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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.

B.S. 1915 Apr. 24th

News has been received of the death in action on the Western Front of Private Frederick Andrews, of the 8th Division, Cyclist Company, Army Cyclist Corps. Born and resident at Newton Blossomville, he is officially reported to have died on Sunday, March 14th from wounds received in action the previous day. Of his five years service in the 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, two were spent in India and eight months in Malta, and being sent to the front in October, he was transferred to the Army Cycle Corps. A good soldier and keen sportsman, he was very popular with his comrades. Before joining the Army he was a member of the Clifton Reynes Parish Church Choir, and following the news of his death the ringers rang a muffled peal, with a memorial service being held in the church.


B.S. 1916 Jan. 8th

Aged 43, Private G. Hobbs, of the 8th Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on December 19th, and is buried at La Brique, Belgium. Before the war he was a pensioner from the Army, having served the full period of 21 years in the Royal Engineers and 3rd Bedfords. This included 11 years of duty in India, which merited such awards as the Indian medal (1895) and the clasp for the relief of Chitral in the same year. He re-enlisted just over twelve months ago, and went to France last September.


B.S. 1917 Apr. 21st

From wounds received in action, on Wednesday, March 28th twenty one year old Private Ernest Branson, of the 6th Battalion, Oxon and Bucks Light Infantry, died in the New Zealand Stationary Hospital, France, from where in a letter on March 24th his parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Branson, of Newton Blossomville, learned that although he was suffering greatly, from a gunshot wound in the left thigh, he was still holding his own. However, on March 28th Assistant Matron Ida Willis wrote;

“I deeply regret to tell you that your son died at 6.30 this evening. … I am glad to say he was unconscious for the last two days and suffered no pain, dying quite peacefully this evening. With deepest sympathy for you and yours in your great sorrow.”

The Reverend E. Malden (chaplain) then wrote to the parents on March 29th;

“You have our very deepest sympathy in the loss of your gallant soldier lad. I buried him to-day in the new military cemetery at Amiens, where his grave is marked with a cross and his name and regiment upon it.”

In a further letter, the assistant matron writes;

“Later, when time has softened the blow a little, you will realise how proud you are of your brave laddy, and that he died a noble hero’s death.”

Joining up about 15 months ago, Private Branson, a resident of Newport Pagnell, had been previously wounded in the left hip, and only returned to France three months ago. A brother is serving in the Royal Warwicks as a stretcher bearer.


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.