Claro Times - 6th January 1915

The following letter has been received by Mr Thursfield, secretary of the Harrogate YMCA :

7th Clearing Hospital

British Expeditionary Force

December 20th, 1914

Dear Mr Thursfield, I am writing a line to wish you and all my old YMCA friends a merry Christmas and a happy new year, not forgetting the boys who, I see by the papers, spend many happy hours at the YMCA whilst waiting their turn to come out and do their little bit for the old country. We are kept fairly busy; we were up all last night getting about 300 wounded through, loading up and sending off two ambulance trains to the base.

I wrote Mr Reddin and gave him the score of a football match we played. I made a mistake; we won 7-3, not 6-3. in the replay on Wednesday we won 4-2. we played two 45's instead of two 35's, as in the last ten minutes we had them beaten, and scored three goals. We played 45's in the first match. We should have played Rugby yesterday, but had no time, all hands working full speed all day and most of the night.

I have not run across Billy Bell, although I have been in places where I see he has been by his letters. I should like to run across him; I may some day. Tolley, one of our Harrogate men, met a man named Calvert the other day, an Army Service Corps man from Harrogate. Lieutenant Malim, of Harrogate, also met the same man in a photographer's here. Jackson (who is a real worker), myself, and the other Harrogate boys are keeping well. We trust you are the same; also all the YMCA boys. Please give them my kindest regards, with same to yourself, I remain, yours sincerely,

Alec W Adams