Christmas 1914

Christmas 1914.

As the recruiting drive began for Kitchener’s New Army,

“All Over by Christmas!”

Was on the lips of every recruiting officer. By the end of October 1914 the British Expeditionary Force had dug itself into a line of trenches last would change little in four years. It became rapidly apparent that the anticipated contest of naval might would not be the deciding factor of the conflict.
The Christmas card below would be the first of a series that was not foreseen.

For some it would all be over by Christmas, Christmas Day to be exact.

 Enoch Dudley, whose grave in Brynteg Chapelyard, Gorseinon is pictured here, was on duty in Swansea Docks, guarding the port from invasion and espionage. After his watch finished he, and others went into Wind St for refreshment at the local bars.

On leaving a bar an argument resulted on who had drunk the most. Sgt Hopper levelled his rifle fired and killed Dudley and wounded another of the party. Hopper was arrested and charged with murder. 

Tragically, this was the second murder within the 6^th (Swansea Rifles) Bn of the Welsh Regiment. Earlier in the war, Phillip Burrell, from Aberdare had been guarding Port Talbot Docks after a drinking session in the nearby Grand Hotel, when he too was shot and killed by his companion Henry Crout.

Crout was sentenced to death but this was reduced to Hard Labour and he eventually served on the Western Front.

Hopper also had his sentence commuted. Public morale probably played an important part in the decisions. Shown are the entries for Hopper in the registers of Swansea Prison.