Bedford
First World War Timeline
October to December 1916
Places > Bedford > First World War > First World War Timeline
Based on local newspaper research in the Bedfordshire Times and Independent.
[Notes in square brackets have been added by the compiler to clarify, where needed, and to set the local event in a national context.]
Compiled by local historian Stuart Antrobus.
6 October 1916
P5 (Cols 3-4)
'Jam Day in Bedford [Photo of Sister Butterworth with jam store]: Saturday, the 30th Sept., saw the culmination of a special effort to collect pots of jam for the
V.A.D. [Voluntary Aid Detachment] Red Cross Hospital in Ampthill-road... the active assistance of the Boy Scouts was enlisted.'
13 October 1916
P3 (Cols 5-7)
Advertisement for Rowntree's Elect Cocoa: Women Worker's Series No. 1 [weekly series]: includes a line drawing featuring a female factory –worker"... when I went
into the factory I began myself to feel the strain... next day I started with another cup of cocoa; and the work seemed far lighter than before."
20 October 1916
P7 (Col 4)
'The Farmers' Union: Annual Meeting of Bedford Branch: Labour on the Land': concern was expressed regarding the 'depletion of labour' [directing male agricultural
workers into the armed forces]...'Let the Government say if they wanted the land cultivated or agriculture to go to the devil. The hundreds of acres uncultivated
was appalling and if that went on food prices would be increased. It was monstrous to take away men who knew their work and send back men who did not know it.'
27 October 1916
P5 (Cols 1-4)
[Photo] 'A Churchyard Calvary Unveiled At All saints' Church: ...underneath is the roll of honour containing the names of those heroes who have died, and those who
have been wounded or made prisoners of war.'
3 November 1916
P5 (Col 2)
'Flight Lieut. Jamieson' [photo taken after he came down in Dutch waters]: the former pupil at Queen's Engineering Works and well-known member of Bedford and
District Motor Cycle Club, serving as a pilot in the Royal Naval Air Service. During a straffing mission in France, he was pursued by several German Fokker aircraft
and, eventually running out of petrol, was forced to come down in the sea, from which he was rescued by the Dutch.
10 November 1916
P5 (Cols 1-2)
'Grand Café Chantant [musical evening in a café setting] in aid of the Comforts Fund for the Bedfordshire Regiments': a fund-raising event in the Corn Exchange
[three photos of decorated stalls] involving amusements and entertainments as well as colourful displays, held on Wednesday 10 November 1916.
17 November 1916
P1 (Cols 6-7)
Notice: 'Tuesday December 5, at 7.30pm, Public Lecture in Grammar School Hall, "Three Hundred Days in Germany" by Mr D. Thomas Curtin (Special Correspondent of The
Times and Daily Mail).
P6 (Col 4)
'Revision of Exemptions': The Bedford Borough Tribunal sat all day on Tuesday (until 7.15pm) revising a large number of conditional exemptions'. [These were cases
where previously a man had been given a temporary exemption from doing military service. Some exemptions were renewed; others were subject to medical examination.]
24 November 1916
P6 (Cols 5-6)
Advertisement by Lloyd's News for its Sunday Special Free Advice Bureau regarding 'Pension and Separation Allowances': ...Mr. Bonar Law [MP] has just announced that
the Treasury is considering amendments, with the idea of more generous treatment of our brave fighters' dependants, owing to increased cost of living'. [Bonar Law
was leader of the Conservative Party which was in a Coalition War-time Government with the Liberals under Lloyd George.]
1 December 1916
P8 (Col 3)
'War Bread: We are showing sample loaves to-day at 34 & 100 High Street, Dudeney & Johnston, Ltd.' [War bread used less wheat than previously and corn syrup
in place of sugar, since both commodities were in short supply because of the enemy naval blockade.]
8 December 1916
P8
Full page spread of photographs: 'Bedford Territorials in Peace And War': twenty photos showing the Bedfordshire Yeomanry, 5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment and
The East Anglian Royal Engineers.
P11 (Cols 1-3)
Cartoon drawings showing life at military camp by Ernest P. Burge, 'who served in Gallipoli and is now with 3/5th. Bedfordshire Regiment'.
15 December 1916
P7 (Cols 6-7)
'A Santa Claus Store-room' [Photo]: a display of presents to be distributed to about 400 Bedford children on Christmas morning by the Santa Claus Distribution Fund.
P9 (Cols 1-3)
'More Camps Sketches' by Ernest P. Burge.
P11
Full page spread: 25 Photographs of 'The Brave Bedfords: Viscount French: "No Regiment pushed forward more gallantly than the Bedfordshire Regiment".'
22 December 1916
P1 (Cols 6-7)
Notice from Recruiting Officer, Bedford No.1 Sub-Area 'Military Service Acts, 1916': a list of names of Bedford men who should have been conscripted into the armed
forces but appear not to have done so requesting "information ...to complete Records in Recruiting Offices... in strict confidence".
P5 (Col 6)
'Protest Against Bedford War Shrines': a meeting was held at the Town Hall and a lecture on "The Crimes of Shrines in England", pointing out that shrines were
done away with 400 years before, at the time of the Reformation, and that the shrine at All Saints Church was an act of idolatry. Protestants of Bedford should make
their voice heard. The speaker thought that it was decidedly out of place that the Mayor, with town officials, should have taken part in this deliberate breach of
God's word ['Thou shalt not make thyself any graven image"]
29 December 1916
P5 (Cols. 3-5)
Cartoons by Ernest P. Burge 'Physicals Before Breakfast'.
Page last updated: 1st May 2014