Harrogate Herald - 15th December 1915

Driver G Haigh writes from France : 

May I take this opportunity of thanking you for sending out the most welcome paper every week. I look forward with pleasure to its arrival, with all its news of home and of my chums in my late regiment, the 5th West Yorks, and you may be sure I take good care to read it from beginning to end. At the present time our Company, the 4th London Field Company, Royal Engineers, to which I am attached, are at rest, a treat to which we all look forward to. I am hoping sooner or later that we may meet the Harrogate boys out here, for although I have several good friends here, I never forget the good times I spent with my old chums. So far we have had fairly mild weather compared to what you have experienced in Harrogate lately, and now that we have been served out with another blanket and fur coat, I am hoping we shall not feel the cold so much. The prospect of spending another Christmas does not appeal to the boys out here, but you would be surprised at the light-hearted ways in which they talk of that prospect, and we all know that our good friends at home will not forget us. Unfortunately we shall be unlucky in returning to work again before Xmas, and that means most of our boys will be in the trenches on that day, but they will go I with a good heart, I feel sure. I see from your paper that Harrogate is promised several good treats for the holidays in the way of amusements. It makes me long to be home again to enjoy some of them. However, that good time will come again in due course, and we shall enjoy it all the more, I am sure. I should be pleased if you would remember me to any of my chums of the 5th West Yorks who call at your office, and I trust when I have the good fortune to have leave myself to be able to call and see you. Meanwhile, I can only convey my best thanks for your kindness in sending out your good paper, by means of a letter, but I can assure you it is appreciated. Trusting this finds you in the best of health, as it leaves me now.