Page 842 - Reading Mercury

An enormous blue and gold banner with the inscription “Welcome to the Glorious
Gloucesters” hung on the sombre walls of Wokingham Drill Hall; floral decorated
tables laden with iced cakes and every delicacy set the scene; and 14 boys of the
Gloucester Regiment among them Ted Rose of Bracknell. Were included in the 250
guests who celebrated the return from Korea of Edward Rose of Rose Street and
Arthur Allum of Emmbrook with a mammoth family party on Saturday.
Among the guests were the Mayor and Mayoress of Wokingham (Cllr. W.G.
Jackson and Mrs. W.J. Willey); Ald. David Goddard, Lt. Gen. Percy Molloy,
president of the Wokingham Branch of the British Legion; and Mr, W. Burden,
secretary of the branch.
The Mayor welcomed the boys, speaking of his own happy connections with
Gloucestershire during the lifetime of his wife. A toast to “The Glosters” was
proposed by Ald. D. Goddard, and later the boys were presented with cigarette
lighters by General Molloy.
Mrs. Rose and Mrs. Allum received bouquets from Mr. W. Burden.
RELEASE SOON
The party was a real family affair, all the cakes and other dainties having been made
by the two families, who also decorated the hall. Games and dancing went on until
midnight when the guests adjourned to the decorated home of Edward Rose and
carried on until the early hours.
On Wednesday Allum and Rose reported back to Gloucester Camp where another
celebration awaited them before their release and return to civil life at the weekend.

th
Sat 24 Oct
RUSH FOR PETROL
Up to midday Thursday the unofficial strike of fuel tanker drivers had not made
itself greatly felt in Wokingham. Garages reported that petrol sales were heavy—
motorists were taking no chances. One of the largest filling stations said that the
demand had been very heavy, and if it did not decrease the customers would have to
be rationed. Bulk deliveries of petrol were made in Wokingham up to Thursday.

A VINTAGE TRICYCLE
Motor-cycle enthusiast, Mr. D. Lee, of Rectory Road, Wokingham, took his 1896
tricycle to Nuneaton on Sunday for the vintage motor-cycle rally organised by the
Nuneaton Road safety Council in conjunction with the Vintage Motor-Cycle Club—
and came back with two cups. The larger of the two is the “D Jukes” Cup for the pre-
1915 class of the “Concours d’elegance,” which Mr. Lee will keep for one year, and
the smaller is a replica which is his own property. This veteran Deschamps 3½ h.p.
machine is thought to be the only one of its type in the country, and was the oldest at
the rally, appropriately numbered “one.” Whilst there Mr. Lee rode it several times for
the benefit of the spectators. Although built in the days when it was compulsory for
the rider to have a man walking in front of him waving a white flag this veteran
st
machine is quite capable of exceeding 20 m.p.h. On November 1 Mr. Lee hopes it
will keep up a steady 20 m.p.h., for then he will compete in the London-Brighton run
organised by the Veteran Car Club of Great Britain. This will be his first attempt. In
addition to this old Deschamps, Mr. Lee runs a 1911 Bradbury 554 c.c. belt-driven
cycle, which, despite its appearance and age, can still top the 60 mark.

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