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FROM THE CONTEMPORARY LOCAL NEWSPAPERS OF NORTH BUCKS (BUCKS STANDARD, NORTH BUCKS TIMES, WOLVERTON EXPRESS)
With today’s internet a wealth of official information is available regarding those who served.
In an age before local radio and television, families often allowed letters to be published in the local press from their loved ones on active service.
However, for their descendants the letters reveal a more personal aspect, graphically describing the experience of the people and providing an insight into their personalities.

NBT 1917 July 17th Tue.

Private Lewis Oakley has been killed in action, and the Officer Commanding his Battery writes to his mother, a widow of Startops End;

“Your son was ever of a cheerful temperament, and did his duty fearlessly and well. His body was interred at the cemetery near by where the Battery was in action.”

Aged 20, he was unmarried, and before joining the Army last October had worked for Mr. George Pratt. A brother, Bertie Oakley, was killed two years ago, and four other brothers are still serving in the Army. Another widow of the village, Mrs. T. Horwood, has also lost two sons in the war.
ALSO AVAILABLE IN BOOK FORM AS ‘LETTERS FROM THE FIRST WORLD WAR’ FROM WWW. LULU.COM,
PRODUCED WITH THE INVALUABLE EXPERTISE OF ALAN KAY & ZENA DAN.