Keep the Home Fires Burning - detailing wartime life in the towns and villages mentioned.

B.S. 1915 May 8th

News has been received of the death of Major Blair Swannell, of the 1st Brigade, Australian Imperial Forces. He was killed in action at the Dardanelles on Sunday, April 25th, 1915, and during his previous military career served through the Boer War. A native of Weston Underwood, he had been born on August 20th, 1875, at Cowper Cottage, and was well known in the district. In his earlier days he was one of the best known Rugby footballers in the Midlands, playing first for Olney, and later for Northampton. He is buried in Turkey, but a plaque to his memory was placed in the parish church at Weston Underwood.

B.S. 1915 May 15th

News has been received that Captain George Bowyer, commanding the Wolverton Company, Oxon and Bucks Light Infantry (Territorial Force), was wounded on Thursday evening, May 6th, whilst in the trenches in the vicinity of Ypres. He arrived at the Military Hospital at Hampstead last Saturday, and is making good progress. The eldest son of Colonel W. Bowyer, of Weston Underwood, he has been attached to the Wolverton Company of Territorials for several years, and having entered his regiment as a second lieutenant, gained rapid promotion. The wound, in the right shoulder, was caused by a rifle grenade, but since the bone was not hit the condition is not too serious.

(Captain Bowyer was educated at Eton and New College, Oxford, and joined the County Territorial Regiment (the Bucks Battalion) in 1909. He served with them until he was wounded in May 1915 in Flanders. He would then become Adjutant of 3rd Bucks Battalion until in May 1916 he would again be sent to France, as Adjutant of the 2nd Bucks Battalion. He would remain in France until early 1918 when recalled by the Admiralty on special service. Awarded the Military Cross, he would be mentioned several times in despatches.)

B.S. 1916 Jan 22nd

Private Horace Paybody, the son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Paybody, of Cowper’s Oak Inn, Weston Underwood, is on active service at Salonica with the Headquarter Company 7th Battalion Oxon and Bucks Light Infantry, and on December 26th 1915 writes to his parents;

“Just a few lines to let you know I am quite well and alright. We have again moved our camp in a little better position as we do not have so many hills to climb as when we first came out here. I have received your parcel yesterday (Xmas Day.) Although it had been on the way over a month it arrived in excellent condition, with nothing crushed or broken - thanks to the good packing. Everything was very acceptable, especially the plum pudding, mince pies and cigarettes. I was quite short of tobacco and cigarettes, so you can guess how your parcel was welcomed. We don’t fare so well out here for luxuries as we did in France. The roads are very bad and transport difficult. For the last fortnight we have lived practically on bully beef, biscuits, and bacon, until yesterday, when we had an issue of fresh meat and bread. There is always enough, and I am not feeling any the worse for it; in fact, I think I am much better than I was in England. Yesterday I could just picture the old Christmas gathering at home. I hope you had good time. I will tell you how we spent the day here. Up at 6a.m., breakfast at 7 of tea, bacon and biscuits; 8 to 11 work, and then we were finished for the day. At 12 we had a free issue of beer - about a pint a man. That was the first drop of beer I had had since we left France, so you can guess it went down alright. At 1.30 we had dinner of stew and plum pudding - well, they call it plum pudding but it was slightly different from the one you sent me. For tea we had

Bread and jam. I spent a much happier Christmas than I expected, for we could have fared much worse in such an awful country. To-day is Sunday. Have been at work up to one o’clock and now finished for the day. I expect this will be the extent of our holiday, and to-morrow we shall be hard at it again. I have not seen any fighting here yet, and am sorry I cannot tell you what we are doing.”

B.S. 1916 Apr. 15th

A letter addressed to the editor;

“Dear Sir, During the winter months the village of Weston Underwood has shown its sense of public spirit and patriotism by organising a fortnightly whist drive with a minimum entrance fee of 6d. The amount thus realised, viz., £5 10s., has all been sent to swell the funds of the Red Cross and St. John Ambulance. It is now proposed to carry on as long as possible a similar effort in favour of our County Regiments, the Bucks Battalion and Bucks Yeomanry. May I through your valuable paper suggest that other villages and towns interested in the regiments should follow the example of Weston Underwood, and thus help to send those many comforts which our brave men sorely need at the Front? I have been asked to collect money for the Bucks Territorial Units Comforts Fund in the villages of Lavendon, Cold Brayfield, Olney, Newton Blossomville, Clifton Reynes, Emberton, Sherington, Chicheley, Hardmead, Astwood and Weston Underwood, by concerts, whist drives, or any form of entertainment. The comforts are to be extended to the Bucks Yeomanry. I shall be glad to receive moneys for the above, and will acknowledge the same from time to time in your columns. Yours, &c.,

EVA M. BOWYER.

Weston Manor - Olney, Bucks, 13th April, 1916.”

B.S. 1917 Mar. 24th

Aged 26, aboard H.M.S. Paragon, Lieutenant Richard Grenville Bowyer, the second son of Lieutenant Colonel and Mrs. W. G. Bowyer, of Weston Manor, Olney, was killed in action on the night of Saturday, March 17th, 1917. His last encounter with the enemy is described in the Admiralty announcement issued on March 19th;

“At almost the same time (ie. during the night of the 17th-18th) enemy Destroyers engaged one of our Destroyers on patrol to the eastward of the Straits of Dover, sinking her with a torpedo. She returned the fire, using torpedoes and guns. The result is not known. There were eight survivors from the crew, but all the officers were drowned.”

The third son of Lieutenant Wentworth Grenville Bowyer, and Eva Bowyer, of Weston Manor, Lieutenant Bowyer had entered the Navy through H.M.S. Britannia in 1905, and having been present at the battle of Jutland was afterwards given command of a destroyer. His brother, Lieutenant J. Bowyer, R.N., would be given command of H.M.S. Nonsuch, and continuing a naval theme at St. Augustine‘s Church, Dovercourt, Essex, on Tuesday, November 27th 1917 his sister, Miss Betty Bowyer, would marry Lieutenant Geoffrey Hope, R.N. After the ceremony thirty blue jackets from the bridegroom’s ship would draw the carriage, before after the reception the couple left by train for London, to the accompaniment of a fog signal salute.)

B.S. 1917 Apr. 21st

Serving with the Seaforth Highlanders, during the British advance near Arras, whilst leading his men in a charge Second Lieutenant Gerald Stewart, aged 25, was killed by a bullet on Monday, April 9th, 1917. He was the third son of William and Marjory Stewart, of Weston Underwood, one of his brothers being a captain in the Seaforth Highlanders, and another in the Canadian A.S.C. Having joined the Bedfordshire Yeomanry at the beginning of September 1914, in March 1915 he was granted a commission in the 6th Seaforth Highlanders, and after being sent to France in July 1916 he became gazetted Temporary Captain, in command of a Company from November last.

B.S. 1918 Sep. 28th

Corporal Horace Paybody, of the 7th Battalion, Oxon and Bucks Light Infantry, died on Sunday, September 15th in the No. 1 Eastern Rest Camp Hospital at Cherbourg, and in a letter to his parents, Arthur and Emma Paybody, of ‘The Oak,’ Weston Underwood, the Matron writes that his last words were; “Give my love to them at home.” Aged 33, he had been taken dangerously ill with pneumonia whilst returning home on leave from Salonica. Born at Emberton, from employment as manager of Messrs. Burgess’ Stores at Liphook, Hants., he had joined the army in September, 1914, and after a period of training proceeded with his regiment to France, being later drafted to Salonica.

B.S. 1918 Nov. 16th

Information has been received from the Red Cross that 25 year old Captain Weston Stewart, of the Seaforth Highlanders, died of wounds on Wednesday, March 27th in a German Field Hospital at Beaulencourt. He had been posted as missing on March 25th and at the time of the engagement in which he was wounded he was acting Major of the regiment. The youngest son of William and Marjory Stewart, of Weston Underwood, he joined the Forces at the outbreak of war, and after a few months was gazetted to a commission in the Seaforths. He took part in much of the severe fighting in France, and his brother, Lieutenant Gerald Stewart, was killed on April 9th 1917 at Arras. His eldest brother is serving in the Canadian Forces.