Wendover Remembers, August 1916
AUGUST 1916
The war continued on the various fronts around the world. The sixth Italian offensive on the Isonzo began with the battle of Gorizia. Belgian and British troops made gains in Africa. Rumania joined the Allies and declared war on Austria-Hungary. Turkey declared war on Rumania. At sea, the cruisers Nottingham and Falmouth were sunk by German submarines. In France, the German General Falkenhayn was dismissed for failing to take Verdun and was replaced by the duo Hindenburg and Ludendorff. On the Somme, the 1st Bucks Battalion attacked and took the German strong-point of Pozieres.
On 16 August Pte Tom Simmons of York Buildings, Wendover, died of wounds following the heavy fighting near Pozieres. Tom was serving with the 1/4 Battalion Ox and Bucks LI. In civilian life, Tom was a steam-roller and threshing machine driver and lived with his widowed mother, Sarah Simmons. He was aged 38. The Wendover Magazine did not publish a photo of Tom and explained: “Tom was by nature very quiet and reserved and had an aversion to having his photo taken, so we regret we shall be unable to print his portrait along with those of our other heroes”.
Evidence of the strain of war showed itself in the entry in the Wendover School Log Book. The headmaster, Mr Molineux, reported poor examination results which he said were caused by a bad attendance record and by having only scraps of paper to use for written work. He said that “…the situation is most discouraging… my final report will be made in September as I have felt somewhat unwell”.
St Mary’s Sunday School Treat and Prize Giving was followed by a tea in the Corner House Hotel and sports in Dr Woollerton’s meadow. The prizes were presented by Miss Frances Dove, who as a pioneer of girl’s education founded the first Public School for girls – Wycombe Abbey. Frances, later Dame Frances Dove, was also a leading Suffragist, a member of the non-violent wing of the Suffrage movement. In 1907 when women were permitted to be become town councillors Frances Dove was elected as a High Wycombe councillor. On her retirement as head of Wycombe Abbey she moved to Coombe Hill House on Ellesborough Road and became an enthusiastic member of the Wendover community. The attitude towards suffrage had changed considerably since 1909 when Lady Louisa Smith, the wife of the Rev Albert Smith, vicar of Wendover, had been president of the Wendover branch of the Anti-Suffrage League with the aim of resisting votes for women.
The Bucks Herald of 19 August reported “a bountiful crop of wild fruits” on the hills around Wendover. “The wild raspberries on Bacombe Hill have been very large and plentiful this year, and many people availed themselves of the opportunity of gathering the fruit. Unfortunately a fire broke out recently and damaged a few canes and patches of heather. There is great promise of a good blackberry crop also. There are more nuts than usual on the hedges, and the crab-apples, where found, are excellent and fine”.
