Billeting—During the week officers have visited Rushden in connection with the probable quartering of soldiers in the town, and in this connection the police have been busy arranging billets in the Queen-street and Portland-road district. We understand that the men for whom provision has thus been made comprise about 1000 of the Yorkshire Light Infantry, and arrangements have also been completed for the accommodation of 60 horses. If the soldiers come to Rushden they are expected in ten day’s time, and they will take their meals in the Public Hall, the Queen-street schools, and the Athletic Club. The officers who visited Rushden were so impressed with the compactness of the town, that they expressed the opinion, we understand, that it was a pity they had not decided to bring the whole of their men to Rushden.

Rushden Soldier Guests – Arrival at Higham Ferrers
York & Lancaster Regt. – Over a Thousand Men

Rushden’s new military visitors arrived on Wednesday and were accorded a hearty welcome. The men, comprising about 1,100, are of the 2/4 Hallamshire Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment.

They arrived on Wednesday in two batches, and were conveyed from Flixton Hall, Bungay, Suffolk (where they have been encamped for the past fourteen weeks), in two special trains.

Their journey to Higham Ferrers Midland Station was via March, Peterborough, Kettering, and Wellingborough, and they detrained in the goods yard, their journey from Bungay having been uneventful.

A & B Companies arrived at 1.45p.m., and C & D Companies at 4.45p.m. In both instances the men fell in in the Chelveston-road, Higham Ferrers, and marched direct to Rushden. The battalion quartered in Rushden is composed mainly of men from the Sheffield district, and the men, who, we understand, have been under canvas for some time past, are extremely glad to get into comfortable billets.

We have no doubt that when their time comes to leave the town, they will carry away with them memories not less pleasant than those which were the experience of our former soldier guests, the R.W.F.’s and Herefords.

Some of the Y & L arrive

Lieut.-Col. F. St. John Blacker is in command of the battalion quartered in Rushden, and the officers are, we understand, very favourably impressed with the compactness of the town and the accommodation available. The men are in billets for sleeping purposes, but will dine out, mess accommodation having been provided at the Athletic Club, the Queen-street schools, the W.M.C., the Public Hall, and the Park-road Wesleyan Schoolroom. The B.W.T.A. Hall is being utilised as the Battalion headquarters, and Rushden House has been taken over as the Officers’ mess.

The officers accompanying the troops include the following:- A Company, Captains Beeby and Drabble, Lieut. Conmee, Lonsdale, Napier, Higgins, Norman, and Maclaren; B. Company, Capt. Lucas, Capt. Stuart, Lieuts. Mainprice, Unwin, Skine, Watters and Lambert; C. Company, Major Richardson, Capt. Gale, Lieut. Higham, Barber, Hart, Mitchell, and Fitzgerald; D. Company, Capt. Vickers, Capt. Jenkinson, Lieuts. Rogers, Drabble, and Lee-Dunham.

The Park-road Wesleyans are turning their Guild-room into an institute for the soldiers, and it will be fitted up with billiard tables, &c.

It has been decided by the trustees not to have a separate parade service at the Park-road Wesleyan Church, as was done when the Royal Welsh Fusiliers were here. Instead, the soldiers will attend the ordinary morning service, which, however, will be held at 10.30 instead of at 10.45. The prescher on Sunday morning next will be the Rev. Henry Long.

The Vestry Hall has been opened by the Rector of St. Mary’s as an institute for the soldiers.

The Park-road Baptist Church are, we understand, again providing recreation rooms for our military visitors. The assembly room and class rooms, which have been darkened to conform with the lighting regulations, are to be utilised for the purpose. Refreshments will be provided, notepaper, envelopes, etc., may be obtained, and various games have been arranged for, including billiards. The rooms will be opened on Tuesday.
Note: some of the pictures published with this article are not of good enough quality to reproduce here.

Rushden Echo, 3^rd November 1916

The Drum and Bugle Band of the Battalion now billeted in Rushden, as depicted above, is a remarkably fine combination, and is in charge of Sergt. Drummer A Bingham. Sergt Bingham has trained the band from its inauguration, with the exception of a short period when it was conducted by Sergt Winterton, who has now been invalided out of the army.

Back row: L-Cpl. Swift (trainer), Sgt. Hill, H.A., Sig. Sheldon,  Pt. Shaw, J. C., Pt. Maile, Mr. Wilkins (ref.), Lt. C. Walker, Pt. Barker, Pt. Brammer. Front row: Pte. Wright, T., L-Cpl. Gill, J., Sgt. Brady, A., Cpl. Wallace, Pt. Bolsover. Right-half Battalion. (Blue and White)

Back row: Sgt. Frith, Pt. Frith, Pt. Kelley, Mr.Wilkins (ref.), Pt. Gillott, Pt. Green, Sgt. Whyman, Cpl. Croft, Pt. Denby. Front row: Pt. Beck, L-Cpl. Gimber, Pt.Winterbottom, L-Cpl. Reader, A, L-Cpl. Elliott, D. Left-half Battalion. (Red and Black)

They have a goal record of 22 for 4 against.

Several famous footballers are billeted in Rushden, including Gill, of Sheffield Wednesday; Rookes and Moore, of Derby County; and Reader, of Birmingham. There are also quite a lot of players from the third rate League clubs. The Rushden Thursday ground has been secured.

An inter-battalion match, Right Half of the Battalion v. Left Half, will be played to-morrow (Saturday), the kick-off being at 2.30. Mr. Wilkins is to be the referee, and the linesmen will be Sergt. Brady and Sergt. Frith. Soldiers in uniform will be admitted free, civilians 2d. each.

Rushden Echo, 10^th November 1916

Rushden Guests - Saturday's Football
At the Rushden  Thursday Ground on Saturday last our soldier visitors opened their  football  programme in Rushden. Both teams, of course, had numerous khaki supporters, but a good number of civilians were present.

The game on the whole was good but not up to the usual standard. Lancs. Corpl. Gill was the most prominent player and his attacks were always dangerous. He netted the ball five times for the right half.

The Y. and L. Regt.—A bouquet of red, white and blue flowers has been placed on the Park-road and Harborough-road Roll of Honour by the committee in memory of the fallen heroes of the Hallamshires, recently billeted at Rushden. An appropriate “in memoriam” card was attached to the floral tribute.

K.O.Y.L.I.’s Killed—We are sorry to learn that two Rushden K.O.Y.L.I.’s have been killed. Company-Sergt.-Major Kirk, billeted with Mr. and Mrs. A. Abblet, of Robinson-road, Rushden, and Sergt. Johnson, billeted with Mr. and Mrs. Drage, Robinson-road, were killed on May 4th and 3rd respectively.

Recommended for Distinction
Mr. J. Roe, of Newton-road, Rushden, has received a letter from a York and Lancs. Soldier, Co.-Sergt.-Major W. Turton, who was billeted with him. He writes: “I have heard of the boys writing that it was like going through hell, and I’m sure I went through it in the attack we made on the 3rd. I have just got my nerves into something like old form. Poor old Drew (Sergt. E. Drew, also billeted with Mr. Roe) is killed. A lot of the dear, brave lads went under that day. I went over the top twice in a few hours, and went through the biggest and fiercest battles in history without a scratch. I have been recommended for distinction; but, of course, nothing may come of it.”

Four Wounds and Gassed, but Still Smiling
Mr. and Mrs. G. Stokes, of East Grove, Rushden, have received a letter from Corpl. J. Frith, of the Yorks and Lancs., who made many friends in Rushden through providing such excellent boxing tournaments during the stay of the troops in Rushden. He says he is badly hit, but coming through all right. He had two machine-gun bullets in his left thigh, two shell wounds in the left side of the face, his left jaw being fractured, and also has been “gassed.” This, he writes, was greedy for one day, but they had not beat him yet. “I generally take a lot of knocking out,” he says, “and so I am still smiling.” He is at present in Lord Derby’s War Hospital, Ward 9a East, Warrington, and would like a few lines from friends to cheer along the monotony of the long hours. I’m sure Rushden friends will write him.

The Y. and L. Regiment—Mrs. Jackson, of Pittsmoor, Sheffield, writes to the Editor of the “Rushden Echo” as follows: “I would like to express my gratefulness for the kindness shown to this regiment whilst stationed at Rushden. It was greatly appreciated by my husband and the other boys of the regiment. They say they will never forget the happy times spent in your town.

Prisoner of War—Pte. James Bayliss, No. 204234 York and Lands., a native of Nottingham, is a prisoner of war. He is the husband of Mrs. Bayliss, formerly Miss Winnie Neal, daughter of Mr. A. Neal, of Higham-road, Rushden, and was reported missing since May 3rd. Mrs. Bayliss has now heard from her husband that he is quite well, but is a prisoner of war in Germany. Before he joined the Army he served five years in the Navy. His family is well-known in Nottingham, and he has four more brothers serving with the Colours, three in the Army and one in the Navy.

The Y. & L.—Sergt. G. Gill, 202577 B. Co., Y. & L., B.E.F., France sends us the following: “I am awfully sorry to trouble you, but I should like to hear from a few of my Rushden friends. As it isd over twelve months since we were at rushden, I have forgotten a lot of their addresses, and I expect it is the same as regards them not knowing mine. As you know, playing football for the Sheffield Wednesday Club, I have stayed in practically all the principal towns in Great Britain, but there is not one where I have more friends, or a town which I hold in more estimation than dear little Rushden. We have been in another big stunt, so you will guess there are not many of us left who were billeted at Rushden. Would you be so kind as to insert a line or two in the “Rushden Echo,” saying I would like to hear from a few friends who knew me.” Those who write should add the number of the battalion, which we are not allowed to print.

Private Wm. Johnson, of the Y. and L. Regiment, who was formerly billeted with Mr. Cox, of 159 Queen-street, Rushden, was wounded at Cambrai on Nov. 23rd, and was removed to England on Nov. 29th, being sent to a hospital in Nottingham. He is now convalescent, and utilized part of his ten days’ leave to visit his old billet and to see his old friends at Rushden. Interviewed by a “Rushden Echo” representative, Pte. Johnson said that his battalion had advanced six miles and had taken all their objectives. He and five others were with a machine gun. Two of the German howitzer positions had been taken, and Fritz made four determined counter-attacks to regain his lost position, but he failed each time. Unfortunately, Pte. Johnson and three of his comrades were wounded, and the officer in charge was killed. Pte. Johnson was hit in the left forearm and muscle. Speaking of the optimism of the men at the front, Pte. Johnson said they kept up their spirits splendidly by talking of the good times they had in Rushden. He said the men of the Y. and L. Regiment could not think too highly of the kindness with which they were treated at Rushden and he personally could not wish for a better billet. He had the “Rushden Echo” sent to him while he was at the front, and he and his chums looked forward to the Rushden paper and to letters from Rushden as much as the newspapers and correspondence from their own town.