Chelmsford in the second week of WW1
Lord Kitchener made an appeal for
100,000 men to volunteer for the new army of Territorials to
form six Divisions making up three Brigades.
Shorncliffe in Kent was nominated as the
training centre for the Eastern Division which included the new
battalions of the Essex regiment.
Warley Barracks
Increased tension showed when a
stranger was challenged by a sentry near to the magazine stores
at Warley. The stranger name no reply at which point the sentry
fire hitting the hat of the stranger who made off. A member of
the medical corps who was nearby at the time was hit by one of
the subsequent shots and required medical condition. The
stranger was not found.
The Railway
Great Eastern Railway issued a statement
explaining that the Government had taken control of the
Railways.
The Essex lines was one of those most
likely to be affected by the hostilities but a full service was
being run punctually at present.
A concentration of troops in the East
Coast may affect the service but the company wished to reassure
customers that of they visited the coast they would be able to
get back to London.
The GER converted its restaurant and
kitchen cars into ambulances on most trains.
5th Essex Colours
The Colours of the 5th Essex were brought
to Chelmsford Cathedral for safe keeping during the war. The
party included Major Fred Taylor commandant of the Chelmsford
Companies, Surgeon Captain K S Storrs and Mr G H Wooley.
Separation allowance
The Government announced a separation
allowance payable to wives and children of soldiers , reservists
or Territorials called up for war service.
The allowance for Privates was 1 shilling
and 1 pence per day with an extra 2pence for boys under 14 and
girls under 16 years of age.
Sport
The MCC and FA announced that Cricket and
Football would continue as normal during the war. yachting and
motor racing were abandoned.
11 members of Wickford Cricket Club
enlisted together.
Field Hospital
The mobilisation of the 1st East Anglian
Field Ambulance , RAMC was completed and they marched to their
war station.
Horses
The army continued to commandeer horses.
One lady owner in Colchester shot and killed her favourite two
horses after others were taken by the army.
The annual horse show at Southminster was
abandoned as people were afraid to bring horses to the show in
case the army seized them.
Relief fund for the unemployed
due to the war
Relief funds were set up in most areas of Essex to work with the
nations Prince of Wales Relief Fund.
