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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. 1917 Dec. 22nd “Please accept the deepest sympathy of myself and the boys of 15 platoon with you and yours in the great loss you have sustained by the death of your brave, dear son. Myself and his mates can but pray that in your grief you will be comforted and sustained by the grace and presence of our Heavenly Father. It will be some measure of consolation for you to know that your son was greatly respected by all his mates; also that in the testing time he proved his sterling worth. Ever think of him not as dead but as still living in the more immediate presence of God.” “Peaceful be thy rest, dear Bert, TO THE GLORY OF GOD B.S. 1917 Mar. 24th A telegram and letter have been received from those in charge of the hospital where, from wounds received in the abdomen on March 17th, Bombardier A.W. Hobbs, of the Royal Garrison Artillery, is lying dangerously ill. The son of John Hobbs, of Astwood, he enlisted shortly after the outbreak of war, and, having been through much savage fighting, has been in France for two years. B.S. 1918 Feb. 2nd “Near Jellebeke, on the 14th September, 1917, the enemy suddenly opened a heavy barrage on the road immediately behind the battery which at the time was congested with ammunition wagons. The road at once became blocked, and the leading team having suffered severely, were unable to move so that teams in the rear, which included one belonging to M battery, were unable to get forward to the only place of safety. The confusion was increased by the incessant rain of shells of heavy calibre. Sergeant Hall, with the utmost presence of mind, and disregard of personal safety, ran to the spot restored order and succeeded in clearing the road for the rear teams. He then took charge of the battery wagon of which the leading driver had been killed and three horses badly wounded, and finding the wagon badly damaged, unhooked it clear of the road, and got the personnel and horses away.” (The son of Mr. William Hall, of Astwood, Sergeant Hall had been in the Artillery for 12 years before the war, and rejoined the colours from the Army Reserve in August, 1914.)
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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. |
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