Harrogate Herald - 3rd March 1915

Recruiting in Harrogate during the month of February has been fairly brisk. The names of those who have enlisted through the medium of the Recruiting Office in Station Square are as follows : 

T H Potter, R Cornall, T Johnson, H Massheder, J McLaughlin, Percy Cash, H Morrell, C J Summersall, F G Squire, C E Crossley, A J Lale, A Dewar, C Lewis, A Addison, G Addison, G McGuire, M J Lyons, G E Mathers, W Tipling, E Marshall, W Younger, C Tranill, H B Broadley, G T Gamage, Ingham, Dobby, Brearley, Riley, E Simpson, J W Lamb, E Shackleton, P C Moorey, J Roker, F Slinger, A Harrison, W A Wray, J Elsworth, J A Bayley, F V Thackwray, W Smithson, and Stephen Fountain.

This list does not include those joining the colours through the Westminster Chambers agency, nor those who join the Yorkshire Hussars and Yorkshire Dragoons direct

Harrogate Herald - 29th December 1915

Driver J McLoughlin, Army Service Corps, says :

Through your kindness I have been receiving your paper, the Herald, and I am sorry I have not written before and hope you will excuse me as we are out night and day, and it is often difficult to write a letter. The weather out here is very cold now. We had a storm the other night, and all our dug-outs were full of water four feet deep, so you may know what we were like. We had to walk about all night. We had another storm last night, but not so bad. The Turks gave us a bombardment on the 23rd for about two days, but we lose very few men. The first day there were only six killed and four wounded, and the second day it was a duel between our artillery and the Turks. It was a sight to see on Achi-Baba Peak. Our camp is about three miles from there, straight in front, up the road, shells dropping just behind us. We have had three mules killed out of the four, and the men untouched. We can do with these shells, but when "Jack Johnsons" come into the camp they are awful. We have had 13 mules and two horses killed with one of them. We have had a very rough time since we landed here. If you could see the gullies that our men have taken, and the wire entanglements, you would think it impossible for them to do it. I think this is all this time, thanking you for your kindness and wishing your paper every success. The boys here come for it to have a read. There are very few Harrogate lads out here. Will write another letter later, and hope this will find you in the best of health, and that the war will soon be over, so that we can get back home to our wives and children.

Harrogate Herald - 17th January 1917

The following are men who have sent us the Army post-card briefly stating that they are well and have received papers and parcels, or whose letters contain views that have repeatedly been expressed by other correspondents, but show their friends that they are all right :

Driver J McLoughlin

Harrogate Herald - 24th January 1917

Driver J McLoughlin says : 

Letters and papers are very difficult to get to us out here. I am sorry I cannot tell you where I am, only on the desert. We have not much time for anything out here; it is all work and we are having some cold weather, and feel it after being so hot. I am sorry to see so many of our townsmen on he Roll of Honour. I have not met a Harrogate man out here, but I see by your paper there are some of our boys in Salonica. I think we just about have the Turks in hand out here now; 1,300prisoners came down last week and some horses, and another 30 today. I should be very much obliged if you could in any way to find any good friend who would be so kind as to send me a wristlet watch, as we are out on duty and we never know the time, and often get into trouble for being late. Wishing you and your staff every success and thanking you once more for your paper.

Harrogate Herald - 21st March 1917

The following are men who have sent us the Army post-card briefly stating that they are well and have received papers and parcels, or whose letters contain views that have repeatedly been expressed by other correspondents, but show their friends that they are all right :

J McLoughlin

Harrogate Herald - 25th April 1917

The following are men who have sent us the Army post-card briefly stating that they are well and have received papers and parcels, or whose letters contain views that have repeatedly been expressed by other correspondents, but show their friends that they are all right :

J McLoughlin

Harrogate Herald - 9th May 1917

Corporal J H Forth writes : 

I have been in hospital just over a month with enteric and typhoid fevers, so you can guess what I have had to put up with. I have been in bed a month and never been up, and it was a near thing with me once over, but thanks to the kindness and good attention of the doctor and nurses who looked after me fine and gave me every comfort and attention, I pulled through. I had nothing at all to eat for three weeks, and was kept going with brandy, milk and eggs. I was in a hospital called the 26th, but a week ago they put me on the ambulance train and moved me over 100 miles to where I am now. I am pleased to say I am going on nicely, and allowed up for an hour a day. When I first got up I thought I could walk, but I though someone had cut my legs off by the feeling. I came alone on the ambulance train, 3.5 hours run without a stop, and one of the finest trains than can be built - all electric lighted and corridors, and the Red Cross nurses came round with cigs, oranges, tea; in fact, anything you fancied. I can tell you the British Red Cross is one of the finest institutions ever raised. We travelled through the cultivated parts of Egypt on the way, and I saw lots of corn cut and others harvesting. It was mostly barley, and only saw one lot of wheat, and it reminded one of dear old England. The are ploughing the stubble in some parts. They use buffaloes and a light wood plough. Talk about a sorting! The Turks got one at Gaza. They cannot make out what is coming when the caterpillars keep on creeping. There were a lot of wounded on the train. I was next to one poor chap. A bullet had gone in his throat close to his jugular vein and clean through between his shoulders. He seem cheerful, but he was vexed because he did not get a shot back after the Turks knocked him out. Goodbye, with best wishes. PS - I had a letter from Driver Jack McLoughlin, and he is all right, but I don't know where he is. I know he is somewhere near the Turks.

Harrogate Herald - 16th January 1918

Post-Cards received :

J McLoughlin

Harrogate Herald – 17th April 1918

Following have sent postcards thanking for the Herald and briefly stating they are well :

J McLoughlin