Harrogate Herald - 28th March 1917

W H Breare letter

If I wrote to you of "Lawrence" Jewitt, you would not know to whom I was referring. Jewitt is generally known by the name of "Pop" Jewitt. Private intimation came to me that Pop was missing. As usual in these cases, Harrogate was full of rumours about him. The stories that reached his mother and father were very alarming and various. It even went about that he was blown to pieces. After a period of suspense Jewitt's wife heard from her husband, and this is what she received : 

"Dulmen (Westf.), February 22nd, 1917. I am a prisoner of war and stationed at Dulmen (Westf.). My address is - Lance Corporal Lawrence Jewitt, 2627, 2/5th West Yorks, Gefangenenlager, Dulmen, Gruppe iii, Comp. 51". 

Mrs Jewitt had no information from our war authorities until a few days after she received the postcard from her husband in Germany. The War Office notice was that Jewitt was missing. It is a very alarming word that "missing", isn't it? It gives so much room for anxiety, and feelings are so constantly wrung by misleading private reports. You will be glad to know that Jewitt is alive. One of the last accounts received was that Jewitt had been in a shell hole, which he had left to go within 50 yards of the enemy to tale Lieutenant Smith, his officer, a cup of tea. After that nothing was heard of him. Pop Jewitt is the son of Mr and Mrs Jewitt, of 24 Mount Street, Oatlands Mount, Harrogate. They have three other sons serving - Private Harold Jewitt, who is now in hospital in Halifax; Gunner Walter Jewitt, RFA; and second air mechanic George Jewitt, RFC.