Harrogate Herald - 9th May 1917
W H Breare letter
To touch a sailor's collar is supposed to bring good
luck. Bugler C Thorpe (son of Mr Charles Thorpe, of
Knaresborough, and a member of the Herald Office staff), is a
sailor. The other day, when coming home on leave, he was the object
of a singular incident in Leeds Station. There were I don't know how
many munitions girls in the station, all of whom were desirous of
touching the sailor's collar, for luck. Bugler Thorpe came in
to see me on Monday, and told me, amongst other things, how often he
had to change his collar because so many people would touch it. the
lad is on a big cruiser that has been in various parts. Thorpe is
but 17 years of age (18 in July, in fact), and is much enamoured of
sea life. Has been as long as seven months without touching land.
Has escorted troopships, been across the Atlantic, in the
Mediterranean, West Indies, and seen much. Last time I met him Thorpe
was but a boy. He has grown tall, manly, and looks well. I may
relate an experience which was very tantalising to the naval boys of
his ship. They were following an enemy craft, which, however, went
inside the three mile limit, and so was able to keep quite near our
ship, which couldn't fire on them, because they were within their
three mile limit. They were not allowed to remain more than 24
hours, and so Thorpe's cruiser followed them out. Followed
them, did I say! No, they went almost side by side, but before the
enemy got outside the three mile limit they knew they were a goner,
and thus sank their own vessel. Our boys were powerless to stop
them. Hard luck, wasn't it? Thorpe did not give anything away, and I
did not ask anything of him that he was not free by the regulations
to tell me. His ship was near Portugal the day before war was
declared by that Power. Our cruiser waited outside, and had a good
round-up of German ships endeavouring to escape.
Harrogate Herald - 27th June 1917
W H Breare letter
Seaman C Thorpe, of HMS -, is home on seven days' leave.
He has been enjoying life at sea immensely.
