The first batch of Belgium refugees arrived in Manchester , forty five were dispatched from Alexandra Palace in London where over nine hundred had been accommodated
Crowds greeted them at Central station and as the train reached the platform cries of vive Le Belgique were raised as hats, caps, sticks and Belgian flags were waved.
The refugees were whisked off for a reception at the Town Hall.Later they would be taken to temporary homes in Kersal, Tottingham, Winslow and Altrincham .A second party of fifty were due to arrive later in the week
Residents in Sale sent thirteen cases of jam to the St Mary’s Royal Naval Hospital in South End, following an appeal to help wounded soldiers.
The jam had been made over the past three weeks and came from fruit that had been collected from local orchards.
News from filtering through from the Western Front about the bombardment of Rheims cathedral, described as a ‘wanton and useless act of destruction.’
A Stockport gunner who was serving in the North Sea fleet gave an interesting insight into the war at sea in a letter home.
He told of his ship cruising the North Sea, putting into port once a week. His ship had yet to exchange any shots with the German fleet and talked of the Germans staying put in their base at heligoland only coming out when ” we have gone for coal”.
