Harrogate Herald - 23rd May 1917

W H Breare letter

Sergeant W Balme, 20051 (West Yorks), one of the old Beechwood Boys, is reported missing. He is the son of Mr and Mrs T Balme, 8 Elmwood Street, Harrogate, and if any of you boys could give any information to his wife or his friends they will be much relieved. The last letter his wife received was on April 30th.

Harrogate Herald - 20th June 1917

Roll of Honour

Private James Swales (West Yorks), of Summerbridge; Private C E Webster (WY), of High Winsley, Burnt Yates; and Sergeant Wharton Balme (WY) are also prisoners of war in Germany.

Harrogate Herald 24th October 1917

Roll of Honour

Private Balme, son of Mrs Balme, 8 Elmwood Street, Harrogate, who was missing, has been reported a prisoner.

Harrogate Herald - 31st October 1917

Roll of Honour

Mrs Balme, of 8 Elmwood Street, Harrogate, has received an intimation to the effect that her husband, Sergeant Balme (son of Mr & Mrs T Balme), after having been wounded in the hand on May 3rd, 1917, and afterwards reported missing, is now a prisoner of war at Saltin, Hanover. Sergeant Balme was one of the Beechwood Boys, and in camp at Scarborough when war was declared. He expresses in a letter home as being all right, though sadly in need of cigs, etc. Mr & Mrs T Balme had a son, Private Percy Balme, killed on October 16th, while another, Sapper T Balme, is now in France.

W H Breare letter

Sergeant Balme, of 8 Elmwood Street, Harrogate, and son of Mr & Mrs Tom Balme, who has been missing for some time, I am glad to say is a prisoner of war at Saltin, Hanover. Another reason for hope for those who have relatives missing.

[Are these the same person as the 24th.......?]