Berkshire and The War: the "Reading Standard" pictorial record. Volume 4. p 965
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Image Details
| Title | Berkshire and The War: the "Reading Standard" pictorial record. Volume 4. p 965 |
|---|---|
| Page number | 965 |
| Date | 1919 |
| Edition | |
| Publisher | Unknown |
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Return of the 5th Batt. Royal Berkshires - continued.
The cadre of the 5th Batt. Royal Berkshire Regiment returned to their home-town - the town where they enlisted though not the town where they trained - on June 18th, and were given a rousing reception. They looked tired and worn, and seemed to reflect the strain of the adventures through which they have passed, for the little handful - four officers and 35 men - that now remain have seen as severe and gruelling a series of campaigns as any Berkshire battalion.
The cadre arrived at the G.W.R. Station at five o'clock, and were met by Colonel F. W. Foley, C.B.E., D.S.O. (in the absence of the Lord Lieutenant), and other officers. Colonel Foley took the battalion out to France for the first time in 1915, and was severely wounded in December of that year. He was accompanied on the platform by Colonel A. F. Ewen, Major Scott Turner, Officer Commanding the Barracks in the absence of Lieut.-Col. J. G. R. Walsh, Captain R. D. Norman, Adjutant at the Depot, late of the 5th Battalion, Major the Rev. F. J. C. Gillmor, Col. A. G. Isaacs (who brought the 2nd Battalion home), Captain L. E. Rutherford, Garrison Adjutant, Captain W. Likeman, Captain H. T. W. Quick, Captain A. S. Cooper, and Lieuts. J. Woodward, Angel, J. G. Deacon, I. T. Clement, G. J. Easton and N. E. Baldwin.
The Band of the 2nd Battalion Royal Berks Regiment, under Bandmaster E. A. Weaver, struck up as the train came into the station. Without any formality the men were marched out into the Station Square, where Col. Foley addressed a few words of welcome to them. Colonel Goodland briefly replied, and the parade then moved off through the town with their colours proudly floating in the breeze.
Civic Reception.
O n arrival at the Town Hall they were met by the Mayor (Mr. S. Hayward), the Deputy Mayor (Mr. F. A. Sarjeant), the Chief Constable (Captain J. S. Henderson), the Town Clerk (Mr. C. S. Johnson), Canon R. P. Newhouse, and several members of the Council and borough officials. The Mayor, after shaking hands with Colonel Goodland, extended a warm welcome to the returned troops, to whom he expressed the town's gratitude for their splendid services.
Colonel GOODLAND, in reply, complimented his men on the manner in which they had carried through, although they had been entirely ignorant of warfare at the outset. He spoke of the gratitude which they had felt for the gifts of tobacco and other comforts which had been sent to them by the people of Reading and Berkshire during the war, and in conclusion extolled the honourable traditions and records of his battalion.
Canon Newhouse then headed the procession into St. Laurence's Church, the home of so many old military associations, from whose walls hang numerous tattered banners silently telling of the glories of past generations of the Royal Berkshires. The Battalion's Colours, which were presented to the battalion by the Prince of Wales at Somaine in January last, were handed to the Canon and consecrated. They were then placed in the Sanctuary and will shortly be hung in an angle of the wall over the lectern, where their fresh appearance will contrast strangely for a time with the stained bunting which has draped the church walls for so long.
The short service over the soldiers were taken to the Town Hall, where welcome refreshments awaited them, while outside the band, appropriately enough, played "Keep the home fires burning" and "God send you back to me". Afterwards the troops marched up to the Barracks, where they were royally entertained for the rest of the evening.
The Cadre.
Four officers and 38 other ranks composed the cadre, their names being: -
OFFICERS.
Lieut.-Col. H. T. Goodland, D.S.O.
Capt. W. H. Ashby, M.C.
Lieut. and Quartermaster T. E. Bateman.
Sec. Lieut. E. W. Ellis, M.C.
OTHER RANKS.
16689 R.S.M. W. Tilbury, M.C., 16440 C.S.M. A. E. Trinder, 17019 Lce.-Sergt. G. Rolls, 41401 Sergt. C. Warboys, M.M., 17019 Sergt. A. T. Griffiths, Corporals 15248 C. Burton, 39312 E. Darkes, M.M., 220526 J. J. Cooper, Lce.-Corporals 10458 H. Fancourt, 220285 F. Tovey, 10750 H. Vale, 11325 P. A. Hern, 11267 H. Westfield, M.M., Privates 11311 F. Alexander, 10307 C. Brittain, 10355 A. Bale, M.M., 25273 H. A. Ballinger, 13314 G. Cheeseman, 44989 W. M. Crosby, 10347 B. Coleman, 10848 H. Coulson, 15771 F. Carter, 10365 G. Deacon, 203049 S. Favell, 11147 A. Foster, 52621 J. Fairman, 10402 H. Harding, 10429 C. Hendry, 120026 T. G. B. Johnson, 12006 G. Kipling, 16906 W. G. Maryon, 18297 G. Reed, 14639 W. H. Reddall, 19405 A. G. Sleet, 10756 J. Smith, 17472 C. Thompson, 15375 H. Worsfold, M.M., 18541 F. W ebb.
The Sixteen Originals.
During the war 45 officers and ranks of the 5th have made the supreme sacrifice. The following are the 16 "originals" who have served with the battalion right throughout the war: Sergts. C. Burton, A. T. Griffith and G. Rolls; Lce.-Corpls. H. Westfield and P. A. Hern; and Privates H. Vale, G. Deacon, E. Britton, J.Smith, B. Coleman, H. Coulson, H. Harding, A. Foster, F. Alexander, C. Hendry and H. Fancourt.
Colonel Goodland was accompanied home by Capt. W. H. Ashby, M.C., Second Lieut. E. W. Ellis, M.C., and Lieut. and Qr.-Master T. E. Bateman.
THE NARRATIVE OF THE 5th BERKSHIRES.
The part played by the 5th Battalion Royal Berks Regiment in the war has been a heroic one, nor has it met with the publicity which it so richly deserved. Though mainly composed of Reading men, the battalion never carried on their training in the town, and thus it has come about that they have been hidden away, out of sight of those with whom they were most intimately connected. Before proceeding overseas they were stationed at Aldershot and at Cheltenham, amongst other places, and finally Shorncliffe. They left Shorncliffe for France in May, 1915, under the command of Colonel Foley. They did not have long to wait before being plunged into the thick of the fighting, for in September the battalion was heavily engaged at Loos, and suffered severe casualties. Following on Loos, Givenchy was the scene of their next prominent engagement in December of the same year. In this battle the battalion were badly gassed, and Colonel ...
[photo, group, exterior] THE CADRE, TAKEN AT THE BARRACKS. [Photo by C. E. & A. May.]