Up at 6.30. Kept busy all day. Stayed on at night. Had walk round the town in the morning. The Germans had put a big gun again and shelled heavily round about. I lay awake a good while listening.
Heard that a lot of artillery and suchlike had been killed the night before and that the dressing station had 70 wounded there. Wrote letter to Mr Eaves about Mr Mullens1. Did a bit French at night and read a bit.
Up at 6.30. Busy in the morning. 4 patients in for me. My turn in at night. Managed very well. Glorious weather. A lot of guns going up1. Received letter from home telling more [sic] that Mr Mullens2 had died on Sunday on his way to preach at Shiney Row3.
Mr Mullens: James Mullens, a lay minister from the South Durham Street United Methodist Free Church in Sunderland, where ALL had been a member prior to joining the RAMC. ALL had also recorded Mr Mullens’ death in his diary a few days earlier on Sunday, 20th May, the day it happened. It is probable that this earlier diary note was added later, some time after the news reached ALL on the 24th. Mr Mullens was 73 years old at the date of his death. See also all diary entries tagged “Mullens”. ↩
Shiney Row: mining village between Penshaw and Houghton-le-Spring, 5 miles SW. of Sunderland. ↩
FUNERAL OF MR J. MULLENS.
Image and text via the British Newspaper Archive.
The funeral of the late Mr James Mullens, commercial traveller, who died while travelling by train on Sunday to fulfil a preaching engagement, took place at noon to-day. The coffin was of polished fumed oak with brass mountings, the shield bearing the inscription : “James Mullens, died May 20, 1917, aged 73 years.” The officiating minister was the Rev. Edward Eaves, and the interment was made in the family burial ground in Sunderland Cemetery, Ryhope Road. The mourners included Mrs F. W. Waggott (sister), Mr G. P. Mullens, Mr H. R. Mullens (sons), Mr and Mrs Arthur Mullins (son and daughter-in-law), Mr F. Waggott (son-in-law), Mr E. Stokes (brother-in-law), Mr J. H. Waggott, Sister Annie, Mr. E. Potts, Miss Hammond, Mr J. W. Gant, Mr R. P. Hann, Mr R. Bailes, Mr Eaves, and Mr J. Hine. There were no flowers, by request. Messrs Crofton and Sons had charge of the funeral arrangements.
DEATH IN A TRAIN
Image and text via the British Newspaper Archive.
The death occurred with painful suddenness yesterday morning of Mr James Mullens, 17, Athol Park. Mr Mullens, who was 701, was a well-known local preacher, and yesterday had an engagement to preach at Shiney Row. When he left the house to catch his train he knew that he was rather pressed for time ,and in consequence he hurried to the station. After getting into the train he was taken ill and died before he reached Millfield Station. Dr Gray was then called and saw the body, and stated that death had taken place. The deceased was removed to the mortuary and afterwards to his residence. Mr Mullens was a commercial traveller.
James Mullens was actually 73 years of age at the time of his death. ↩
Up at 6.50. Kept busy all morning. Wrote letters in the afternoon. Lovely day. A lot of troops going up the line1. Dory and Holman called for me in the afternoon and we went to Méteren again. Very hot day. I went to the †Anglicans’ Creed Ascension† service at night and it was very good, but not up to last week.
Heard that Mr Mullens2 had died.
“A lot of troops…”: ALL also mentions a lot of guns moving up the line around this time. See note on 22 May. ↩
Mr Mullens: A minister from the South Durham Street United Methodist Free Church in Sunderland, where ALL had been a member prior to joining the RAMC. Mr Mullens, Esther and Arthur Mullens are all mentioned occasionally throughout the diaries. ALL did not yet know of Mr Mullens’ death at this date and this note was added retrospectively. ↩
Up at 7 o’clock and on duty as usual. Went with Harvey to a bible class at La Clytte Y M at night. Very nice little meeting. The leader reminded me of Mr Mullens1. He took our names and made a big fuss.
Mr Mullens: A minister from the South Durham Street United Methodist Free Church in Sunderland, where ALL had been a member prior to joining the RAMC. Mr Mullens, Esther and Arthur Mullens are all mentioned occasionally throughout the diaries. ↩
Visited Grandmother, Whittakers’1 and Jack’s. Mr Dill’s funeral in the afternoon and I went over to see it with Ernie. Met George Crawford2 who was in the procession. Climbed Ernie’s backyard wall to get in. Ernie took my photo3. Down to chapel at night and saw Mr Blott, Arthur Mullens, Billy and Edie and a few more.
“Whittakers'”: Willie Whittaker‘s family. Willie might not have been there, having enlisted in November 1915, although he was present a few days later. ↩
George Crawford: a colleague of ALL from the Hendon Paper Mill, still working there as late as the 1950s. ↩
While apparently taken in a back yard, there is no other evidence to suggest that the photograph of ALL accompanying this entry (top) is the one taken by Ernie on this day although a very similar photograph of Ernie himself (bottom) also exists in a family collection. See also Family page. ↩
At chapel in the evening. Slept in in the morning. Mr Mullens preaching in the morning and Mr Hewitt at night. At Sunday School as usual. Had short walks. Fine day. Aeroplane over three times. Went to Whittakers’ to tea. Fine night. Willie appeared at chapel in khaki.
At chapel and class as usual. Had Ron Haynes’ class and mine and had some trouble. Mr Mullens on the desk as Dick is unwell. Reverend Arthur Strother preached and was very slow in his delivery. Willie Blaikie went round with us at night. Charlie sang a piece from “St Paul”. There was some trouble about his book and some misunderstanding. The German submarines sunk some British ships in the Irish Sea1.
On 30 January 1915, U-21, the first U-boat in the Irish sea, captured Ben Cruachan (a collier) and two other ships. Ben Cruachan was scuttled some 15 miles north-west of Morecambe Light House using explosive charges set by U-21 crew. See World War 1 at Sea – Royal Navy Vessels Lost and Damaged at Naval-History.net ↩
Not much to do at work. Tom brought his gramophone over at night. I received 5/61 Christmas bonus. Charlie at work from 5.35 train until about midnight. Went to the Watch service2 with Ernie and Joe after finishing the letter to New Zealand. Mr Chadwick and Joe Speed spoke and Mr Mullens prayed. Pretty good service. I had walk round the town. Walked through Garrison Field with Joe.
THE END3