Taken from the Faringdon Advertiser and Vale of the White Horse Gazette. © Successor rightsholder unknown. All Rights Reserved.
3rd August 1918
The death is announced of Mr John Busby King, aged 70 the late senior partner in the firm of Messrs King and Adkin, auctioneers, Abingdon,- now Messrs Adkin, Belcher and Bowen.
Alexandra Day was celebrated in Abingdon on Saturday last. The proceeds were devoted to Abingdon Cottage Hospital, Abingdon Red Cross Hospital and Sanatorium Comforts Fund, the North Berks Nursing Association, the Radcliffe Infirmary, and the Oxford Eye Hospital. The summary of receipts shows : Stalls, etc.. £169 0s 0 1⁄2d.; rose sales and collections, £134 3s 11 2⁄3d.; concert, show and amusements, £89 8s 9 1⁄4d.; donations, £9 10s.; sale of programmes and sundry items, £5 14s 2 1⁄4d
10th August 1918
Sapper T. Giddings, 10 Mayotts’s Road, Abingdon, reported missing on March 22nd, is officially reported to have died in Germany.
2nd Lieut. P. L. Howard, Royal Berks, of Caldecott Road, reported missing, has been officially reported by the War Office as being a prisoner of war.in Germany.
Bowling Competition. The fifth annual competition by the Abingdon Bowling Club for the President’s (Mr A Preston) Challenge Bowl came off on the Albert Park Green on Thursday. Mr W. Tombs, the holder both in 1915 and 1916, became again the winner of the Challenge Bowl.
On Sunday, St Helen’ Church, Abingdon, observed National Remembrance Day with special services combining both St. Michael’s and St. Nicolas’ Churches. There were large congregations, and at the morning service the Mayor and Corporation attended. The special War Litany was said after the sermon and the National Anthem sung before and after the service. The offertories were for the Prisoners of War Fund and amounted to £32 18s 7d.
17th August 1918
The Bishop of Reading, who resides at the Abbey House, Abingdon, was 90 years old on August 4th.
The Military Cross has been awarded to the Rev. H. Cole, former Curate of Abingdon.
Pte. Harry Crook, Worcester Regt., son of Mr George Crook, of West St. Helen Street, Abingdon, is reported to have been gassed.
During a bombing raid over the German lines on July 30th, Lieut. Kenneth Vivian King, R.A.F., son of Mr G. E. King, Veterinary Surgeon, The Vineyard, Abingdon, is reported to have been killed. Twelve aeroplanes, it appears, took part the raid ever the German Divisional Headquarters, and were heavily engaged, the enemy aircraft not being observed in consequence of a thick mist, until they got to close quarters. Lieut. King’s machine, with two others, was brought down in the British lines, and both Lieut. King and the observer were killed. Deceased, who was 21 years of age, was formerly assistant to his father in the veterinary profession.
24th August 1918
In the Thames Lock Gardens annual competitions Mr A. Baldwin, Abingdon Look-keeper, has again secured the first prize in section 2, which extends from Iffley Look to Roebuck Ferry.
L.Cpl, Reginald Cottrell, son of and Mrs Cottrell, of Ock Street, Abingdon, posted missing on May 27ih, has now sent to say that he is prisoner of war, and is well.
Pte. H. Bond, of Bury Street, Abingdon, is reported as having died of wounds in France July 24th. He joined the Fusiliers when they were billeted in Abingdon, and was transferred to the Royal Sussex, serving in Egypt for 12 months. He had only been in France few weeks.
Taken from https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk.
The lives of ordinary people; the relief for those whose sons (even in POWs) were safe, the indescribable grief of those whose menfolk were killed. And amidst it all, daily life continuing.
Thank you for this reminder, Backstreeter
A timely reminder of what was happening 100 years ago. My grandfather was at Ypres and came back with small piece of shrapnel in his head which he lived with until his death in 1989.
Very moving – and how fascinating that the Bowls competition and the Lock gardens competition continued all through that time.
Also the fact that the Alexandra Day fete raised about £400 – that must have been a very impressive amount in those days.
In my ignorance, I didn’t even know there was a National Remembrance Day prior to the Great War.
100 years ago, my Grandfather Frank King was gassed in the trenches at Ypres while serving with the Royal Berkshires, after convalescing he was returned to the front only to suffer severe shell shock, confused he spoke of seeing “The Angels of Ypres”.
Great uncle Harry (Royal Berkshires) was killed in the battle for Arras on 29.04.17 and is remembered on the Arras memorial, he has no grave.
In Cemetery rd, Great Aunt Emma King waved off sons William, Percy, Heber, George and Arthur. Arthur was killed and buried at Neuville, George joined the Navy before war as a boy rating aged 12, and he was killed on HMS Empress of India. Heber was a Sergeant with the Royal Engineers, he was killed and buried at Sains-en-Gohelle. William returned wounded 1918, Percy returned unscathed.
From Court 22, Ock St, Edith said goodbye to sons Percival Arthur King serving with the 1st Royal Berkshires as part of the British expeditionary Force, he was killed at Mons on 10/09/14, he was Abingdon’s first war fatality and is buried at Aisne, he is mentioned in the de Ruvigny’s roll of honour, his brother Frederick W King, returned wounded from Mesopotamia in 1917.
At 169 Ock St, Ann King said farewell to sons Frederick Jack King, serving with the Royal Marines Light Infantry, he was killed at Oppey Wood 26/04/17, he has no grave but is remembered on the Arras memorial. Brother Edwin King serving with the 8th Royal Berkshires was killed on 13/10/15 at the Fosse Quarries, France, he has no grave but is remembered on the Loos Memorial.
Arthur King (8th Royal Berkshires) of 124 Ock St was wounded in 1916 and became a p.o.w. Harry King of Court 68, Ock St, returned wounded in 1919.