Harrogate Herald - 24th January 1917

Private J Judson says : 

I hope you will forgive me for not writing before now, but we have had it extra hard lately, and there has been very little time to do any writing. I am pleased to say that I still receive your splendid paper and the one from the firm regularly. It must be very cold at Harrogate now. I am afraid I should want a good few clothes on me to keep myself warm, after being out here in such a hot climate. We had a fine time at Xmas - plenty to eat and drink. Beer was one pint per man, and the turkey went down all right, also the pudding, and then to finish we had a concert in which the men and officers excelled themselves with their various turns. I hope you had a happy Xmas, too, and trust that the coming New Year will bring you and your splendid paper more prosperity. I am still keeping in the best of health, and I trust you are the same. I hope this time next year we are a bit nearer home. We are having a spell of rain and windy weather, and the nights and mornings are very cold; still, it is a lot healthier than being baked and tormented by mosquitoes and flies in the summer. The operations in this country still keep moving on. Wishing you and your paper every success in the coming year.

Harrogate Herald - 25th April 1917

Private Jack Judson says : 

You will have to forgive me for not dropping you a line lately, but we have been on the hustle this last three months, and one does not feel inclined to do anything barring laying down and having a good sleep. The operations out here are OK so far. We have kept poor old Johnny on the run. There is where the good old Ford shines some, not forgetting the Peerless. I think the wet season is at an end now, and I am not sorry, as one soon gets rheumatism on the sand, and it takes a long while to get rid of it.. I want to thank you so much for your valuable paper, which I receive quite regularly. I am sorry to read of so many Harrogate boys in the casualty lists. What a fine time it must have been to skate on the Nidd and also at Waterloo Lake. I can just imagine the lads and lassies having a great time of it. I am afraid the sun out here would be of some use now to warm things up and make the "taters" grow. "Nuff said". I am still in the best of health and trust you are the same. I had a nice letter from the firm and things seem to be about the same. Don't I wish I was back again. Still, I hope this year will see the end in sight and a speedy return. I am sending you a photo, which I hope you will like. It was taken by one of the boys, and I am sorry to say I was too late to get on the scene. They are very difficult to take are some of the natives, as they are so shy. I shall have to close now, trusting you and your paper still have the best of success, and I don't think the boys would grumble if it was only half a sheet if paper is going to be so dear.

Harrogate Herald - 28th November 1917

Private J Judson writes : 

Just a few lines to let you know that I am still in the best of health, and as I have been on the move for such a long while I thought I would not drop you a line until I was sure we were stopping for a spell. We are now in Palestine and right in the "soup". I have left the old company. We are in good quarters and I have a decent OC. I am sorry to say that the old company has just about been broken up. We lost our old skipper and it never seemed the same after. We are close up the line, and the guns are quite near; but we generally manage to sleep through it all. We intend to give Johnny Turk a real dust up this time. There are some very good views here in the desert, and groups of palms scattered here and there. To see the long trains of camels trekking up the line and the fords is a treat. It is nice to get off the lorries for a change.