The War Begins
The First Two Months of World War One in Ely – as recorded by the reporters of the Ely Standard (dates are dates of newspapers)
7th August 1914
“The excitement which has prevailed in Ely this week has not been equalled since the Boer War.” Mr Tyndall of the Minster Press had been posting news bulletins in his window since midnight on the day war was declared – large crowds gathered outside. “The railway station has been literally besieged by an army of people thinking nothing of walking to this end of the city in their anxiety to gain fresh information. They have been known to wait over an hour for the journals.” (i.e. awaiting the latest newspapers from London)
The Territorials, who had only just returned from their summer camp on Sunday, were mobilised and ordered to proceed to Ipswich on Wednesday – they were given a hearty send off at the railway station. They marched from their Silver Street barracks behind Second Lieutenant Keenleyside. At the railway station they met up with the reservists who had been ordered to report immediately, and were heading for Cambridge.
The Army begins to buy up horses from local farmers.
As the War broke out the people of Ely naturally became suddenly suspicious of the foreigners within their midst who appeared to be traitors and potential spies for the German enemy. Three days after War was declared local watchmaker and jeweller Ernest Zelb / Selb felt it necessary to make a statement to the Cambridgeshire Times affirming that he had not expressed support for the German army and was always loyal to his adopted country of England. Ernest was working at Messers Fishers and Co on the Buttermarket and, after orders for internment of enemy aliens of military age were issued in October 1914, Ernest and his brother were indeed interned. (The internment of resident Germans did not lift the shadow from Messers Fishers and Co as the Ely Standard of 23rd March 1917 records that the Ely Tribunal wanted to close down the watchmaker’s shop because of its German links. It was only the fact that the suspect staff were already interned which saved the shop from being forced to close.)
14th August 1914
In Prickwillow the vicar was posting up the latest war news in the library opposite the church.
About 80% of the Cambridgeshire Territorials (200 men) volunteered for service overseas. After about a week in Cambridge they left the city, to much acclaim, to collect their full service kits at Romford. About ten days later they marched on to Bury St Edmunds.
Worried about the loss of labour as men join up, it is suggested that farmers need to work on Sundays as well to bring in the harvest.
28th August 1914
500 hospital beds for the wounded are organised in Cambridge and there is news that some convalescents will probably be sent to Ely. People are reassured that schools will not be wanted for hospitals.
Local teachers are called up.
The employees of Messers A & B Hall Ltd at Forehill Brewery take up First Aid and ambulance work "ready to assist in any emergency arising in Ely." Their employers encouraged this by offering prizes for efficiency.
5th September 1914
Intending recruits for the army were told to give in their names to Mr H T Luddington at Plantation House, Littleport, or Mr W.P. Cutlack at “The Quay”, Ely. Large scale enthusiastic recruiting meetings began to take place throughout the Isle of Ely. Names of recruits begin to be listed in the newspaper as a local “Roll of Honour” and this continues almost weekly.
Prickwillow railway bridge is now guarded by a policeman.
The first of the soldiers injured at Mons arrives home – Albert Illett of the 16th Lancers.
18th September 1914
Children over the age of eleven are exempted from school until the middle of November to help with the potato harvest as so many young men have left the farms.
The list of Ely men with the Colours is posted in the Cathedral and continues to be added to. There are already 337 officers and men, consisting of: 35 Navy; 78 Regular Army; 124 members of the 1st Cambridgeshire Regiment; 48 in the Suffolk Regiment; 28 National Reservists; 26 in Lord Kitchener’s Second Army (i.e. recent recruits).
25th September 1914
The first two Ely men die; John Fruin commits suicide while of unsound mind and Cyril Durrant dies in the sinking of HMS Vanguard. The list in the Cathedral is marked accordingly.
2nd October 1914
The Royal Field Artillery and Army Service Corps recruit in the area for men who can work with horses, including wheelmakers, saddlers and shoeing smiths.
9th October 1914
News of the whereabouts of Ely men in the Suffolk Regiment who have been taken prisoner by the Germans in the first battles of the War begins to filter through to their relatives.
There is fear that the Isle of Ely would be the first area of England to be invaded, and plans are made to blast river and dyke banks and flood Fenland if the Germans arrive.
16th October 1914
The first Belgian refugees arrive in the city. Adverts begin to appear for more host families.
The first of many promotions to send cigarettes out to the troops begins.
The price of milk rises to 2d a pint.
An ambulance train of wounded soldiers, mainly Belgians, passes through on its way to Wisbech.
7th August 1914
“The excitement which has prevailed in Ely this week has not been equalled since the Boer War.” Mr Tyndall of the Minster Press had been posting news bulletins in his window since midnight on the day war was declared – large crowds gathered outside. “The railway station has been literally besieged by an army of people thinking nothing of walking to this end of the city in their anxiety to gain fresh information. They have been known to wait over an hour for the journals.” (i.e. awaiting the latest newspapers from London)
The Territorials, who had only just returned from their summer camp on Sunday, were mobilised and ordered to proceed to Ipswich on Wednesday – they were given a hearty send off at the railway station. They marched from their Silver Street barracks behind Second Lieutenant Keenleyside. At the railway station they met up with the reservists who had been ordered to report immediately, and were heading for Cambridge.
The Army begins to buy up horses from local farmers.
As the War broke out the people of Ely naturally became suddenly suspicious of the foreigners within their midst who appeared to be traitors and potential spies for the German enemy. Three days after War was declared local watchmaker and jeweller Ernest Zelb / Selb felt it necessary to make a statement to the Cambridgeshire Times affirming that he had not expressed support for the German army and was always loyal to his adopted country of England. Ernest was working at Messers Fishers and Co on the Buttermarket and, after orders for internment of enemy aliens of military age were issued in October 1914, Ernest and his brother were indeed interned. (The internment of resident Germans did not lift the shadow from Messers Fishers and Co as the Ely Standard of 23rd March 1917 records that the Ely Tribunal wanted to close down the watchmaker’s shop because of its German links. It was only the fact that the suspect staff were already interned which saved the shop from being forced to close.)
14th August 1914
In Prickwillow the vicar was posting up the latest war news in the library opposite the church.
About 80% of the Cambridgeshire Territorials (200 men) volunteered for service overseas. After about a week in Cambridge they left the city, to much acclaim, to collect their full service kits at Romford. About ten days later they marched on to Bury St Edmunds.
Worried about the loss of labour as men join up, it is suggested that farmers need to work on Sundays as well to bring in the harvest.
28th August 1914
500 hospital beds for the wounded are organised in Cambridge and there is news that some convalescents will probably be sent to Ely. People are reassured that schools will not be wanted for hospitals.
Local teachers are called up.
The employees of Messers A & B Hall Ltd at Forehill Brewery take up First Aid and ambulance work "ready to assist in any emergency arising in Ely." Their employers encouraged this by offering prizes for efficiency.
5th September 1914
Intending recruits for the army were told to give in their names to Mr H T Luddington at Plantation House, Littleport, or Mr W.P. Cutlack at “The Quay”, Ely. Large scale enthusiastic recruiting meetings began to take place throughout the Isle of Ely. Names of recruits begin to be listed in the newspaper as a local “Roll of Honour” and this continues almost weekly.
Prickwillow railway bridge is now guarded by a policeman.
The first of the soldiers injured at Mons arrives home – Albert Illett of the 16th Lancers.
18th September 1914
Children over the age of eleven are exempted from school until the middle of November to help with the potato harvest as so many young men have left the farms.
The list of Ely men with the Colours is posted in the Cathedral and continues to be added to. There are already 337 officers and men, consisting of: 35 Navy; 78 Regular Army; 124 members of the 1st Cambridgeshire Regiment; 48 in the Suffolk Regiment; 28 National Reservists; 26 in Lord Kitchener’s Second Army (i.e. recent recruits).
25th September 1914
The first two Ely men die; John Fruin commits suicide while of unsound mind and Cyril Durrant dies in the sinking of HMS Vanguard. The list in the Cathedral is marked accordingly.
2nd October 1914
The Royal Field Artillery and Army Service Corps recruit in the area for men who can work with horses, including wheelmakers, saddlers and shoeing smiths.
9th October 1914
News of the whereabouts of Ely men in the Suffolk Regiment who have been taken prisoner by the Germans in the first battles of the War begins to filter through to their relatives.
There is fear that the Isle of Ely would be the first area of England to be invaded, and plans are made to blast river and dyke banks and flood Fenland if the Germans arrive.
16th October 1914
The first Belgian refugees arrive in the city. Adverts begin to appear for more host families.
The first of many promotions to send cigarettes out to the troops begins.
The price of milk rises to 2d a pint.
An ambulance train of wounded soldiers, mainly Belgians, passes through on its way to Wisbech.
