1914 - A Minor Assassination

Like many other places in England, Exeter had enjoyed a pleasant, hot summer in 1914. That little business of the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in Serbia, on 28 June did not mean much to many. However, the states of Europe formed up against each other in alliances and on 28 July Austro-Hungary declared war on Serbia, on 1 August Germany declared war on Russia and on 4 August, Great Britain declared war on Germany. France, Russia and Belgium also joined in, to what would become the Great War.

War is Declared

On Saturday 8 August 1914, the weekly Flying Post announced to the citizens of Exeter that war was declared with large, bold headlines, although, to be sure, by then, there would have been few who did not already know. The issue had a prominent advert for young men to join up. The city prepared for war and guards were posted at the railway tunnels under Mount Dinham and Mount Pleasant Road and also at the Cowley Bridge.

The Flying Post wrote that on the day war was declared:

'Scenes of enthusiasm which were witnessed on Tuesday, when the Devon and Cornwall Brigade of Territorials marched from their camp at Woodbury into Exeter continued until late evening. The 4th Devons, in which citizens were naturally most interested, were the last to arrive about nine in the night, and as they passed through the streets on the way to St Davids Station they were cheered by the thousands of citizens. There was a remarkable scene at St David's a great crowd cheering the men, the King, and the French nation, finally singing the National Anthem and 'Rule Britannia'. Another burst of enthusiasm in the High-street greeted the news of the declaration of war against Germany'.

The Regulation of Forces Act of 1871, was invoked and the railways were brought under Government control. The Act affected local businesses who were requested:

'To provide the transport for the Territorials on the march to Exeter a number of farm waggons were requisitioned, and the steam lorries of a city brewery and another firm were also taken by the military'.

The military also required equipment and stores including horses for riding and draught purposes. All owners of horses had to report with their animals to gathering points through the country. In Exeter a field near Higher Barracks was used, where remount officers and local vets inspected them, and made immediate payment for suitable animals.

Prices of some commodities immediately went up, as shortages were expected - "potatoes have advanced 3d per stone. Bread and flour will be increased on Monday'. The postal service was also hit when the number of deliveries per day was reduced from 5 to 3.

The first months

Exeter became the first provincial town to take refugees, when 120 Belgians arrived. By the end of October over 800 had settled. The city also received 20 Germans who were arrested in Torquay, and brought to Exeter for internment.

The Billeting Officer was charged with the task of finding quarters for the soldiers who could not be accommodated in Higher and Topsham Barracks. His representative would call on local households, looking for rooms. For some families, this was a chance to make a little extra income in hard times, as an allowance of 7 shillings was paid per man. This arrangement only lasted a few weeks, for after training, the men were sent to France.

The West of England Eye Hospital was mobilised within 24 hours of receiving orders, on the 4th October 1914. It would become VA Hospital No 1, the first of five military hospitals in the city.

On 22nd October, the first Canadian troops, a Motor Transport detachment of motorised machine-guns and a supply column passed up Alphington Street and Cowick Street, watched by a large crowd. They camped at Fairfield in Okehampton Road for the night before driving over the Exe Bridge and up Fore Street, before proceeding to their destination. The main body of Canadian troops, numbering some 32,000, along with 7,679 horses, passed through Exeter on 92 special trains from Plymouth to Salisbury Plain. One of the officers, Major John McCrae would compose the phrase "In Flanders Fields the poppies blow, Between the crosses, row on row..." which would prompt the use of the poppy as a symbol of remembrance.

Christmas 1914

Life continued as it had before the war, and Christmas was to be celebrated. Mother Goose was the pantomime at the Theatre Royal that year, and even the Palladium Cinema in Paris Street was showing a film of a pantomime. The war was to become much closer when the Flying Post published the roll of honour for the first five months of conflict, listing the wounded, missing and 34 killed in action and one death from wounds.

1915 - The first casualties

On New Years Day, 1915, HMS Formidable, an elderly, pre-Dreadnaught Battleship was torpedoed off Start Point - she was the first major loss for the British Navy during the war. Out of a complement of 750 crew, 199 men were saved. The survivors were cast afloat on a rough sea out of the site of land. Several ships passed the survivors lifeboats without noticing them, before Miss Gwen Harding, walking with her mother at Lyme Regis, saw one of the boats and raised the alarm. Locals took in the shipwrecked men, while the dead were laid out in the entrance to the cinema. The Mayor of Lyme telephoned the Mayoress of Exeter, Mrs J G Owen, who ran a collection for the troops on the front, for help. Clothing and other necessities were despatched by the Mayoress and her helpers to Lyme to aid the survivors. Another boat from the battleship was picked up 15 miles off Berry Head.

In the same week that the Formidable was sunk, another 43 Belgian refugees arrived in Exeter via Folkestone, while the Mayoress' Fund benefited from the money raised by putting on display two sharks in Sidwell Street, that had been caught at Exmouth.

Also at the start of the year, Literature for the Front collected 989 parcels of books and periodicals at the Guildhall. They sent 161 boxes, or 13,500 publications for the men in the trenches. Each box also contained needles and thread, bootlaces, embrocation, cards, Vaseline, foot powder, biscuits, cigarettes, socks and mittens. In February, a 12ft by 4ft red cross flag was given to VA Hospital No 1 by nursing staff who had raised the money to purchase it. Miss Georgina Buller raised the flag for the first time.

On June 9th the Flying Post contained this advert for men to join up:

'These boys didn't shirk, they want help. Listen for a moment - can't you here them calling to you? BE A MAN. There's a king's uniform waiting for you, go and put it on now'

Mr J Westcott of Poltimore was commended as his six sons had joined up, and taken the King's colours. As he and his wife were bidding their sixth, and youngest fair well, as he left for the front, news arrived that two of his other sons had been wounded in action.

In October the Flying Post wrote that Professor Jacob had been running French classes for soldiers before they left for France. Three hundred had taken advantage of the lessons, which were held on the premises of C J Ross at 227 High Street.

The Royal Visit

For Exeter, the big event of the year was the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to two VA hospitals in the city. There had been established five VA military hospitals in Exeter to care for the wounded. Other places in Devon also had VA hospitals including Plymouth, and many large houses in country areas were requisitioned as convalescent homes.

On 9th September 1915, the Royal train steamed into St David's at 11.03am to be greeted by the Mayor J G Owen, proprietor of the Express and Echo, along with the Lord-Lieutenant of Devon and other dignitaries.

The Royal party was conveyed in a fleet of five motor cars, belonging to prominent citizens, to the West of England Eye Infirmary, or VA Hospital No 1. This was the first time a visiting monarch had driven in a motor car in Exeter. The King and Queen visited every ward, spending 45 minutes chatting to recuperating soldiers from the front. They then inspected 170 soldiers from other local hospitals in the grounds.

The King addressed the men and said "The Queen and myself are very pleased to have been able to visit you. I am very proud of the splendid manner in which you have fought and done your duty in the Dardanelles or Flanders". The men gave a 'hearty cheer' and as the King and Queen left, they sang the National Anthem.

The cavalcade then proceeded along Magdalen Road, Denmark Road, Barnfield Road and Bedford Circus, cheered on by the crowd of locals, to VA Hospital No 5, which was the Castle Street Hostel, now known as Bradninch House. The King inspected all the wards, containing 150 patients, then went into the garden at the rear to inspect a further 300 convalescing soldiers. Staff from VA Hospital No 2 (now the Bishop Blackall building) and VA Hospital No 4, Topsham Barracks were presented to their Majesties.

Private G Bidgood was presented with a D.C.M. for single handedly, holding a trench against the Turkish enemy in the Dardanelles campaign. Of course, the proceedings closed with a rendition of God Save the King!

The Royal Party returned to St David's and their train departed at 12.50pm. After the visit, all the wounded soldiers who could be moved, and the soldiers visiting from other hospitals across Devon were taken to the Victoria Hall for lunch. Some 200 local motor cars were used as transport.

Other Events

During 1915, another 3,000 Belgium evacuees arrived in total, in the city, and were accommodated across the community from Exwick to Pinhoe. Refugees would arrive in batches of 200 to 300 by train at Queen Street to be taken by tram to a local hostel. They would then be dispersed across Exeter and Devon. Pinhoe raised £382, and donated toys, bedding and other household items, over the four years for the rent and furnishings of three houses for refugees.

For the first time, uniformed post women were employed, initially to deal with the Christmas rush in December 1915.

The Captured Guns

Some German field guns, captured by Bullers Own, the 8th and 9th Devonshires at the Battle of Loos during September/October 1915 were brought back to Exeter. They were hauled, under escort, through the streets from Topsham Barracks to the Rougemont Hotel and presented to the Mayor. Then they were taken on a tour of the streets, around the West Quarter and down to Exe Bridge, so that Union Flag waving Exonians could cheer their capture, before they were put on display in Northernhay Park.

1916 - Restrictions bite

After 18 months of war, Exeter, along with other towns and cities in the country was having to apply restrictions, both to preserve resources, and to protect the citizens. In February 1916, an order went out that the streets were to be darkened because of the threat from Zeppelins.

This new weapon had terrorised the east coast of England, and rumour and speculation had forced the authorities to act. At the same time, the Council were directed by the Government to print and distribute air raid precaution leaflets, at a cost of £12 3 shillings. However, letters were published in a local newspaper that doubted whether such a raid was possible so far west. Little did Exonians know that 25 years later, they would have to endure a real blackout, to protect them from a very real aerial bombardment.

To add to the general disruption, the Corporation Trams stopped running an hour earlier each day from March, to conserve coal at the electricity station. The lack of coal hit the local schools, and Newtown Girls' School closed half an hour earlier in the afternoon, to reduce the use of both coal and gas. The school also put on a concert in December to raise money for prisoners of war, and the children brought oranges, apples and cigarettes to the school, to be distributed amongst the wounded in Exeter's VA Hospitals.

The 7th August was declared by the Mayoress as 'Forget Me Not Day' - a collection was made for Exeter's Hospitality Fund to provide food for the troops travelling to the front by train. Individuals also gave generously to care for the troops and the Flying Post printed "For the Wounded - Mr S Godfrey Walker of Northbrook Park, has given £1,000 to provide huts at No. 1 military hospital (the Eye Infirmary)."

In February the Royal Society for Arts introduced an English for Refugees examination to encourage the many, mostly Belgian refugees to learn the language.

The following advert appeared in the Flying Post in January 1916:

MOURNING - Black costumer, Black jackets, Black shirts for immediate wear. A large stock to select from - Gibsons, 198 High Street, Exeter

The Ambulance Trailer

To ferry wounded soldiers from the front to the VA Hospitals, the Ambulance Service Corps was formed in 1915, although it did not get going until 1916. It consisted of private cars hauling a small trailer that could take two stretchers side by side to the designated hospital.

The first trailer was donated by staff from the Western District, Southern Railways in February 1916. The Volunteer Ambulance members had to pass an examination as part of the Devon Volunteer Regiment, and the drivers were often the owner of the vehicle. Wounded troops would arrive at Queen Street Station, be transferred to a trailer, while the car was loaded with walking wounded, and despatched to one of the five VA Hospitals in the city. One of the owner drivers was Bertram Percy Tucker, who worked for the Wilts and Dorset Bank in the High Street.

Entertainment

The war was temporarily forgotten in December when Dellers Cafe opened its doors for the first time. It was constructed over Lloyds Bank, a single storey building on the corner of Bedford and High Street.

The Theatre Royal continued its performances throughout the war, entertaining locals and the many visiting soldiers. West End stars would often appear at the 2pm 'Flying Matinee' performance, to return to London by train for their evening performance. They would then return to Exeter the next day for a repeat matinee. The annual pantomime at the theatre was Cinderella, the first time they had performed the story.

1917 - Waltzing Matilda

The year got off to a cold start, when the River Exe froze over. The ice supported 100 people walking on its surface, and an ox was roasted on the surface.

A local tragedy grabbed the headlines on 7th March 1917, when the 11am tram from Heavitree to Dunsford Hill lost control while descending Fore Street Hill, overturning on the Exe Bridge. One woman was killed in the tram crash, to add to the millions killed on the Western Front.

Casualties mount

Because Exeter was on the main railway to the ports of Plymouth and Falmouth, many soldiers from Australia, New Zealand and Canada passed through on the way to the front. The city's five military hospitals were also kept busy as the war progressed, and numerous injured Australian, New Zealand and Canadian troops returned to Exeter to be treated in the VA hospitals.

The wounded arrived by train at Queens Street station - during 1917 they would disembark suffering from gas poisoning. They would walk, blinded by the gas in a long crocodile, holding on to the man in front before being taken to their designated VA Hospital. Hobbling, recuperating men could be seen on the streets, wearing blue uniforms with a red tie to distinguish them from men on leave or passing through the city to the front.

Frank Ritter recalls in his memoirs, of his mother noticing many convalescing soldiers passing their small store in Magdalen Street, close to VA Hospital No 1. His family had struggled to make a living from selling cigarettes and sweets, so his mother put a notice in the window advertising 'Teas'. Soon the shop was heaving with Australian soldiers enjoying a couple of hours away from their wards, chatting, drinking tea and singing Waltzing Matilda.

Australian and New Zealand soldiers did not forget Anzac Day, when on the 25th April, they assembled in front of the great West Window, to attend a service in the Cathedral.

Entertained by Propaganda

The cinemas were popular, and would have been full of recuperating soldiers. The City Palace in Fore Street showed a French propaganda film about gun manufacture, which proved to be very popular. The film showed the production of British guns using "mammoth hammers" and "huge lathes for turning and boring". Another film on the same bill, took a comic look at the Kaiser.

Many men from Exeter, both ordinary and prominent joined the army to fight for King and Country. Thomas Moore, who founded the clothing shop in Fore Street had become well known before the war, driving his Triumph motor cycle around the city. He joined up as a despatch rider, only to be killed in 1917 at the Battle of Zillebeke. His name can be found on the memorial outside St Olave's Church in Fore Street.

After almost 145 years of informing Exonians of the local and national news, Trewman's Exeter Flying Post ceased publication on 21st April 1917. The name would resurface as an alternative, monthly magazine in 1975.

At St Sidwell's School, Minnie Simpson was given a prize certificate for knitting scarves and socks for soldiers on the front. In October, the Headmaster of Newtown Boys' School sold 3,000 war savings coupons.

1918 - Peace breaks out

In January, the River Exe suffered its worst flood in 34 years, then in February, heavy snow fell on Exeter, and the weary people prayed for peace.

The war dragged on and the carnage continued in the trenches of the Western Front. In Exeter, those with men in the forces would dread the ring of the telegram boy. In January there was a shortage of food across Devon and in April, the national rationing of meat, sugar, butter and margarine was introduced.

Influenza

Then a new enemy raised its ugly head - influenza swept through the country during the summer and autumn of 1918. On 25th July, 42 people were reported to have died from the influenza in Exeter. 

The Medical Officer of Health closed 516 schools across the county; Newtown School had a five rather than four week summer break, and was closed for six weeks from the 8th October. It wasn't until the end of November that the influenza epidemic subsided.

The Eleventh Hour

And so, the eleventh hour of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month arrived.

News of the Armistice had been expected on Sunday 10th November, but it was obvious by 11pm that agreement had not been reached, and the expectant crowd in the streets of Exeter dispersed.

At 10.48am the next day, a bulletin was posted in the window of the Express and Echo office in the High Street reporting that the Armistice had been signed, and that all hostilities would cease at 11 am - within moments, the crowd had erupted with joy.

A jubilant mass of people milled about as the Exeter City Silver Band, at the Guildhall entrance played 'O God our help in ages past'; and the crowd sang along with joyous relief. The Stars and Stripes, the Colour's of Belgium, and the Tricolour of France were hauled up the flagpoles of the Guildhall, with the Union Flag flying above.

Exonians poured in from all over the city, children carrying flags, servicemen dancing jigs and office workers in their starched collars shouting with delight. By 1 pm, all business had closed for the day. In the afternoon, confetti was thrown in the streets and the trams were festooned with flags. A service of thanks giving was quickly organised in the Cathedral, where 3,000 attended.

Four years of war were over at last, a war in which of the millions who had lost their lives, 11,601 men and women were from Devon. Three years later, in May 1921, the Prince of Wales unveiled the Devon War Memorial in Cathedral Yard to remember the fallen of the war to end all wars. The Exeter War Memorial was dedicated in April 1923.

Sources - Exeter Flying Post , Express and Echo, Devon in the Great War by Gerald Wasley, an Exeter Boyhood by Frank Ritter, St Sidwells School Exeter by Hazel Harvey, Willingly to School by Judith Sturman and Stephanie Barnes, People Talking by Jenny Lloyd and other articles on Exeter Memories.