Another remarkable document brought into project

Another remarkable document brought into project

The Tynemouth World War One Commemoration Project has received many interesting items in the past two years. Another remarkable fragment of information from a little known episode of the Great War was brought into us recently by the son of one of the nearly 1500.men of the Royal Naval Brigades marched into interment in neutral Holland to avoid capture by the German army advancing into Antwerp in October, 1914. Sent out as a scratch force to assist the Belgian army and hopefully prevent the fall of the strategically important seaport to the enemy, the men of the Royal Naval division were in part new recruits into the Naval Brigades, formed under Winston Churchill – then First Lord of the Admiralty – as he sought a fighting role for the many thousands of surplus naval reservists for whom no posting at sea was available.

After only three days the force was ordered to retreat but in the case of the Collingwood, Benbow and Hawke battalions, the orders came too late and many men were then marched into Holland to avoid capture. The document brought to us was a note sent home from an internment camp only a few days later and was written on the back of a short newsletter issued by the British Consul in the Netherlands to men in the camp to keep them informed of developments in the war.

Written by AB Horace George Doxford of Little Bedford Street, North Shields he tells in stark terms of the chaos of war and retreat into captivity. He is adamant that his family should not believe assertions that they had strayed accidentally into Holland, making plain his view that they were ordered to do this; and passing several caustic and critical comments on the conduct of some of his officers, with the serious allegation that one officer of the Collingwood battalion had been shot in the back by his own men. The letter (part only it seems) passed into the hands of his son who lives in Whitley Bay. It was brought to us for copying and will certainly get a place in our exhibition to be held in summer 2014.

The project is contributing again to the Tyne and Wear Heritage Open Days programme. Two guided tours of Preston cemetery are available on Sunday, 15^th September at 1130am and 230pm. To attend you must book in advance - contact 0191 643 7413.

The date for our commemorative concert at the Sage Gateshead on September, 27^th 2014 has now been confirmed. Planning is now well in hand with the Army Benevolent Fund for a superb event which will commemorate the response from the Tweed to the Tees of the men of the north east in 1914; and will be a tribute to all those who served, both in the armed services, the merchant navy and the fishing fleets.

The Army Benevolent Fund is also staging a concert this year – Salute our Heroes – at 7.30pm on 28^th September, at the Sage. Tickets for this spectacular show are on sale now from the Sage Box Office – 0191 443 4661.