Harrogate Herald - 17th October 1917

To Our Boys on Service

Dear Chaps,

I am pleased to open my letter today in a cheerful strain. I asked for information about Private Ernest Fawcett, who was missing. I have just heard that a post-card has been received from him through which we gather that he is lying in a German field hospital wounded. Up to joining the Army, Fawcett had been in the employ of Messrs Wray and Co., grocers, James Street, ever since the firm started business. I hope those who have soldier friends missing will take courage and derive new hope from this good news. Somehow it seems easier for us men to keep what the Yankees call "a stiff upper lip" and hold onto hope. Our dear ladies are too prone to jump at the first, and wrong, conclusion in these trying times. Still the sex has proved itself so brave during this war, I am happy to believe that they will be stronger, more confident, more self-reliant than ever in face of trying experiences to come. We should not have them quite so unemotional as we men are, for it is the quick response of feminine sympathy which is one of their chief charms to us males.

I daresay many of you know Mr Buck, of 25 Diamond Place. He has travelled for Singer's Sewing Machine Company for 24 years and spent much time on the bicycle doing his journeys. You will have seen him many a time. I think his family presents one of the proudest records of this war. All his six sons are soldiers. The fourth, Arthur Buck, who is 25 years of age and of the Derbyshire Yeomanry, I lament to say, has died at Salonica of malarial fever. This occurred September 1st. The eldest son is named Spurgeon Buck; the second J W Buck, the third Herbert Buck. Arthur, as I said, is the fourth. The fifth, Ben Buck, was wounded last year and is back in the trenches. He got his hurt at Meux Wood, shrapnel wounds. Spurgeon was gassed in France and temporarily relieved from duty. Walter Buck, the youngest, is with the Royal Scots in the trenches in France.

This morning I have had the sad news that the second of two sons of an old friend of mine has fallen in battle. The other was killed in action some little time ago, therefore my friend is now childless. He has, however, the heartening memory of two fine boys who have given their lives, not only for their country but for the future peace, comfort and stability of the world. Chance some of you should know my friend I will tell you that he is Mr C G Wright, secretary of the United Billposters' Association, and resides in London.

I had a visit last week from Private J Metcalfe, 729th Labour Company, of 7 Coronation Road, Oatlands Mount. He was on special leave owing to the following circumstance : His son, Private Clifford Metcalfe, had been wounded in the leg, which has had to be amputated above the calf. He is now in No. 2 War Hospital, Birmingham. My visitor has been doing useful work that has not been free from danger. His lot have been following up, on the line of communications, each advance. During the whole two years he has been out he has not seen a Harrogate chap. When he first went out his opening six months provided him with very hard work, but the labour force is so large now that it is less strenuous. It is just about twelve months ago since Metcalfe was on leave before and came to see me. He is now looking well and left me to call upon Mrs Oliver Barber to thank her for the excellent socks she had sent him.

In referring to the Wood family the other week I mentioned Miss Corrie Wood, who many of you Harrogate boys will know on account of her musical abilities if for no other reason. I had forgotten that some time ago she was married. Her name is now Richards. The husband is Staff Sergeant Major Neil Richards, ASC, who was connected before the war with the musical world of London. He is one of the permanent staff of the London County Council Stores Department. Mr and Mrs Richards will eventually live in town, where Mrs Richards will be able to resume her professional work. By the way, I forgot to mention last week that Arthur Wood's son, who is a musical conductor now and not of military age, is a Lieutenant in the Cadet Corps.

You will retain very pleasant remembrances of Mrs Beare, who has sent you so many nice things. She is an old visitor to Harrogate and has lately been here a long time. I regret to say she is leaving Harrogate, but I am sure will always take an interest in you and the town for which she has so much appreciation.

One of the last men claimed by the military from our staff was the ruler in the bookbindery. He was not a likely subject for the Army, but they took him. I regret to say that he is in hospital very ill, and I fear there is not much chance of his recovery. You boys of the Herald staff will be sorry to hear such news of him.

It looked on Thursday as though we had returned to settled fine weather. For the sake of you boys who are fighting I hoped it might prove so; but occasional rains have supervened.

I mentioned to you Lady Enid Vane as one of the flag sellers recently. She was then stopping in Harrogate. You will be sorry to hear that her husband has died of wounds. Before her marriage she was Lady Enid Fane, so there was but a change of one letter when she wed. We are all extremely sorry for her in her great loss. It does seem unnatural that those who are so very good to other people should themselves come face to face with such pathetic troubles.

I have just had in Private H J Crosthwaite, No. 30625, of the 728 Labour Company. Perhaps you remember that before the War he was a masseur at the Royal Baths, where he worked for twelve years. Then he went to Bradford to take charge of a department in is line. Crosthwaite is looking well, though he has passed through a good deal of danger with hard work added. He told me that their main trouble was from night attacks and air raids. With him is Harrison, RE, son of Harrison who worked for Mr Knowles, decorator. Harrison was a bricklayer before the War. George Ibbetson was with him but got his discharge through sickness. He met in Calais, five or six weeks ago, Scholes who went out originally with the 26th Company, ASC - the same as Crosthwaite joined - but both were transferred. Crosthwaite's eldest son George Crosthwaite is in Mesopotamia. He hasn't heard from him for six months. He was then in hospital at Valeta Hospital, Malta. Since then he has gone to Mesopotamia. Herbert Crosthwaite, his youngest son, is in the Trench Mortar Battery, but is now in hospital in Edmonton, London. He hasn't seen Herbert for two years, yet on one occasion was within 200 yards of him and did not know it. Crosthwaite himself on December 1st, 1913 [sic], broke two ribs and was in hospital a month on the other side. He has had the best of health since. It is refreshing to see such men as Crosthwaite, who are so strong in their courage and determination to do their best and to note, in the course of their narrations, that kindly twinkle which reveals a sense of humour and a firm intention to make the best of everything.

Another caller has been Drummer T Curry, son of Mr S Curry of our staff. He looked in to express his thanks for the Knaresborough Post which he receives regularly. He is in the office of the headquarters of the West Yorks. C Winterburn, Calvert, and Harry Surr are three Knaresborough chaps of the same battalion. All are well, I am glad to say. Tom O'Brien, a Harrogate chap, is likewise in his battalion. Curry had ten months in the trenches before going to headquarters, and has been out 18 months. He joined two years ago.

Still another caller has been Sergeant R Jessop, who was formerly in our book-keeping department. He left to go to the Co-operative Society. His parents reside at Belfort Cottage, Leeds Road. He has been 17 months out and kept well. You will perhaps know him as a familiar cricketer and footballer. Birkell is the only Harrogate man with him.

You know the Misses Horsfall, of Inglethorpe, Prospect Place, I am sure, they have been so good to the boys. I am sorry to hear from Miss Edith Horsfall of the death of another soldier. It seems the parlourmaid who had lived with these ladies for several years, married, on the 23rd of last January, Private George A Merrill, who was well-known and highly regarded in Harrogate. The wedding was from Inglethorpe and at St Peter's Church. I grieve to tell you that on the 1st October Private Merrill fell, as his officer expressed it, "on duty at his post". He was killed instantly by a shell. The officer speaks highly of the dead hero, who was a considerable time in Harrogate, first in the Military Police, then in the Essex Regiment. When killed he was on the road to patrol duty, having been transferred to a Gloucester regiment. I do not relish sending you any tidings but the pleasantest; still, I know you boys would wish to be informed of even the gravest events, and so I tell you this knowing well that you are strong and courageous enough to bear the hardest news. At all events, it gives you opportunity for sympathetic thoughts of your less fortunate brothers and sisters.

A Pateley Bridge reader the other day sent me a bundle of beautiful little bags, useful to boys in hospital. I have had a note of acknowledgement from the matron of St George's, expressing her appreciation and thanks. For the benefit of the general public I will add that she stated in her letter the following : "I wish the kind contributor would send a few more, they are much appreciated". Perhaps some of my other readers will accept the suggestion.

Butter is very dear and very scarce just now. I heard of Danish butter being sold at 4s a pound and I also learn that in other places it is approaching 4s a roll of a pound and a half. It seems to me that we will have to fall back on dripping, which, after all, is very good for one; even better than some butter. If all else fails we can go back to our boyhood experience and renew our taste for treacle.

Mr & Mrs E Capstick, of 16 Glebe Road, have recently had an anxious three weeks. Their son, Private Ted Capstick, of the Yorkshire Hussars, attached to the Derbyshire Yeomanry, is out Salonica way. One day they received a telegram from the Front saying that their boy was dangerously ill with malaria. After an interval of a week a second intimation came saying that Capstick was still dangerously ill. Another week's delay brought a further intimation that he was still dangerously ill. Then came the joyful message that he was out of danger. The latter was worth waiting for, was it not?

Gunner John Reginald Houseman, of the Northumbrian RFA, I am sorry to have to tell you, was killed in action on September 3rd. His people only heard the sad news on October 4th, when the record from the War Office came. He was the second son of Mr & Mrs J Houseman, 21 Chatsworth Place. The deceased and his brother came to see me when they were discharged from hospital, I think, about a year ago. John had got the rust into his hand and septic poisoning followed. George Houseman, the other brother (of the West Yorks), had been wounded on the left wrist and face. He is now in France once more. John was but 20 years of age, and before he war worked for Messrs Hepworth, clothiers, Beulah Street, Harrogate. I am so sorry for the bereaved parents, other relatives and friends.

When you were light of heart and foot you may have danced to the strains of Winterburn's Band. It will be of interest to you to know that Lance Corporal George Winterburn, the proprietor of that band, has been in one of the pushes and is wounded. He has a badly fractured knee, and when I heard was about to have an operation. He received this wound about 5th October. His wife came to tell me this on Saturday afternoon and to have his Herald re-directed. At the time he wrote a brief note he was suffering considerable pain, but hoped that the operation would relieve him. He will probably be coming home when fit to move.

Herald staff boys and others who know him will be pleased to hear that Gill, one of our staff, of whom I spoke has not been given exemption only till January. There is no date to his exemption, so I hope he will not be troubled again.

On Monday, coal went up another 2s 6d a ton, reaching 32s 6d for the best. From that date the cost of cartage is increased. It is Sunday morning now and a most beautiful day. Not a cloud to be seen; bright sunshine; but the air is just pleasantly sharp. s soon as I got up I took my customary stroll, or, at least, walked what I call the quarter-deck in front of our building, and met Robert Annakin. You know he is a coal merchant, and believing I could be anxious about the poor people's cost of winter, he gave me the information which is embodied in the leading article today. Robert has a touch of sciatica, otherwise is looking and is very well, but as you know that complaint is troublesome and difficult to move. It does nor affect his spirits, however, for he is as smiling and jolly as ever.

I suppose the scenes on Saturday night at the shops wherever butter and tea are sold were something extraordinary. Empty shelves proved the shortage, and many people went unsatisfied. The tea difficulty is very acute just now. Large customers are only able to obtain in many cases ounces instead of pounds, though in some shops the regulations seem to be a quarter of a pound each. Don't you boys worry about this. Your friends will win through just as you are doing. The tea difficulty, at least in its present acute stage, is but temporary. The Government is taking over stocks which are put up in small packets, so that the supply to the public may be uniform. The cheapest tea is now said to be 4s a pound. Well. I suppose we can exist without tea, especially if the public realise that a little milk and more warm water are very comforting and sustaining and will be just as efficacious in excluding the air from empty stomachs as tea is. There is one consolation : We know that you boys are not to go short, and that makes our little difficulties light. When you come home on leave, if you could include amongst your trophies an odd lump of sugar it would be as interesting to your people at home as any of your other curiosities.

It was a pity the rain interfered with that Friday's attack. Never mind, you did good work.

Many of you know my friend Second Lieutenant Laurie Shipman, who rose from the ranks some little time ago. Well, he has been wounded in the face by gunshot and is in hospital. A brother of his named Tony Shipman is again in hospital with malarial fever. I forgot to say that Laurie is going on nicely.

There is to be a rather big cafe chantant in the Winter gardens very shortly for the benefit of the Red Cross. Harrogate ladies and gentlemen are working very hard for it, and these include Mr (now Captain) Titley (the solicitor, you know) and his wife. I have a letter this morning from Captain Titley telling me of some valuable anonymous contributors to the stock for the auction sale. I am going to acknowledge them for him in the Herald, as this is the only way of doing it, seeing the contributors remain anonymous.

Private J W Topham, MT, of the East African Forces, I am sorry to say to hear, died of malarial fever at Dar-es-Salaam on September 28th. He lived at 11 Providence Terrace, and leaves a widow and nine children. He enlisted April, 1917, before which he worked at Mr Boocock's motor garage. His mother lives at 2 Church Terrace. The father, who died a while ago, was caretaker of Bilton Church.

When I sent some playing cards to Private W Parkinson, of the 2-5th, who was in hospital at Keighley wounded, I hardly expected to see him very soon, but I am glad to say that he looked in on me on Monday morning, having been discharged, otherwise granted sick leave, at the conclusion of which he will report to his depot. Parkinson was wounded on the 3rd of may - a memorable day for the boys of the 2-5th - in the left leg and foot. He lay out two days and found himself in hospital May 5th, where he has been until last Thursday. He is the son of Mrs John Parkinson, 13 Pearl Street, Starbeck. A bullet went through his helmet and, as he puts it, he was then "within two inches of death". Private Samuel Abbott, of Oatlands, was missing at the same time and Sergeant Wharton taken prisoner. There was talk of amputating the leg, but happily that has not been necessary, though it is still troublesome. He does not look as if you will see him out where you are very soon, if at all. You may be sure, boys, that there is someone in Harrogate pleased to see Parkinson home and that is his mother, who has borne his illness so long and patiently. he is her only son and child. Just those two! May good fortune attend them both henceforth.

W H Breare