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Spr. Arthur Warnford "Joe" Payne
British Army Royal Engineers
from:73 King St, Leamington Spa
My grand father Joe Payne, enlisted 16.6.15, his occupation on his army papers is Post Office Telegraph he had joined the Post Office aged 14 in 1911 i think he was in a reserved occupation being a telephone engineer and the reason for his later enlistment. He joined the R.E as a telegraphist and seems to be based in Bedfordshire/Hertfordshire. He enlists at Fenny Stratford (Blechley), the post card with him and horse says its sent from 26 Pennywinkle Lane, Hitchin, he ends up in Bedford Military Hospital and is discharged from Dunstable Signals Depot. Enlisted for only 265 days, he spoke to me about being trained to ride a horse and night time exercises, the horses had been trained not to step on fallen bodies, so that if they went over a tussock they'd jump a little, the unwary, tired rider could soon find themself unseated. They had an ex fire horse in there troop that would break into a gallop at the slightest sound of a bell.
He spoke about being camped in tents in a Park, which one I do not know, but its possibly where the group photo was taken. They had to take hundreds of mules from there to ferries on the south coast, possibly Southampton, and from there to Boulogne, the only time he'd ever been abroad was the few hours he stood on the docks before the mules were unloaded and they had to return. He described this as "being just like cowboys" and I think one of the most enjoyable experiences for him. I did have a picture of him on an early triumph motorcycle all muffled up and in uniform but alas this has gone missing. He said that the army dentist took his top set out one week and the bottom the next!
In November 1915 a plane went over the park and spooked hundreds of mules into a stampede, they were tethered together charging in roped lines. he said that he shouted to a friend to jump the ropes, the first two he managed and then he decided to try and get on the back of a mule, thats the last he remembered before waking up in an open hospital with ice on his blanket from his breath. He remembered my Aunt coming to look after him? Was that possible? And the other patients in this open hospital being gas casualties. His 'medical report on an invalid' says In 'November 1915 he was kicked on the top of his head by a mule, and since that date he has had continual discharge from his ears. He was discharged 16.03.16 for 'Chronic inflamation of middle ear.' Although hard of hearing and eventually deaf in one ear our family has a lot to thank that mule for. He went on to marry Florence Cull, they had one daughter my mother and my son Joe continues the family name.
