Tank Week—In view of the visit of the Tank to Northampton, and to encourage the sale of War Savings Certificates, Messrs. John Cave and Sons Ltd., offer to add 1s. to every 14s. 6d. subscribed by employees for War Savings Certificates up to the number of ten certificates for each person during Tank Week. In addition to the gift of 1s. to each certificate, Messrs. Cave will also give prizes for the number of certificates taken up as follows: For under 500 certificates taken up prize War Certificates to the value of £15. For over 500 certificates taken up prize Certificates to the value of £35, as follows: 1st prize, ten Certificates; 2nd prize, five; 3rd prize, three; and 27 other prizes of one Certificate each.

The Schoolchildren of Rushden have contributed £102 for investment in War Loan at the Tank at Northampton this week.

Rushden Echo, 1^st March 1918

Northamptonshire’s Tank Week
The Rushden Urban District Council
First Public Authority to Invest Money
Higham Ferrers and Rushden Messages

The first public body to invest money in the Tank at Northampton on Monday was the Rushden Urban District Council, the sum of £1,300 being paid in for War Savings Certificates by Mr. John Spencer, J.P., and Mr. G. S. Mason (the chairman and the clerk of the Council).  Tank Week was formally opened at noon on Monday by the Lord Lieutenant, Earl Spencer, K.G., who faced a big crowd from the top of “Ole Bill.”  The attendance at the opening ceremony included people from nearly all parts of the shire.  Accompanying the Mayor of Northampton were the Mayor of Higham Ferrers (Ald. T. Patenall), the Mayors of Daventry and Brackley, and other places represented were Kettering, Wellingborough, Rushden, Long Buckby, Rothwell, Towcester, Thrapston, Earls Barton, Wollaston, Irchester, Potterspury, Burton Latimer, etc.

Among those present at the opening ceremony were, in addition to the chairman of the Rushden Urban Council, the Mayor of Higham Ferrers, and others already named: Miss H. Nelsen, Mr. F. C. Gray (secretary), Irchester; Mr. A. Sudborough, Mr. Owen Parker, Higham Ferrers; Mr. J. Claridge, J.P., C.C., Mr. G. S. Mason, Mr. J. S., Mrs., and Miss Mason, Rushden.

Lord Spencer was the first individual to invest.

Yesterday afternoon the Mayors of the county delivered messages from their boroughs.  The Mayor of Peterborough was unable to be present, and the Mayor of Daventry was prevented from attending through illness.

The Mayor of Northampton introduced the Mayor of Higham Ferrers (Ald. T. Patenall), who said that would be the most memorable week in the history of Northamptonshire, for what was being done showed how the whole county and all classes were united.  They were united in sending their sons to the war.  They were united when the call came for national service, and they were united now, when the Government were asking them to lend their money.  All would do their best, and by so doing would place a girdle round their islands, and make them still more secure.  Higham Ferrers, though a small town, was doing its best heartily and gladly.

Mr. Gardner, Mayor of Brackley, also spoke.

The contribution each day to 4 p.m. has been as follows:-

The total up to yesterday was thus over a million and a quarter.

Rushden’s message was delivered this (Friday) afternoon by Mr. John Spencer, (Chairman of the Urban Council), who was accompanied by the Rev. C. J. Keeler, Messrs. G. S. Mason, T. Swindall, C. W. Horrell, W. E. Capon, Amos Cave, and others.

Mr. Spencer said that Rushden was one of the most go-ahead towns in the county.  It had given a large quota of its men to the Colours, and had subscribed handsomely to war charities.  The inhabitants had done extremely well in finding money for the War Loans.

Rushden’s contribution was £90,027  0s.  6d., as follows: Bonds £82,665, certificates £7,362  0s.  6d., and “still going strong.”

Rushden Echo, 8^th March 1918

TANK TAKINGS – We are informed that the total amount raised by Rushden during Tank Week, including Bonds and Certificates, was £102,055.

Rushden Echo, 8^th March 1918

Tank Week in Northants - A Total of £1,609,951
Rushden and Irthlingborough to The Front
“Ole Bill” Sorry To Leave

The total amount subscribed during the Northampton Tank Week, which closed just before 9 p.m. on Saturday, was £1,609,951  7s.  9d.

This is considerably in excess of that obtained at some wealthier and much more populous centres; and it is larger than the most sanguine members of the committee had anticipated.

It had been arranged that “Ole Bill” – who, with five other Tanks, is taking part in the business men’s effort in London this week – should leave the Market-square at Northampton at 9 p.m. on Saturday, and it was only a few minutes afterwards when he commenced his journey to Castle Station.

He seemed sorry to go, and stopped twice before Gold-street was reached.  Eventually the station was reached without the slightest mishap at 9.30.

Nearly £100,000 from Rushden
Splendid Contribution to The Tank Week
Chairman of Rushden Urban Council Speaks of Town’s Love of Liberty
Fine Speech by the Rev. C. J. Keeler
Irthlingborough’s Remarkable Average

Rushden’s splendid sum of over £90,000 towards Northamptonshire’s Tank Week effort evoked enthusiastic applause at the brief ceremony in the Market-square, Northampton, on Friday afternoon last, when the town’s representatives give their “message.”  The Rushden representatives and visitors included Messrs. John Spencer, J.P. (chairman of the Rushden Urban Council, and of the Rushden War Savings Committee, etc.,) G. S. Mason (clerk to the Urban Council), T. Swindall (chairman of the Rushden Tribunal), C. W. Horrell (chairman of the Rushden and District Boot Manufacturers’ Association), W. E. Capon (Messrs. John Cave & Sons), W. J. Cure (manager Rushden Co-operative Society), Arthur Cave, Amos Cave, J. W. Nurrish, S. A. Pallett, James Jaques, W. Packwood, Whitby, the Rev. C. J. Keeler, Mrs. John Spencer, and others.  The deputation proceeded to the Northampton Town Hall, from whence, headed by the band of the 2^nd Battalion Northants Regiment, they proceeded to the Market-square.  The first row in the procession comprised the Mayor of Northampton (Mr. A. J. Chown), and the Chairmen of the Rushden and Irthlingborough Urban Councils (Mr. John Spencer and Mr. C. Featherstonhaugh).

Several speeches were made from the top of “Ole Bill.”  The Mayor of Northampton said they were pleased to have with them the representatives of the progressive and democratic town of Rushden, and he was sure all present would give the visitors a hearty welcome.

A crowd of about 5,000 people welcomed the Rushden representatives with great cordiality.

Rushden’s Message

Mr. Spencer, who was received with applause, said: When Rushden received the invitation to join in the Town and County effort on behalf of the Tank Week we unanimously decided to put forward our best efforts to try to make the week a great success.  It is of special interest to me, as a native of Northampton, to take part in these proceedings, and it is a great pleasure to me to represent Rushden on this occasion.  Rushden, as the Mayor of Northampton has already remarked, is a progressive and democratic town.  It is a town fond of liberty and freedom, and it is because of their love of these principles that we are here to-day.  And even during the war every privilege which has been encroached upon has been duly noted, and the residents of Rushden will be among the first to ask for the restoration of our rights and privileges after the war. (Applause).  Both in men and in money Rushden has done its level best during the war, and over 2,000 men have been called to the Colours.  In connection with a Mission Hall with which I am associated we have lost no fewer than 50 boys who have given their lives, including my own son.  The total loss of life for the whole of the town of Rushden would be very great indeed.  Rushden has very little ancient glory to boast about, but its love of freedom and liberty is strongly implanted.  About 17 miles away, as the crow flies, is the statue of Oliver Cromwell; 14 miles distant is the statue of John Bunyan, and 15 miles away is the democratic town of Northampton, and I hope that all the good qualities of the past and the present, and the principles they stand for, are embodied in the town of Rushden.  (Cheers).  When we appealed to the townspeople of Rushden on behalf of Tank Week we were gratified to find a liberal response.  Up to twelve o’clock to-day no less a sum than £82,665 has been paid in for War Bonds.  (Cheers, and cries of “Good Old Rushden!”).  Besides that, Rushden has contributed £7,362  0s.  6d. in War Savings Certificates.  (Applause.)  This makes a total of £90,027  9s.  6d.  (Loud and prolonged applause).  And we are still running! (Cheers).  I do not know what the total will be when we have finished, but we are proud to join the Town and County to make Tank Week a great success, and I think the Rushden effort is something to be proud of.  (Applause.)

The Rev. C. J. Keeler said: Your Worship, ladies and gentlemen, - The reason why I have been asked to take part in the “message” from Rushden is not quite settled in my mind, but of one thing I am perfectly certain, and that is of Rushden’s sincere desire for the success of the Tank Week and of her worthy contribution towards that end.  Allow me to say that my business here is not by any means to glorify war.  With every right-thinking person, I detest war with all my heart, but, while making that statement, I am conscious that there are even worse things than war, and one of them would be a peace on Germany’s terms.  (Hear, hear.)  And to avoid this calamity, painful as the statement may be to many of us, this conflict must go on for a time yet.  (Hear, hear.)  My attention has been arrested by the poster on the fountain yonder, which says, “A tank costs £5,000, and saves 5,000 lives.”  It was my privilege to be on the Western Front when the Tanks were first used, and from first-hand knowledge I sincerely believe that poster has not over-stated the facts.  An advance led by the Tanks means a tremendous advantage compared with the old methods earlier in the war.  (Hear, hear.)  But the Tank is only one of the inventions of the war to save the lives of the soldiers, and these inventions mean money.  The necessary quantity cannot be supplied unless the Government received the money of the nation.  That is why, not only we in Rushden, but the people throughout the country, are anxious for the success of the Tank Weeks.  We are up against a nation second to none in scientific skill, and that skill has been concentrated on the art of war.  Germany in this respect must be met on her own grounds, and with the help of America this will be done.  (Applause.)  We must not forget that we are up against a ruthless foe.  I remember the words of a young German officer who was captured on the Somme battlefield.  Speaking of the German official staff, he said, “We know that the ideal for which we set out is now absolutely impossible to us, but, depend upon it, we shall not give in until we have done all the damage possible to you British people.”  Every act of the enemy since has proved the truth of these words.  There is no hope of an honourable peace for England or for Europe until the ideal expressed by that officer is shattered.  (Applause.)  My other word is taken from a letter received by a brother chaplain of mine during the time I was in France.  The writer said: “Things are a bit rough in the front line here, and at time one gets terribly fed up with the whole business, but” – and here we have a bit of the true British – “I am prepared to stick it, even to make the supreme sacrifice if only I could be sure that my children and their children will not have to pass through the same hell as we are doing.”  (Applause.)  That soldier, I believe, expresses the heart of England to-day.  Things are “a bit rough,” not only in the front line, and at times we are “terribly fed up with the whole business,” but we are “prepared to stick it,” prepared to make sacrifice, if only our children and their children can be saved from a like calamity.  We are not “there” yet, but everyone can help towards that end by lending the Government all the money possible.  The raising of money is the great question of Tank Week, and the very fact of anybody being asked to speak from the Tank means that they are to urge that side of the question, but we are not forgetting even greater things than the need of money.  An old patriot whose love for his country is unequalled, uttered ages ago an eternal truth when he said “Righteousness exalteth a nation.”  If we are to come out of this great conflict on the right side and to make possible a peace honourable and lasting, we must be on the side of God.  Let us remember that God is always on the side, not of might but right. (Applause.)

Ald. G. Miller, who had promised to speak, was ill with influenza, and was unable to attend the ceremony.

WAR BONDS to the value of £250 were purchased in Rushden last week. The total for the 40 weeks is £165,400.