Page 508 - Reading Mercury

THE TERRITORIALS
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The annual prize meeting of “D” Company, 4 Royal Berks. was held on the
Finchampstead range, some 50 members taking part. The results were: Company cup
and first prize, Sergt. Byde; 2. Lce.-Cpl. Eamer; 3. Sergt. Wickham; 4. Lce.-Cpl.
Hurdwell; 5. Pte. R.G. Taylor. The Godsal cup for recruits was won by Pte. Kew,
closely followed by Ptes. Ellis and A. Gibbs. The Lewis gun cup had been previously
won by Lce.-Cpl. Houlton, but Colonel Battcock’s prize for the Lewis gun
competition was won by Cpl. Marriner after shooting off a tie with Pte. Challis. The
next three places were taken by Lce.-Cpl. Houlton, Cpl. Dance and Sgt. May. The
silver table, dessert and teaspoons awarded for the best shoots on handicap in the
company cup shoot were won by Ptes. Hobley, Watts and Knight.

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Sat 16 Oct
FOR THE BLIND
Special appeals for the National Institute for the Blind were made at St. Paul’s on
Sunday by the deputation, the Rev. H.E.C. Lewis, M.A., F.R.C.O., who is himself
blind.

SPLIT TELEPHONE POLE
Telephone communication in some parts of Wokingham was interrupted on
Thursday morning by a pole carrying wires at the corner of Gipsy Lane and Murdoch
Road being damaged by a motor-car. Mrs Harris, of Hurst, who was driving a four-
seater car with passengers down Easthampstead Road from the town, swerved to
avoid William Peckham, who was cycling out of the side entrance to the residence of
Mr. F.A. Simonds. The car struck the telephone post with such force that the top gear
of wires, cups and traverses fell, splitting the pole down for about ten feet. The driver
and other ladies in the car escaped injury, but Peckham was thrown from his bicycle
and sustained injuries, which are not regarded as serious.

FRIENDSHIP WITH FRANCE
Captain Townroe (correspondent to “The Times”) gave a lecture on Tuesday on
“Our Friendship with France,” a large audience assembling in the Town Hall, under
the auspices of the Wokingham Conservative and Unionist Association. Mr. C.
Mansfield presided. Captain Townroe, whose lecture was illustrated with lantern
slides, said many of his audience had in the Great War fought side by side with
French comrades, and admired the patriotism, patience and courage of the French
troops. Leading men of both countries were warm friends. Without France and
England being on terms together peace in Europe would not come about. Towards
that end Sir Austen Chamberlain and the Conservative Government were striving. Mr.
S. Hooper proposed and Mr. W.J. Cheeseman seconded, a vote of thanks to the
lecturer, who kindly bore the expense of his visit. Mr. Mansfield thanked Mr. Whaley
for his loan of the lantern and Mr. F. Knight for his expert operating of it.

DEATH OF COMMANDER G.W. GREGORIE, R.N.
On Saturday evening there passed away at his residence, “Highfield,” Milton Road,
Wokingham, one who had figured prominently and with honour in the public life of
Wokingham. He was Commander George Wayne Gregorie, R.N., one of the oldest of
the links with Wokingham.
The gallant commander, whose tall, commanding figure up to a few years ago was
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familiar to all, was born on March 25 1836. He was son of Mr. Gregorie stipendiary
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