At work as usual. Finished in good time. Hurried to the station and went to Boldon to the Northumberland Fusiliers Concert. Had pretty good time. The Misses Mackenzie, Misses Banks, Mr Davis and Charlie and Blaikie there. Spoke a long time to one to the soldiers. Very much interested in the camp of the soldiers. They were very well mannered and in good spirits.
Tag Archives: Recruitment
15 January 1915; Friday
At work as usual. Went up to Recruiting Office and made enquiries. They advised me first to “Go home lad”, then to fill in the registration form. Read and played a bit.
13 January 1915; Wednesday
At work as usual. Fathers advert appeared in Echo. Finished rather late. Went down to drill but the key was missing and we got no drill. Went round with Charlie and talked over joining the A.S.C.1
The “A.S.C.”: the Army Service Corps (later the Royal Army Service Corps), which provided a wide range of support, such as clerical services and transport, to infantry and other branches of the Army. ↩
12 January 1915; Tuesday
At work as usual. Directors’ meeting. No dictated letters off Mr Lawson. Busy all day. The army open again for clerks. I thought about joining. Decided to put advert in the Echo for Father. Hilda & baby went away in the morning. Finished reading “The Manxman”1.
The Manxman: See 21 December 1914, The Manxman and Arthur Linfoot’s Library. ↩
13 December 1914; Sunday
At chapel as usual. Stormy day. Charlie not out except to work and back. Gave 2/- towards infants’ treat. Managed pretty well at Sunday School. Had shorter walks than usual. Charlie told us about being at the recruiting office and they wouldn’t take him on account of his finger1.
We do not know what this problem was. It arose again on 25 January 1915. ↩
5 December 1914; Saturday
Finished in good time. Went up with Joe to drill but when we got there decided to go for a walk and went round by the top of the new park and round Durham Road. Saw the recruiting procession. A lot of Scottish Horse and Highlanders. Recruiting Procession. Went to Teachers’ Training Centre. Had walk round town at night with Charlie and Willie. Read a bit last thing. Went to bed about midnight.
4 December 1914; Friday
Kept busy at work. Went with Father at night to Dr Robinson to be examined. Interview lasted a good bit. Big recruiting meeting in the Victoria Hall1. Lord Charles Beresford2 speaking. Went along to Halford’s† and bought Charlie a flash lamp. Had walk last thing with Joe.
Victoria Hall: see note on 10 January. ↩
Lord Charles Beresford (1846 – 1919): a senior admiral, popular with the public, and an MP from 1874; a participant in the late 19th/early 20th century naval controversies, including competing unsuccessfully for appointment as First Sea Lord in 1906, with Admiral Fisher (who escaped compulsory retirement at 65 in that year by promotion to Admiral of the Fleet, for which the retirement age was 70.) Fisher, who was a leader in the pre-1914 naval construction race with Germany, retired as First Sea Lord in 1911, but was recalled in 1914 to succeed the German-named Prince Louis of Battenberg, was a bizarre and unpredictable character, who briefly went absent during the controversy about the Dardanelles debacle, then resigned in May 1915. ↩
24 November 1914; Tuesday
Busy at work. Mr Kettle called for mother at night and we went to Garrett’s house and saw his parents. I went down to practice. Came round with Blaikie and Jim Wilkinson. A notice in the paper to the effect that the War Office is disposed to revive voluntary forces.
19 November 1914; Thursday
At work as usual. Went to special meeting of the Athletes’ Force in the reception room at the Town Hall. Mr Cecil de Pledge spoke on special constables, and Colonel Barker and others spoke on recruiting. Dr Bell spoke. Went down to the chapel afterwards and played ping-pong.
8 November 1914; Sunday
At chapel and School as usual. Mr Kettle preaching and preached well in the morning. Had usual walks. Billy Marshall playing all day. A lot of excitement about recruiting.