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In October 1914, police constable Miles was the armed escort when Henry Sip, an Austrian, aged about 29, was arrested at a farm at North Crawley and taken to His Majesty’s Concentration Camp at Newbury.

At a meeting of the Newport Pagnell Board of Guardians, in November 1914 Mr. Moss, the relieving officer for the Fenny Stratford district, reported that a North Crawley woman had asked for outdoor relief for herself and her 3 children. For 17 weeks she had been paid nothing by her husband, from whom she was separated since she would not leave the village and live near his work. He now occupied a cottage at the other end of the parish, “but the trouble is that she won’t come and live with me. I am willing to take her back.” The Guardians said that relief could not be granted, but offering the couple some sound advice advised them to make up their differences. In fact one member went into the waiting room with them, and after a talk was successful in persuading the man to return to the wife and children.

On December 6th 1914, at 4p.m. on the Bedford road an army officer, Lieutenant David Douglas, was stopped by a police constable who asked to see his licence. The officer said that he had no licence, and, with the car having been hired for Government work, he had no instructions that one was needed. The police constable then advised him to take out a licence at Bedford, where his regiment was stationed. When the case came to court there was some debate as to the need for a licence, but by a majority the Bench imposed a fine of 10s, with 9s costs.

At the Royal Agricultural Show at Nottingham, on Tuesday, June 29th 1915 Mr. Harry Ward won 3rd prize with a pedigree British Holstein Friesian bull. The animal had been reared by Zenus Owen Percival, the stockman on the farm who also had charge of a dairy herd, but sadly Zenus met a tragic end on Saturday, August 12th 1915 when, having turned out the bull into a field to graze with the cows, on returning it to shelter from the sun there was a loud clap of thunder as he entered the stall. The startled animal turned on him, and he died about an hour later from internal injuries

On Monday, September 13th 1915 a Naval balloon in the charge of two officers landed in a field next to Crawley Grange. The vessel had ascended from Wormwood Scrubs at 11.30a.m., and arrived at North Crawley three hours later.

Regarding Christmas presents for the soldiers, at a public meeting on November 10th 1915 a committee was elected consisting of Mrs. Gray, Mrs. George Brandon, Nurse Leeks, Mrs. Cherry, Mrs. Higgins and Mrs. Linger. With about £13 being collected some 50 presents would be sent, with each package containing a card inscribed ‘From the people of North Crawley to their soldiers as a Christmas gift - England stands for honour, God defend the right.’ Also enclosed was a plum pudding, as a gift from Mrs. Boswell.

Raising about £2 5s, in an excellent and varied programme on Thursday, January 20th 1916 the Magpies Concert Party, from Newport Pagnell, gave a performance in aid of Red Cross funds.

At the Newport Pagnell Divisional Petty Sessions, on Tuesday, September 5th 1916 Alfred Allen, a farmer from North Crawley, was summoned for not having screened the lights of his house. On the date in question police constable Rockford said at 9.50p.m. he had seen a bright light from windows on the ground floor, and on investigation found that two blinds had not been drawn, and the material of the third was insufficient to comply with the Lights Order. The defendant had received a previous warning, and there was no excuse as the windows also had shutters. Mr. Allen said that he had done everything necessary to provide the blinds, and it was up to the women to look after the windows when the lamps were lit. He would see that this was done in future. A fine of 10s was imposed.

In December 1916, the Reverend. J. Dove, the rector of North Crawley, received the following letter from Trooper W. Clare, of the 3/1st Beds Yeomanry. He was stationed at Colchester, and said;

“Rev. and Dear Rector, - I wish to thank you and the people of North Crawley very much indeed for the parcel you sent to me for Christmas. It was a most pleasant surprise and very much appreciated. It does one good to know one’s Pastor and neighbours think of them, especially at this time of the year when the hearts of those away from the village for a time are drawn closer to the people at home. I thought of you all on Christmas Day, and although some distance away wished you all a happy and peaceful Christmas. . . We were treated as well here for Christmas as could be expected. Our Dinner on Christmas Day consisted of chicken, ham, roast beef, brussels sprouts and potatoes, and plum pudding, custard and mince pies. In the evening we had a concert and refreshments consisting of beer and minerals, cigarettes, nuts, apples, oranges, and cake, so that we had quite an enjoyable time. - Yours sincerely and gratefully, W. CLARE.”

In April 1917 Private John Roberts, of the Bedfordshire Regiment, was in Leicester hospital, having been badly wounded in the left arm during the heavy fighting around Lens. The son of Mr. and Mrs. Len Roberts, he was 20 years old, and having joined up around May 1916 was sent to France some 5 months later. Going to the Front together, Arthur Caves, the son of Daniel Cave, had joined up on the same day, and he was now lying wounded in a French field hospital.

In March 1918, and again in May, Mrs. Dove advertised for a cook general at North Crawley Rectory. ‘Housemaid kept.’

In May 1918 Mr. and Mrs. A. Bonar received news that their eldest son, Private Andrew Bonar, of the Gloucestershire Regiment, had been wounded in France on April 26th, and died the same day. 20 years old, he had been on the Western Front for 13 months, and before joining up had been apprenticed to Mr. S. Brandon of North Crawley.

At the Newport Pagnell Petty sessions, on Wednesday, June 26th 1918 Elizabeth Allen, a boarding house keeper, who occupied a farm at North Crawley, was summoned for failing to keep a register of aliens, and for failing, within 24 hours, to forward to the superintendent of police a signed statement of an alien, who was staying in her house on June 10th 1918. She pleaded guilty through ignorance. Giving evidence, police constable Crockford said that regarding an alien staying at the premises he had visited the house at 11a.m. on June 10th, and found that no register had been kept, nor had a statement been sent to the superintendent. Regarding the matter, the defendant then drove to Newport Pagnell to see Superintendent Dibben, who in his evidence said the defendant had advertised in ‘The Lady,’ and a British born German woman answered and came down to stay. As for her input, the defendant said “I would rather do anything than cause trouble. I have never been notified. My visitor was an Englishwoman, but German by marriage. She came from London.” She said that for a few weeks during the summer she took in from 10 to 12 paying guests, but now had only four. The maximum fine could have been £100, but only 10s was imposed for each offence.

(In December 1917, by the Aliens Restriction Order new regulations had come into force for keepers of hotels, inns, boarding houses and lodging houses. They had to send to the Superintendent of Police for the Division the signed statement of any alien staying in the house on Form A.R.-E, not later than 24 hours after the arrival of the person. They also had to forward to the same not later than 24 hours after the person’s departure a further signed statement. This would be on an additional form, giving the date of departure and the new address or destination.)

For Peace Day, July 19th 1919, the village had been profusely decorated, and at 1p.m. Mr. J. Boswell gave a lunch to the returned soldiers, with some 40 sitting down to well laid tables. On the sports ground, at 2.15p.m. the soldiers then presented commemorative medals to 112 village children, who at 4p.m. were entertained to tea in the village hall. An hour later, at the Institute a meat tea was served to the adult residents, with some 220 guests being provided for. Held at the back of The Grange, by permission of Mr. Boswell, in the meantime the soldiers’ committee had been conducting sports for firstly the children and then the grown ups. Amongst the events were an obstacle race, tilting at the bucket, and a tug of war, in which the soldiers beat the civilians, and the proceedings continued until 10p.m., when everyone gathered at the Institute for the presentation of the prizes by Mrs. Dove. At 10.45p.m. a short fireworks display then concluded the celebrations.
Lance Corporal Frederick Hedge, of the 2nd Battalion, Oxon and Bucks Light Infantry, died on Monday, September 23rd 1918 from the serious wounds he had sustained ten days earlier. The Matron of the hospital had written several letters to his wife, and in the final one said that he “lapsed into an unconscious state, and this continued to the end, which was very peaceful. I am sure this will be a great trial to you, and I wish it could have been otherwise. We feel so disappointed when our efforts end like this. Please accept our sincere sympathy.” Lance Corporal Hedge was the third son of John and Elizabeth Hedge, of North Crawley, and his widow, Rose, and 17 months’ old baby lived at Duck End, Maulden, Beds. He enlisted on September 1st 1914, from employment on the Midland Railway at Bedford, and crossed to France in July 1915. Two months later he was wounded, and after recovering in England returned to the Western Front in November 1916. In February 1917 he was again wounded, but this time remained in France. He was killed the day before his 27th birthday.

THE BOSWELLS AT CRAWLEY GRANGE

Thomas David Boswell, the younger brother of James Boswell, the biographer of the famous Dr. Johnson, purchased the estate of Crawley Grange in 1803, and his descendants would still be resident there at the outbreak of the First World War. The owner was Mr. J. Boswell, and having recently returned home on holiday from Ceylon, where he managed a tea plantation, in August 1914 his only son, Mr. John Irvine Corrie Boswell, resumed his commission in the Royal Bucks Hussars, which he had joined after serving a while with the Bucks Regiment of Yeomanry, following an education at Radley College and Lathbury Park. As for his father, who had promised a silver wrist watch to each volunteer for active service from the village, in October 1914 he was serving as a captain in the Field Ambulance Corps, Scottish Horse Brigade, which was in training at Dunkeld. Mrs. Boswell was also aiding the war effort, for during that month she placed an order with Messrs. Salmons and Sons, of Newport Pagnell, for a motor ambulance. This would then be presented to the Red Cross Society for service on the battlefield, to be driven at the Front by her son, ‘Corrie.’ By the invitation of Mrs. Boswell, two Belgian refugees, Msgr. Quentin and Mdlle. Quentin, were staying at Crawley Grange, and at a concert, held on the evening of Tuesday, November 24th 1914, they entertained a crowded attendance in the North Crawley Institute, where Mdle. Quentin sang in charming style Tosti’s ‘Good Bye,’ Annie Laurie, and other songs, and Msgr. Quentin performed a brilliant violin solo. On the subject of the war from the British point of view, the occasion also included a talk by the newly instituted rector, the Reverend J. Llewellyn Dove, who would become the local representative of recruiting for the Inns of Court O.T.C. With no sign of an end to the war, around the beginning of July 1915 Mr. William Powell, the chauffeur to Mrs. Boswell, joined the mechanical transport section of the Army Service Corps, and during the same month Mrs. Boswell would also have the need for a gardener; ‘Apply by letter.’ On November 9th 1916 ‘Corrie’ Boswell married Miss Alfreda Hurley, of Caversham Heights, and after his ambulance service in France he would see action in Egypt and Palestine. However, it was whilst serving in E Company of the Tank Corps that he was killed in the fighting at Gaza on Friday, November 2nd 1917, aged 28. Besides a widow he left a baby boy, and although he is buried in Gaza War Cemetery, Israel, a commemoration is to be seen on his father’s grave, in the churchyard at North Crawley Parish Church.