Harrogate Herald - 9th May 1917

W H Breare letter

I had a pleasant surprise today in an informal reception at my office of three wounded soldiers from St George's, all of whom I had assisted to get to Harrogate. First was Frank Allen. I called him Fred last week, but then do you wonder I get a little bit mixed with Christian names when I have so many boys? I was delighted to see Allen looking so well. The second boy was Edgar Emmerson, of Pannal, son of Mrs R Emmerson. You will call him to mind, perhaps, when I tell you that he worked for William Stott, of Beckwithshaw. Then there was G Topham, son of Mrs T Topham, Church Terrace, Bilton, whom, you will remember, I mentioned before as being in the Metropolitan Hospital, London. Topham worked for C Nettleton, contractor, Harrogate, before the war. I was sorry to hear from Topham that his brother Thomas was admitted to hospital last Wednesday, suffering from septic poisoning. He had not been able to move for four days. It is in France that he is in hospital. He went out in June. Allen reminded me of one of my boys who had fallen, S Potts. It seems he was a comrade of Allen's, and when the latter was wounded he stopped to help Allen. Whilst doing so he received a wound, but not a serious one. He went to the rear, and on his way must have fallen. I am glad for Allen's sake that Potts did not meet his death, when rendering aid to his pal. These three boys were able to stop with me quite a while, so that we had a jolly chat. They are full of admiration for St George's, the matron, and the staff, and deeply impressed with the simple graciousness of the Grand Duchess. I could realise even more from the manner of these boys in expressing their gratitude than from the words. I could see in their faces the spirit of happy contentment when they even thought of St George's.