Harrogate Herald - 3rd January 1917

Harry Addison, the well-known local comedian, writes a cheery letter from somewhere in Africa, in which he says :

Dear Mr Breare, I used to read with considerable interest letters from boys from the Harrogate district who were fighting on the various fronts, and as I am now one of them (the boys I mean) I though I'd like to add a small contribution. I'll commence by wishing you, and through you, all my Harrogate friends a merry Xmas and a better New Year. It's rather early to have to start writing letters for Xmas I know, but tomorrow (November 15th) is the last day for posting if we want the people at home to get our letters. I only wish that the boys in France were as sure as I am of spending this Xmas in German territory, otherwise than as prisoners of course. At present I am in a captured German seaport, the name of which I must not mention. It's a very fine place indeed with some very fine buildings and a wealth of coconut palms and banana groves scattered about. We had a platform erected one night in the principal square, Bismarck Platz, and gave a concert, which was a huge success. Sine leaving England we've had quite a lot of very successful concerts, both on board and since landing in ????????????? been lucky in striking a ????????? several occasions where there's been a piano, and immediately the concert party has got to work and have had some of the most enthusiastic audiences I've ever struck. The fighting in this country is of a very different kind to what's going on elsewhere, for the lines of communications are of such a length that it's sometimes impossible to follow up your success quick enough. Anyhow, things are satisfactory here and I don't think it will be long before we clean the job up entirely. Kindest regards from all the Harrogate boys out here.