Page 655 - Reading Mercury

On Wednesday, at 5.50 p.m., a time when the majority of Wokingham men and
women are usually having their tea, crowds began to gather near the Town Hall. At
the “old” church and at the A.R.P. headquarters, Territorials, special constables,
members of the V.A.DS., the Women’s Territorial Auxiliary, Women's Voluntary
Services and other organisations were paraded and ready to move off.
One contingent was headed by the band of the Royal Merchant Navy School, with
colour party, and the other by the Wokingham Town and British Legion Band.
Tea was forgotten as the processions marched through the main streets and joined
forces in the Market Place. Men, women and children of all ages crowded around a
platform to learn how they could do their share to strengthen the voluntary defences
of the country.
On the platform were the Mayor of Wokingham (Cllr. J. Egerton Thorpe), the Lord
Lieutenant of Berkshire (Mr. A. T. Loyd, president of the County National Service
Committee), Mr. H. A. Benyon (chairman of the committee), Captain R.W. Phillips
(deputy-chairman), Mr. R. W. Snailum (secretary), the Chief Constable of Berkshire
(Comdr. The Hon. Humphry Legge), Mrs. H.A. Benyon (County Director of the
V.A.D.), Miss Collins (Chief Commandant, Berks. Auxiliary Territorial Service),
Cllr. F.S. Perkins (Deputy Mayor of Wokingham), Cllr J. H. Titterington
(Wokingham’s A.R.P. controller) and Ald. F.J. Barrett (Wokingham’s representative
on the County National Service Committees)
The Mayor, who introduced the Lord Lieutenant, thanked everyone who had taken
part in the rally, and he mentioned that Wokingham had already enrolled 400
volunteers before the National service handbook had been issued.
A cue from sirens
The Lord Lieutenant moved to the microphone as air raid sirens wailed, and he took
his cue from them. “The sound of those sirens is a signal that we are met at times of
peace, tranquillity and security so far as Wokingham is concerned,” he said. “Listen to
them and think under what different circumstances you might listen to that note of
warning.”
“First I must congratulate the organisations on the splendid display. It was
thoroughly businesslike and efficient. This is no beauty show. It is not to turn out
people looking smart and well-dressed. It is, alas, to show people in the kits they
might have to wear under very grave and serious circumstances,
“I want to ask you to think with me about the whole question of National Service.
We are a thoroughly sound race of people, but we are rather lazy. We realise that
difficulties exist, but we comfort ourselves with the belief that all will be well in the
end. Here is a case where I want you to make certain that all will be well at the
beginning. Do not wait for people to come to you to find out if you will volunteer. We
want you to come forward and say what you want to do.”
Mr. Loyd urged his audience to ask themselves if they were doing their share and
their duty. Volunteers were needed in all kinds of activity, and it was certain that a job
could be found for everyone. If an emergency did arise the untrained man or woman
would not be of much use.
Thanks were expressed to Mr. Loyd by Mr. Benyon and Captain Phillips. The rally
was organised under the County Committee by Ald. Barrett, the Mayor, and Cllr.
Titterington. Police Superintendent E.J Braby was in charge of the assembly in the
Market Place; Cllr. Titterington in charge of that at the A.R.P. headquarters, and S.M.
Cleaver that at the church.
The organisations taking part (in addition to those already mentioned) were: Men’s
and women’s sections of Wokingham branch of the British Legion, the headquarters

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