Today's Tring News in 1915 - Inquest on two soldiers - Boys steal Cinema tickets - etc. etc.

Extracts from the Bucks Herald of 6th March, 1915

Edited from British Newspaper Archive
Previous week ~~~~ Tring News Index 

Military

The big military news of the week  was the inquest on Lance-Corporal John White and Private William Hilton Thomas, members the 21st Divisional Cyclists Corps. They had been motor cycling to Aylesbury when they crashed, involving a motor ambulance returning to Tring with no side lights on, and both died of injuries. At the time of the accident the men were billeted  in Aston Clinton, where the accident happened, and the inquest was held in Aylesbury but because the men were part of the 21st Division (H.Q. Tring), the ambulance driver was in the Army Service Corp billeted in Tring, and the men had been in the 12 Northumberland Fusiliers who were billeted in and around Tring I have included extensive quotations from the report of the inquest. There are some interesting insights, such as the fact that Lance-Corporal White has hired the motor bike to help him carry out military duties as part of his training. Only a few weeks before another soldier had been killed while riding on the outside of a taxi cab - and now Private Thomas had died riding pillion on a motor cycle unsuitable for two.

Old News

Other war news was limited. Gas supplies were at risk because of transport problems for the coal. Lord Rothschild acknowledged the donation made by the Tring Agricultural Association to the British Red Cross (see earlier report), while Emma Rothschild called for donations to the Soldiers and Sailors" Families Association. The Church of England Men's Society discussed "Heroism" - carried over from an earlier meeting and several of the Situations Vacant advertisements may reflect labour shortages.

Tring

Local news is dominated by the Council by-election, although the court case involving two boy who stole admission tickets from the Gem Picture House may have raised some eyebrows about the "modern generation." Others will have been pleased the the licence of the Rose and Crown was being renewed after the earlier scare. The sudden death of Thomas Messenger, a carpenter on the Tring Park Estate was noted along with the illness of J. W. Grange of Grove Farm. The Rev. Charles Pearce celebrated 41 years at the United Free Church and Miss Sybil Boyson, who parents lived at Grove Lodge, Tring, got married at St. Marys Church, Vizianagram, Andhra Pradesh.