Hertfordshire Mercury and County Press – 12 June 1964
OLD SOLDIERS… NEVER EVEN SEEM TO FADE AWAY
‘Exclusive’ Membership
Old soldiers never die… and in the Hertford area they don’t even seem to fade away. For when Hertford Branch of the Old Contemptibles’ Association was formed 65 members attended the first Branch meeting. And now, almost 26 years later, the Branch still has 52 members.
The ‘exclusive’ Association is for men who served in France between August 5 and November 22, 1914, and hold the 1914 Star with Clasp.
The Association is celebrating in London this year the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Mons, the first big battle of the First World War. The celebration is being brought forward to June 26 so that the veterans can take part in a Royal Review.
Since the Hertford Branch was formed it has had a total of 169 “Chums” – as members are called. And more than £500 has been given to members in cases of sickness, hardship, and bereavement.
The Branch was begun on November 7, 1938, when 36 ex-Servicemen met at the White Hart, Hertford, to consider its formation, with the late Lieut.-Col. F. Sworder acting as Chairman.
The first Branch meeting followed on December 16, with Lieut.-Col. Sworder elected Chairman and Captain E. G. Crawley Vice-Chairman.
The first Secretary was Mr W. H. Ollis, with the Treasurer Mr J. C. Cocks. Major Elton Longmore and Brigadier Hanbury Pawle became Vice-Presidents.
Thirty-five of the original members had served with the 1st Hertfordshire Regiment. Of the present members, 29 were men of the regiment.
The first President, Major T. Barber, who was elected on May 17, 1914, had three sons members of the Branch.
The Hon. Lady J. O. Trower became a Patron in September 1940 – and she still is.
The Branch, which covers an area extending to Buntingford, Welwyn Garden City, and Waltham Cross, has Hertford Borough Alderman C. W. G. Vance Packman as its President, Mr R. J. Joyce as Chairman, Mr E. J. Brown as Secretary, and Mr H. T. Bullock as Secretary.
Old Contemptibles' Association Scrap Book 