- Parcels and letters
- Knitted clothing
- Uniform manufacturing
- Local Red Cross hospital
- Sphagnum moss dressings
- Fundraising
- Haig’s visit in 1920
Langholm townsfolk gave considerable home support to the war effort. A good indication of the overall contribution can be seen from the list of organisations introduced to Field Marshal Earl Haig during his visit to Langholm in October 1920.
1. Parcels and letters
These were usually the most valuable and appreciated forms of support for individuals on the front line, many of whom were facing extreme conditions with very limited contact with home.
The parcels included tobacco, food items, newspapers, etc., collectively known as ‘comforts’.
Stationery was often hard for soldiers to find and censorship prevented mention of any details deemed to be militarily sensitive, so communications were constrained.
2. Knitted clothing
Socks, gloves, balaclavas and other woollen items were knitted and included in parcels for soldiers and sailors. Lady French, wife of the British Expeditionary Force’s Commander-in-Chief Sir John French, made an early appeal for mufflers (thick scarves), producing an enthusiastic response.
A surge of knitting produced some eclectic items, so some government patterns and guidelines were introduced, including advice on the use of the ‘Kitchener stitch’ which joins two knitted pieces together (also known as ‘grafting’), although the technique was used long beforehand.
3. Uniform manufacturing
After the outbreak of war, Langholm’s woollen mills were initially severely affected by the cancellation of much regular business, but government orders were soon being received for uniforms. By early 1915, the mills were running at full capacity with about three-quarters of production being for uniforms: khaki for the UK government and blue-grey cloth for the French government.
4. Red Cross hospital
The school gymnasium was converted into a hospital ward and local doctors provided medical training to volunteers. Approval was gained to use the Old Parish Church Hall as a Red Cross hospital and the gymnasium ward was discontinued. The Red Cross hospital was opened on 16th October 1914 under the direction of Lady Ewart, wife of Sir Spencer Ewart, head of Scottish Command.
It was designated as the Dumfries Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) 34 and had a female and male corps, assisted by the Scouts. It was the first voluntary hospital in Dumfriesshire to take in sick and wounded servicemen and by its first anniversary had taken care of 184 patients.
5. Sphagnum moss dressings
In the context of the war, ‘sphagnum moss’ referred to a number of moss species that have valuable absorbency and antiseptic properties, making them very useful as medical dressings and surgical aids, typically wrapped in gauze. They can absorb over 20 times their weight in liquid, more than double the amount for cotton, and their high iodine content kills microbes.
Sphagnum moss dressings from Langholm were highly appreciated, as seen from this letter from Sister May Paterson, 23rd Casualty Clearing Station, France in November 1916:
Dear Mrs Miesegaes
I received some sphagnum moses bags, which arrived at this C.C.S. in excellent order and beautifully smooth. I write to express to you and your helpers our thanks and appreciation of the work, for sphagnum moss is a wonderful thing […] We are always supplied here with it through the British Red Cross Depot, so probably we have often unknowingly used many bags of sphagnum from Eskdale. […] None of the sphagnum dressings are as smooth and nice as the ones I received from Langholm.
E&L, …
6. Fundraising
In addition to the above, Langholm townsfolk were under regular demand from national, county and local fundraising campaigns to contribute to numerous causes by means of money, time and produce.
Examples were:
- Belgian Relief Fund.
- Blind Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Fund.
- Comfort Funds (for parcels for servicemen), e.g.:
- Local Soldiers’ Comforts Fund (Langholm).
- The Duchess of Buccleuch’s Comfort Fund.
- Concerts, flower shows, craft sales, competitions, etc.
- Dumfries County Fund (regional organisation for three national funds)
- Flag days: lapel pins for financial donations.
- Langholm Red Cross hospital: donations of food and services, e.g. transport.
- National Relief Fund (promoted by the Prince of Wales, later Edward VIII).
- Scottish Teachers’ Fund for War Relief.
- War for Women fund.
- Other charities.
7. Field Marshal Haig’s visit in 1920
Field Marshal Douglas Haig (1861-1928) conducted a UK and Canada tour in 1920 in the aftermath of the war. He visited the Duke of Buccleuch in a private capacity at Langholm Lodge on 9th-11th October. Passing along the High Street on his departure to Carlisle, he took part in a hastily-organised ceremony in Market Place.
During the ceremony, Field Marshal Haig was introduced to the following representatives by Provost John Cairns:
| Activity/Organisation | Representatives |
|---|---|
| Town council | Town council members, including the wartime provost Thomas Easton |
| Parish council | Arthur Bell, parish council chairman |
| Church of Scotland | Rev James Buchanan, Parish Church minister |
| Red Cross Hospital | Lady Ewart (commandant), Mrs Monro (quartermaster) |
| British Linen Bank | Mr Thomson, treasurer |
| Royal Red Cross | Sister Daisy Paterson (Navy); Mrs Burnham (Army) |
| Sphagnum Moss Workers | Miss Stansfeld, representing Mrs Maud Miesegaes, Longwood; Mr James Morrison, treasurer |
| Soldiers’ Comforts Committee | Miss Smith, convenor; Mr Robert Hamilton, secretary and treasurer |
| Public Work Party | Mrs Sarah Paisley, The Holm, convenor |
| Boy Scouts | Harry Robinson, scoutmaster |
| Girl Guides | Mrs Ann Graham, Holmwood, captain |
| Infant School | Miss Wilson, schoolmistress |
| Common Riding | Cornet Arthur Lightbody; ex-cornets Fred Scott and Thomas Elliot |
| Military | Major Edward Bell; Private C Stuart (injured), 7th Border Regiment |
| Other | Provost John Cairns‘s wife Lottie and daughters Bessie (Red Cross Hospital cook) and Lottie (Red Cross Hospital nurse) |
A curious omission is the mills, which played a significant role by manufacturing army uniforms. They are only indirectly represented by Provost John Cairns (Ford mill) and the parish council’s chairman Arthur Bell (Buccleuch mill).
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