Warwickshire at War: Visitors' Exciting Journey

The Great Eastern Railway steamer Brussels.
Uploaded to Wikipedia by Andy Dingley.

In the Royal Leamington Spa Courier and Warwick Standard published on 7th August 1914, there is an interesting newspaper article describing the journey of a party of 20 Americans as they make their “exciting and perilous journey from the western borders of Germany to the Hook of Holland and thence to Harwich”.

The party of Americans were in Germany, on a sight-seeing vacation, when war was declared between Great Britain and Germany. On their way back to America, the party crossed over to England and were staying at the Regent Hotel, Leamington Spa. The leader of the party, Mr W.W.Boyd, a University Professor of Iowa was interviewed by a Courier representative whilst they were still staying at the hotel.

It is a vivid description of their journey from Germany on the Saturday to Leamington Spa on the Wednesday stating “the visitors, amongst whom are several ladies, were held up by armed soldiers, crossed railway bridges which were soon afterwards blown up, and were escorted to England by battleships.”

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

Sources

Leamington Spa Courier, 31st July 1914, courtesy of Warwickshire County Record Office.

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

Downloads
More from Leamington Spa
More from World War One