For King and Country: Blackmore During the First World War

For King and Country: Remembering Blackmore in the First World War

In the early 1960s, my wife’s grandfather, Alexander Bartram lived in Spring Pond Meadow in Hook End.

He had a house built on his land and dug the footings himself. The Planning Inspector from Epping and Ongar Rural District Council commended him for the quality of his work.

There was a reason for this he told the official. He had dug trenches during the First World War.

This anecdote is illustrative of the family connections many of us have with the First World War, whose centenary of its ending we commemorate this weekend.

On Sunday at 11am many will stand before the Parish War Memorial to observe two minutes’ silence on which are carved the names of 21 men who died and a further 81 men from Blackmore who served and returned.

This will be the one hundredth year that two minutes’ silence is observed at that hour.

The Parish War Memorial

The inclusion of survivors on a War Memorial is unusual. In early 1920 the Bishop of Chelmsford, John Edwin Watts-Ditchfield, made it known that he had strong views that only those who had died should be included on Church Memorials.

“To remember those who made the supreme sacrifice is natural, and corresponds to our inmost feeling. If once we go beyond these, it seems impossible to define any limit when so many, including women, girls and nurses, laboured equally with our gallant lads”.

Blackmore During the First World War

This evening’s talk is about the life and times of the people of Blackmore and the surrounding villages a hundred years ago.

On coming into church this evening, you will have seen a huge number of poppies draped over the building and extending across the churchyard.

It is inspired by the display in the Moat of the Tower of London in 2014. ‘Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red’ commemorated the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, consisting of 888,246 ceramic red poppies each intended to represent one British or Colonial serviceman killed in the War.

The installation grew over the course of nearly four months with the final poppy placed on 11th November 2014.

For King and Country

A Roll of those who died ‘For King and Country’ is given in the centre of this book.

“Lest We Forget”

Blackmore War Memorials and Remembrance

It was government policy to bury those lost where they fell. As we know some bodies were never recovered from the theatre of war and are commemorated on huge walls in a foreign land. Many remain in a foreign field, Rupert Brooke wrote, “that is for ever England”.

The Blackmore War Memorial

The Armistice on 11th November 1918 marked the end of hostilities with Germany and plans to erect a war memorial in Blackmore began only three months later.

A public subscription raised £106:15s:1d, against a final cost of £274. To help bridge the gap, it was decided to hold a hold a draw to raise funds.

Mr Jasper promised a pig, Mr Hull promised a pig and a pair of fowls and Mr Marriage a pair of ducks and seven pounds of roasting beef.

The War Memorial was dedicated on 7th November 1920, four days before the second Anniversary of the Armistice.

The Essex County Chronicle reported:

“The unveiling of the war memorial took place on Sunday afternoon, a very large number of people being present. The ceremony began with the singing of “O God Our Help In Ages Past” followed by the lesson read by the Vicar (the Revd. W L Petrie) and prayers by Pastor Francis.

At the request of Mr Edmund Marriage, Lieut. Col. Gibbons D.S.O. then unveiled the memorial congratulating Blackmore for having sent 103 men out of a population of 600.

He mentioned that one in every five had paid the supreme sacrifice – Mr J H Hull then asked Mr E Marriage as Chairman of the Parish Council, to accept custody of the memorial.

The names of the fallen are inscribed on the front face, and on the other faces the names of the men from the village who served are inscribed”.

The Church Memorial

The church also has a Memorial in its former Lady Chapel, now the Vestry, a window bearing names of those who died in the Great War, as it became known.

The list of those remembered on Blackmore’s stained-glass window differs from that of the Parish War Memorial. Alfred George Ellis’ name is additional. Charles Wash, the brother of Walter, and David and Edward Sutton are omitted.

There were no specific rules laid down as to who should or should not be included on War Memorials. Generally, though, it appears that if the individual had parents, or family, living in the village then he was commemorated on the War Memorial.

Stondon Massey

Revd. Edward Henry Lisle Reeve, who had succeeded his father as Rector of Stondon Massey in 1893, was a keen local historian who wrote ‘Notes For A Parish History’ maintaining an eye-witness account of events in Stondon Massey and the locality.

He wrote about the decision to include names on the Stondon Massey War Memorial tablet:

“The six names are all that we could fairly include, though Ernest Maynard, a Blackmore lad who worked in the Rectory garden here up to the time of enlisting, was well known, and almost eligible; and Fred Garnham, who fell in the Mons retreat, had been brought up in the village, but had married and joined from Radley Green, Writtle.

R J Ellis was living at Norton [Mandeville] when he died, but was included as being a true Stondon lad, and with his old parents still in the parish”.

Herbert Game

Illustrative of this is Herbert Game, who married Alice Symons at Blackmore on 6th October 1909. He was killed during the Battle of the Somme on 15th October 1916.

Sergeant Herbert Game, of the 11th Battalion Essex Regiment is commemorated on the War Memorial at Chelsfield, Kent, where his widow remarried.

Ongar War Memorial Medical Centre

Another War Memorial is the Ongar War Memorial Medical Centre, rebuilt in 2011.

One month after the end of the War it was decided to build a Cottage Hospital. However, raising money proved difficult and it was not until 1928 that a site in Shelley was purchased and August 1933 before it was finally opened.

Inside the former building was a Roll of Honour to those who died from several local parishes.

The names on the Roll were not always accurately spelt, and there were duplications of names such as Herbert Miller, Harry Riglin, and James Roast being three of the four names which appear on both parish memorials at Blackmore and Doddinghurst.

In 2012 the official opening of the Medical Centre included the unveiling of a large carved memorial stone affixed to the wall of the reception area of the town’s surgery.

Derek Berwin, the principal researcher, wrote:

“The roll is based on first born in, then if not born in then resided in, it is in no way meant to imply that Church and War Memorials should be altered or names that have been read out at Remembrance time should be changed.”

In my view it is right that existing memorials should not be tinkered with. Twenty-nine men are listed in respect of Blackmore.

Renewed Remembrance

In terms of renewed remembrance, the neighbouring parishes of Ingatestone & Fryerning, and Doddinghurst have both had new War Memorials erected over the last twelve years.

Blackmore’s War Memorial was re-carved in 2010.

Gunner Ted Sutton

The only Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorial in Blackmore churchyard in respect of the First World War is to Gunner Ted Sutton.

He died on 24th November 1918, aged 31, in hospital in Exeter having been injured by shrapnel. He was buried on 30th November 1918.

Ted was born in Edmonton to parents who had previously lived in Blackmore and was living in Tottenham with his father when he enlisted in November 1915.

His father, John Sutton, a widower, appears to have returned to Blackmore soon afterwards. He outlived his two sons, David, age 24, and Edward, who both died within a month of one another in 1918 and are both remembered among the fallen on the War Memorial.

Tipps Cross Remembrance Hall

Finally, Tipps Cross Remembrance Hall has its origins in the Blackmore and Stondon Massey Ex-Serviceman’s Club founded on Armistice Day 1921.

Blackmore and the First World War: 1914 and the Threat of Invasion

There was a rapid escalation of events which culminated in Britain, in defence of Belgium’s neutrality, declaring war on Germany at 11pm on 4th August 1914.

The regular Army was quickly mobilised and sent to Mons in Belgium. The British Expeditionary Force, the BEF, was quickly pushed back to within 25 miles of the centre of Paris. This was the western limit of what became known as the Western Front.

Frederick Garnham

Frederick Garnham was born on 25th September 1887 in Chadwell Heath and baptised 22nd July 1894 in the Parish Church of Stondon Massey, the village where both his parents were living at that time.

His father was foreman at the Soap House Farm. Frederick married local girl Rosa Watts in December 1908 describing his profession on the marriage certificate as “Private in 2nd Bn. of Essex Regt.”. Their home was Lightfoots in Radley Green, which the 1914 Electoral Roll refers to “Radley Green via Blackmore”.

Called quickly to arms on outbreak of War, he was in Norwich Market Square where pictures of the troops were taken on 10th August. He sent at least two postcards home to his wife.

Postcard to Rose Garnham

Addressed Mrs F Garnham, Radley Green, Blackmore, Ingatestone.
Postmark: Norwich. 14th August 1914. 12.15pm

Dear Rose, This is a photo of our chaps on the Market Square. I received your parcel will write soon as we shift tonight with love from your affectionate husband Fred.

Second Postcard

Addressed Mrs F Garnham, Radley Green, Blackmore, Ingatestone.
Postmark indistinct.

Dear Rose, I could not get one of myself on so I have sent you one of some sort just to give you a little idea how we look. Well my dear you never said whether you received my bike safe from Chelmsford. ... We are in an out of the way place in Norfolk now when we get to a decent [place] again will send you [news?] ... goodbye dear wife from your loving husband Fred.

Frederick Garnham was killed in the Battle of the River Marne on 8th September and is buried in Montreuil-Aux-Lions, British Cemetery, about 45 miles east of the centre of Paris, and about 100 miles from Mons where the BEF had retreated.

His name appears on the memorial inside and outside of the church in Highwood, also inside Roxwell Church. His son, Frederick Wilfred Garnham was born on 4th September 1914.

Archibald Browne

Archibald Browne also served in the 2nd Battalion of the Essex Regiment and was with the BEF in France.

His mother lived just over the parish border in Green Street, Ingatestone. We will return to his story later.

Bertie Millbank

Bertie Millbank was born in Blackmore on 13th January 1887. As a seven-year-old his name appears in the Sunday School Admission Register, but by 1911 he was serving in the Military, his home being in Romford.

He had by then no next of kin, though his elder brother Ernest still lived in the village. Sent with the BEF, Bertie Millbank died of wounds on 23rd September. He was 27 years old and was buried with French allies in a cemetery in what is now the business district of Paris.

Hospitals for the Wounded

Back in Essex plans were being put in place to receive wounded men either for convalescence or treatment.

The Budworth Hall in Ongar became a hospital with thirty beds, receiving its first patients in the autumn. The number of beds available was increased to 62 in 1917.

In March 1917 Mr Gladstone gave over his mansion, Blake Hall, for the use of 35 or more wounded officers.

The Threat of Invasion

With an invasion of England anticipated Reeve wrote in October that:

“Artillery and Engineer Officers have been busily surveying the district during the past three weeks with the purpose, I believe, of deciding on the best method of obstructing a possible raid on London.

An outer line of defence appears to run through Ongar, Stondon and Doddinghurst: and my little field has received attention.

Field guns I think would, on necessity, be brought here, and would range eastward in the direction of Chelmsford”.

In November Reeve observed that:

“It would hardly be too much to say that Stondon is becoming honeycombed with trenches, and the Church, owing to its being set upon a hill, is a prominent centre.

The slopes declining from the Hall to the brook contain a network of passages, giving shelter to riflemen who will give, if necessary, a stern reception to the enemy coming down the opposite hill from Paslow Common.

Flanking trenches face toward the Rectory, while others are taken southward along the course of the brook to the village. In adjacent parishes the same work is observable.

On the slopes of High Ongar, and on the confines of Blackmore and Doddinghurst towards Swallows Cross bodies of men are busily engaged”.

The Navvies

Huge numbers of men were billeted in Stondon and the neighbourhood.

“Some 600 navvies arrived on the morning of November 2nd, some by railway to Ongar, and some by road in motor omnibuses.

The plan being somewhat unexpectedly adopted, little or no preparation had been made in the locality for the reception of the men. Some 400 were to commence work at once in Stondon.

In the event, at the cost of considerable discomfort, the first few days were successfully surmounted and then tents were erected here and there for the accommodation of the men, or they contrived to find themselves temporary billets.

A canteen was put up at Brook’s and Cannons Farm, which to some degree supplied the place of shops. This was afterward moved to a centre at Hooks End, Blackmore.

The appearance of a canteen was hailed with delight by the villagers, publican, and all: for it was becoming a real difficulty to know how to meet the wants of the invaders”.

The Navvies were replaced by soldiers who were quartered at Ongar, Blackmore, Stondon Massey and the neighbouring villages. Accommodation, some in tents, was arranged for 250 men in Blackmore alone.

Evacuation Plans

We, of course, know that the Germans did not invade England either in the First or Second World War so we have to imagine what life would have been like not knowing what exactly might happen.

A friend reliably informed Reeve that in the event of invasion trees and hedges would be levelled across the fields, six guns and two howitzers would be placed in field Nos. 69 and 70, and the Stondon’s church spire would be hurriedly demolished.

In December 1914 Reeve was asked to submit to the authorities the number of elderly or infirm residents, and children, who might have difficulty evacuating their homes at short notice.

Contingency plans were being put in place for the population to leave for Oxfordshire by by-roads while the Regiments present fought the invaders, being reinforced by troops travelling towards Essex and London on the main highways.

As each day passed though the likelihood of hostile invasion on the ground became less.

Billeting Soldiers

Billeting was common. Revd. Walter Layton Petrie, the Vicar of Blackmore, noted in the Church Council minutes of 28th July 1915:

“It was thought desirable to enter upon the minute book some account of the Billeting of Soldiers in the Parish and the concern of the parish in and during the War”.

Nothing else pertaining to the War is recorded in Minute Book until Memorials were discussed in 1918.

Ingatestone and the Military Presence

Before leaving the topic of the military presence locally Reeve noted on 1st May 1916 that:

“Ingatestone has, throughout the period of the War, been a considerable military centre owing to its proximity to the railway, and its position between the metropolis and the important camps at Chelmsford and Colchester”.

He notes in some detail a battery of the Royal Garrison Artillery (Welsh) who had arrived in Stondon on a route march from Ingatestone.

The guns they brought were left at the top of the hill near Soap House Farm, some 220 horses were watered at the village pond while the soldiers slated their thirst at the Bricklayers Arms.

Route marches were probably a common site in Blackmore and elsewhere.

The Christmas Truce

The Christmas truce of 1914 has become a legendary halt in hostilities. Revd. Reeve records a conversation he had with a soldier in early 1915.

“When travelling by train to London from Ongar on Jan 25th I had for a fellow passenger for part of the way a Lancashire man who had returned wounded and frost-bitten from the front, and was now sufficiently convalescent to be going for a short spell to his native county before returning to France.

His first-hand report of the conditions of things abroad was very interesting. He had often been for days together standing in water in the trenches, and the plight of the soldiers in the cold, wet, and filth was, he said indescribable. The Germans were in as bad or worse plight.

During an interval on Christmas-day some of the enemy had approached our trenches and joined in conversation with our men. One German soldier had given his cigarettes and offered him brandy.

In reply to the German invitation to drink with him the British soldier declined, until by way of assuring him took a pull himself at the flask he was offering! Lancashire shyness was then overcome, and the soldier accepted a draught of the “Cognac” for such it proved to be.

The time was soon over for these pleasantries, and the two dropped back again into their several positions, having apparently no special desire to kill one another, save at the call of duty!

I wished my fellow passenger a safe return to England at the close of war.”

Blackmore Servicemen and Families During the First World War

Gerald Pigott

The Pigott family lived at Blackmore House in Hook End. Gerald was the only child of Lieutenant-Colonel Wellesley and his wife Helen.

At the beginning of the First World War Gerald was promoted to a Second Lieutenant, the lowest rank of officer class in the Army. Gerald, aged 18, would have no doubt had the commission paid for him by his father.

Gerald would have had to buy his own uniform, unlike the non-commissioned ranks. In the early years of the First World War the pips denoting rank were on the sleeve of the uniform much like a wristwatch, which actually was compulsory equipment for a leader of men.

For Second Lieutenants this made them easily recognisable not only to their men but also the enemy. Many were killed as they led an assault from the front.

Gerald was injured in the second battle of Ypres on 13th May 1915 and died the following day.

Arrangements were soon made for a memorial service to be held at All Saints Church Doddinghurst, where his mother was organist and choir mistress.

Letter from Wellesley G. Pigott, 18th May 1915

Blackmore House by Brentwood Essex
May 18th 1915

My dear Reeve

I expect that you have heard that Gerald has died of his wounds in Flanders. We had hoped to have been allowed to bring his body home and lay it to rest in Doddinghurst Churchyard but we hear from the War Office that as he died in the zone that this is not allowed so we must let him rest where he is at present.

We are having a memorial service on Friday at 3.30pm in Doddinghurst Church and we both much hope that you will take part in the service. I have mentioned this to Mr Adams and he fully concurs and asks me to write to you.

Yrs sincerely
Wellesley G Pigott

Mr Adams was the Vicar of Doddinghurst. A further letter, black edged, was sent to the Rector of Stondon Massey the day after the Service.

Letter from Wellesley G. Pigott, 22nd May 1915

Blackmore House. Brentwood Essex.
May 22nd 1915

My dear Reeve

Thank you so much for your very kind letter which we both appreciate very much. We also wish to thank you for taking part in the service yesterday and for helping to make it such a beautiful service as it was.

I have attended many services that have been beautifully rendered but I don’t think I ever was present at one that was so much what one would have wished from every point of view and one felt that every one in the Church was there from a sense of real affection for him.

We have had full details of his last hours, he was struck in the head by a shell bursting just above him and was rendered unconscious at once and remained so until his death 21 hours after so we have the great consolation of knowing that he never suffered and never even knew that he had been hit.

The doctors say that had his life been spared he would probably have been blind for life and very likely his brain permanently injured as well so it is much best as it is.

With renewed thanks from us both.

Yrs very sincerely
Wellesley G Pigott

Bordering their Hook End property a shrine was later erected to his memory.

Blackmore in 1911

Blackmore’s population in 1911 was 613. Most people lived in the village although there were a few houses in Hook End, sometimes referred to as Kelvedon Common, Wyatts Green, and on the parish boundary with Mountnessing at Swallows Cross.

Private James Roast

Pte J Roast. Private James Roast of the 13th Essex Regiment was the eldest son of James who was gardener for the Pigott family at Blackmore House.

They lived at Blackmore House Cottages, although in 1911 our James was living and working as a groom for Stephen H King at Forest Hall, Ongar.

James was killed on 28th April 1917, age 26. He has no known grave and is remembered with others on the Arras Memorial.

Ernest Albert Maynard

In Blackmore village itself the following men were neighbours living in homes yards from one another.

L Corp E A Maynard. Ernest Albert Maynard’s mother, Emma, a widow, lived in Fingrith Hall Road.

Ernest, her youngest son, worked for Revd. Reeve at the Rectory at Stondon Massey for a few years before being called up in March 1916. Ernest worked with Albert, James Roast’s brother, who we will meet later.

Ernest was killed at the French Front on 27th June 1917, age 27. His brother, Joseph, wrote two letters to the Rector.

Letter from J. H. Maynard, 13th July 1917

“Fingrith Hall Road, Blackmore. July 13 [1917]

The Rev Reeve

Dr Sir. so sorry to write to tell you the sad news of the death of our dear brother Ernest Maynard who was killed in action June 27. Mother has received a very nice letter referring to his noble death also that he was buried in a cemetery.

Yours truly
J H Maynard”

Letter from J. Maynard, 8th August 1917

“Fingrith Hall Road, Blackmore. 8th August [1917]

The Revd Reeve

Dr Sir. Thankyou very much for letter received so sorry but we were unable to answear before as Mother was waiting the captains letter so I have enclosed same My brother was in the Essex drafted to the Bedfords and he was also a Lewis gunner untill he met his death again thanking you for your kind letter.

Yours truly
J Maynard”.

Reeve noted on the letter:

“He was hit by a shell and died instantly. Buried at the British Cemetery at Philosophe. G W Brewster. Captain”.

Following the war his mother always laid a wreath at the War Memorial every Armistice Day to his memory.

Ernest Puddephatt

Pte E Puddephatt. Ernest survived the war. He was the son of Thomas Puddephatt who for about 50 years ran a grocer’s shop next to the Leather Bottle pub. It is now Blackmore Tea Rooms.

William Scudder

Air Mechanic William Scudder Royal Naval Air Service. His home would have been the Leather Bottle public house where his father and mother were landlord and landlady.

William lost his life after the Armistice, on 2nd July 1919 in the Baltic Sea, trying with one officer and three other men to stop a mine drifting down on a hospital barge. He was 20 years old.

Frederick Wilson

Opposite, at Crosse House, there were celebrations on 15th March 1917 when Walter Wilson’s son, Frederick married Lily Wardingham of South Croydon.

Perhaps Walter made the wedding cake because he describes his profession as master baker. One of his specialities was making Nelson cake, a kind of bread pudding made, no doubt, from unsold bread.

Pte F Wilson served in the Essex Regiment and returned home from war.

Albert Edward Barker

Pte A Barker. Albert Edward Barker, known probably as Edward in the village, was the landlord of The Bull Public House in Church Street.

He served in the 2nd Battalion of the Essex Regiment and was killed in action, aged 38, on 10th October 1917.

He has no known grave and is remembered on the vast wall of Tyne Cot cemetery in Belgium.

William Edward Rudling

Longbeam Cottage in Church Street was a shop where William Edward Rudling worked as a grocer’s assistant in 1901.

Pte W Rudling was killed in action in the Battle of the Somme. He has no known grave: his name appears on the Thiepval Memorial.

The Whitmore Family

At Manor House, until 1917, lived the Whitmore family. William and Margaret, husband and wife, were teachers at the School around the corner.

Their sons Bertram and Reginald both served and returned from war.

Charles and Major Jubilee Pagram

Pte. C Pagram. RASC. Charles Pagram returned from the war to his home at Little Jericho.

He was described by his niece, born 1921, later named Mary Coller, as:

“a jovial sort of chap and was chauffeur / handyman at the Priory. He used to impress on us that he spoke French because he had served in France ... but all I can ever remember him saying, and he was always saying it, was ‘Ooh lah lah!’”.

His brother, Corporal J Pagram, RASC:

“Uncle ‘Jimmy’ ... was chauffeur to sisters, Misses Barrett, as well as gamekeeper. Jimmy and his wife Lil lived just past the Barrett sisters on the Ingatestone Road.

Although he was always called ‘Jimmy’ he had two much grander names. His full name was Major Jubilee Pagram, not that he was ever commissioned while driving a lorry ... in the [Royal] Army Service Corps”.

He was born in 1887, the year of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee.

Herbert Ovel

Pte. H Ovel, Essex Regiment. In the 1920s:

“Herbert Ovel became gardener for the Hull family at the Priory. The kitchen garden next to the Vicarage had rows and rows of strawberries and asparagus”.

Captain James Henry Hull

Captain J H Hull, Essex Regiment. James Henry Hull, who we have met already in connection with the unveiling of the War Memorial, succeeded his father as owner of Jericho Priory.

Air War Over Essex During the First World War

When Frenchman Louis Bleriot made the first aeroplane flight across the English Channel in 1909 the science fiction novel ‘War From The Air’ written by H G Wells and published during the previous two years became a vague possibility.

In Britain to fly a contraption no more than a quarter of a mile at low altitude seemed absolutely spiffing for young gentlemen in the first decade of the twentieth century.

Early Aviation

Illustrative of aviation before the First World War was the attention given by the national and international press to the society wedding in June 1912 at Widford of Claude Grahame-White to Miss Dorothy Taylor, a New York heiress.

The reception was held at Hylands House. It was reported that the groom arrived by air and that one of his aviator friends flew over Widford Church dropping confetti following the ceremony. After the reception guests were treated to an impromptu flying display.

The Royal Flying Corp was formed in 1912 principally for the purpose of reconnaissance. Edward Petre became a test pilot. The Royal Naval Air Service was formed in 1914. Both were merged into the Royal Air Force in 1918, which celebrated its centenary this year with a flypast over Blackmore.

Edward Petre

Mrs E. E. Wilde added a paragraph about Edward Petre in her history of Ingatestone and Fryerning, published in 1913.

“In the new Cemetery lies Mr Edward Petre, whose tragic death on Christmas Eve, 1912, filled the neighbourhood with sorrow. Second son of Mr Sebastian Petre, he trained as an architect, but gave up his profession to devote himself to the new and enthralling pursuit of flying.

A daring yet careful pilot, he was recently engaged as an instructor at Brooklands, and had been testing new machines for the War Office. On Christmas Eve he was attempting a non-stop flight from Brooklands to Edinburgh, and left at 9.10am in SSE, wind of fifteen miles an hour.

The moderate breeze in which he started became a strong gale of sixty miles an hour in Yorkshire. In attempting to land, he passed over a field in which there were some children; at the peril of his own life he removed one hand from the control-wheel to signal to the children the danger they were in, and a fresh attempt to land in the next field was caught by a furious gust, which, lifting one wing, dashed the machine and its intrepid pilot to the ground, death being instantaneous.

He was greatly liked by all he came in contact with, and was beloved by his family and priest. R.I.P.”

Zeppelin Raids

During the First World War, for the first time, civilians were subjected to indiscriminate bombing from the air. The Zeppelins, the first aircraft used by the enemy, were referred to as ‘baby killers’ in the British press.

In all there were 53 separate raids on England, twenty in Essex, with London particularly targeted.

John Fleetwood, who retired to Blackmore in the late 1970s, was a six-year-old living in Walthamstow and remembered vividly the Zeppelins:

“A Zeppelin, sailing smoothly along up there in the sky, even though it was threatening death and destruction to those below, could be a beautiful sight.

One of the early ones came over Leyton and Walthamstow; we caught a glimpse of it before rushing indoors for cover; the searchlights caught it, and it looked just like a long slim silver cigar.

But the noise of its throbbing engines, as it drew nearer and nearer, was far from beautiful; to us, sitting under the stairs, or in our semi-basement kitchen, it sounded menacing and frightening”.

North Weald and the Development of the Air Service

Britain, on the back foot, had to respond quickly and across the county airfields were created.

Reeve wrote on 22nd July 1916:

“A large shed for aeroplanes is being constructed at North Weald. It is the intention of the authorities to establish a permanent Flying School there. We may expect frequent visits of the aeroplanes circling around Stondon on their trial-trips.

They cover 120 miles in the hour and can go to Hounslow from North Weald and return in about 15 minutes.

Nothing has been more marvellous during this unprecedented war than the rapid development of the air-service, and it is clear that Britain is to challenge the world in the new element.”

James Woollard

Woollard Way in Blackmore is named after Jim Woollard who died aged 67 in 1962 having served as a Rural District Councillor.

Tonight we remember him as an airman during the War and in the fledgling Royal Air Force where he was still serving in 1922 when his second daughter, Joy Kathleen, was baptised. His profession was flight sergeant.

He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal in May 1918.

Mary Coller recalled:

“I never knew much of him when I was small because he was in the Royal Air Force serving much of his time in India as far as I know. When he came out of the RAF, he and his wife had a bungalow built not far from the pump. Next to it he opened a shop and a garage”.

James Woollard formed part of the ground crew repairing and servicing the aeroplanes’ internal combustion engines. It is small wonder therefore that in 1937 we find his profession as a newsagent, petrol filling manager and motor engineer.

His brothers George and William are also remembered on Blackmore’s War Memorial as survivors of the War.

The Air Raid of 31st March 1916

Friday 31st March 1916 was to be one of the worst nights in terms of civilian casualties. In Lincolnshire, East Suffolk, Ipswich and Essex, 223 bombs were dropped killing 48 and injuring 64 people.

Zeppelins L14 and L15 flew over Essex dropping bombs.

Reeve wrote:

“With the moonless nights and the still weather which has succeeded the wintry storms a succession of air-craft raids began. On March 31 five ‘Zeppelin’ airships visited the Eastern Counties.

One of them was heard over Stondon in the direction of Woolwich at 10.20pm, but we were destined to have a closer acquaintance with another of the group at a later hour.”

Having dropped bombs on Braintree at 11pm killing four people Bocker in his Zeppelin L14 travelled south with the intent on attacking London. But when he and his crew got to Kelvedon Hatch they were met with heavy gunfire from the ground so decided to chart a course northwards over Blackmore.

Revd. Reeve continues the story:

“At 11.45 a Zeppelin dropped a series of bombs at the point where is the junction of Stondon with the parishes of Blackmore and Kelvedon Hatch: within easy distance of Soap House Farm.

A machine-gun had been lately established at Kelvedon Hatch to watch for the raiders, and Capt. Hulton in charge claims to have hit the air-ship, causing it to drop the bombs hurriedly.”

Fear of the Air Raids

The air-raids were deliberately designed by the enemy to strike fear among the people and to destroy morale.

Reeve noted:

“15th April 1916: Considerable alarm was naturally caused by these visitations: and many nervous persons were for some nights afterwards afraid to go to bed.”

John Fleetwood recalled that as a child:

“For a time I used to have a recurring nightmare, in which a Zeppelin would be sailing along the landing towards my bedroom; these nightmares soon ceased, but while they lasted, they were quite horrifying.”

The Bomb Craters at Blackmore

No one was killed or injured by the many bombs which were dropped in Blackmore, but the course of the explosions aroused great interest.

Reeve added:

“Large numbers of persons from Brentwood and the surrounding district visited the spot next day, and the large craters caused by the bombs, some 15 feet in diameter and varying from 3 to 9 feet in depth, were the astonishment of all.

The whole saucer-like cavities were left entirely clean by the explosion, and one local builder Mr Gann remarked there was no trace anywhere of the large body of earth which had been scooped out by the force of the bomb.

Clods torn from the craters were sprinkled to a distance of 60 yards. Nine of the thirteen holes were quickly found: and fortunately no life was lost or building injured. All had fallen in open fields.

Our windows at Stondon Rectory were violently shaken and considerable alarm was naturally caused. We in the close neighbourhood have much for which to be deeply grateful to an over-ruling Providence.”

This had indeed been a close call for the villagers of Blackmore. The bombs had dropped not half a mile from their homes.

In perhaps a unique record Reeve gave more detail in his notes on 6th April:

“Further enquiry shows that the bombs dropped on March 31st fell between the Soap House and the corner of Blackmore between the Church and Miss Barrett’s house.

Two were dropped in the lane near the site of the old Blackmore Mill. The remaining holes were to be found in a straight-line across the fields to Miss Barrett’s at very short intervals. Many panes of glass were broken in the house by the concussion.”

The Blackmore Memorial Window

In the church at Blackmore, in what was at the time the Vestry, is a memorial window commemorating what happened that night.

It is inscribed:

“This window is erected as a thank-offering to Almighty God for the protection in the Great Air Raid of March 31st 1916”

Zeppelin L15

The other Zeppelin to make a local visit on the night of 31st March 1916 was the L15 captained by Oberlautnant Briethaupt.

His craft arrived over Dunwich in Suffolk about 7.45pm that evening heading over Ipswich and Colchester towards Chelmsford two hours later.

As the Zeppelin approached London it was met by heavy fire from the defensive ring of guns.

Captain Morris wrote:

“Attempting to elude the bombardment, Breithaupt turned northwards, hurriedly jettisoning his bombs on Rainham, but to no avail, as shrapnel from the Purfleet guns ... made a large rent in her side. ...

When L15 was east of Brentwood shortly before ten o’clock, Second Lieutenant Brandon in a B.E.2c, who had risen from Hainault Farm, overtook the airship and climbing above her dropped explosive darts without apparent result.

The airship could no longer rise owing to loss of gas.”

The attack happened over Ingatestone about 10.05pm. The Zeppelin made due east aiming for the Belgian coast.

In a desperate attempt to stay airborne, the crew jettisoned everything heavy and moveable. Two machine guns and other objects were later found in fields in Stock, South Hanningfield and Woodham Ferrers.

It encircled Foulness Island twice before the crew decided not to land. The airship lost height over the following half hour and ditched near Knock Deep Light Vessel at 11pm.

All but one of the crew were rescued and taken prisoners. One drowned.

The Essex Weekly News reported that:

“It dropped into the sea and sunk while being towed to land. Seventeen members of the crew were rescued and are prisoners of war at Chatham Barracks”.

A Turning Point in the Air War

The downing of a Zeppelin on 31st March 1916 was a breakthrough and turning point in the war on the Home Front.

Britain was ill-prepared for air attack. The Germans has been planning air supremacy for some time before the war. It took 35 minutes for a British plane to achieve the same altitude as a Zeppelin – 10,000 feet.

Throughout 1915 and the early part of 1916 Britain was on the back foot. London suffered attack in its first blitz.

The Lord Mayor of London, Sir Charles Wakefield, had put up a reward of £500 for the first airship brought down. This was converted to commemorative medals cast for the members of the Anti-Aircraft gunners of the 3rd Company, Essex and Suffolk Royal Garrison Artillery at Purfleet.

Zeppelins Brought Down

Bad weather and high winds prevented many Zeppelin attacks during the spring of 1916. They would resume again in September.

Later that year pilots flying upwards to great altitudes managed to fire incendiary bullets into the gas bags of three Zeppelins and cripple a fourth.

One Zeppelin came down in flames at Cuffley on 2nd September 1916, another at Snails Hall Farm, Billericay on the night of 23rd /24th September, and the third at Potters Bar on 1st October.

Also on 24th September the skin of Zeppelin L33 was pierced causing it to lose gas. The crew landed it with the intention of setting it on fire. It had so little fuel that it failed to burn for a long period of time.

The crew was led by none other than Bocker, who had captained the L14 that Friday night in March over Blackmore.

There are a number of eyewitness accounts of the Zeppelins coming down in flames.

Reeve wrote of the Billericay zeppelin:

“It appeared from our windows a red ball at first, about the apparent size of the sun; and then, as it quickly fell, it stretched itself out, some portions getting away from the main wreck, and looking like drops of fire in the distance.

The distance to fall must have been so great, as there was time for the eye to observe these portions quite clearly during a period perhaps of half a minute.”

The Gotha Raid of 13th June 1917

Reeve also witnessed the mid-morning air raid of 13th June 1917 by German Gotha planes over the east end of London in which 145 people were killed, the highest death toll from a single air raid during the whole war.

Eighteen infants were killed at a school in Poplar when the building suffered a direct hit.

“They came over Stondon from the North East at a great height, so as to be practically out of view.

Some, however, saw three, and some as many as ten, like little glittering silver fish against the blue sky.

They filled the air with a rumbling as a huge traction engine. About ten minutes after their passing over our heads we heard the bombs dropping in the direction of London, and the visitors shaped a more southerly course, and the droning died away in the direction of Rochford and Southend.

It was possible, however, as they swerved round on their return journey, to hear the quick firing of machine guns, indicating that a struggle was proceeding at great height between the invaders and our gallant airmen.

The accounts tell us that many lives were lost through the raid, and many terrible injuries inflicted.

A Stondon woman (Mrs Skinner) and her child were travelling to London that day, and, with other passengers, brought back word of sad scenes in the Great Eastern Company’s terminus at Liverpool Street.

One or two trains narrowly escaped wreckage, and in one at least several persons were killed.

It is felt that every effort must be made to give timely warning of such visits in the future, and to prevent the concourse of persons in the streets”.

The Air Raid of 7th July 1917

On 7th July 1917 a further air raid claimed another 57 lives whereupon the Government made plans to create a Royal Air Force.

“We saw 22 [aeroplanes] over the Rectory compactly together, followed by two more which appeared to be stragglers. These two are believed to be British, and some claim to have heard machine-gun intercourse between them and the Germans”.

Reeve added:

“The German aeroplanes appeared to extend from ourselves towards Kelvedon Hatch and Stanford Rivers.

They flew unopposed till apparently over North Weald and Epping when firing commenced, and seemed to scatter the formation. They rallied however, and then appeared to make rapidly westward, over the Loughton and Chigwell district for N London.

The firing and bomb-throwing circled more and more to the south until at last the fleet was again visible over the Romford quarter, and the sound of machine guns was plainly audible.

The aeroplanes were now at a much greater distance. They were lost in the haze, in little over ¾ hour from their first appearance, as they vanished in the direction of the mouth of the river Thames and Southend”.

Conscription, Arthur Roast and the Battle of the Somme

The Military Service Act

On 7th February 1916 Revd. Reeve records:

“Feb. 10th has been appointed as the day on which the new Military Service Act will come into operation and on March 1st all but those specially exempted between the ages of 18 and 41 years will be held to have been enrolled.”

On 25th March 1916 Reeve records:

“Probably the cream of the youth of the county has now been enlisted, and those who are now being swept in under the Military Service Act will be largely men who have no taste whatsoever for military enterprise”.

Arthur Roast

Our story is incomplete without considering Arthur Roast, of Hook End, the younger brother of James who was killed in April 1917.

“A lad who has done some useful work in the Rectory garden has now left as a recruit in the 3rd Essex Regt. for drill at Chatham. He is stated to have said he felt he owed a greater duty to his mother at home than to King George: for his mother had done much for him, whereas the King so far as he knew, had not rendered him any service!

One must pardon the somewhat narrow minded view of King and Country under somewhat trying circumstances. There is little more to that a few months experience of military life and companionship will add breadth to his shoulders and his outlook also!”

Arthur Roast was born on 7th January 1900 and baptised at Blackmore on 11th February 1900. As a recruit he was only 16 years and 2 months old so must have lied convincingly about his age on enrolment. Reeve makes no comment on the lad’s youthfulness.

War Poetry

War poetry helps us to connect with the events of the First World War. Many speak of the futility of war, but there is one less popular today written by Jessie Pope entitled ‘The Call’. It begins:

“Who's for the trench -
Are you, my laddie?
Who'll follow French -
Will you, my laddie?
Who's fretting to begin
Who's going out to win?
And who wants to save his skin -
Do you, my laddie?”

Letter from Arthur Roast, 13th May 1916

The Essex Record Office holds three letters Arthur Roast sent to his previous employer.

“May 13th 1916.

Pte A Roast
No 27623 E Coy
3rd Battalion Essex Rgt
Beachcote, Felixtowe

Dear Sir. I now take the pleasure of sending you a few lines which I ought to have done before but I hope you will excuse ‘Sir’ as we have been so busy down here hardly time to do anything.

I hope the Misses Reeves are all quite well and that you have some one to do some of the garden. I hear that there is not many young men left in stondon now but I should not care if I was back again. I am rather to old for soldiering life now but I expect we shall have to go through it. But I should be glad to hear the War was at an end.

I hear that the zepps came over hooks end a few weeks ago hope they did no damage or injury they give us a look in down here now and again.

Now Sir I never hear anything about Maynard don’t know whether he is still at Dovercourt it is not very far from here. I should like to know how he is getting on.

Now Sir I hope the rabbits and birds are not damaging the garden much. I should not mind if I had one or two down here now. It would be something new.

Dear Sir I would like to be Remembered to Cook Mr & Mrs A Pension Likewise all Stondon friends.

I am now just going through My course of firing about another week then I might be able to get over to Stondon for a few days leave. I believe I am booked for the Front. But I did not quite expect that I thought Home Service more for me.

Now Dear Sir I don’t think I have much more now to say hope the Farmers are getting on pretty well with their work. We are having some rather cold weather down here but I suppose the sea air is some of it.

Now Dear Sir I think I must bring this to a Close. With my best wishes to yourself and the Misses Reeves.

I remain your Obedient Servant.
A Roast.”

Reeve diarised:

“An excellent letter had been received from Private A Roast of the 3rd Batt. Essex Regiment. It is dated from Felixtowe (May 13th) where he is training. Looked upon at home as ‘none too strong in the upper storey’, Roast has shown himself a true Briton in adaptability to his new surroundings”.

In common with other civilians Arthur received six months’ training before being sent to the Front.

The Battle of the Somme

Then the Battle of the Somme began. Revd. Reeve records in his diary.

“1st July 1916

As I write, the reverberation of the great guns and explosion of mines are shaking the windows of the Rectory and of all the other houses, I suppose, in the southern and south-eastern counties of England.

There is evidently a very heavy bombardment in progress. The munition-making of many months is beginning, we may hope, to have its effect upon the position.”

On 1st July 1916, supported by a French attack to the south, thirteen divisions of Commonwealth forces launched an offensive. Despite a preliminary bombardment lasting seven days, the German defences were barely touched and the attack met unexpectedly fierce resistance.

Losses were catastrophic and with only minimal advances on the southern flank, the initial attack was a failure.

In the following weeks, huge resources of manpower and equipment were deployed in an attempt to make some progress. However, the German army resisted tenaciously, and repeated attacks and counter attacks meant a major battle for every village, copse and farmhouse gained.

Three months later, at the end of September, Thiepval was finally captured. The original objective had been to take the village on the first day.

Arthur Roast in France

On 1st August 1916 Reeve notes:

“Arthur Roast, lately employed at the Rectory, is now in France, and writes home cheerful letters to his mother, as all the men do, bidding her not to worry about him.

Roast was always a ‘good shot’, few birds escaping him even as a boy when out with stones and catapult!

The neighbours believe that as a bomb thrower into the enemy’s trenches his fame will be sure to establish himself.”

Blackmore Men Lost on the Somme

William Edward Rudling has already been mentioned as a victim of the Battle of the Somme. Another three men from Blackmore died in this Battle. All four have no known grave and are commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

Herbert C. Game

Pte. Herbert C Game was the son of Charles Game and Martha, born, like his parents, in Cockfield, Suffolk.

In 1911 the family had been living in Blackmore for around eight years. Charles’ job was labourer, and Herbert’s is shown as “Cow Boy”.

He volunteered in the East Surrey Regiment 9th Battalion, and first saw service in France in August 1915. He was killed in action on the same day as William Rudling, 16th August 1916, aged 25.

Ernest Martin

Ernest Martin was born in Blackmore in 1880, the son of Charles Martin of Great Baddow, the proprietor of steam thrashing machines, and his wife Emma.

In 1901 they lived on the Green, near the pond. He enlisted as a Private in the Essex Regiment 11th Battalion and was wounded in June 1915.

He returned to duty, but died on 27th September 1916, age 36.

Arthur John Nash

Arthur John Nash was baptised 6th August 1882 at High Ongar. He was the son of John Henry and Eliza Nash.

The father’s occupation is blank, which suggests his death, and this is confirmed by the marriage in 1884 of Eliza to William Chumbley of Blackmore.

Arthur enlisted as Private in the Essex Regiment 2nd Battalion, and was killed in action, a little after the capture of Thiepval, on 23rd October 1916, age 34.

He is a fourth man from Blackmore among 73,000 on Lutyen’s Memorial.

More Men Called Up

On 20th September 1916 Reeve wrote:

“The War Office is calling men up. Lads who are now eighteen are finding themselves called for, and among them Leonard Hasler, Ernest Baines, Alfred Baines, of Stondon, and Thomas Roast, formerly of Stondon School, now living in Blackmore.

Thomas Roast, who was not a sibling of James and Arthur, lived in Hook End, served in the Tank Corps and returned home from War. His name appears among those who served on the Blackmore War Memorial.

Of the other three named, Leonard Hasler died from injuries in October 1918; Ernest Baines of Stondon was injured in November 1918 and had to have his leg amputated; and, Alfred Baines returned to Stondon Massey after the war.

The Battle of the Somme on Film

The entry for the same day closes:

“I went yesterday to see the reproduction of the Somme activities on the Cinematograph in London.”

This one-hour documentary film was shown again in many places in 2016 with soundtrack added.

At the Essex Record Office theatre you could hear a pin drop as the audience watched. One of most poignant moments is when you see the delivery of post to the trenches.

It serves as a reminder of the logistical work needed to wage war, not only in supplying arms, food and medical supplies but also letters, cigarettes and chocolate which boosted morale.

Letter from Arthur Roast, 1st November 1916

On 1st November 1916 Arthur Roast is somewhere in France writing to the Rector on letter paper headed ‘With the British Expeditionary Force’.

“Dear Sir. I now have the pleasure of writing you a few lines hoping they will find you quite Well. Also the Misses Reeves & the cook wishing them all well as it leaves me quite at present.

I think I ought to have written before but I hope you will excuse Sir. I hope you had a good Attendance at the Harvest Festival.

Just Fancy me being out in France I did not think I should have been there before Ernest M. But I tell you Sir that there is some very good natured people in France as well as England.

But the villages Which I have been in yet Seem very old Fashioned & the Farm Houses the Farmers seem to Have some very good horses & other Cattle. Look after them and use them well. They never seem to hurry them nor use many whips.

But there carts and Waggons are a very long way behind England I might tell you Sir that there are very few birds about this part the farmers plant there corn quite different to English Farmers you hardly ever see a field of some kind mixed with different kinds.

Dear Sir will you kindly Remember me to Mrs Lewis hoping all are quite well. And that the Gardens are alright.

Will you Likewise give my Best Respects to Mr & Mrs Pension wishing them all well. I might get leave before long then I will come and See you all Sir.

I never went out Far when I was at Home before. Hope Mr & Mrs Parkins are quite well.

Now I think this is all this time Sir. With that I must conclude.

From your
Obedient Servant
A Roast

This is my Adress Sir
Pte A Roast
No 27623 Essex Rgt
c/o O O OY Train BEF”

Food Shortages and Rationing During the First World War

In times of shortages government announcements were made in church advising people to be sparing in the use of flour; police officers made door-to-door enquiries about the number of domestic and farm animals kept in order to “prevent unnecessary consumption by animals of grain and stores in any way suitable for human food”.

Rising Prices and Shortages

Reeve noted that the price of ‘The Times’ had increased to twopence in April 1917, and other newspapers previously sold at halfpenny now cost one penny each. “Mr Punch” from his long familiar threepence per week, had been raised to sixpence. This was due to the scarcity of paper.

In April 1917 the sugar ration was reduced from ¾lb to ½lb per person per week. In times before domestic refrigeration sugar was an important preservative.

Reeve informs his reader that (in September 1917):

“The scarcity of sugar is much felt by housekeepers, and large quantities of fruit must, it is feared, be lost through lack of sugar for preserving purposes.

The Government has now taken control, and by appointing agents in each district offices the public who make application within a given time a limited supply up to 28lbs for preserving fruit guaranteed to have been grown on their own premises.

Each application must be countersigned by a Minister of Religion, a Justice of Peace or a householder of standing”.

24th September 1917

“Fruit of all kinds has been abundant this summer owing to the genial and uninterrupted Spring. In other years the blossom would have been withered by successive frosts and perhaps only a tithe of the crop promised would be gathered. We have has more pears, and peaches than we could eat.

Numerous presents have been made to friends and we have today sent down a heavy consignment to Ongar, for use of the convalescent soldiers at the Budworth Hall Hospital.

Our apples are stored, and we have in the house as much jam from currants etc as the limited supply of sugar has rendered possible.

20th October 1917

“There is a marked shortage of certain necessary articles for the present. Tea and sugar, bacon and butter and lucifer matches are quite at a premium, but a system of tickets is in the process of arrangement.

19th December 1917

“Supplies of Horse-Chestnuts have been collected this autumn and sent to London, it being discovered that certain chemicals may be extracted from them for the manufacture of munitions which have hitherto been obtained from flour. The food-supply may be saved.

A ton of Chestnuts is found to equal half a ton of grain. We have lately sent some 5 bushels to the “Director of Propellant Supplies” at Westminster.

25th February 1918

Today ushers in the “Rationing” System for London and the Home Counties in respect of Meat and of Butter and a compound known as “Margarine” a substitute for butter.

These articles are only to be obtained from today on production of a coupon. The total allowed per week is 1lb of meat for adults and half the amount for children under ten years. Four ounces of butter is the limited allowance for such.

A little allowance of dilution of honey was served to me yesterday at Chelmsford in lieu of sugar with a cup of Coffee.

25th April 1918

More Potatoes than ever are to be grown this year and the Government are perfecting plant for the production of Potato-flour.

Coals are shortly to be “rationed” on account of the difficulty of raising and circulating coal. The public will have to “register” with a merchant, as in the case of meat or grocery.”

The Search for Marmalade

In June 1918 he tells of his quest to find a pot of marmalade.

“At Chelmsford this week I was unable to procure a single pot of Orange Marmalade at any of the Grocers, and there was an absence of jam, cheese and salad oil.

But the shopkeepers look quite as disappointed as their customers as they re-iterate time after time their entire lack of these coveted commodities”.

Women, Work and the First World War in Blackmore

Mrs E. E. Wilde, who wrote a history of Ingatestone and Fryerning, published in 1913, remarks of organists at Fryerning Church:

“Mr Greenfield ... was succeeded for a while by Miss M Rock, but after a while she too retired (occupied too much perhaps by her efforts to promote the cause of Woman’s Suffrage), and the post is now filled by Mr Edgar Stone”.

The Changing Role of Women

The First World War changed the role of women.

In August 1915 Reeve writes that the Government was compiling a complete Register of all people aged between the ages of 15 and 65 should men need to be called up to fight the war and to ascertain those who may have expert knowledge in making ammunition or army clothing.

“As far as possible, women would be employed to take the place of men who had enlisted or who might enlist if a substitute could be found.”

When conscription was announced in February 1916, Reeve wrote:

“There will be few left but those who are engaged on the land or in the milking trade, or those indispensable to the keeping of stock.

Women are being advertised for to undertake employment in the field: domestic servants, both men and women, are to be regarded as unnecessary: pleasure gardens ad hot-houses are to be looked upon as luxuries only open in war-time to a few.

So many male teachers have enlisted, to have their places taken by women: and women also are being largely employed as clerks in banks and houses of business.

The whole country, and one may say the world, is being reorganised and changed.”

Women at Work in Chelmsford

Miss Baker’s personal reminiscences of the First World War in Margaretting were published in 1983.

On leaving school she trained for six months in shorthand, typing and book-keeping and got herself a job at Christy and Norris, an engineering firm, being a six-mile bicycle ride to work in Broomfield Road, Chelmsford.

She quickly found herself doing the jobs of despatch clerk and office boy. She commented:

“In Chelmsford I saw girls driving the big railway horses and vans. It was really wonderful to see women performing a great variety of tasks, bearing in mind that hitherto nearly all of them had worked in their homes or in service for people with large houses”.

One history book suggests that on 11th November 1918 Winston Churchill wondered about the 3 million redundant munitions workers, many of whom were women.

Revd. Andrew Clark of Great Leighs noted in his diary on 13th November that:

“Some of the girls at Hoffmann’s works, Chelmsford, were told on Tuesday 12th November that their wages would be reduced from £2.5s (£2.25) a week to 25s (£1.25) a week”.

Hoffmann made ball bearings which were in great demand by the armed forces. Crompton, another large firm in Chelmsford, made munitions.

Women on the Railways

On 8th January 1917 Reeve wrote:

“With the New Year considerable changes were introduced on the railways, fewer trains being provided for passengers – the men being presumably at the Front – and an increase of 50 per cent being made on the fares charged.

For some time the railway traffic has been conducted under difficulties, many signalmen, engine drivers, stokers and porters having been called up for service. At some London termini women porters have been in evidence, and passengers have been left to deal with their own luggage in many cases.

The New Year regulations forbid any passenger travelling with more than 100lbs weight of luggage”.

The Blackmore Women’s Institute

In support of the war effort a new women’s organisation was formed nationally.

The decision to form a Women’s Institute in Blackmore was taken at a meeting held at Blackmore House in March 1917 and application was made to the National Federation on 27th March.

The first officers were given as:

• Mrs Wellesley Pigott: President
• Miss Barrett: Vice-President
• Miss Ivy Lewis: Secretary
• Mrs Gamble: Treasurer

However, when the inauguration certificate was granted on 2nd June 1917, Mrs Letitia Allen had replaced Mrs Pigott as President, Miss Marriage replaced Miss Barrett, Mrs Millicent Dyer replaced Miss Lewis and Miss H Marriage replaced Mrs Gamble.

A complete change had taken place.

These were troubled times with the First World War in its third year and where groups of women were still regarded with suspicion and mistrust in many quarters.

This fact is evident in Blackmore at this time because the local grocer, Mr Thomas Puddephatt, showed a strong reluctance to supply the newly formed WI with additional supplies of sugar as directed by the Ministry of Agriculture so that WI members could make jam and preserves to help the war effort.

Mrs Allen sought help from the highest authority to try to resolve this problem.

In October 1917 both the Secretary, Mrs Dyer, and the Treasurer, Miss H Marriage resigned to compound the President’s problems. By December Miss Ivy Lewis had been reinstalled as Secretary.

In the beginning it would appear that there was no Committee, and the Group was simply run by its officers.

A representative of the National Federation attended a meeting on 23rd June 1917 and wrote an official report which makes interesting reading:

“This meeting was held in the school room, unprepared, and unattractive, 25 members were present, the President is away, and the Vice President is somewhat opposed to the Institute and did not appear till the end of the meeting, this makes it very difficult for the Secretary and Treasurer.

The members seem keen and interested but have taken little part in the meeting ...”.

The ladies of the WI remarked:

“This is a fair sized village with several shops. The membership will be largely comprised of women from the farms”.

Jam and Jerusalem came to Blackmore in 1917.

Arthur Roast Writes from France

Meanwhile soldiers continued to send letters home, including Arthur Roast.

Letter from Arthur Roast, 3rd June 1918

June 3rd 1918

Dear Sir. I now take the honour of sending these few lines to you trusting that yourself and the Misses Reeves are all in the Best of Health and thank god it leaves me.

But the noise has made my nerves a bit shakey. I must tell you Sir that I have a new set of teeth in now but they Want a bit of getting used to.

I would have Written Before Sir But we have been So busy moving about. Will you Kindly Remember me to the Cook & also to Mrs Pension and I trust also that Mr Pension is Safe and Well.

I hope all the garden is doing well. I am at Present in a Barn but it is nice Weather now so I do not mind only We want Plenty of Bathing Parades.

Will you kindly Remember me to all Stondon Friends and likewise Mrs Lewis if still their.

I was sorry to Hear of Poor Mr Hawkins & will you kindly except my deepest sympathy & I also trust that young Mr Hawkins is fully Recoverd From his wound.

I expect the Farmers will soon be busy now haymaking. I hope they will be able to gather it in safely.

Now dear Sir I think this is all for the Present. With it I will Close. With my best wishes.

From Your Obedient Servant.
A Roast.

Sir. Will you kindly get my adres of Mother as I quite Forgot to Put it in here.

Women in Agriculture

With reference to haymaking which Arthur observed only too well at home Reeve wrote on 29th June 1918:

“The hay-tying is going on in the neighbourhood and compressed trusses are being prepared for shipment. We notice more women employed than was the case last year.

The women now not only act as clerks, but, dressed in suitable clothing, largely control and direct the machinery.

Eight women with a superintendent attached to the gang have been billeted a fortnight in the village, while the men engaged have been in the minority.”

Votes for Women

The call for ‘Votes For Women’ prior to the War was now unquestionable and a free vote given to Members of Parliament met with little opposition becoming law in June 1918.

The ‘Representation of the People Act’ created almost universal suffrage for males over 21 years old (previously only three-fifths of the population could vote) and women over 30.

Harry Patch, the last surviving veteran who served in the trenches, wrote in his autobiography in 2007:

“They could hardly withhold the right to vote from soldiers who had fought for their country”.

It increased the franchise from 7 million to 20 million. Until then, only those who owned property could vote.

A J P Taylor wrote:

“War smoothed the way to democracy – one of the few things to be said in its favour”.

Voting in Blackmore

Emma Bass, foster mother to Edwin Alexander in 1901 one of the victims of the War, was able to vote for the first time in 1918.

Her name appears on the Blackmore Electoral Roll. She lived in one of the cottages alongside the Post Office.

Reeve wrote on 14th December:

“The General Election of Members of Parliament is taking place today. Stondon people go to Blackmore to vote.

This is the first occasion of the admission of women to the franchise, and the first occasion when women Candidates for Parliament have been admissible.

Motor-cars and carriages are being utilized where possible for the conveyance of electors, and I have seen several amused and smiling faces of village women being taken to the poll, pleased alike with their unwonted excitement of their importance.

The Poll will be declared on the 28th, the delay being caused by the inclusion of soldiers’ proxies who are permitted to vote by post”.

The Armistice and the End of the First World War

Saturday 9th November 1918

Saturday 9th November 1918. After a week when the enemy was in hasty retreat on the Western Front, on this day the Kaiser abdicated. There were rumours spreading around that the war was over.

Chelmsford, on market day the previous day, was full of gossip that the Germans had laid down their arms.

David Lloyd George, the Prime Minister, would have dearly liked to have made such an announcement at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet in London, it being the second Saturday in November when the new Lord Mayor of London was paraded through the streets of the capital.

Lloyd George’s speech could have run:

“Today this could be the greatest day of our lives, before it all ends, before we run out of time. Tonight this could be the greatest night of our lives. Let’s make a new start, the future is ours to find”.

But that would have been fake news. All he could do was to allude that it would all be over soon. Hopefully.

The war, which the parties engaged was to be long and drawn out: bogged down, quite literally in the trenches of the Western Front, did end quickly when the Germans sought an armistice, having suffered heavy losses of men, desertion, Spanish ‘flu and food shortages at home.

Herbert Asquith, the former Prime Minister, had been a victim of fake news, talking about the British victory with his wife and daughter since the very early hours. He had been told by the War Office, only to be told about 6 o’clock that the news was not true.

But a few minutes later his wife learned over the telephone from an American friend that it was, truly, over.

The Armistice

Miss Baker wrote in 1983:

“The First World War came to an end at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of November 1918. It was a tremendous relief to all of us to have the fearful struggle brought to a successful conclusion although the price that was paid in human lives and suffering cannot be measured”.

The armistice was signed in a railway carriage at just after 5 o’clock on Monday 11th November. The talks were short. It was agreed that the ceasefire would begin at 11 o’clock.

News reached Paris about 9.30am, but by then the day’s business of waging war was well under way.

King George V had been told by the French that the War was over before Lloyd George had received official tidings.

Even when news of the ceasefire was announced there were some British and American units who were happy to go on fighting, some to avenge the Germans and some with the ambition to push the enemy back through Belgium to their own border.

It was something of an anti-climax as the clock struck eleven.

On 11th November 1918 the Western Front saw something like 10,944 casualties, including 2,738 dead. Nicholas Best says that was nearly as many who were killed in the D-Day landings of 1944.

London Hears the News

People in London had gathered in crowds since first light awaiting official news.

At 10.55am the Prime Minister opened the door of No. 10 Downing Street and Lloyd George announced repeatedly:

“At 11 o’clock this morning the war will be over”.

Crowds gathered outside Buckingham Palace, the King making a balcony appearance. Bells rang, which had not been rung since the air raids.

There was no radio, television, or twitter of course to convey the news. There was no BBC.

Chelmsford and the Essex Villages

Chelmsford heard of the armistice soon after 11am.

Revd. Andrew Clark records that:

“The works there immediately went on holiday. The news was passed on to Great Leighs Post Office from Chelmsford, spread rapidly and the cottagers were very excited. In Felsted village, by 1pm, nearly every house had hung out a flag. Little Waltham was gay with flags”.

Revd Reeve wrote:

“Some in Stondon heard the distant bells at Brentwood. But it was not till the afternoon that definite tidings reached the villages and then it filtered through chiefly the form of private messages.

News came to Stondon that flags were being hoisted on the Military Hospital at Ongar, and that the veteran Field-Marshall Sir Evelyn Wood VC had visited the place and communicated the splendid message to the wounded men.

As soon as I had this official intelligence the Stondon Church bells were chimed with all the old vigour by Ernest Baines, our sometime sexton.”

But for some celebration did not seem appropriate, sad at the loss of friends and family.

Plans for Blackmore’s War Memorials

Blackmore’s Church Council met as planned on Monday 11th November 1918.

The minutes record that:

“Discussion took place with respect to erecting some memorials of the Great War.

Mr D Wilson moved ‘That the Church Council desires to express its thankfulness to Almighty God for the establishment of peace and to record its appreciation of the sacrifice to those who served in the forces of the Crown in the war by the erection of a Cross in the Churchyard, a painted Window and a roll of Honour to be placed in the Church’.

This was seconded by Mr Reed and adopted”.

With only three men in attendance, including the Vicar, it was decided to hold a public meeting to endorse support. This was held on the following Tuesday, 19th November.

The Influenza Pandemic

During the winter of 1918/19, 150,000 people died in Britain as a result of the virulent Spanish Influenza Pandemic. Worldwide it killed more people than had perished during the whole of the War.

The illness reached Blackmore and Stondon Massey in November 1918.

Revd. Reeve wrote:

“Stondon is passing through a Visitation of the prevailing ‘Influenza’ epidemic. In England Schools have been closed in many districts, and mortality has been very serious.

Our neighbours at Blackmore and Kelvedon Common were attacked before us, but we were to be no exception. The School has been closed as from the 15th November and the sickness has found victims in almost every house.

When the fever is followed by pneumonia and complications it becomes of course a dangerous visitor. The doctors are barely able to attend their numerous patients, and are at a loss to account for the origin of the scourge.

It suffices to keep in check the superabundant rejoicings of Peace”.

Arthur Roast Returns Home

Reeve wrote at the end of January 1919:

“Private Arthur Roast ... returned safely from France.

Like the rest, he is to take a 28 day furlough, and then will consider himself ‘demobilised’, sending off his military great-coat from the nearest railway station into ‘store’, while he retains his khaki suit of uniform.

He had the choice of a new civilian suit or a gratuity of 50 shillings when he left active service and chose the former, which in view of high prices was probably the sensible line of action”.

For King and Country: Remembrance and Reflection

The First World War is removed from our experience, and it is true that those who remember service in the Second World War are becoming fewer. I would suggest that we remember these events through the eyewitnesses: accepting readily that our ancestors lived in a different age to our own. However, they were individual human beings with the same mental faculties as us. These people were part of families, local communities, and serve in society as we do.

Blackmore’s War Memorial unveiled in 1920 states that those who served did so for “Their Majesty” and those who fell did so in the service of “Their Country”. Those who lived through the First World War supported the war effort ‘For King and Country’.

This presentation began with an anecdote from my wife’s family of the First World War, and there will be stories in your families too.

Walter Reed and Remembrance

For me, Walter Reed, my great uncle, a late Victorian, born in Mountnessing, became school teacher and later Church of England lay reader in Norwich.

His sermon for Remembrance Sunday 1948, just three and a half years after the close of the Second World War, includes these words:

“We come ... with mingled feelings and if one could see the thousands of men and women in church this morning we should realise how varied are the reactions it evokes. ... To most of us it speaks of loss for there is hardly a family in this land which has not lost someone in the war.

The obvious reason of Remembrance is to remember the fallen. But this is not a Remembrance Day for one war only for then it would be observed in May or August but it recalls the First Great War of 1914-18 which took an even bigger toll of our young men. And there are some women today to whom it recalls poignantly the death of husband in 1916 and of her son in 1944. ...

But it is Remembrance Day in another sense as it recalls to our minds two great deliverances. Both in 1917 and in 1940 we were nearly crushed; humanly speaking it seemed impossible that we could survive; in 1917 we were within a few weeks of starvation through the sinking of our ships by submarines; in 1940 we were threatened with invasion by a vast army with only one fully trained and equipped division to resist it. ...

The younger ones here cannot appreciate the spirit of our land in 1914 and 1915; we were all crusaders ready to offer our lives to save this world. All our forces were volunteers for compulsory service did not come in until 1916.

In the Battle of the Somme in 1916 they literally offered their lives and gave their lives for this ideal. These are the Valiant Hearts apostrophised in our hymn which is literally true and not just poetic imagination.

They died in their thousands to save all that was best and noblest in the world. Most of the names are recorded on the crosses of France and Flanders but thousands have no recorded grave or memorial.

In London after the First War was erected the Cenotaph to remind us all of the complete sacrifice of all who died in their country’s cause.”

The Cenotaph in London was dedicated on the same day as the burial of the Unknown Soldier in Westminster Abbey on 11th November 1920, four days after the dedication of the War Memorial in Blackmore.

We are “the younger ones” Walter Reed speaks of when he says “We were all crusaders”. This was a generation that fought for King and Country.

O Valiant Hearts

The opening verse of the hymn would today make us feel uneasy.

“O valiant hearts who to your glory came
Through dust of conflict and through battle flame;
Tranquil you lie, your knightly virtue proved,
Your memory hallowed in the land you loved.”

Britain in 1918 was a different country to that of today. To refer to going to war as being a crusade would be really controversial if preached now. But that was then.

Private Archibald Browne

The sad story of Private Archibald Browne of the 2nd Battalion Essex Regiment, whose mother lived in Green Street, is that he was court martialled and shot for desertion in December 1914.

He was named on the memorial in Belgium but the shame of his disloyalty meant that his name was not included on Ingatestone’s Roll of Honour immediately after the end of the First World War.

Reverend Reeve served on the Ongar Board of Guardians which considered, on 6th November 1917, a case in Keithley was reported where the government deprived the family of national assistance owing to “the soldier’s serious negligence or misconduct ... obliged to resort to the Poor Law for help.

The Chairman said he could not see why if a soldier misbehaved himself and got shot, his wife and family should suffer.

The Revd. E H L Reeve:

“It is an example to others, and there is a question of a deterrent.”

By four votes to three it was decided to support the Keithley proposal.

When a new Ingatestone War Memorial was unveiled in 2006 Archibald Browne was given his place of honour alongside his villagers. Later that year the Government, under Tony Blair, granted a posthumous pardon to all shot for desertion.

Remembering All Who Served

In his address at the RAF Centenary Service in July 2018, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, recalled his family members who had served, one of whom had been killed on active service.

“How fit and proper that we should remember all who have served”.

Some of the 81 named on Blackmore’s War Memorial were among the one and a half million men who were permanently weakened by wounds or the effects of gas, or unseen psychological scars as a consequence of the First World War.

Mental Health and the Legacy of War

Our understanding of mental health being as important as physical health is beginning to change one hundred years on from the First World War.

Natasha Devon, a leading mental health campaigner wrote this in 2018:

“In Britain, in particular we pride ourselves on having a ‘keep calm and carry on’, stiff upper lip-type mentality and seem to be labouring under the illusion that maintaining this through the horrors of the First and Second World Wars meant ‘no one ever used to have mental-health problems’.

I don’t have enough words available to me in this book to convey the extent to which people irrefutably DID have mental-health problems during the wars”.

We Will Remember Them

Laurence Binyon, war poet, has a local connection in that he grew up in Chelmsford before the War. He was the son of Frederick Binyon, curate of St Mary’s Church Chelmsford.

We end this talk with words first published at the beginning not end of the War:

“They went with songs to the battle, they were young
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow,
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall not grow old, as we are left to grow old,
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.”

Bibliography

The main source used in this talk, ‘Notes for a Parish History’ written by the Revd. E.H.L. Reeve of Stondon Massey can be found at the Essex Record Office, ref. T/P 188/3.

• Baker, Miss G.M. Margaretting. The Village with a Beautiful Name (G M Baker, 1983)
• Best, Nicholas. The Greatest Day in History (Phoenix, 2008)
• Clark, Revd. A. (ed. James Munson). Echoes Of The Great War. The Diary of the Reverend Andrew Clark 1914-1919 (Oxford University Press, 1985)
• Coller, Mary. Blackmore. My 1920s Wonderland (1999)
• Devon, Natasha. A Beginner’s Guide to Being Mental. An A-Z (Bluebird, 2018)
• Fleetwood, John. Reflected Glory (1979)
• Morris, Captain Joseph. The German Air Raids on Great Britain 1914 – 1918 (Nonsuch, 2007) First published in 1925
• Norris, Stephen. From A Borough to A City. A History of Chelmsford 1888-2012 (Bright Pen, 2014)
• Overy, Richard. The Birth of the RAF, 1918 (Allen Lane, 2018)
• Patch, Harry, with Emden, Richard. The Last Fighting Tommy (Bloombury, 2008)
• Smith, Graham. Essex and Its Race For The Skies (Countryide, 2007)
• Storey, Neil R. Zeppelin Blitz. The German Air Raids on Great Britain During The First World War (The History Press, 2015)
• Taylor, A.J.P. English History 1914-1945 (Oxford, 1965)
• Wilde, Mrs E.E. Ingatestone and the Essex Great Road with Fryerning (Oxford University Press, 1913)