The Rushden Echo Friday 24th August 1917, transcribed by Kay Collins
Rushden Soldiers’ Thanks – Gifts from the Roll of Honour
The Committee of the Roll of Honour for Glassbrook-road and Brookfield-road, Rushden, have received from the soldiers whose names appear on the roll many letters of thanks for gifts sent to them by the committee. We append a few extracts:-
Pte. G. Morris, R.A.M.C., with the Salonica Forces, says: It makes one feel that the boys who are away doing their bit are not forgotten by the people of the good old town when they receive gifts like that from them, and they would be wonderfully cheered up by the knowledge that the people who had known them in their everyday life during times of peace were thinking of them and trying to make things a little brighter for them during the dangerous times most of them have been passing through. In this country we have to fight malaria and dysentery more than anything, but the boys out here are as cheerful as ever.
Pte. H. Hornsby, F.E.B. Salonica Forces: I am very sorry to hear that so many Rushden lads have fallen.
Gunner A. Downing, -- Siege Battery, R.G.A., France: It is up to every man to do his part to help to save the country from ruin, and it is a great work you ladies are doing at home. I am in a battery of – guns. We go in for 24 hours and out for 24. We had a very rough night last night. We had given the Germans a rough handful, and about 10p.m. he set off. We had to set him down again, and it was an awful night, dark and raining hard, but the boys stuck to it and came through without a scratch.
D. E. Tomlin: If you could see the men on the look-out for letters, I am sure you would understand the pleasure one feels when they come our way.
Pte. H. Garley, M.G.C.: I shall be glad when the war is over, but I do not expect that will be just yet.
S. Dickens: We out here must keep on smiling.
H. F. Ball: I am with many fellows from other parts of the country, but I never hear of any such gifts, so I am sure we who live in Rushden should be proud of the efforts everyone at home is making for us. I myself am more than thankful, and shall never forget your great kindness.
Pte. H. Cooke, Labour Coy., B.E.F.: It is the most welcome gift anyone can have sent out here, and it shows the boys are not forgotten while they are giving the Germans a strafing. I am sure the boys are doing their best. I have seen a lot of Rushden fellows out here, and they all speak well of the Rolls of Honour.
Harry Bryant, writing from Southwark Military Hospital, says: I have been here ten weeks. I thought I should have been out and ready for service again by now, but I am getting on a little now.
Pte. A. Foreman writes thanking the Committee for their most cheerful letter and the gift of money.
Pte. L. Bazeley: I was surprised to have another gift in so short a time. I think the friends in the street are doing extraordinarily well with the Roll of Honour.
J. Hinde: I am afraid it will be a long time before the war is over.
Lance-Corpl. S. J. Hornsby says he is looking forward to the time when we shall have a lasting peace – not a peace based on German ideas, but one in which a large nation does not strive to smash smaller nations for its own gain.
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Rushden Echo Friday, 28th December 1917, transcribed by Jim Hollis
Rushden Soldiers and Sailors - The Thanks of the Boys
Like the rest of Rushden soldiers and sailors, the boys whose names appear on the Glassbrook-road and Brookfield-road Roll of Honour are extremely grateful for the gifts they have received from the committee and for the kindly thought of the neighbours, as the following extracts from their letters will show:-
Pte. A. Foreman – Infantry Battalion: I gladly received your most kind and cheerful letter, I thank you very much for the sum of money you sent.
W. Groome – I was in hopes the war was going to finish before another winter, but it does not look much like it up to now. I have had two winters of it, but I must put up with it, it is no worse for me than for anyone else. All the same, we all hope it won’t be long before it is all over. The gifts from the people at home give the boys a stouter heart to do what is wanted of them out here, and God knows there is a lot to do sometimes. There’s one thing they keep on doing their bit, all the same. I don’t think there are many down-hearted ones, the way they go about things. I know that we have the Germans well in hand now, and so do the Germans know it.
Pte. G. Morris. R.A.M.C.: I am in hospital myself at the present time, and do not feel up to much letter writing, but I must thank you and the committee.
Sergt. L. G. Garrod: But for your kindness and for those who are so dear to us it would seem as if we were cut off from the outer world as we are a long way from civilisation. I am pleased to say I was in the recent fighting, and more pleased to say I came out of it all right, and I am now sergeant.
A. Perkins: I think the people of Rushden are doing splendidly with those Rolls of Honour.
G. Redman: Some people think the war will soon be over, and I hope they are right, so that we can get back to dear old Rushden once more.
Jack Cole: These gifts come in very handy, as money (like everything else except work) is at a premium.
A. Garley: I have been in hospital for a few weeks, but am quite better now.
Similar letters have also come from Pte. P. Evans, Pte. D. R. Hornsby, J. Hinde, Pte. L. Bazeley, F. Andrews, Pte. G. Clark (B.E.F.), Percy Bridgment, Pte. A. R. King (B.E.F.), Tom Fensom, W. T. Dickins, Drummer J. Bazeley, and others.
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Rushden Echo, 12th July 1918, transcribed by Kay Collins
A SUCCESSFUL whist drive, arranged by the committee of the Glassbrook-road and Brookfield-road Roll of Honour, was held yesterday week. It was arranged to take place on the Windmill Club lawn, but owing to a sharp storm the company had to adjourn into one of the rooms of the club. There was a good company present. The winners were: Ladies, 1 Mrs. Mantle, 2 Mrs. Denton, 3 Mrs. Chettles; gentlemen, 1 Mrs. Waller, 2 Mrs Kendall (playing as gents), 3 Mr. Neal. The prizes were kindly given by Mr. A. Allebone, Mr. Turland, and Mesdames Trusler, Tarry, Sears, Webb, and Freeman.
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Rushden Echo, 19th December 1919, transcribed by Kay Collins
WELCOME HOME—Ex-service men whose names are on the Brookfield-road and Glassbrook-road Roll of Honour, with their friends, to the number of about 200, were entertained last Friday at the Co-operative Hall by the Committee of which Mrs W Tassell is the president and Miss Winnie Tassell the treasurer and secretary, and the members are Mesdames H Bridgment, Harbour, Peacock, Trusler, Sears, Hornsby, Holloway, Dickens and Tarry. They were assisted at the tea tables by Mesdames T Surridge, Bates, Clarke, and Peacock. After tea a cheery speech was made by the Rev Ion Carroll, wishing the boys well on their return home. The programme of the concert was contributed to by the Rev Ion Carroll, Miss E Tompkins, Miss D West, Mr F Hinde, and Mr H Neal. Dancing and games also took place, Mr P Bridgement being the M.C. Music was provided by Miss D Todd. At the close thanks were accorded the Committee by Mr H Peacock, Mrs Tassell suitably responding.
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