Page 135 - WW1 - 1918

Redditch Local History Society Remembering Redditch Residents & WW1

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The Bromsgrove, Droitwich and Redditch Messenger – Saturday 21
December 1918

Local Gossip – This year we shall joyously celebrate a Peace Christmas, and the change
from the last four war time festivals will be welcome indeed. Supplies are well below and
prices high about the old levels, but the hand of the food Controller has relaxed a little and
the world will seem to go happily. The great thing is that our men will keep their Christmas
in comparative safety and comfort in their stations on the Rhine or elsewhere, and will not
be called upon to face the dangers and endure the hardships inseparable from warfare.
Many are at home on leave, including large numbers of prisoners of war, and altogether it
will be such a Christmas as we have not experienced for many years. The conditions are not
yet normal, but twelve months ago the end which the navy, the army, and the people at
home were determined to reach appeared to be a long way off; peace now seems to be
completely within our grasp, and twelve months hence we may hope that all our sailors and
soldiers will be back with us again, and engaged once more in civil life. Christmas this year
falls awkwardly as far as the holidays are concerned. Many lucky workers may be released
from Christmas Eve until the following Monday morning, but the public would be
inconvenienced if the distributive trades ceased operations for so long a period, and most of
the shops will be open on the Saturday.

© RLHS 2014 Page: 135