Rushden Private Injured - Severe Wounds - Good Hope of Recovery

News comes to hand this week that Pte. Ernest J. G. Brown, son of Mr. J. Brown, of High Street South, Rushden, has been badly injured in the head. Writing from a hospital in Havre, one of the Sisters says: “The medical officer considers the injury severe, but we have good hope of his recovery, as he is slightly better this morning.”

A further letter from the same writer says: “The medical officer wishes me to let you know that your son is progressing as favourably as can be expected. I hope to be able to continue to give you good news. Yours sincerely Sister Lyde. P.S. I have just been and asked him isf he has a message to send to you. He sends his love and hopes to be home for Christmas.”

Mr. Brown has six sons and sons-in-law on service in England or at the front: Ptes. E. J. G. Brown (mentioned above); Siah W. Brown, at the front with the Leicesters; T. Cox, fighting with the “Steelbacks”; I. Brown at Languard with the Bedfords; W. Welch at Basingstoke military home; and J. Smith, who is at Tonbridge Wells Hospital wounded.

The latter was injured in the right hand on November 17th being stuck with a piece from a shrapnel shell. The last news from him states that he is going on very favourably. The information comes in a letter from Sister C. Gwynne, of the General Hospital, Tonbridge Wells and is as follows:-

“Dear Mrs. Smith, Your husband is getting on nicely. The hand has cleaned up splendidly. He says it is much easier. The surgeon who attends him has not yet decided what he will do, as he wants it to be quite healthy before he does anything. He may only have to take away the middle finger. Your husband sends his love to all.”

Six Fighting - A Rushden Family's Splendid Record - Three Wounded

Pte. J. Smith, of Rushden, 1st Beds. Regt., son-in-law of Mr. Brown, High-street South has been wounded, but after spending a week or two at home has returned to his depot this week. Just before he returned he gave the following account of his experiences to our representative:—

“Life in the trenches is past description. I was in the battle of the Aisne and the battle at Ypres. We had the order to retreat and we did so. I got in the middle of a ploughed field and I had to dig a hole in the ground with my knife to make a head cover. I lay there for about two hours—a long way from my comrades. I thought my number was up, for the bullets and shells were coming from all directions. Then, they stopped firing, so I crawled from my position and made my way back to my company.

"Just as we were getting ready for a meal, they would shell us and scatter us in all directions. Then we would have to start again. The day I got wounded, the 7th of November, they made six attacks on us, and we had to finish them off with the bayonet, which they didn’t like. The same day I lay in a gap and was popping them off one by one as they passed by when I had the order to double back. I took my rifle and was doing so when a shell came and caught my right hand. It splintered my rifle as well as my hand.

"I did not have a clean shirt on for over three weeks, and my beard was nearly an inch long. The Germans play mouth-organs in trenches, but they like it none the more for being jolly. It is the hottest place I have ever been in. It is awful but you have to put up with all that. I don’t mind so long as my head is left, but life in the trenches is not very pleasant. Six of our family have been to the front. Three of us are wounded, but the other are still doing their bit in the trenches."

Private Smith has lost a finger and his hand has been badly hurt.

Pte. J Smith (wounded) Pte. W Welsh (wounded) L/Cpl T Cox	Pte. E J G Brown (wounded) Pte S W Brown Pte J Brown

Fighting Family - Rushden Brothers at the Front