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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.

W.E. 1914 Dec. 4th

On Monday, Mr. Philip Merry, of North Bridge Street, received a letter from the War Office, stating that his eldest son, Francis, of the 2nd Bedfords, had been killed in action. He was 20 years of age, and - including service in China and South Africa - had been in the army for about three years. He came to England from Pretoria some two months ago, and went straight to the Front after a short visit to Shefford. His father, a postman for many years, is an old soldier, having served with the Carabiniers. Another son, Private Arthur Merry, is serving with the 5th Beds.


W.E. 1914 Dec. 4th

A letter from Private G. Carter has been received, stating that Sergeant Robert Burnage, of the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, has been killed in action. This is corroborated in a letter from Private A. Saley, of the same regiment, who in writing to a friend states that Private S. Wright, also of Shefford, saw Sergeant Burnage fall when shot through the heart. Sergeant Burnage, the fifth son of James and Hannah Burnage, was aged 29, and, having seen service in India and Ireland, had been in the 1st Bedfords for eleven years. Winning many prizes for rifle shooting, he also played in the regimental football and hockey elevens. At the outbreak of hostilities he went from Ireland to the Front, and was present at the battles of Mons, the Marne, the Aisne, Lille and Ypres.

(Sergeant Burnage was killed on Monday, November 9th, 1914, and has no known grave.)


NBT 1915 Dec. 28th Tue.

Lance Corporal A. Breed, 1st Bedfords, who is in hospital with frozen feet, writes to local friends;

“Talk about mud-larks! The last time I was in the mud-baths, for one cannot call them trenches, for six days, and it rained on and off all the time. The mud was up to our knees, and if we moved far we went in up to the tops of our legs. We wore jack-boots, but I was wet footed after the first day. I was in some bad trenches last year, but these last six days are the worst I have had. My feet got numbed, and I could hardly feel them. Still I made up my mind to stick it, at least as long as I could. But on coming out I went sick. The doctor says my feet will soon be better, and I am glad to see the people of Shefford are thinking of us again this Christmas, and I hope that you will all enjoy yourselves.”


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.