Rushden Echo, 4th May 1917, transcribed by Kay Collins
Double Bereavement – Husband Dead and Son Killed
Father Unaware of His Son’s Death
We regret to report that Mrs. A Blackwell of Town-yard, Higham Ferrers, who buried her husband on Saturday, received news on the following day from an unofficial source that her son, Pte Charles Blackwell, 48388—Tyneside Scottish (Northumberland Fusiliers) was killed in action. Pte Blackwell was well liked in the borough, and much sympathy will be extended to Mrs Blackwell in her double bereavement.
The news of Pte Blackwell’s death was contained in a postcard received from a comrade at the front by Councillor F Walker. The card says:- “Pte C Blackwell, I am sorry to say, was killed in action on April 9th. His comrades in his platoon shared the parcel and tobacco between them, and I wish to thank you on behalf of the platoon.”
The late Pte Blackwell joined the Forces on November 2nd 1916, and went out to France after nine weeks’ training. He formerly worked at Mr A E Wright’s shoe factory, and after the fire there, worked at the Higham Co-operative Productive Society’s factory, of which Mr F Walker, who received the postcard, is the manager. The tobacco was sent on behalf of the factory, and a postcard enclosed for reply.
Pte Blackwell was 38 years of age. He had not written for three weeks previous to his death.
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