Unofficial information has been received at Earls Barton that Privates Amos Line and Fred Golding of the 1/4 Northants, were killed on Sunday last. Pte H Clayton, in a letter to Mr F Line, of Earls Barton, says that were killed on Sunday. The letter goes on: “We went into action on May 9th a strong Regiment and came out a very small company. It was a living hell for eight hours that we lay under shell fire. We could not get out with our rifles, so you can tell what it was like.”

Pte Line was 19 years of age, and had ever since he left school worked for Mr C Dunkley at Earls Barton, where he lived with his mother. Pte Golding, who was 23, had recently been living at Rushden. His mother and father live at Earls Barton. Ptes Golding and Line enlisted on the same day in September, and kept together ever since, and were buried together.

Rushden Soldier Killed - Unofficially Reported - From Two Sources - Pte F Golding's Sad End

We regret to publish the sad news that Pte F Golding, brother of Mrs A Smith, of 41, Washbrook road, Rushden, has been unofficially reported killed in the battle of Arras which took place last Sunday week. News of the sad occurrence has been received from two sources, and since his letters, which he sent regularly, have ceased his relatives fear the worst. Pte R Reynolds in a letter published in this issue mentions that Pte Golding was hit and probably killed, and Mrs Golding, his mother who lives at Earls Barton, had also heard from a friend of her son's death, and he says he helped to bury him. The late Pte Golding enlisted in the Steelbacks in August last, and arrived in France on Feb. 3rd. Prior to leaving Rushden he worked at Messrs. Wm Green and Sons and lived with his sister Mrs A Smith, 41 Washbrook road. He was well known in the town and district.

The Rushden Echo, Friday 21 May 1915, transcribed by Nicky Bates

Thrilling Story of the War - Sixteen Hours Near the German Trenches - Terrible Experience

Mrs A Reynolds, of Rushden, has received a letter from her son Pte R Reynolds, of the 1st Northants, who writes under date May 12:

"I now write these few lines to you, hoping that you are all well, as I am well myself, but I was crying on May 9th, when we made a charge at the Germans and my officer was killed, and I knelt down and said a prayer. I saw Jim Campion (son of Mrs Campion, Glassbrook road, Rushden) get his leg shot right off, and Sam Cowley (also of Rushden) got hit, but I cannot say if he was killed. Just break the news to Mrs Robinson (mother of Pts S Robinson, whose death we reported last week, Ed., RE) that her son got killed on May 9th, and that chap at Golding's (Pte F Golding, Ed., RE) down Washbrook, got hit, but I think he was killed as well. We lost about 700 killed and wounded. God only knows how I got through, as I was lying right upon the German trench and I lay there 16¾ hours. I had had nothing for 48 hours, but that was nothing. Some of the boys went up in the air. You cannot realise it out there in England. I got a wound in the arm but it is nothing and I don't care, as it doesn't hurt me. You should have seen the boys get over the trenches, as if it was only a playing field; it was grand. Think of your son lying 16 hours under shell fire. All the time I was lying under fire I was making fags and smoking. At last I had not got a match and I went and found some on a dead pal, and had my smoke. I had my rifle knocked right out of my hand, but thank God, I soon found another. I had a bullet go right through the photos of sister Lucy, Maggie, Elsie, and Howard. I am sending them so you can put them in the paper."

Death of a Rushden Hero

From unofficial sources Mrs. A. Smith, of Washbrook-road, Rushden, learns the sad news of her brother’s death, which took place on Sunday May 9th. Pte. F. Golding, of the “Steelbacks,” was well-known in the town. Another soldier wrote to tell Mrs. Smith that her brother was killed, and a soldier informed the mother, Mrs. Golding, of Earls Barton, that he helped to bury him. Pte. Golding enlisted last August, and went to France on February 3rd.