Essex VB Sports Day 16 May 1918
Essex VB held a weekend camp starting on 16 May 1918 which featured a sports day on Saturday evening.
Officers present included
Lt Col J W Slater CMG MD ( Camp Commandant) , Major General Johnson ( County Commandant) Major Sir John Seton ( County Adjutant) , Captain P H Graves ( Adjutant of the 2/2nd VB), Sir Victor Fowell Buxton, General Sir T D'Oyley Snow, General Sir Chas Bingham, General Oxley, General F F Johnson CB and Brigadier General R B Colvin CB.
Unit Commanders were Majors Sir T F V Buxton, W Gurney Benham, Boulton, Lawther and Hopkins with Col Wrightson.
A special mention went to Lt Bisson of the 2/2nd VB who was a survivor from the battle of Mons.
The Officials were Major Price, Major E E King ( Motor Vehicle Volunteers), Captain Read, Lt Cawkwell ( Instructor), Lt Whur, Lt Jones and Lt Papworth, 2nd Lt H J Lowe and Cpl Bunham.
Winners included
Hotchisss Gun Competition
Sgt H Coleman A Company
Cpl W Thompson C Company
Cpl Hoy B Company
Pte Johnson C Company
Cpl W Thompson won especial praise as he was only 17 yrs old. He is the son of 2nd Lt J O Thompson ( 2/2nd VB) who is Deputy Mayor of Chelmsford with one brother fighting in France and another who had just been killed in action in Palestine.
100 yards
Pte T G Smith and Pte E J Double
75 yds handicap
Pte H F Pash, Cpl Appleby and Pte Peacock
Wheelbarrow race
Ptes Evans & Baker , Ptes Mills & Welham
Officers Blindfold race
Lt H F Chamen and Lt Frank H Jones
Hotchkiss Gun
1/2nd VB Chelmsford
Drill Competition by squads from 2/2nd VB
A Company - Sgt Cox Instructor
Tug of war
2/2nd VB coached by Sgt Major Burnett
Inter Battalion Relay Race
2/2nd VB coached by Lt Bisson
Boat race
1/2nd VB
100 yds under military age
Pte Jackson, Pte T M Smith, Pte Eve
