Rushden Echo, 18^th May 1917, transcribed by Gill Hollis

A Roll of Honour, placed on Mr. Sherwood’s house in Portland-road, for Portland-road, King’s-road, and King’s-place, was formally dedicated on Saturday afternoon.  The dedication was conducted by the Rector (the Rev. P. Robson) and addresses were given by the Revs. C. J. Keeler and E. F. Walker.  The total cost of the “shrine,” which was made by Mr. R. Marriott, has been kindly defrayed by a friend.  The amount collected in the box on Saturday totalled £1  2s.  8d., and it is proposed next week to forward 3s. to each of the lads now serving whose names are inscribed on the Roll of Honour.  The total amount raised by collections and box to the present is £6.  The committee is as follows:-  Mesdames B. Scroxton (secretary), J. Allen (treasurer), Adams, Bailey, Clayton, and Geary.

Misses Dorothy and Maisie Bettles, daughters of Sergt. Major Bettles, have made and sold bags of lavender to the value of 3s. for the Portland-road and King’s-road War Shrine.

From “Somewhere in France” - Pte. William H Davis, writing to Mrs J Allen, secretary of the Portland-road, King’s-road, and King’s-place Roll of Honour, under date September 17th, acknowledging the receipt of a gift from the War Shrine, says: “I wish to thank you for your kind remembrance, for it certainly is very welcome. I am in hospital at the present time, and, as you no doubt know, we do not get any pay while in hospital, so it is doubly welcome, for it enables us to buy the little things that help to make life more pleasant, such as smokes, etc. Although I am in the Canadian Army, I consider myself one of the old boys of Portland-road, and I am therefore trying to do my bit along with them. Some time ago Mrs B Scroxton sent me a photograph of the shrine you put up in their honour, and you cannot tell how proud I feel of the Portland-road district. I am sorry to hear that so many of the boys have made the supreme sacrifice, but it touches my heart to know that their sacrifice has not gone unrecognised by the people of Portland-road, and I am sure the boys who have given their lives would be proud to know that their efforts have not been in vain. During the past three years there has been a cloud of hardships, suffering, and self-sacrifice, but I can plainly see the silver lining, and I do not think it will be long before the bright sunshine of peace and victory for the Allies will burst forth and crown our efforts with success.”

Portland-road War Shrine—Mrs J Allen, secretary of the Portland-road, King's-road, and King's-place Roll of Honour, under date September 17th, has received a further batch of letters in acknowledgment of gifts from the shrine. Pte W Underwood says: "I have received registered letter containing 3s. from the Roll of Honour fund. The first issue which you sent direct reached me all right. I wrote a few lines thanking the committee and subscribers, but I fear my reply was sent on an 'unlucky' boat. It is very nice to receive greetings and a little help from the public, for it shows that we are thought of and that we have the best wishes of our fellow-townspeople." Lce-Corpl. A H Bailey, of the Devons, with the Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force, writes: "The arrival of the mail is the happiest event here, for our letters are the only connecting link that we have with home. I shall always treasure the beautiful card, the more now that it has a little history attached to it. We had given up this mail for lost, as the mail-boat --- was reported sunk just off Bombay. You may imagine what a pleasant surprise we had when we heard that some of the mails had been recovered. We received them this morning, although some of them were damaged. Some of my letters were open, but they were stamped 'Accident at sea'. I am glad to say that your letter was not damaged in the slightest." Corpl. W Linnitt, 5th Northamptons, writes from hospital in Newcastle-on-Tyne, and Lance-Corpl. A Butcher, -- Infantry Brigade, B.E.F., also writes expressing thanks to the committee.

Rushden Echo, 18th January 1918, transcribed by Gill Hollis

The Gratitude of The Boys
Rushden’s Roll of Honour Scheme
Thankful Soldiers

Mrs. Allen, secretary of the Portland-road, King’s-road and King’s-place Roll of Honour, has received many letters from the soldiers in acknowledgement of postal orders for 2s.  8d. forwarded to them by the committee, from the Roll of Honour fete, and the following are a few samples:-

Company Sergt-Major J. T. Bettles: I am sure the boys will much appreciate the thoughtfulness and kindness of their fellow-townsmen.

Sergt. T. Brown, Beds Regiment: I paid a short visit to Rushden last week and saw your war shrine, which I thought very nice indeed.

Pte. H. A. Austin: The gift comes in very useful, and we don’t get much money.  We can soon spend what we get on food alone.

Pte. W. R. Endersby: Not only does the money come in useful, but I am sure everyone who has been fortunate enough to hear from you is proud to think of the kindness of all whom he has left in dear old Rushden.  I read of the fete in the “Rushden Echo,” and was very pleased to hear that it had been so successful.  It must be quite exciting to live in Rushden just now, for, from what I hear, there seems to be a parade or fete on almost every week.

Pte. S. King: It is nice to know that they remember you in the good old town.

F. C. Bailey, H.M. Rescue Tug---- : I received the Roll of Honour card and the postal order and stamps, and as you wish me not to send it back, I shall buy some little memento to remind me that though we are out of sight we are not out of mind with the people at home.

Pte. H. Underwood: This makes the third sum I have received from the Roll of Honour.

Gunner B. Houghton (“In the field”): Pay-days are few and far between, but we don’t mind that.  As Bottomley says, “We are all optimists out here,” and more or less fatalists.  I read an account of the fete and parade in the “Rushden Echo,” and I should very much have liked to be there.  It is awfully good of the people of Rushden to take such trouble over us, when they might have taken no notice of us, like the people of other towns.

Pte. J. Willmott, Royal Sussex Regiment: We are always pleased to get news from dear old Rushden.

Pte. R. W. Brown, M.T., A.S.C.: We are all hoping for a satisfactory peace to be proclaimed soon.

Lance-Corpl. H. G. Prickett, T.R.B.: We are ever so busy just now with air raids.

H. E. Skinner: I am still holding well and living in hopes of the war ending soon.

Pte. W. Clayton: There must be a good deal of work attached to the Rolls of Honour.  I was very glad to know that the fete had turned out such a success, as it cheers the workers as well as those they work for.  I know it deserves success for the time and thought that must be given to it.  Doubtless I shall read the account of the fete in the “Rushden Echo,” as I always receive it from home.

Lance-Corporal F. R. Esson: If I see this Christmas through out here it will make my third out here, so I have had a good innings, and I am hoping soon to see Germany bowled out.  I have had only one leave since being on active service.

Pte. W. Miller, 7^th Northants: I am still in hospital, but am getting on fine now.

Pte. H. Hillier: I thank you for the kindness which prompts you to give so much of your time to benefit your neighbours.  I have had a few very narrow escapes, but of the awful sights I have seen I will say nothing.  I want to forget them, but I am afraid I never shall.  For the last few weeks we have been enjoying a well-earned rest, and have had sports, football, cricket, and whist drives arranged to amuse us and keep us from dwelling on what we went through when in the fighting last.

Pte. G. Thomas: I am longing to get back to dear old Rushden again, but it does one good to see the boys out here.  We are bound to win with such men – the pick of the world.  I don’t think the enemy can hold out much longer, and then there will be a crash.  I should like to see some of his towns blown up, like he has done to the French; then he will realise that he has lost.

Pte. R. P. Smith: The war shrine fete, I see by the “Rushden Echo,” was a great success.

Sapper Horace King: I was glad to get the 2s.  8d., for the boys get none too much, and we want a change sometimes from bully beef.

Letters were also received, among others, from Corpl. W. Linnitt, Pte. W. Skinner, Pte. C. W. Geary, Lance-Corpl. A. Butcher, Drummer F. Darnell, Lance-Sergt. J. Allen, Pte. E. Childs, Pte. W. M. Knight, Sapper R. Ekins, Pte. A. R. Endersby, Pte. W. Hart and Pte. F. J. Allen.

Rushden Echo, 2^nd August 1918

Rushden Boys with The Forces
Portland-Road Roll of Honour
Glad to be Remembered

Mrs. J. Allen, of Portland-road, Rushden, secretary of the Roll of Honour for Portland-road, King’s-road, and King’s-place, has received many letters of thanks from the recipients of the gifts from the committee, the following being extracts:-

Pte. G. Thomas (France): Thanks for the 4s.  We expect to emerge from this struggle in every way a better people.

Pte. W. R. Scroxton (Hong Kong, China): No praise is too great for the friends interested.

Lance-Corpl. Chas. Smith: I am still in hospital, undergoing treatment.

Pte. C. W. Geary, since writing, has gone overseas.

Pte. R. W. Brown, M.T., A.S.C., says he is stationed in the north of England as motor driver to an Anti-Aircraft Company.

F. Groom (France): We know the ladies and the older folks cannot come out here, but all we want is a few of the money-grubbers to come out; I mean some of the slackers whom I had the worst of luck to see when I was home on leave.

W. Linnitt: I am getting along fine now, and my wound is healed up.

Pte. R. P. Smith writes from hospital in Norwich.

Sapper R. F. Bettles, R.E. (France): one cannot say too much in praise of the good work done by the Roll of Honour committees of Rushden.  The money is very acceptable, as it provides many little luxuries which the boys out here would otherwise be unable to obtain.

Other writers include Gunner A. T. Ball, Sapper R. Ekins, F. Chattell, R.N.S.B.R., Signaller E. Faulkner (Somewhere in France), Sapper Thomas Anderson, R.E., Pte. R. Denton (France), J. Willmott, Gunner A. L. Prickett, R.H.A., Sergt. T. Brown, Second A.M. W. H. Haseldine, R.F.C. (France), Pte. F. T. Allen, Pte. H. Copson (Canadians), Pte. H. G. Warren, Pte. R. Smith (Canadians), Pte. A. Young, R.A.M.C., Lance-Corpl. F. R. Esson, Gunner Ben Houghton, Pte. H. Hill, Pte. Knight, Pte. F. Darnell.

Lavender Bags have been made and sold in aid of the Portland-road Roll of Honour by two little girls, Freda Shortland, of Portland-road, and Lily Pendered, of Orchard-place, who have done very good service and whose work has been much appreciated by the committee.