War is over: Rochdale townspeople prepare for a peaceful Christmas
HERE in our regular feature we take a look back at stories in the Rochdale Observer from 100 years ago:
●●THE PEACE CHRISTMAS
THIS will be the happiest Christmas most people have had for the last four years.
Once more we can say, or sing: “Peace on earth, good will towards men,” without feeling the utter unreality of the sentiment, and the joy bells will ring, not only from the belfries but from our hearts.
When we took our last Rochdale holiday at Rushbearing, few of us dared to think that we should celebrate Christmas in the enjoyment of peace, still less in the flush of such a complete and unequivocal victory as that we now rejoice in.
As we think and feel what all this great triumph means for us and mankind, the nation does not forget those who have won it for us – the silent but unsleeping vigilance of the fleet which, as the King felicitously described it, has been our sure shield from enemy invasion, has saved us from starvation and by its unconquerable supremacy of the seas has made success in the field certain for the Allies; the Army whose splendid exploits have added a new glowing page to our history; and to the youngest and most daring of the services, the Air Force, whose deeds have won for us a fresh glory in warfare.
●●ROCHDALE OFFICER’S EXPERIENCE
CAPTAIN A. N. Scott, who arrived in Rochdale on Thursday after having been a Prisoner of War in Germany since October 1918, related some of his experiences in captivity to an Observer representative yesterday:
“Of the four prison camps in which I was confined, those at Osnabruck and Achen were the most depressing and the most trying from the health point of view.
“The former was a barracks and the latter a Technical institution converted into a hospital.
“The food at both was particularly vile.
“At Osnabruck, the staple diet was a species of vegetable mush such as one might expect pigs to be fed on in England, while at Aachen even vegetables were a luxury, the meals consisting almost exclusively of a poisonous substance resembling macaroni in appearance but resembling nothing on earth in taste.
“Clausthal camp, is magnificently situated in the Harz mountains, but since August 1917, it was under the command of a peculiarly frightful Hun-Hauptmann Niemeyer.
“Clausthal Niemeyer, who was alternately toady and bully, seemed to spend his whole time in devising fresh means of annoying officers under his charge.
“The instructions which he gave to his staff as to the issue of parcels were such as to render much of their contents useless. Loaves of bread were cut into at least four pieces, soap was treated in a similar manner and all commodities such as rice, tea, coffee, and cocoa were emptied out indiscriminately.”
●●WAR CASUALTIES
MR and Mrs F. Rawson of 3 Ipswich Street, Rochdale, have received official news that their son, Private Frank Rawson (King’s Shropshire Light Infantry) was killed in action in France on March 21st, 1918.
Private Thomas Furness (Royal Irish Regiment) died suddenly at Alexandria, Egypt, on October 22nd. He was 45 years of age and had served for four years with the colours. In civil life, he was a foreman lime-washer for Mr Benjamin Law, Rochdale.
●●WANTED APPLES
TO the editor of the Rochdale Observer.
Sir, my wife asked me to get a few apples to finish making the mincemeat, and I have been round to numerous greengrocers’ shops, but failed to find any on sale, although I have heard of one who is said to have enough stock and ought, at 2s. 6d per pound, to see him over the Christmas shopping season, but naturally does not offer them at the controlled price.
Being Tuesday, closing day, I have not tried the ironmongers to see if they are selling them.
I shall be pleased if any of your readers can put me on the track of this particular fruit, as the time is getting shirt, and I understand that shipments of apples have been sent from the States and Canada. Even the grubby specimens lately seen at 1s. 6d per pound are missing.
Yours, GREENINGS.