The John & Andrée East Award
2015
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Pam
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Frederick Richard East
A Conscientious Objector in the First World War.
Frederick Richard East aged about 35
He would have been asked to state his reasons for not serving, and persuaded that he should be serving his country. He was only exempt from "combatant service", meaning that he was required to enter the military, but was guaranteed not to handle or use weapons. By this time, news of the conditions that the men were fighting under in France, had filtered home, and he must have realised that the carnage had to stop. He was "attached" to the Royal Fusiliers for "field service at home". This meant that he was assigned to the Non- Combatant Corps, which was effectively the only assignment possible, within the terms of his C.O. exemption. It is not clear whether he exercised his right to appeal to the Middlesex Tribunal, [details researched but not found], but, if he did, it is clear that such an appeal must have failed. By being attached to the N-C.C., Royal Fusiliers, he was expected to perform various labouring tasks. After his arrest he was taken to the barracks and given a uniform. He refused to wear the uniform, and this was regarded as disobeying an order. As a result he was sent to a court martial, subjected to a trial for disobedience, and then sentenced to imprisonment. Men who refused to serve in the armed forces were classed as cowards, and were generally unpopular with the public, the Press, and the authorities, who saw them at best, as unpatriotic shirkers, and worst, as subjective revolutionaries. In fact, they were the bravest of men. For their obstinacy and firmly held beliefs, they were termed "Absolutists", and some were threatened with death by shooting, "to encourage the others to join up". Some, [not F.R.E.], were taken to France, where stricter rules applied, to carry it out. Passing through South London, one of the men threw a note out of the train, with the request that word be taken to either the "No-Conscription Fellowship", or given to a Pacifist M.P. When it was known what the Army was up to, they were reprieved at the last minute, and shipped back to England, to be subjected to hard labour instead. The majority were imprisoned in appalling conditions, some subjected to torture. It all played havoc with their psychological and physical health.
Some agreed to help in other ways than on the front line, and were termed "Alternatives". They became ambulance drivers, medical orderlies and stretcher bearers behind the British lines.
For a law-abiding man, newly married, and with a baby on the way, imprisonment must have been a big blow for Frederick. [A daughter, Marjorie Theodora East was born in 1916. I would like to acknowledge here, that her daughter, Faith Badger, supplied me with photos of F.R.E. and his family, for which I am very grateful].
He was sent initially, to Wormwood Scrubs Prison in London. Because so many C.O.'s were ending up in prison - 6000 in all - the authorities devised what was known as the Home Office Scheme. It was a civilian organisation to employ the CO's "under conditions as severe as those of the soldiers at the front". A further Tribunal, the Central Tribunal, sat at Wormwood Scrubs to interview imprisoned C.O.'s, and most were offered a placement at what was known as a Home Office Work Centre.
The Dartmoor Prison building had been cleared of ordinary prisoners, locks were taken off the cell doors, and the new inmates were allowed to wear ordinary clothes, and go out in the evenings and on Sundays. They regarded themselves as "residents" rather than prisoners. The old Dartmoor Prison was now called the Princetown Work Centre, and opened in March 1917, and it is likely that Frederick was sent to another Work Centre first, before finally ending up in Dartmoor. [I have not been able to find reference to him being anywhere else, but there were Work Centres at Warwick, Wakefield and in Scotland.] He and his fellow C.O.s were expected to break rocks for road building. It was back –breaking work and he suffered physical strain that lasted all his life. Not only was the work outside hard, but they were subjected to verbal and physical abuse by the local population. Some "residents" brought their families to be near to them in Princetown, and they, too, were physically and verbally abused.
During his time in Dartmoor, he made firm, and life-long friends with "fellow residents", especially a man called Howard Carter, who may have influenced his decision to train for the "Assemblies of God"; Elim Pentecostal Church Ministry. Frederick never lost his belief that he was doing the right thing in being a C.O., and in wanting to be a Minister. He was released in late 1918, suffering from physical and mental breakdown, but, with the love and care of his wife, he slowly recovered, and made the decision to train for the ministry in the Elim Pentecostal church. [A son, Frederick Henry East was born in October 1919 ]
The "Assemblies of God" was a branch, formed in 1924, of the Elim Pentecostal Church. He served as Minister in Highbury, London, in the late 1920's, then in Grimsby, Lincs. for five years, and finally in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, where he swelled the ranks of the congregation to such an extent, that they had to move into larger premises.[Obituary in the" Redemption Times"]The physical and mental scars of his experiences during the First World War never left him, and were the basis for his care of those who had similar suffering, in his Ministry in the church.
While on his way to a Church Conference at Prestatyn, in North Wales, he suffered a sudden illness, which led to his admittance in the City Hospital, Chester, where he died on the 15th June 1957, aged 72. His son Frederick, and his wife Ellen, were with him when he died. [Death Certificate]. A funeral service was held at his church, The Glad Tidings Hall [now Tunbridge Wells Christian Fellowship], in Tunbridge Wells on 20th June 1957. [Obituary in the "Redemption Times"]
His was a very simple faith, based on the teachings of the Bible, with a belief in the brotherhood of Man. I am extremely humbled by his courage and bravery in standing up to what he believed in. In the end he emerged a stronger and more resilient man, and went on to lead a fulfilled and God-fearing life, helping others.
Some agreed to help in other ways than on the front line, and were termed "Alternatives". They became ambulance drivers, medical orderlies and stretcher bearers behind the British lines.
For a law-abiding man, newly married, and with a baby on the way, imprisonment must have been a big blow for Frederick. [A daughter, Marjorie Theodora East was born in 1916. I would like to acknowledge here, that her daughter, Faith Badger, supplied me with photos of F.R.E. and his family, for which I am very grateful].
He was sent initially, to Wormwood Scrubs Prison in London. Because so many C.O.'s were ending up in prison - 6000 in all - the authorities devised what was known as the Home Office Scheme. It was a civilian organisation to employ the CO's "under conditions as severe as those of the soldiers at the front". A further Tribunal, the Central Tribunal, sat at Wormwood Scrubs to interview imprisoned C.O.'s, and most were offered a placement at what was known as a Home Office Work Centre.
The Dartmoor Prison building had been cleared of ordinary prisoners, locks were taken off the cell doors, and the new inmates were allowed to wear ordinary clothes, and go out in the evenings and on Sundays. They regarded themselves as "residents" rather than prisoners. The old Dartmoor Prison was now called the Princetown Work Centre, and opened in March 1917, and it is likely that Frederick was sent to another Work Centre first, before finally ending up in Dartmoor. [I have not been able to find reference to him being anywhere else, but there were Work Centres at Warwick, Wakefield and in Scotland.] He and his fellow C.O.s were expected to break rocks for road building. It was back –breaking work and he suffered physical strain that lasted all his life. Not only was the work outside hard, but they were subjected to verbal and physical abuse by the local population. Some "residents" brought their families to be near to them in Princetown, and they, too, were physically and verbally abused.
During his time in Dartmoor, he made firm, and life-long friends with "fellow residents", especially a man called Howard Carter, who may have influenced his decision to train for the "Assemblies of God"; Elim Pentecostal Church Ministry. Frederick never lost his belief that he was doing the right thing in being a C.O., and in wanting to be a Minister. He was released in late 1918, suffering from physical and mental breakdown, but, with the love and care of his wife, he slowly recovered, and made the decision to train for the ministry in the Elim Pentecostal church. [A son, Frederick Henry East was born in October 1919 ]
The "Assemblies of God" was a branch, formed in 1924, of the Elim Pentecostal Church. He served as Minister in Highbury, London, in the late 1920's, then in Grimsby, Lincs. for five years, and finally in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, where he swelled the ranks of the congregation to such an extent, that they had to move into larger premises.[Obituary in the" Redemption Times"]The physical and mental scars of his experiences during the First World War never left him, and were the basis for his care of those who had similar suffering, in his Ministry in the church.
While on his way to a Church Conference at Prestatyn, in North Wales, he suffered a sudden illness, which led to his admittance in the City Hospital, Chester, where he died on the 15th June 1957, aged 72. His son Frederick, and his wife Ellen, were with him when he died. [Death Certificate]. A funeral service was held at his church, The Glad Tidings Hall [now Tunbridge Wells Christian Fellowship], in Tunbridge Wells on 20th June 1957. [Obituary in the "Redemption Times"]
His was a very simple faith, based on the teachings of the Bible, with a belief in the brotherhood of Man. I am extremely humbled by his courage and bravery in standing up to what he believed in. In the end he emerged a stronger and more resilient man, and went on to lead a fulfilled and God-fearing life, helping others.
[I acknowledge, with grateful thanks, the help and research of the Archivist, William Hetherlngton, at the Peace Pledge Union, for his description of what it was like to be a CO. The P.P.U. are now continuing and increasing their work, and seeking further records of men who were C.O.’s, in the build up to the Anniversary of the beginning of the 1st W.W. I also acknowledge, again with grateful thanks, the help of the Archivists, Desmond Cartwright and Alana Michael, at the Elim Pentecostal Church and International Centre, for details of F.R.E.’s training, the places he served as a Minister, and for the Obituary cuttings (Editor: See following text) from the Elim Church Magazine the "Redemption Times" of July 1957.]
FUNERAL OF BRO. F. R. EAST
A large congregation, including many of our Ministers from, Kent, London and Essex, and representatives from the International Bible Training Institute, Burgess Hill, paid their last and loving tribute to our dear departed brother at the Funeral Service at Tunbridge Wells on Thursday, June 20th.
Mr. C. L. Parker, who had known Bro. East for 35 years, conducted the Service. The hymns were "There’s a land that is fairer than day", "Unto Him who hath loved us" and "Face to Face with Christ my Saviour".
Mr. C. L. Parker, who had known Bro. East for 35 years, conducted the Service. The hymns were "There’s a land that is fairer than day", "Unto Him who hath loved us" and "Face to Face with Christ my Saviour".
Mr. T. S. Parfitt read from Acts 7 of the account of the first recorded Christian death, and reminded us that Bro. East, like Stephen, now "Sees the Lord ". Mr. Parker expressed the feeling of all who knew our brother when he said "he was without guile." Bro. Bassett then brought a short word from 1 Thess, 4, pointing out that we do sorrow, but "not as those without hope ". He gave a timely appeal to any in the gathering who knew not the Lord.
BROTHER F. R. EAST-A PERSONAL APPRECIATION
It is now over forty years since I first met Bro. East in the Home Office Work Centre at Princetown during the 1st World War. We were fellow-residents in one of the vast halls that provided accommodation for the hundreds of C.O.'s. It was not long before we had the opportunity of getting to know each other, and I soon sensed that in Bro. East I had met a man of God, one of clear-cut convictions and transparent sincerity. A friendship developed between us, which has remained undiminished during the passage of the years up to his lamented recent death.
No matter where or under what circumstances we met, he was always the same constant brother and friend. It seemed quite providential that, on the way to the General Conference at Prestatyn, I was able to share the company and fellowship of Brother and Sister East for a large part of the journey. This will ever remain a sacred memory to me; together with many others I have cause to praise the Lord for the precious privilege of such a long friendship with our departed brother.
F. A. GILMORE
No matter where or under what circumstances we met, he was always the same constant brother and friend. It seemed quite providential that, on the way to the General Conference at Prestatyn, I was able to share the company and fellowship of Brother and Sister East for a large part of the journey. This will ever remain a sacred memory to me; together with many others I have cause to praise the Lord for the precious privilege of such a long friendship with our departed brother.
F. A. GILMORE
KENT D.C. TRIBUTE TO F.R. EAST
It is with very deep regret we have to record the Home-call of our beloved Brother F. R. East. He was a faithful and loyal member of the Kent D.C. as well as a loving and true shepherd to the flock. How we missed him at our last D.C.M. and will do for some time. If ever there was a modern Barnabas, he was the one. A GOOD MAN, full of the Holy Ghost and of Faith with a similar ministry of Exhortation. He was a peace-lover but not afraid to contend for the Faith he loved and preached. To him that Faith was precious and nothing would persuade him to deny it. To him it was a personal experience, not an assent to the letter of a pet doctrine. He enjoyed the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, ministering His Graces and Gifts according to his faith in the promises of God. He was not a changeable character, but an ever-gracious servant of God. He was happy in his salvation and kind, never light or frivolous. He was held in high respect by all the members of the D.C. and beyond, to all who knew him. I have worked with him from the day he came into Kent D.C. and can testify he has been an asset to the District. In addition to his direct spiritual ministry, there is that grand home where many of all ages and classes have found a home and comfort. We shall long miss him. May the Lord fill this vacancy with a worthy successor. Our deepest sympathy and prayers go to his beloved partner, our sister Mrs. East.
A.E. BASSET (Secretary)
A.E. BASSET (Secretary)
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