Church Lads Brigade
The Church Lads Brigade The Church Lads Brigade movement set out to train lads in discipline, morality and physical training and instil the values of the wider citizen by social and religious training based on the religion of the Christian faith and the teaching of the Church of England. The discipline was military. During WW1, at the age of 18, as the lads were drafted into the Army, they had a considerable advantage having learned in the ranks of the C.L.B. The C.L.B. cadets became affiliated to the Kings Royal Rifle Corps and the connection between the K.R.R. and the C.L.B. was very close as a special battalion of the K.R.R. was raised in World War One and equipped from the ranks of the C.L.B. Above: St Edward's Church Lads Brigade circa 1916 with Rev.G.O. Lewis centre and Joseph Fretwell seated second on the left. Photograph thanks to Marjorie Townend. St Edward's Church Lads Brigade There are no official records available to tell us about the St Edward's Lads Brigade, but we know from newspaper articles that it was going strong in April 1917 and applications had exceeded all expectations. Requests for a second Company had been received, but it was reported that this depended on adequate funds. Harry Hampson, born in 1905 and a member of St Edward's Church Lads Brigade, remembered that there were about 70 members and it's influence helped form character and gave everyone a standard to live by. The K.R.R.C. uniform was khaki, and the C.L.B. was blue. The St Edward's group twice won the P.T. Shield for all England, and one year shared it. They were always in the top rank for foot drill and were often complimented on their smart turnout. The following individuals were closely connected to the C.L.B.
Photograph above thanks to Sheila Melville. *From Harry Hampson's memories, with thanks to Sheila Melville. Click this link for more photographs. |