Ackrills 1915

LCpl H Bryant, ASC - Employed at Cafe Imperial previous to the war.

Harrogate Herald - 27th January 1915

Lance Corporal H Bryant, grandson of Mr Vasey, late baker and confectioner, was employed up to the time of war at Messrs D Bryant and Sons, bakers and confectioners, Station Parade. He enlisted as a baker, and expected to have his furlough on January 17th, but Germans keeping them busy he got wounded on the 19th, and is now in hospital at Boulogne. The Grand Duchess George of Russia is trying to get him to Harrogate.

Harrogate Herald - 27th January 1915

Lance Corporal Bryant, 598, 73rd Company, Army Service Corps, writes :

Dear Mother, I received your letter last night, and it is the first letter I have had since the day before Xmas Eve. You sent that parcel with a cake in it a bit too soon, and I had eaten it up long before Xmas, and on Xmas Day I had to share with my chums in their parcels. I was told I should go home on pass about the 17th January, so perhaps I shall soon be home for a day or so (if I am lucky). As near as I can calculate we are quite 30 miles off the firing line, so things will be quiet here for a week or two. I read H Petty's letter in the Harrogate paper, and it was a good one. Although the cavalry are still resting, ours is not such a soft job, as we often load our convoy at the railheads in pitch darkness at nearly midnight. One Sergeant was knocked down and just about killed with a train last night, but can rely on me being a bit careful. How is our Edith gong on? She wrote once or twice, but not lately. I expect one of Tom's letters must be lost, as surely he would drop a line at Xmas. The weather is very bitter and more often sleet or rain than frost. Tell Petty's I will soon be home for a day if all is well, and will call. I cannot get any answers to the letters I send Harry now. Aunt Annie said she was going to send a parcel of Xmas things, and I expect a lot of things have been held up at the base, so perhaps it is still there. I can tell you I shall want a good bath as soon as I land, because I get a few "lodgers" on me occasionally. I am pretty well of regarding clothing, and it is only socks and shirts that are a bit difficult to get, as we often have to wear them till they cannot be washed again. Out of about 120 supply men in our section we have about 18 left, and all the others have gone sick (either in hospital here or sent home), so the drivers have to load up as well. Since I got two teeth out I have been in excellent health, so I have no occasion to grumble, but the weather is rotten.

Your loving son, Harry

Harrogate Herald - 9th January 1918

W H Breare letter

Other Mons heroes include Harry Petty (RE), son of Mr and Mrs J R Petty, who were about one of the first patriotic families we had the pleasure of chronicling; Driver Donald Currie, son of Mrs Currie, of Denmark Terrace, who had five or six sons serving, one being killed, and Donald is a prisoner in Germany; Sergeant-Farrier J Bowgett, a Starbeck man, who, I believe, was a policeman at Bridlington prior to joining the Colours; Private John G Swales(Royal Scots Greys), of Russell Street, Oatlands Mount, who has been wounded twice and is now in hospital at Halifax; Private Richard Carter, Coldstream Guards, who is a prisoner in Switzerland, and whose sister, Mrs J T Johnson, resides at Bachelor Gardens; Cadet H Bryant, who landed at Ostend in October, 1914, and was with the 7th Divisional Column up to Ghent; Private G Graham (KOYLI), who was wounded and taken prisoner at Mons. He is the son of Mrs E Graham, 10 King's Road, and now at Chemnitz; Private H G Smith (Dragoon Guards), who is now in hospital in Leeds; Second Lieutenant L A Shipman, who also received the meritorious medal, son of Mr and Mrs Shipman, of Willow Grove, Bilton, who have other sons in the Army and Navy.