Irchester Soldier – War Prisoner
Reported missing a few weeks ago after fighting in the Middle East, William Arthur Litchfield, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Litchfield, of Alfred-street, Irchester, is now officially stated to be a prisoner of war in Italian hands. His camp number is not yet known.

Pte. Litchfield is a Sherwood Forester and worked for Messrs Clark and Co., boot manufacturers, Rushden, before joining the Army. He attended school at Irchester, though a native of Coventry, and for some time kept goal for Wellingborough ...-street Sunday School F.C.

Rushden Echo & Argus, 28^th August 1942

Irchester A.T.S. Girl on High Seas
First to join the A.T.S. from Irchester, 21-year-old Lance-cpl. Eva Payne, of the Signals Corps, has now gained another distinction, for at the present time she is somewhere on the high seas bound for an unknown destination abroad.

Lance-Cpl. Payne, whose home is at 14 Berrill-street, has travelled near all over England since joining up two and a half years ago and is thoroughly enjoying service life. She was given leave before embarking and a letter written on the ship gives no clue as to her destination.

Before Joining the Forces, Miss Payne was employed at Messrs. Ainsons, of Wellingborough, and is an old girl of the Rushden Intermediate School.

Rushden Echo & Argus, 28^th August 1942

Irchester Soldier War  Prisoner
Reported missing a few weeks after fighting in the Middle East, William Arthur Litchfleld, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Litchfleld, of Alfred-street, Irchester, is now officially stated to be a prisoner in Italian hands. His camp is not yet known.

Irchester Man Wounded - Action in Burma
An Irchester soldier—Pte. Leslie Carr, Northamptonshire Regiment, has been wounded in Burma, His parents. Mr and Mrs A. H. Carr of 51, Farndish-road, received the news on Saturday but no further details are given.

Pte. Carr, 20 years of age, joined the Army in November, 1942 and went abroad last October. Prior to enlistment he was employed by Messrs. Edward Parsons and Sons, Irchester and was a member of the N F S. As a boy he was educated at the Irchester Council School. He is the only son of Mr and Mrs Carr who have a daughter in the N.F.S.

Irchester Soldier Wounded
Mrs S Brudnell, of 16 Edward-rd., Irchester, has received news that her husband, Pte Stanley Brudnell, is now in an English hospital suffering from severe wounds which he received while fighting in Normandy. Aged 25, Pte Brudnell joined the Territorials a few months prior to the outbreak of war, and came safely through the Dunkirk evacuation. Before enlisting he was a member of Irchester Boys’ Brigade, and was employed by Messrs Denbros Ltd., boot manufacturers.

Rushden Echo & Argus, 15^th September 1944

Mrs. R. Brudenell, of 16 Edward-road, Irchester, has received confirmation that her nephew, Pte. Leslie Savage, of the Beds and Herts Regt., has received the M.M. for bravery on the field at Cassino. Before the war he was a member of the Territorials, and was called up on the outbreak of hostilities, going abroad in November 1943.

He was employed by Messrs. Cheney Ltd., boot manufacturers, of Wellingborough, and was a member of the Boys’ Brigade. Two months ago he had the pleasure of meeting his cousin, Pte. Albert Brudenell, of Irchester, on leave at a rest camp in Rome.

A quotation from the letter Pte. Savage received from the commander of the brigade reads: "You have thoroughly deserved this award, and you are a credit to a very fine battalion, of whose exploits I am very proud."

Irchester Man Wins M. M. in Italy
The King has been pleased to approve the following award for gallantry and distinguished services in Italy:

M.M. — No 5886002 Private Leslie Robert Ernest Savage, the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment, Irchester.

Rushden Echo & Argus, 1^st December 1944

Irchester Man Wounded
An Irchester man who has been serving with the Colours for seven years is reported wounded in Holland. He is Pte. James Stanley Hanger, aged 24, whose mother, Mrs. G. P. Francis, resides at 7 Chapel-yard, Irchester. Before taking part in the B.L.A. operations Pte. Hanger served for five years in India. Mrs. Francis lost a younger son, Charles A Francis, when H.M.S. Hood was sunk in 1941.

Rushden Echo & Argus, 8^th December 1944

Irchester Man Formerly Worked at Rushden
Reported missing at Arnhem in September, Pte. Leslie Salisbury, of the Parachute Regiment, has written to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. Salisbury, of Wards-terrace, Irchester, stating that he is now a prisoner of war in Germany.

Pte. Salisbury who is an only son, is 25 years of age and has been in the Army for five years. He has served in Madagascar, India, Persia, North Africa, and Italy, and joined the paratroops in 1943. Previously he was employed by Messrs. R. Tarry and Co., Rushden.

Rifleman Reported Missing
Rifleman George Thomas Hunt, second son of Mr. and Mrs. C. Hunt of 2, Cattle-lane, Irchester, has been reported missing, believed a prisoner of war in Western Europe. Rfmn Hunt is 18 and joined the Army in July last. He was transferred from the Northamptonshire Regiment on going abroad in February. Formerly employed by the Parker Construction Co., Rfmn Hunt came to Irchester in 1940, being evacuated from London. He has a brother and sister in the Forces.

Rushden Echo & Argus, 27^th April 1945

What Nazis Give Our Men to Eat
Seven ounces of black bread, four potatoes, swede soup and black coffee. Nourishing? Hardly, but that has been the daily ration of Dvr. Donald Ernest Dean, R.A.S.C., of 7, Alfred-street, Irchester, a prisoner freed by the British on Monday of last week.

"I certainly have no love for the Germans," Dvr. Dean told us.

He was taken prisoner in Libya and was subsequently moved to Italy, where he remained until September, 1943, when he was moved to Stalag VIII in Germany.

Aged 29, he joined up in March, 1940. A native of Wellingborough, his father, Mr H H Dean, was killed in the Great War. He was formerly employed by Messrs. Edward Parsons and Son Ltd., Irchester, and was educated at Irchester Council School.

Dvr. Dean has two elder brothers, one, L/Cpl. Albert Dean, serving with the R.A.S.C. in Germany.

Dvr. and Mrs Dean have one daughter, Shirley, who is six years old. Since the beginning of the war she has collected more than 3,000 "ship" halfpennies for the Red Cross.

Rifleman Reported Missing
Rifleman George Thomas Hunt, second son of Mr. and Mrs. C. Hunt, of 2 Cattle-lane, Irchester, has been reported missing, believed a prisoner of war, in Western Europe. Rfmn. Hunt is 18 and joined the Army in July last. He was transferred from the Northamptonshire Regiment on going abroad in February. Formerly employed by the Parker Construction Co., Rfmn. Hunt came to Irchester in 1940, being evacuated from London. He has a brother and a sister in the Forces.