Page 8 - RVM-HB-KTHFB
P. 8
Keep The Home Fires Burning
The Town Mobilises
The first Monday in August 1914 was a bank holiday; the 3rd was also the day that
Germany declared war on France having already declared war on Russia. By the next day
German had invaded neutral Belgian to use it as a short cut to attack France. Lord
Asquith, Prim minster issued an ultimatum calling for the Germans to withdraw by
midnight Berlin time 11pm London time. This did not happen and Britain declared war on
Germany, the country was mobilised.
On Tuesday night, Redditch police Superintendent Davis, received a telephone message
asking him post the call up notices to inform the districts Amy and Navy’s reservists to
report for duty. Captain Smith of the Royal Enfield Company loaned him a motor cycle and
side-car. The posting of mobilisation notices around the town and districts took only an
hour and half with the motorbike. The local reservists, both naval and army, responded
quickly, the Borough Council promised to keep open the jobs of their employees called to
the colours.
The territorials too were called up the, ‘H’ Company, 8TH Battalion Worcestershire
Regiment were in Minehead at their two week training camp, they returned; and on
Wednesday the 5th headed by the Holyoake field brotherhood band, marched to the
Redditch Railway Station and there entrained to Worcester. The 3rd Battery
Worcestershire Royal Field Artillery returned from Lydd was their training had been taking
place. The Battery’s embodiment took a few days. The artillery’s guns needed horses to
pull them. In the years before 1914 a census of suitable horses had been taken by local
police forces across the country and this enabled the army to acquire nearly a quarter of
million fresh horses within the first weeks of the war. When the remount officers visited
Redditch suitable horses were all ready identified.
Page: 8 Source: Sue Tatlow
The Town Mobilises
The first Monday in August 1914 was a bank holiday; the 3rd was also the day that
Germany declared war on France having already declared war on Russia. By the next day
German had invaded neutral Belgian to use it as a short cut to attack France. Lord
Asquith, Prim minster issued an ultimatum calling for the Germans to withdraw by
midnight Berlin time 11pm London time. This did not happen and Britain declared war on
Germany, the country was mobilised.
On Tuesday night, Redditch police Superintendent Davis, received a telephone message
asking him post the call up notices to inform the districts Amy and Navy’s reservists to
report for duty. Captain Smith of the Royal Enfield Company loaned him a motor cycle and
side-car. The posting of mobilisation notices around the town and districts took only an
hour and half with the motorbike. The local reservists, both naval and army, responded
quickly, the Borough Council promised to keep open the jobs of their employees called to
the colours.
The territorials too were called up the, ‘H’ Company, 8TH Battalion Worcestershire
Regiment were in Minehead at their two week training camp, they returned; and on
Wednesday the 5th headed by the Holyoake field brotherhood band, marched to the
Redditch Railway Station and there entrained to Worcester. The 3rd Battery
Worcestershire Royal Field Artillery returned from Lydd was their training had been taking
place. The Battery’s embodiment took a few days. The artillery’s guns needed horses to
pull them. In the years before 1914 a census of suitable horses had been taken by local
police forces across the country and this enabled the army to acquire nearly a quarter of
million fresh horses within the first weeks of the war. When the remount officers visited
Redditch suitable horses were all ready identified.
Page: 8 Source: Sue Tatlow
