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FROM THE CONTEMPORARY LOCAL NEWSPAPERS OF NORTH BUCKS (BUCKS STANDARD, NORTH BUCKS TIMES, WOLVERTON EXPRESS)
With today’s internet a wealth of official information is available regarding those who served.
In an age before local radio and television, families often allowed letters to be published in the local press from their loved ones on active service.
However, for their descendants the letters reveal a more personal aspect, graphically describing the experience of the people and providing an insight into their personalities.

W.E. 1915 Apr. 16th

The Reverend J. Smith-Masters, Vicar of Stewkley, is leaving the parish, having accepted, from the Bishop of Oxford, the living of Christ Church, Banbury. He has been at Stewkley for nine years, and was a major in the North Bucks Battalion of the Church Lads’ Brigade.

Details of marriage between his eldest son and daughter of rector of Drayton Parslow.


NBT 1915 June 8th Tue.

Lieutenant Kenneth Bruce Dickson is the son of a former vicar of the village. He is now an officer in the R.A.M.C., and from Ypres writes regarding three officers of his acquaintance who have been killed;

“It is terribly sad to see these young men getting killed, boys as it were, who have had no chance of showing their real worth in the world. After much care, love, time, and money have been spent on them in their youth, they are cut down suddenly before they have time or opportunity to bear fruit. Amidst all this, horse-racing, strikes, and business in general - as usual! Truly the good God is with us, but for my part I do not think we merit His love and protection. A great American recently said: ‘Britain will win, but she does not deserve to.’ I quite agree with him. Could some of those at home, who are solely seekers after wealth or pleasure, of whatever class, come out here, even for 48 hours, I think they would change their ways. To me the most awful aspect of this war is shown at night. Searchlights, star shells, and guns, great and small, hammering away at each other for all they are worth in their bloody contest, give one to think that this catastrophe - which incidentally we, Britain alone, could have prevented by adequate preparation in peace time - is a blot on 20th century civilisation. Can we not feel Pericles and Julius Caesar turn in their graves at the thought of some of the crimes committed in this war - crimes which in their day were not even dreamed of. Thousands have died, tens of thousands have bled, not only for Britain, but for humanity; and we are only just beginning. It is an awful thought: But a more awful thought is ‘Are thousands of those stay-at-homes worth fighting for? May the good God bring the country to its senses before it is too late.”


NBT 1915 Aug. 31st Tue.

News has been received of the death of Second Lieutenant George Arthur Smith-Masters, the youngest of the four sons of the Reverend J.E. Smith-Masters, the late vicar of Stewkley. He was killed in action in Flanders on August 19th, and of the circumstances Sergeant G.E. Hale writes;

“ On the night of August 19th we were out digging trenches, and while there digging there was some mysterious shooting going on, and your son, my platoon officer, decided to go out in front and reconnoitre the ground, and asked me to accompany him. We went out to a distance of about 200 yards and were unable to discover anything so we turned to make for the road. We had just reached the edge of a trench when we halted to look round again. He said: ‘Well, Sergeant, there’s apparently nothing about here now, so we will make for the road and get back to our platoon. He had hardly finished those words when two shots rang out simultaneously and your son immediately fell face downwards with a very faint ‘Oh.’ He did not move or speak again.”

A letter has also been received from Colonel H.F. Barclay, Commanding 6th Bedfordshire Regiment;

“It is with the greatest grief to myself and to the whole battalion that I write to you. Your dear son was a favourite with us all, and there was not an officer or a man who stood with me around his grave this afternoon who did not feel that they had lost a personal friend. I did, I know. He was such a charming boy, - a God-fearing, straight-living, English boy. An English gentleman, he died doing his duty, a very brave action. He went out with Sergt. G. Hale alone, with the intention of protecting his men. The Sergeant assures me that the dear fellow never moved after he was hit, and the sergeant lay beside him for twenty minutes. I have served for eleven months with him, and I feel as if I have lost one of my own sons. Colonel de Voeux, who commands the operations there, said nobody but one of the best and bravest would have attempted to do what your son wished to do.”

Captain F. Mackenzie, O/C, B. Coy, 6th Bedfordshire Regiment, writes;

“One thing you will be proud to know is, that he died doing his duty in an exceptionally brave manner - not in broad daylight, when it is easier to be brave - but in the dead of night, a mile behind the firing line. He was my best “Sub.” and I had the greatest confidence in him. It will comfort you to know that your brave boy died without the slightest pain, and that the whole company was able to attend his last parade when we laid him to rest yesterday evening.”

Born on December 29th, 1894, George Smith-Masters was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant, 6th Bedfordshire Regiment, on August 21st, 1914, and had only been at the front for three weeks. On August 20th, taken by the Senior Chaplain of the Brigade, and another Chaplain, the funeral service was held at 6p.m., with those present being the General and officers from all the regiments in the Brigade, as also - as chief mourner - the deceased’s uncle, Colonel J.S. Melville, Commanding 8th E. Lancashire Regiment. The Cemetery is to be handed over in perpetuity by the Belgian Government. At Stewkley a memorial service has been arranged in the Parish Church, Stewkley.

(Details of the life and career of Second Lieutenant Smith-Masters are given in the book ‘The Stewkley Lads Fallen in the Great War,’ by John Sheldon.)


NBT 1916 Oct. 3rd Tue.

Official news has been received by William and Esther Mead, of Wood Hall, Stewkley, that their eldest son, Lance Sergeant Arthur Mead, of the Oxon and Bucks Light Infantry, has been killed in action in France. A superior officer writes;

“His death has been a great loss to the Company. He was a most capable and efficient non commissioned officer; always cheerful and considerate to the men under him, with whom he was extremely popular. Personally, I had a great respect for him, and can assure you that we all feel his loss very severely. Please allow me to express to you my sincerest sympathy in your trouble.”

(Born at Aylesbury, Lance Sergeant Mead was killed on September 8th, 1916, aged 20.)


NBT 1916 Oct. 31st Tue.

Miss Rowe has received this letter from the Chaplain to an Oxon and Bucks Battalion;

“Dear Miss Rowe, In answer to your letter, Pte. George Russell Cannings, No. 20771, of this battalion, was killed on Sept. 19th last, while bravely doing his duty in the trenches. He and his comrades were killed by a shell, and there is not the least doubt that he was killed instantly, and that he endured no suffering. He would be buried very near the scene of his death. No one could have died more nobly and bravely, or in a better cause. You have the sincere sympathy of the whole battalion in your sorrow.”

(Aged 30, Private Cannings, of the 6th Battalion, Oxon and Bucks Light Infantry, was the only son of Tom and Elizabeth Cannings, of Bull’s Lane, Box, Wilts. Born at Box, Wiltshire, he was a resident of Chippenham, Wilts, and although he has no known grave, is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.)


NBT 1917 Sep. 4th Tue.

Mrs. Mary Mead, of Dunton Road, Stewkley, has received news that her 21 year old son, Private Bertram Mead, of the Oxon and Bucks Light infantry, has been killed in action. The Chaplain of his regiment writes;

Pte. B.F. Mead was killed in action on the morning of the 16th August. He was a good soldier and popular with all his comrades. Please let me assure you of my very great sympathy with you in your loss. May God bless and comfort you in this sad time.”

His Captain writes;

“He was killed whilst acting as runner during an attack on the enemy position made by this battalion on August 16th. He was chosen by me from the remainder of the company to be a runner, a duty which requires the utmost intelligence and disregard of danger. He always carried out his duties in a very efficient manner, and was in addition noted for his constant cheeriness. His splendid spirit was an example to very many others.”

Private Mead, who volunteered during the early days of the war, had seen much service, and returned to France about two months, after being wounded twice.

(Further details regarding the life of Private Mead are given in the book ‘The Stewkley Lads Fallen in the Great War,’ by John Sheldon.)


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