Harrogate Herald - 30th May 1917
W H Breare letter
Mr Middlewood, of 1 Duncan Street, New Park,
Harrogate, would be glad to hear news of his son, Private Bernard
Middlewood, who has been missing since April 4th last.
Harrogate Herald - 20th June 1917
Roll of Honour
Amongst others reported missing are Private B
Middlewood (WY), of New Park, Harrogate; Private F Hayes;
Private A Smith, Mornington Terrace, Harrogate.
Harrogate Herald - 10th October 1917
Roll of Honour
Private Bernard Middlewood, son of Mr
Middlewood, 1 Duncan Street, New Park, Harrogate, is a prisoner
of war at Limburg. His brother, Private C Middlewood, has
been wounded and is in hospital. Bernard in a letter home says that
Lang, of New Park, was taken prisoner at the same time as himself,
along with two or three more Harrogate lads, but they have gone to
Germany.
Harrogate Herald – 29th January 1919
Repatriated Prisoners
Private B Middlewood, son of Mr and Mrs T Middlewood,
1 Duncan Street, New Park, Harrogate, who joined up in May, 1915,
was captured at Bullecourt [ 6 British-Australian divisions with 12
tanks of Fifth Army break into strongly fortified village 14 miles
west of Cambrai and break through Hindenburg Line switch at Quéant
] on 3rd May, 1917. he was engaged on heavy railways first, and his
rations consisted of 300 grammes of bread and a small quantity of
thin vegetable soup each day. They were than taken back 25
kilometres to make munition dumps and railways. Meanwhile things
were made pretty lively by the Allies airmen. After five months they
were mustered up at Marchines and taken to Friedrichfeld Camp and
then by rail to Gustow. Here they were examined by a doctor, and
those fit for work were sent to farms and down the mines. Those
unfit were marked for hospital work. He remained here for six weeks,
and was then transferred to an officers' camp at Furstenburg. Here
he did well and received all his back parcels, though it was over
nine months before he received any parcels or letters from home.
Like other prisoners, Middlewood experienced some rough
treatment behind the lines, the guards resorting to their favourite
method of butting them with their rifles on the slightest pretext,
whilst French people who endeavoured to give the prisoners food were
similarly treated, and even fired at through their windows.
