Four Irchester Brothers – Serving the King
News of Rushden District Men
How Hugh Robinson was Killed – Hit by a ‘Jack Johnson’ when Asleep

Lance-Corpl. F. Bayes (Irchester), of the 2nd Battalion, Northants Regiment, writing to his parents, says:-

“We have been very busy just lately as we have been in the trenches twice, and I can tell you there is not much time for letter writing when we are out, as it is all sleep we want then. Well, I hope we shall get on all right, but it is such cold weather now and it wants a bit of sticking. Will you tell Mrs. Goddard that her nephew (Pte. Mallard, of Kettering) was one of the first to get killed—the shot went right through his jaw, and he was soon finished, poor chap.

“I have not seen Jack Moulton since we have been here but I heard that he is getting on all right. Have you heard from Charlie (Pte. Charles Bayes, of the 2nd Beds and brother of Lance-Corpl. Bayes) since he has been here? I suppose he is all right if he does not write home much. Tell Bill (Lance-Corpl. Bayes’s brother) that Hugh Robinson got killed last Saturday night. He was asleep when a big ‘Jack Johnson’ burst and killed three of them. Harry Eden (Rushden) and Fred Belbin (Irchester) were not far away when it occurred but they got away all right. Fred Belbin asked me to tell you to go and see his mother, as he has not had time to write yet. You can tell her he is all right. I go and see Bill Richardson (also of Irchester) as often as I can. He is getting on all right.”

Mr. and Mrs. W. Bayes, father and mother of Lance-Corpl. Bayes, have four sons serving their King and country—Lance-Corpl F. Bayes, 2nd Northants; Pte. G. Bayes, Grenadier Guards; Pte. C. Bayes, 2nd Beds; and Pte. H. Bayes, Kitchener’s Army.

How to End the War – Irchester Man’s Appeal
Corporal Fred Bayes, writing from the front to his parents at Irchester, who have four sons in the Army, says “I am afraid it will be a long time before the war ends if they don’t enlist a bit quicker. The sooner men enlist the sooner will this war be over, as we require a large army against the enemy’s. I do not like the idea of the papers saying, as they do, that the Germans cannot shoot. I think they can, or at least some of them, when they want to.”