Harrogate Herald - 8th January 1919

W H Breare letter

I find Sunday morning a very quiet opportunity of getting on with my dictaphoning to you boys. I have just had a pleasant break, however, for in has walked Private Teale, of the 5th West Yorks. He arrived this morning at 6 o'clock, to find that his wife was not here to meet him, having gone on a visit to some friends in Ilkley. He had sent her a telegram saying he was at home, but that wire had not reached her, so he came to see if there was any way of getting over to Ilkley, for he didn't wish to lose another day of his leave. You see the roads are in a very bad state, and it is rather a dangerous task to turn out with a motor car. However, I stopped my dictaphoning and consulted one of my motor friends, only to be convinced that it would not be possible to take a car to Ilkley until the thaw had done more execution. I was sorry and, of course, so was Teale, but he understood perfectly that our motor friends would have helped him had it been possible. I was interested to hear him speak so highly of Colonel Oddie, of Pateley Bridge. It seems he is one of the finest officers, and the men adore him. When the armistice came they carried him shoulder high and extracted a speech from him. You see he has always been most considerate of his men, and there is scarcely one of them who has not some kind act of Colonel Oddie's to warm up his recollection of the war.