Harrogate Herald - 3rd January 1917

W H Breare letter

Yesterday (Saturday) Sergeant J A Atkinson, who you will remember won the DCM, looked in on me at my office. He is of the Machine Gun Corps, and the son of Alfred Atkinson, Corporation Baths Engineer. You will be sorry to learn that the father has been ill for a fortnight. He has had a slight stroke, from which, however, he is recovering. Sergeant Atkinson has been out for two years next April. I found him very well and quite cheerful. He had seen John Waddington, son of Mrs Waddington, Craven Street, and Deaden, whose nickname (and you know they all have such in the Army) is "Bodger". He worked for W B Atkinson, engineer, Tower Street. He has also seen Ben Archer, who got those socks he wanted all right. Atkinson's unit is that which contains so many Harrogate boys. My visitor has been well throughout, except for an attack of tonsillitis. he was to report in London Tuesday, that was the 2nd of January.

Harrogate Herald - 17th January 1917

Letters

Sergeant B Archer says : 

Just a few lines to thank you so very much for the two consignments of socks I received a day or two after Christmas Day. They were quite a good Christmas gift to the lads from the people at home who so kindly sent them on to you to send out to them. I have been asked by them to convey to you and all those who so quickly and earnestly helped you to make so large a number up the best thanks and wishes for the coming season. They were all really fine socks, just the kind the men need out here. Its a grand thing to get hold of good pair of home-made socks. You don't know how the boys appreciate them now we are having such wet weather. I must also thank you for your paper, which I receive every week. Wishing you once again to thank every one very much for their kindness, not forgetting yourself.

Harrogate Herald - 18th April 1917

W H Breare letter

I had a call from Private W Pickard, son of Mr and Mrs Ernest Pickard, 7 Cheltenham Mount. He returns today (Tuesday). With him are Sergeant Archer, Bilton, and Sergeant Young, of Strawberrydale, likewise Private Fred Martlew. Pickard was in the Terriers before the war, and went out June, 1915. This is his first leave in two years. He has been well all the time, saving a year last Christmas, when he was in hospital with an abscess. You may remember that his cousin Victor was killed on the 3rd September in that memorable push.