Harrogate Herald - 28th 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 :

Private T W Scruton

Harrogate Herald - 30th May 1917

Letters

Private T W Scruton says : 

Although I am not a Harrogate lad, I have been working there for about six years in the hotels, including Wellington, Beechwood, and the Claremont. I always enjoy reading your letter to the boys on active service. That is generally the first thing I read after looking to see if there are any photos of men I know. I saw one little bit where one woman said she would be sorry when the war is over, as she likes to read your letter so much. Well, I say with all the others, I shall be glad when it is over. I saw that H T Riley has written you a letter about their battalion and how they had distinguished themselves - the good old Beechwood Boys. I keep coming across some Harrogate lads in my travels. I met B Smith, newsagent, Cold Bath Road, last week. I saw a lot of the Beechwood Boys once out here. My brother is with them, and I happened to go and see him, as they were quite close to us just at that time. In my last letter to you I believe I asked you to get me an ordinary razor if you could, but I know you have such a lot of various things to send off. I wish to be remembered to Mrs W L Whewell. I know her very well with being at the Claremont. I see she has done some good work for our lads in the way of knotting socks, etc.

Harrogate Herald - 19th December 1917

W H Breare letter

I have had a call from Private T W Scruton, of the West Yorks, son of Mr and Mrs T Scruton, Ribston, who used to work at the Wellington and Beechwood, who is home on 14 days' leave. His brother Alfred, a Beechwood Boy, lodged with Mr R Wood in Montpelier Street. He has hurt his knee and is in hospital. My visitor had been in France 12 months and looks none the worse for it. In fact, I should say, better. Robshaw and Earnshaw, of Starbeck, are with him in his lot. The Yorkshire Hussars have been transferred to his company. These include Mark Hutchinson, Duchy Avenue, and other Harrogate lads. T W Scruton was slightly wounded in august, but he did not come home. Dolphin, of Pateley, who was killed, was in Scruton's platoon.

Harrogate Herald - 25th July 1917

W H Breare letter

There was an error in the footnote attached to a letter from T W Scruton last week. There are two soldiers of the name of Abbott on active service from Oatlands Mount, and through Scruton specifying Private H Abbott, whom he was enquiring about, as Sergeant. I assumed it was Sergeant J W Abbott, of Spring Terrace, who is a prisoner. It appears it was Private H Abbott, of Mount Street, whom he meant. This soldier, I regret to say, is still missing, and if any of you boys can get to hear anything of him, his parents would greatly appreciate the information.