The armistice terms referred to Chancellor
HERE in this regular feature we take a look back at items in the Rochdale Observer from 100 years ago:
●●GERMANY AND ARMISTICE
The German envoys received the conditions of an armistice from Marshal Foch yesterday morning and are allowed until Monday morning to decide whether they will accept them or not.
Meanwhile, the enemy request for temporary cessation of hostilities is refused and the armistice terms are referred to the German Chancellor.
The demands of the Allies have not been allowed to leak out, but that they are severe may be assumed from the fact that the German delegation were not able to accept them off their own hat. Whatever the conditions are it is difficult to see how Germany in her present can afford to reject them.
We may, therefore, assume that, bitter as the pill will be, Marshal Foch’s terms will be accepted, probably before Monday morning.
The world, seared with blood and sorrow, will heave a great sigh of relief when that moment comes.
●●WAR CASUALTIES
Authentic news has been received that LanceCorporal Joseph Lightfoot (Cheshire Regiment) was killed by a sniper on April 29th. He had previously been reported “wounded and missing” on that date. His home was at 4 Belgium Street, Bamford.
Private Wilfred Butterworth (Duke of Wellington’s Regiment), the son of Mr and Mrs J. S. Butterworth of 20 Huddersfield Road, Newhey, was killed in action on October 11th.
Private Harry Brearley, the son of Mr A. T. Brearley of Wardle House, Wardle, was killed in action in France on September 27th. He was 24 years of age.
Through the bursting of a shell on the roof of his billet on October 16th, Gunner Fred Jackson (Royal Garrison Artillery) was killed. He was 21 years of age and resided at 4 Freeholds Road, Shawforth.
Corporal William Davies, Duke Wellington’s Regiment, whose parents reside at 14 Winton Street, Littleborough, was killed in action on October 11th. His age was 29 years and when he resided in Littleborough he worked at the Gale Printworks. He has left a widow and two children, who live at Huddersfield.
Private James Willie Dearden, whose home was at 227 Syke Road, Rochdale, died from pneumonia in Russia on October 14th. He was 20 years of age.
●●MILITARY MEDALLIST
For gallantry in rescuing four men who had been buried during heavy bombardment on July 24th, Private Fred Stott, Lancashire Fusiliers has been awarded the Military Medal. He is 25 years of age, and his home is at 11 Smith Street, Rochdale. Before enlistment, he worked for Kelsall and Kemp Ltd.
●●FOR SOLDIERS’ COMFORTS
The Rochdale Comforts’ Ring, which is a branch of the Manchester Parents’ Association of the University and Public Schools Brigade, is doing useful work among the troops.
To enable it to continue its activities, Mrs KayMenzies opened a social and sale of work in the Milton Congregational Sunday School on Thursday afternoon.
Mrs Kay-Menzies said that such associations had done excellently for the men fighting our battles.
Although the war was coming to ac lose, she urged the workers not to relax their efforts on behalf of the troops, particularly those who are prisoners of war.
Even when hostilities ceased a considerable time must elapse before those men could reach England.
Last year the association had sent to the forces over 700 pairs of socks and, in addition to adopting two Rochdale men who were prisoners of war in Germany, the association sent out each month 1,500 cigarettes to men captured by the enemy.
●●BIRCH HILL CONCERT
The members of the Rochdale Orpheus Glee Club gave an enjoyable concert to the wounded soldiers at the Birch Hill Hospital on Wednesday evening. During the evening, each of the soldiers, numbering about 700, was given a packet of cigarettes provided by the club from a fund created for that purpose.