Harrogate Herald - 18th April 1917

To Our Boys on Service

Dear Chaps,

On Friday afternoon I was taking one of my customary airings in front of our building, when I happened to see some distance away Mrs Solly. I had not heard from Dr Solly for some time, and I had been wondering how he was getting on. I was not near enough to make the enquiry, which I had to postpone. In he afternoon who should walk in, just when I was telephoning the latest war news, but Dr Solly. I suppose I should call him Major, as that is his rank. I was delighted to see him, and we had a most interesting chat. The day before (April 12th) was his birthday, likewise anniversary of his wedding day, and just two years since he went out to the Front. He was home now for a short rest, because he had had an attack of influenza. I found the Doctor looking very well, however, and in excellent spirits. His experience at the Front has been varied. He has been rushed off to all parts, sometimes on a hospital train, at other times to various bases. I heard from Dr Solly that Dr Nimmo Watson was occupying a responsible post out yonder, and kept very busy. He was all right.

I don't know whether I told you or not that we had a good view of an aeroplane a few days before. There was quite a wind, and as we watched the graceful course of the machine we rather wondered that it could stand so much. It passed our building in the direction of Birk Crag dead against the wind. Then it made a rapid turn, and flew towards Knaresborough at a speed I have not seen equalled. You, and Harrogate people generally, will be interested to know that the aviator was a son of Dr Solly. I cannot tell you anything about the machine. It was a splendid sight, and gave us one of the most interesting demonstrations we have seen in Harrogate. I was told the aviator either performed looping of the loop or some other wonderful manoeuvre that made people catch their breath.

I told you from time to time about the progress of Fred Allen (not the Cathcart House Allen) and of the many operations he has had. I had a nice letter from his mother on Friday morning to say that at last her son had been transferred to St George's, where we were all anxious that he might join his brother, Norman Allen. He is much better, but cannot negotiate steps very well as yet. I presume he will be coming in to see me, from what his mother says. It's nice to get Harrogate boys home to our own hospitals, isn't it?

We have had General French somewhere in the immediate district, inspecting troops. There was a route march for many contingents, and they massed somewhere where the General was able to review them.

Mr Bagshaw, the only printer in Pateley Bridge, has been called to the colours. Of course, he was in a way about his business, and anxious to dispose of it to advantage. We have taken over his responsibilities by purchasing the business and plant. It is not quite the time for extensions, but it so happens that Stephen Hill, one of our men who was invalided out of the service, could take the management of it, though he could not follow his accustomed duties in our works, and so he and his wife have already got a nice house, and will settle down in Pateley. As Stephen has a fine voice and his wife is likewise a singer, and Stephen a good all-round cricketer, I think he will fit in very nicely at Pateley Bridge, and prove a valuable and acceptable resident to the various interests of the valley.

The snow is gone, and we get many touches of spring. But it is spring with a cold breath.

You would notice the case I mentioned in the Gossip last week of the soldier's widow who lost the bedding of her only bedstead by fire. I was able to fit her up promptly. I did not ask anyone to share the responsibilities of the cost. However, Mr and Mrs Herbert Dawson promptly sent me 10s each, Mrs Dawson hoping I would accept it towards the cost of bedding. Mr Dawson left his contribution at my disposal towards the most pressing need of the moment.

Do not forget, boys, that I have quite a store of nice woollen things which are at your service. I hope, however, that we shall have such weather as will make you think of lighter clothing, though I must confess the prospect is not very promising at present. You will be interested to know that between 50 and 60 years ago there was a heavy snow-storm at Whitsuntide , in which many thousands of sheep perished of cold. We may have more wintery weather, but I trust it will not be so bad as that. William Deighton and one of the road men reminded me the other morning of that memorable year so long ago. William, you will remember, is with the Gas Company, and as busy as ever. He is one of those chaps who never seem to grow old, but retains in his walk all the elasticity of younger days.

Thomas William Brook, an old Harrogate boy and sailor, wishes me to let his friends know where he is. He has been in the navy three years and two months, but is now in a Light Infantry section somewhere in the Isle of Wight. If any chap wants his address will he write to his mother, 13 Avenue Terrace, Starbeck, or to me. You understand I am not allowed to give addresses in the paper, but might do so privately. He and his comrades would like a football "rig out".

Some of you lads will know H Collings, whose home is in the terrace house next to the Herald Printing Works. He is a picture frame maker and gilder. Well, for many reasons, I am sorry to say, he has been called up, and is now Driver H Collings. His business is closed, because he has no one to work for him. Mrs Collings has been in delicate health, and is still so. Further, he is not a particularly robust man himself. I had a letter from him on Saturday saying how necessary it was for him and his family that he should come home on business leave to settle his affairs before proceeding with his training. It seems a Magistrate's certificate was necessary to prove his bona fides. I sent him one, expressing this opinion that it would be an act of grace to allow him business leave to settle his urgent affairs. The Military authorities are generally sympathetic in deserving cases, therefore I hope he will be granted the privilege. This is not an ordinary case by any means. It is necessary, for one thing, that he should collect his book debts, because I know he has been at a very considerable expense over illness in his family. That burden represents, not a few pounds, but several hundreds. He has proved himself a brave and worthy man throughout unusual domestic difficulties occasioned by family ill-health, and I devoutly hope that sunshine and prosperity will come his direction in the future.

It is Sunday morning again, and I am at the Dictaphone. It is a beautiful day, plenty of blue sky, with just the filmiest of airy clouds, and a bracing movement of the air which reminds one of the seaside. I have just heard the distant drums and fifes of the soldiers on their way to church parade.

I shall shortly be able to tell you the calling up of other men which you will realise that necessity knows no law.

Each day last this week we have had interesting telegrams showing marvellous British progress, which arrived soon after two in the afternoon - time enough for us to have the exclusive benefit of the news for some hours before appearing in the evening papers. This has made me very busy telephoning all over the Division to our agents and prominent residents. There is good news in the window this morning, but it will be stale news by the time it reaches you, so I need not mention it.

Sunday afternoon more telegrams of victories and the pushing on near to Lens.

One would have thought the Germans had exhausted all possible atrocities. Lately we have been indignantly moved by a statement in the "Daily Telegraph", (I think it was), which seemed to bear the impress of authority, to the effect that the Germans had inoculated old women and children left in evacuated villages with consumption germs. Another atrocity described is attributed to German Red Cross nurses, who, it is said, have refused to give our wounded water. They even hold it out to them, and then withdraw it, finally upsetting it beyond their reach. We are told that the female fiends had even spit in the water which they offered to poor, parched, British wounded.

I have just opened a letter from Driver G Mills, of Harrogate, in which he gives me the sad news that his chum, a Harrogate lad, of the Canadian Forces, has been killed at the Front. It is Herbert S Whitehead, younger son of Mr Jack Whitehead, formerly architect, of Harrogate, now of Canada. The lad was in a dug-out, when a shell came and buried him. Death must have been instantaneous, for his spine was broken by the heavy debris. When our readers see this distressful announcement there will be widespread grief in Harrogate, for the bereaved parents are well-known here, and have our heartfelt sympathy.

Frank Whitehead, elder son of Mr Jack Whitehead, brother of our lamented Bert Whitehead, has been granted a commission, and is in officers' training school. I have heard with much sorrow that the only sister of the Whitehead boys, Connie Whitehead, is so ill at home in Canada that it is feared she may not recover. We are clinging to the hope that she will rally and ultimately be restored to health.

Beckwithshaw and Pannal boys will be interested to know that Sergeant J H Holmes, of the RFC, of Beckwithshaw, came in to see me on Monday morning. He is a son of Mr and Mrs Alfred Holmes. JH has been in France two years, and is now on leave the first time in eighteen months. I am sorry to say that his mother is very ill, so his home-coming has been sad. All the time he has been out he has never met a Harrogate lad, though he has corresponded with Alex Stott, of Beckwithshaw, who is in France, but has not seen him. Holmes has a brother in a Flying Corps Division in Salonica. Holmes looks very well, and I hope his presence will soon restore his mother to her accustomed health. Many of you local boys will perhaps know that Holmes is a very skilful mechanics.

To Driver R Moffatt, Mesopotamia : I have sent you the razor, and hope you will get it safely.

Many of you will have heard the successful young soprano, Miss Hilda Nelson. You will regret to learn that she is ill. A short time ago she finished a three months' strenuous engagement in London, and during that time the illness of her mother was an additional anxiety and strain. She then got a bit run down, and is now obliged to have a fairly long rest. She should be fulfilling an engagement at the Coliseum, I believe, next month. It is hoped her recovery will be so speedy that she will be able to fulfil it.

On Sunday afternoon, between three and half-past, there was an exciting and grave incident at Knaresborough. You know the Nidd near The Abbey? Well, an aviator came in contact with the trees, and his machine fell into the water. The unfortunate man at last accounts had not been recovered. The stream was swollen and swift, and it is feared he is drowned. On Monday men were dragging the river. Many people saw the occurrence, and you can guess with what breathless anxiety they watched it. if I hear any further particulars I will give you them later.

I am sorry to say that quite a number of young boys have been up at Court for theft. But, on the other hand, I am glad to say that they are none of them sons of soldiers. On Monday, two lads, whose names I withhold, because I do not care to spoil their chances in the future, have been sent to an industrial school - one for five years, the other for three. In these thefts the boys disclosed an ingenuity worthy of a better purpose. It is a mistake to assume that an organisation for the welfare of children is not needed in Harrogate.

Bombardier G Ramsden has been wounded a second time, and is now in Ward 19, Northumberland War Hospital, Gosforth, Newcastle-on-Tyne. His wound is somewhere in the leg, and I understand that he is not likely to return to the service. You will remember, perhaps that he is a relative of Day and Sons, house agents, Harrogate. A nephew of Alf Day and Charlie Day. He has been in the war from the commencement, and seen a good deal of service. For a long time he was very fortunate, and came safely through lots of hot places; then he was wounded for a first time, and is a casualty now a second time. We are wishing hard for him to get better soon.

Of course, you know Mr George W Byers, our Borough Librarian. Well, he has a son in the transport service, whose portrait, I think, will appear in today's Herald. His boat has been sunk by an enemy submarine in the Mediterranean. The crew were landed, but several wounded. Fortunately Byers is unhurt. He has had exciting experiences, and is not yet 15 years of age. He was at Archangel at the time of that great munitions explosion; he got safely through then. We hope his good luck will continue, don't we? Mr Byers has sent me this information. He would have called to tell me, but is confined to his bed, I am sorry to say. He will soon be all right, though, I hope.

Mr Shires, of the Sports Depot, has just sent me a wristlet watch for that boy who did not receive the one sent him by his mother. In last Wednesday's Herald I asked someone else to supply one, as the mother could not afford to replace that which was lost. I am very much indebted to Mr Shires for many favours of this kind, and I am exceedingly grateful.

I have sent a fine cricketing set, with balls and everything complete in a bag, for the benefit of naval lads. So, my jolly tars, you see I am not forgetting my sailor boys! I would like to do more for them, but they are such a modest, reticent lot they won't give it a name.

The eldest Johnson boy, of Follifoot, has been home on leave, the first he has had in sixteen months. He is a Sergeant in a Machine-Gun Company. About Christmas time he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery and devotion to duty. He has been through the battles of Festubert, Loos, Ypres, Somme, Armentierres, Vimy, and is now at Arras. He was anxious to be back before the battle of Arras, and I think he should manage it, as he left here on the Thursday before Easter. He has had many thrilling experiences and marvellous escapes. German shells seem to have done everything but wound or kill him. His machine-gun was shattered, his clothes torn to ribbons, but not one missile has touched him. I am told he attributes this to "luck", but we all know, in our hearts, that his safe-keeping has been in the hands of Providence. I am glad to hear that Norman Johnson, driver in the RFA, to whom I had the satisfaction of sending driving gloves, is safe, well, and as happy as a lark. The third boy of the Johnson family is also safe and well. I understand he was in the 2/5th West Yorks, when that thousand pairs of socks was sent out, and he was fortunate enough to receive two pairs. Some of the boys don't like to talk about themselves, so I must explain that this information has not been derived from either of the Johnson lads.

I had a call from Private W Pickard, son of Mr and Mrs Ernest Pickard, 7 Cheltenham Mount. He returns today (Tuesday). With him are Sergeant Archer, Bilton, and Sergeant Young, of Strawberrydale, likewise Private Fred Martlew. Pickard was in the Terriers before the war, and went out June, 1915. this is his first leave in two years. He has been well all the time, saving a year last Christmas, when he was in hospital with an abscess. You may remember that his cousin Victor was killed on the 3rd September in that memorable push.

My young friend George Simpson, of the Australians, son of Mr and Mrs Simpson, has been given a commission. He and another Colonial soldier were selected out of 500 for this mark of distinction. George had charge of horses, of which he is very fond. He has the gift of being able to do anything with the most spirited of them. I fancy he will part with his dumb friends with regret. George, however, has the keenest sense of duty, and would be likely to do any mortal honourable thing demanded by the interests of the Motherland. He is a white man through and through!

To Private F W Robinson : On March 9th I sent you an excellent safety razor, but I understand you have not received it. I am still hoping it will turn up, but send you now an ordinary razor, so if you receive razor will you hand the ordinary one to some other boy who needs one?

To Private A Holmes : I have sent you a safety razor I had on hand, given by Mrs Murray, Elm Park, Harrogate.

W H Breare