one day they were sending shells over at the rate of 2 per minute I had chicken on a stove I had made out of a biscuit tin that day and I was very much afraid they would knock the lot over as the shells were knocking the top off my trench.
Diary of Private W Tapp, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, November 1914- January 1915
WANTED – WORKING HOUSE-KEEPER for farmhouse; must be strong, thoroughly reliable and good, plain cook – Apply, letter only, to C. E. Hanbury, Mollington, Banbury.
About this date there was a marked decrease in the activity of the enemy in Flanders, the violent attacks which for over a month had marked their efforts to break through to Calais ceasing.
The death took place at 37, Clifton Road, Rugby, on Wednesday week, of Mr Jesse Jerome Brenchley, who had reached the advanced age of eighty-six years. Mr Brenchley, many years ago, was head gardener at Bitham House, and was well known and much respected by many people of the district. He went into the Rugby neighbourhood nearly forty years ago to superintend alterations to the grounds at Newnham Paddox, he being a clever landscape gardener, and he remained there as head-gardener to the late Lord Denbigh for fourteen years when he became sub-agent at Newnham Paddox under Mr H. H. Cave. This position he retained for eleven years, thus making twenty-five years of faithful and conscientious service on the Newnham Paddox Estate before he retired on a pension, and came to live at Rugby fifteen or sixteen years ago. Mr Brenchley has all his life been a very active man, and when at Newnham made the acquaintance of many visitors to the domain, the arrangements for whose accommodation and comfort were left in his capable hands. The late Mr Brenchley was a devout Catholic, and his demise came peacefully as a result of an illness extending over two years.
A family of Belgian refugees are now at Warmington. The arrangements for the welfare have been made by Miss Willock, and the parishioners are providing the necessary funds, furniture &c. The family consists of a man, wife, and seven-year old daughter. The hail from Malines. The refugees are accommodated in Windmill Hill Cottage, kindly lent by Mr Bawcutt.
Clarendon House, Kineton was established as a 20 bed Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital on November 18th 1914. It was attached to the 1st Southern General Hospital Association.
The ancient church of this picturesque village is dedicated to St Leonard, so on Friday, the Feast of St Leonard, the patronal festival was observed. There was a celebration of the Holy Communion at 8 am, and also at 11 am, and choral evensong was held at 7.30, when the sermon was preached by the Rev. A. Hemsted, Vicar of Shuckburgh and Rural Dean. The festival was continued on Sunday, when the Vicar (Rev. J. H. Woodman) preached in the morning and the Rev. E. C. Esau, Rector of Stockton, in the evening. The services were bright and hearty. The collections, which were for the Worcester Diocesan Church Extension Fund, amounted to £1 4s. 6d. Miss Lizzie Boote presided at the organ, and both on Friday and Sunday evenings the ringers rang a peal on the bells. The following ladies had decorated the sacred edifice most beautifully: Mrs Johnson, Mrs Band, Mrs Malin, Miss Burbridge, Miss Jones, Mrs E. Cottrell, Miss H. Ivens, Miss M. Ivens, Miss Russell, Miss L. Boote and Mrs Woodman. it is usual to have a public tea in connection with this festival, but owing to the war this function was omitted this year.
A Year in the Life of Avon Dassett, 1914-15
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