Wardown V.A.D. Hospital first AGM

 

Digest of stories from The Luton News: Thursday, February 15th, 1917.

Wounded soldiers arrive at Wardown July 1916

  • Commandant Nora Durler greeting wounded soldiers at Wardown in July 1916.

The first annual general meeting of the Wardown V.A.D. Hospital was held at Wardown on Wednesday week (February 7th). Dr F. Seymour Lloyd gave a detailed report which will shortly be published in book form.

The report gave the story of the hospital, first opened in October 1914 by the North Midland Division before the mansion was taken over on November 17th, 1915, by the Bedfordshire Voluntary Aid Detachments of the British Red Cross Society, No 12 and No 14, as a hospital for the reception both of wounded from the active fronts and of the sick from troops billeted locally. After a fortnight spent in preparation, the first patient was admitted on December 1st, 1915.

The hospital provided accommodation for 65 patients on two floors, with wounded soldiers went to Wardown from the 1st Eastern General Hospital, Cambridge, and sick admitted from the Artillery Training School and other units in Luton.

From December 1st, 1915, to December 1st 1916, 873 patients were admitted (a total of 973 since October 1914). Thirteen cases of pneumonia had been treated but no death occurred during 1916. The average stay of a patient in Wardown was 10½ days.

For a full report of the annual meeting, click here.

  • At a meeting of single-handed businessmen in the Luton Town Hall on Monday evening, the first step was taken towards a scheme for supervising the businesses of those who will have to go into the Army. The meeting was under the auspices of the One-Man Business Owners' National Advisory and Parliamentary Committee, and Mr Percy Blundell presided. The chief speakers of the evening were Lieut H. Gardner, the Military Representative, and Mr S. Sandys, hon Secretary of the committee.

  • Mrs Marlow, of 32 Jubilee Street, Luton, has been officially notified by the War Office that her husband, Pte F. C. Marlow, Machine Gun Corps attached to the Kent Regiment, has been wounded by shrapnel in the right arm. Prior to enlistment last East, he worked at the Diamond Foundry and went to France in August. Mrs Marlow has just visited her husband, who is progressing favourably at a military hospital in Chelsea.

Young-Elson wedding, Feb 1917

  • Pictured after their wedding at Christ Church yesterday afternoon are Sgt Walter R. Young, of the Bedfordshire Regiment and son of Mr Walter Young, 140 Dallow Road, and munition worker Miss Millicent Elson, daughter of the late Mr James Elson and Mrs Mary Elson, of 4 Westbourne Road, Luton. Best man was Sgt G. F. Dell, "a hero of Ypres".

  • Many supporters of the Luton Football Club will learn with regret of the death in action of Sgt W. E. Meyler, who up to a few weeks ago was billeted in Luton, having been bombing instructor to the troops who were in training here. Sgt Meyler had played for Preston North End, and through his good offices, his brother, Lieut Eric Meyler, turned out several times for the Luton club.

  • Mr Hawkins, secretary of the Town Bowling Club, was home on leave over the weekend. He had recently joined up and was the recipient of a farewell presentation from the club. Although he has been away such a short time, we are pleased to say that he had already gained his first stripe.

  • Major R. P. Wells, second son of Mr and Mrs Collings Wells, of Caddington Hall, has been awarded the D.S.O. for service in the field. Some months ago he received the Medaille d'Or (the Khedival gold medal) for similar service. The officer has been in command of the Duke of Westminster's armoured cars in Egypt, through the ill-health of the Duke. At the beginning of the war Major Wells was a captain in the Hussars when he was severely wounded at the Battle of Mons.

  • Pte G. Bernard Grimsdale has just been discharged from the Army and had returned to his home at 71 Cowper Street, Luton. He had joined up on September 5th, 1914, with the Royal Marine Light Infantry and went to the Dardanelles the following year. In October 1915 he was wounded in the left shoulder by a bullet and had to have a hand amputated while in hospital for 16 months.

  • The attention of educationalists and others interested in child welfare has been called to the serious increase in juvenile crime - up 33 per cent during the past 12 months, 50 per cent of which has taken the form of larceny. The subject came up for earnest consideration at a meeting of the Luton Education Committee at the Town Hall on Tuesday evening. Mr Percy Blundell said the increase in juvenile crime was a very disturbing feature in national life. He blamed lack of parental control and noted that large centres were precluding children from picture palaces after a certain hour.