A hundred years ago, Britain was only months into the horror of the First World War and many still thought it would be over by Christmas.

The tragedy of the Great War was being felt in the county already, with the announcement of the death of Second Lieutenant FCJ Marillier, from the Hailsham section of the Royal Sussex Regiment.

The flag was flown at half mast at the Council School in the town and the town met the news of his death with “deep regret”.

In a letter informing his former headmaster of his death, a representative of the Royal Sussex Regiment said: “His death has cast a gloom over us all.

“We feel, however, proud of him. He has added glory to the 5th Royal Sussex and the memory of one more promising career cut short will serve to add a little vigour to our efforts to bring to the dust the Kaiser and all he represents.”

Another war story that featured in the pages of The Argus was the account of a man named Izzard, from Blackboys, near Uckfield, of the capture of the SS Farn by the German cruiser Karlsruhe.

Izzard was the messroom steward on board the merchant vessel, carrying a cargo of coal, when they were sighted by the German warship.

They were fired on, boarded and then captured before being put aboard steamship Crefeld along with prisoners from other merchant vessels.

They were let ashore in Tenerife and managed to make it back to England.

Meanwhile, during a recruitment drive in Eastbourne, an old soldier called Henry Hoadley was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and assaulting a police officer.

The Argus also reported on a battle at Erzurum in Turkey based on a report issued by the Russian army.

Elsewhere in the news, John Francis Enyres was executed for the murder of his wife in Peterborough. His last words were: “I am going to die for a bad woman.”

A spy, known as Lody, was also executed in the Tower of London. The Argus also carried an advert for Peps, a tablet to help clear your throat, chest and lungs when you have a cold.