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Keep the Home Fires Burning - detailing wartime life in the towns and villages mentioned. (Much information can also be found in the book ‘The Woburn Sands and Aspley Heath World War One Casualties,’ by Paul Cox.) Following the outbreak of war, at Woburn Sands arrangements were made for a home to be made available for Belgian refugees in Theydon Avenue. 17 beds were available, with only women and children to be taken. Under the Aliens Restriction Order, the case was heard at Fenny Stratford Police Court on Thursday, July 1st 1915 of Helen Kempeniers, a Belgian refugee summoned for having failed to report to the police on her arrival at Woburn Sands from Swanley, Kent, on April 7th. The defendant claimed ignorance of the law, and was bound over in the sum £5, to come up for judgment if called. “When I got your letter I was in the trenches only 100 yards from the Germans, and the shot and shell were coming like hailstones. How we live through it I don’t know; it is dreadful; it deafens you - you can’t hear anything. I have just had a wash - the first for seven days, and I am nearly frozen to death at night. How any of us came out of it I don’t know; it’s murder. I had one of my men killed by the side of me yesterday. I do wish it would finish, but there is no sign of it. It is enough to see others, and to see the way they die without a murmur. Day after day it’s the same thing. I do hope our son will never have to come into one of these fights; it will be terrible for him, but I suppose he is in it somewhere by this; I hope he will be spared if he is. Anyone that gets wounded and not too badly, and gets home, is very lucky; there are such a lot get killed.” While leading his men in an attack on the enemy trenches, Second Lieutenant William David Sempel, of the King’s Royal Rifle Corp, 13th Battalion, was killed on June 29th 1916. He was the eldest son of Colonel Sir David Semple, Director General, Public Health Department, Egypt, and of Lady Semple, of Woburn Sands, and before going to France in July 1915 had been billeted at Great Missenden. After negotiations, in October 1916 Newport Pagnell District Council purchased a horse for scavenging work in Woburn Sands and the Brickhills from John Wylie. Plus £5 for a harness the cost was £75, and at a meeting of the Newport Pagnell Rural District Council and Board of Guardians, held on Wednesday, January 3rd 1917, it was resolved to insure the animal with the Royal Insurance Company. On November 23rd 1916, Private H. Dawborn, of the Beds. Regiment, was buried when a shell burst next to him while advancing towards the German trenches. Two of his comrades got him out, and took him on a stretcher to a dressing station, from where he was transferred to hospital suffering from a contused back. After treatment he spent awhile in rest camps, and in a letter to his mother, at Aspley Heath, said he was back with his regiment, having had a very good time at Christmas, with a photo taken of the platoon by his officer. He had trained at Ampthill camp, and went to France in the third week of June 1916. Attended by Captain L.H. Green, the chief recruiting officer for Buckinghamshire, Lieutenant Porter, the military representative to the County Appeal Committee, Mr. W. Carlile, the military representative to the local Appeal Tribunal, Mr. R.F. Neave, the County Tribunal Representative, and Lieutenant Walker, the Substitution Officer, the Local Tribunal for the Newport Pagnell Rural District was held one Monday in March 1917. Amongst the appeals was that by a widow with a hairdressing and tobacconist’s business in Woburn Sands, who in claiming exemption for her son in law said that he was essential in the business. Being the only barber in a wide district he covered the needs of the Woburn Military Hospital and the Woburn Cottage Hospital, in which there were an average of 70 wounded soldiers, and in addition in his spare time he also carried out the hair dressing for the special constables and members of the Volunteer Fire Brigade. The owner of the business had tried to get assistance, but this was without success. In consequence the shop had to be closed in the mornings until 1.30p.m., while the manager was attending his duties at the hospitals. In support of the claim letters from the Duchess of Bedford and the surgeon at the hospitals were produced, and conditional exemption was granted until a substitute could be found. Held at the police station, Fenny Stratford, at the Bucks County Appeal Tribunal on Friday, May 11th 1917 the military appealed against the exemption granted to Cyril Hulton. Aged 33, married, and graded C1, having invested all his money in the business he had for 5 years been a jobbing builder, painter and decorator in the town, and was additionally a regular member of the Bucks Volunteer Regiment, as well as having been a special constable for 2½ years. For the military, in the view of Lieutenant Porter the small business was of no national importance, whilst the chairman said that at present there was no building work being carried out; “Repairs are not so important as winning the war.” By the verdict of the court the man was not to be called for military service until June 30th. During an air raid on London, in the early hours of January 29th 1918 the Reverend Edward Mosse, Rector of St Paul’s, Covent Garden, died aged 61. Well known to the market workers, in summer he had frequently preached in the churchyard, and his open air sermons were always well attended. Prior to 1899, for 15 years he had been the vicar of Woburn Sands. For overcharging for sweets, a Woburn Sands confectioner appeared at the Bletchley Petty Sessions on Thursday, June 13th 1918. He had been summoned by the Executive Officer for the Newport Pagnell Food Control Committee, and giving evidence a widow of the town, who carried on the business of a confectioner, said that on May 16th she had bought from the defendant’s shop a quarter of chocolates and a quarter of two other sorts of sweets. For these she had paid an excessive price, and her daughter corroborated the statement. Inspector Callaway said that on May 28th he visited the shop and asked the defendant what price he was charging for sweets. Collecting his stock three times a week from London he had the largest quantity of any confectioner in the district, and in a long statement in court he denied any wrong doing. As for his 15 year old daughter, she claimed that she could not remember serving the woman. In conclusion the defendant, who had come to Woburn Sands from London on medical advice, was found guilty on all charges and fined 20s, plus witnesses expenses of 6s 2d on each charge. Any further transgressions would be dealt with much more severely. In August 1918 Sergeant Charles Deacon, whose wife lived in Wood Street, Woburn Sands, wrote that he was a prisoner of war in Stuttgart. He had seemingly been wounded in both arms. On December 15th 1918 Dr. Johannes Truter died from ‘influenzal pneumonia,’ aged 33. For two years he had been the resident surgeon at the Woburn Abbey Hospital, and had dealt with most of the cases both there and at the Cottage Hospital. With his mother, brother and sister being resident at Wellington, Cape Town, he had come to England about 1906, and after qualifying at Edinburgh held posts at Charing Cross, Chelsea, St. Peter’s and Hampstead Hospitals, before in 1914 serving in a Red Cross Hospital in France. Some two weeks before his death he had visited London, and it was on his return that the fatal attack developed. His duties at Woburn were to have terminated in the week of his demise, with his intention being to then spend 3 months in research before returning to South Africa. The funeral took place on the Wednesday (the day following the arrival of another convoy of wounded men at the Woburn Hospitals) with amongst the mourners the Duchess of Bedford, the Hospital Nursing Staff, many of the patients, Dr. Charnocke Smith, and Dr. Glendining. The floral tributes included those from the Duke and Duchess of Bedford, the Hospital Nursing Staff, the patients, kitchen and household staff of Woburn Abbey, the Matron and Sisters, and the stretcher bearers and ambulance drivers. Only a short while before Dr. Truter’s death 25 year old Amy Coleman, of Birchmoor, Woburn, had also died from influenza, with her fellow workers from Woburn Post Office being among the mourners.
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