The Henson Journals

[257]

Tuesday, August 18th, 1914.

I attended the meeting of the Local Committee of the National Relief Fund for the County of Durham. Sir Frank Brown, the chairman of the County Council, presided. A Committee was duly constituted consisting of 50 members, 42 men & 8 women. Lord Durham was elected Vice–Chairman: & the Committee itself was divided into 4 Sub–Committees, to deal severally with (α) Organisation. (β) Employment & public works. (γ) Relief. (δ) Finance & General Purposes. A Temporary Sub–Committee of 17 members was appointed to allocate members to the four standing sub–committees, to define the duties of the same, & to deal with matters of urgency. This Sub–Committee had a meeting forthwith, & appointed a small committee of five to prepare the business. This consisted of the Chairman & Sub–Chairman, Alderman Wood, Col. Bowes, Mrs Pease, and myself.

Lord Durham lunched at the Deanery. I attended Evensong, & hearing that May was ill, walked round to his house to inquire. My visit coincided with that of the doctor, from who, I learned that it was a case of appendicitis, & must be instantly operated on. I offered the car to transfer the patient to a nursing–home in Newcastle. Ella went with Mrs May> by way of friendship.

[258]

In this horrible suspense we scarcely heed events which in ordinary times would have set everyone talking. Thus the death of the Pope scarcely moved a ripple of interest on the surface of public concern. The poor old man is said to have been heart–broken by the war. Pius X can hardly be said to have had any enemies, for his personal virtues disarmed criticism even in quarters where his persecuting policy was execrated. The news of his death arrived on the same day as the news of the German occupation of Brussels. The retirement of the Belgian army to Antwerp, leaving the capital to the enemy, is understood to be part of the defensive scheme agreed upon by the Allies. It is now officially announced that the British Expeditionary Force has been successfully landed in France: and that the French Algerian Army has been transferred to the Alsatian Frontier. A considerable victory has been gained by the Servians against the Austrians: the Russian invasion of Prussia has definitely begun: & Japan has declared war against Germany. Add to all this that we have now reached the 23rd August, and it may perhaps be fairly maintained that the position of the Allies is considerably more favourable than anyone would have thought probable three weeks ago. The real fight is only now beginning.

[259]

Colonel Macmahon, having telegraphed that the Durham Light Infantry were at Cambridge, & would be glad if I would preach to them on Sunday morning, I at once determined to do so: & travelled to Cambridge on Saturday, the 22nd August. I was hospitably entertained by Mrs Duckworth. On Sunday 23rd, I preached to the regiment at 10 a.m. standing in a waggon with men ranged in a hollow square. There is a considerable accumulation of troops at Cambridge, some 20,000 men. I returned to Durham immediately after service, arriving about 8.45 at night. Bishop Mann, now of South Florida, preached in my stead in the Cathedral.

On Monday, the 24th August, we made a great expedition to Hexham & Chesters. The weather was propitious, the car did its duty nobly: the country we traversed was very beautiful & looked its best. On the whole, the expedition was successful throughout. On our return to Durham, we were much cast down at learning from the evening paper that Namur had fallen. The "Times" of this morning speaks confidently of that fortress being easily able to hold out 3 months! This collapse of the Belgian defence has compelled the French & British to fall back to what is described as the original defensive position arranged by the French. The Fall of Namur is a dismaying disaster.

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