Harrogate Herald - 6th June 1917

W H Breare letter

I had a visit on Monday from Corporal G W Sawbridge, who is at St George's Hospital. He is making good progress. Whilst lying at the Casualty Clearing Station he saw Albert Duncan, who was the stage manager at the Kursaal, attending to the electric light. Other Harrogate men he came across were Joe Gibson, out porter; Petch, fruiterer; Hartley, who worked at Mr Hunter's Cambridge Street shop; and "Micky" Harrison, painter, he spied at the entrance of a dug-out as he was coming out of the line. He also saw Sergeant Morrison and Malthouse, of Knaresborough; Tom Saville, E Sherwood, the St Luke's cricketer. This recalled pleasant memories, as Sawbridge was also a player with this club. My visitor was only half a mile from his brother Frank, who was wounded the day after Sawbridge, and subsequently died. He recovered from that wound, but had only been back a day when he got hit again on Easter Monday. A younger brother was also wounded the same day as Frank. He is having ten days' leave before returning to a training centre. Harrogate was brought prominently to mind on one occasion by the display of a large poster in a YMCA hut, with the invitation, "Visit Harrogate for health", and a view of the Prospect Hill and Stray. He speaks highly of the attention received in hospital. He has put on three stone since arriving in England.