Harrogate Herald - 29th December 1915

J H Holmes, after thanking Mr W H Breare for the Herald, says : 

We have had some very cold weather here lately, though very little snow. The wind, too, has been terrific, and some nights we had to spend keeping the hangers down to the ground. However, we have now moved to a new aerodrome, and for the time being are billeted in houses. I have only met one Harrogate man out here so far - Sergeant Burgess. He was back for a rest. I suppose by now he is in the trenches again. Well, it will be Christmas in a few days now, and you can bet, all being well, I shall have as good a time as possible to have under the circumstances. Thanking you once again for your paper, and wishing you a merry Xmas.

Harrogate Herald - 18th April 1917

W H Breare letter

Beckwithshaw and Pannal boys will be interested to know that Sergeant J H Holmes, of the RFC, of Beckwithshaw, came in to see me on Monday morning. He is a son of Mr and Mrs Alfred Holmes. JH has been in France two years, and is now on leave the first time in eighteen months. I am sorry to say that his mother is very ill, so his home-coming has been sad. All the time he has been out he has never met a Harrogate lad, though he has corresponded with Alex Stott, of Beckwithshaw, who is in France, but has not seen him. Holmes has a brother in a Flying Corps Division in Salonica. Holmes looks very well, and I hope his presence will soon restore his mother to her accustomed health. Many of you local boys will perhaps know that Holmes is a very skilful mechanics.