Yorkshire Post Tuesday 3rd June 1941 TROOPS AT FETE Village Sports Sutton on Derwent Monday The British Army ran the village fete at Sutton on Derwent this afternoon. The Union Jack flew over the pavilion in the cricket field, and whenever I happened to look that way I could see the Vicar (Rev M H Pimm) and the Major and the Adjutant, all with their heads together, going through the programme. Said the Major, detaching himself from a discussion on the 100 yards flat race:- “Sutton on Derwent has been extraordinarily kind to the troops stationed in the neighbourhood that we felt we would like to do this for them.” This was indicated by a broad sweep of the Major’s cane- a cricket field cut, and rolled, and staked out for a programme of sports as never before in its 19 years of fetes. Said the Sergt-Major (when the Major was in conference again):- “My men were here til 9:30 on Saturday night getting it all ready. They’ve been working at it every night for a week. And now, as you can see, they are here to take part in the events.” Said the Vicar, hurrying away for a few minutes to tidy up his stall of garden produce (broccoli and cauliflowers from his own garden), and to see about auctioning the 9 dozen eggs he had collected (he had a licence from the Food Office for the occasion) :- “I am a very fortunate man. When I called a meeting of the parishioners. The troops joined the committee and took over the sports, with the result, as you can see, that I have nothing to do.” The proceeds are to be devoted to clearing off the church restoration debt. As much as £100 has been raised by earlier fetes, but as the Vicar looked round the busy cricket field he said he hoped to raise £140 this time. The Major came back again “It’s a very happy village this,” he said. “We all get on fine together. When we came to the neighbourhood they handed over the Church hall to us at once. We could have requisitioned it, I expect, but we didn’t have to think of that at all. We run a dance there once a week and invite the villagers to it. If they want to run a dance we give them the hall back for the occasion, and they invite us. “The villagers have thrown open their homes to us, and they have helped us very willingly to billet the wives of men stationed in the neighbourhood. The Vicar is always ready to help the men with his knowledge and experience in solving any little difficulty they may have. “Another thing we shoot with the local Home Guard every Sunday. Extraordinarily good shots they are, too, and very proud we were when we took them out and beat them last Sunday. “We also co-operate with the local A.F.S., and were out with them on their last display, helping with the fire pump.” Said the Sergt-Major, after a discreet interval:- “The point is this, the lads do no wrong, and so the villager’s haven’t anything to grumble about. We’ve never had any complaint from the villagers in any shape or form ever since we’ve been in this neighbourhood. And we’ve never had any complaints from the lads about the villagers. “Oh, we’re happy enough here. My lads go about with the villagers, although we’re ‘townies’ and they’re country folk. Some of the villagers who have cars come and take my lads out for a run at weekends, and it’s not always the same lads they take out twice.” the judges for the sports included a second lieutenant and a sergeant; a driver was the starter; a corporal was the timekeeper; the Major was one of the referees
Posted on: Mon, 18 Aug 2014 03:40:10 +0000
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