January Snippets From the Royal Leamington Spa Courier and Warwickshire Standard – 1915

Pen and ink type postcard of soldiers of the Warwickshire Regiment. 1910s.
Warwickshire County Record Office reference PH(N) 274/44

This month, the snippets from the Royal Leamington Spa Courier and Warwickshire Standard Newspapers for January 1915, are a mix of stories from the front, life at home and some gruesome humour!

Warwick and Country Edition Page 4, Column 2, 8th January 1914

“Dropping Bombs over Leamington”. On 2nd January 1915, an Army plane which had arrived at Leamington on 31st December 1914, flew over the town and neighbourhood, practising bomb dropping.

Warwick and Country Edition Page 5, Column 3-4, 8th January 1915

A Family Record of the King’s Letter to Leamington Parents. “Mr & Mrs Quail of 16, Villiers St. Leamington have 8 sons: 4 on active service, 1 has recently enlisted, 1 is a police officer, 1 served in Southern African war, and 1 was invalided after Navy service. The family recently received a letter written on behalf of the King: “His Majesty much appreciates the spirit of patriotism which prompted this example in one family of loyalty and devotion to their Sovereign and Empire”. “

Warwick and Country Edition Page 7, Column 6, 15th January 1915

Food sent from Commonwealth countries. “Warneford Hospital Gifts from the Colonies”. Foodstuffs were sent from people of Queensland and fruit from Jamaica and Trinidad.

Warwick and Country Edition Page 7, Column 2, 22nd January 1915

“Napton Youth’s Exciting Time”. William Watson, a young serviceman aged 16 years old, son of Mr & Mrs C H Watson, had been present on HMS Cornwall at action off the Falkland Islands. He described the action in a letter dated 9th December 1914.

Warwick and Country Edition Page 7, Column 4, 22nd January 1915

“Warwick Licensed Houses. Earlier Closing”. A meeting of the Warwick Borough Police court was held on 18/1/1915. The Magistrates, on the recommendation of the Chief Constable and the Military Authorities, agreed that licensed pubs and clubs should close at 10pm. They had received a letter from the Chief Constable referring to serious disturbances between soldiers and civilians on the night of 15th-16th January 1915.

Warwick and Country Edition Page 4, Column 4, 29th January 1915

The War. Local War Items. A report of an “amusing instance” where a wife not knowing the name of her husband’s regiment said “Oh, he belongs to the Corps that picks up the arms and legs of those blown up with the cannons!”

See the original article by visiting Warwickshire County Record Office. Click here to find out more about visiting.

Sources

Royal Leamington Spa Courier and Warwickshire Standard , 8th, 15th, 22nd & 29th January 1915, courtesy of Warwickshire County Record Office.

Originally published on the Warwickshire at War 1914-1918 Blog.

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