W H Breare letter

I have had a visit from Sergeant N H Waddington, of the West Yorks, son of Mr and Mrs Waddington, 5 St Mary's Avenue. He was over last August on leave and then called to see me. The present is the second leave, for he went out in April, 1915. He is now attached, as an instructor, to another Corps. He has had no wounds, no sickness, and is correspondingly jolly. With him came to my office an old pal of his, Corporal R Woodhall, AOC, whom Waddington had not seen since the war began. He met him whilst on leave this time; so the two of them are having a rare furlough together. Woodhall is son of Mr and Mrs F W Woodhall, 38 James Street, which perhaps you know is Mr J R Ogden's business place. I know of his mother by hearsay, and I can assure you I have heard most pleasant things about her. I am so glad she has her boy at home. Woodhall went out November 1st, 1915. He, too, is on his second leave and has been in good health and received no wounds. With him at the Front is Sid Bywell, who used to be at the gas Office. Bywell was recently home to get married. With Woodhall too, is Sergeant Naylor, who is an old Western Council School boy, whose father was once stationmaster at Knaresborough.

Harrogate Herald - 20th February 1918

Sergeant N H Waddington, writing from Italy, says : Thanks for the address you sent me. We are now having some champion weather out here. I am afraid it will be very hot in summer. Hoping these few lines find you in the best of health.

Harrogate Herald - 27th March 1918

W H Breare letter

............... I had scarcely resumed my lesson when a knock at the door came. A bright little boy with a telegram in his hand asked me if it was possible or lawful to obtain a taxi cab to go to the Great Northern Station in Leeds to fetch home his brother Sergeant Norman S Waddington, who was stranded there. His father was ill and the gallant soldier had been granted leave. The father is an employee of the Corporation, and I believe his duties relate to the roads. From what the lad told me the family were willing to pay for the taxi. I hesitated, because the fare represents a good round sum. I immediately telephoned to Mr David Ward's garage and asked if they had a taxi. They had neither the petrol nor the car. Next I rang up my good friend Purvis, our stationmaster. He telephoned to the Stationmaster at the Great Northern, Leeds, and found that the Leeds cars, which conveyed stranded soldiers, were unable to go more than 14 miles out of Leeds. This was not enough. I then rang up Captain Titley, who communicated with Captain Allen, and promised to ring me up in about ten minutes. During all this time the telephone was busy and my lesson was at a standstill. Finally word came from Mr Titley that I could rest content. The man would be sent for.

Now I must take you to the Great Northern Station platform, Leeds. The time was between nine and ten, after the last train had left for Harrogate. The platform was crowded with returning soldiers and civilian passengers. "Sergeant Norman Waddington?". "Yes". "I have come for you from Harrogate". Waddington's face was a study of surprise. He had resigned himself to Leeds, all night and a search for diggings. The man who had tapped Sergeant Norman Waddington on the shoulder was our good friend Mr T Monkhouse. He had brought his motor bike and side car. Incidentally, I must tell you I do not believe there is anyone who has rendered more important and regular service than my friend Monkhouse. He has negotiated the most difficult jobs night after night, wet or fine, warm or cold. Well, Waddington was whisked home in a jiffy. The organisation that conducts these sort of enterprises is the Harrogate Ambulance Committee. Every night at the Harrogate Railway Station there is a car waiting to see if there are any soldiers are stranded. It is a great work and deserves the fullest gratitude of us all. I forgot to tell you that Mr Purvis telephoned to the Great Northern Stationmaster at Leeds and asked him to have someone shout the name of Waddington on the platform, should Mr Monkhouse not have arrived in time; but you see he did.

Sergeant Waddington called to thank me on Friday morning. There were other boys on leave with him, and the privilege was granted in consideration of their valuable services in Italy. He is a member of a gun corps. I am sorry to say that Waddington's father, who lives in St Mary's Avenue, has been ill for some time. He had a seizure lately necessitating his removal to the Infirmary for an operation, which I trust, will result in complete restoration. My visitor saw the son of Mr F Walker, of St Mary's Walk, in Italy just before he came on leave, in France. He likewise saw Tom Spencer, another of the Territorials who gallantly responded to his country's call. The latter is on leave. One of Waddington's early associates he has lost, namely : Second Lieutenant Hutchinson, of Harlow Hill, likewise another old comrade whose name has escaped me.