The news that our military visitors, the officers and men of the 1st Essex and 4th Worcesters are leaving us will be received on all hands with feelings of regret. The order arrived yesterday (Wednesday) to be in readiness to leave the town tomorrow (Friday) for brigade concentration at Warwick, so that by the end of the week the town will probably have reassumed its normal appearance. To say the military have been appreciated in the town is only stating an oft-repeated expression, and this is due to the almost invariable courtesy and good behaviour of the troops during their stay in the town. The men have been appreciative of their billets, and of the way the people of the town have generally striven to make their sojourn here a pleasant and happy one. They will leave the town, we feel sure, with feelings of regret, and that regret will be equally shared by the inhabitants at large, who have been mindful of the service abroad for many years for both regiments, and of the task which lies before them.

Brigade Concentration in the Warwickshire Country

The 1st Essex and the 4th Worcester Regiments are still the guests of the Banbury people, and the town keeps up its interest in the various military movements which are taking place. The principal event of the week in connection with the work of the soldiers took place on Monday, when two regiments left the town at an early hour in marching order and proceeded to a point about a mile from the foot of Edgehill where they were met by the Hampshire Regiment from Stratford-on-Avon and the West Riding Field Company of the Royal Engineers (Territorials) from Kineton. Here the brigade were inspected by Brigadier-General Napier. The presence of so many soldiers in this usually quiet part of Warwickshire was a sight long to be remembered. The weather, unfortunately, was cold and cheerless, and during the afternoon a storm with lightning and thunder, hail and sleet fell over the country rendering the conditions far from comfortable. The march home was accompanied in excellent time and large crowds assembled to see the soldiers return. The military service at the Parish Church on Sunday morning created, as usual, a great deal of interest, and the Vicar of Banbury preached an appropriate sermon to a congregation of over two thousand people.

Banbury Guardian, March 1915