Rushden Brothers in the Army - Wanted, Woodbines!

Private A. E. Lawman, of the "Steelbacks," who is at the front, writes to his mother Mrs S Lawman, of Rushden, as follows: "Dear Mother, Just a few lines to let you know that I am in the best of health, and I hope it leaves you the same. Remember me to all the boys and tell them I would like a few "Woodbines."

Mrs S Lawman has another son, Private John Richard Lawman, who is serving with Kitchener's Army. He is stationed at Weymouth.

An uncle of the Privates Lawman, who hails from Hitchin, and who has also been in the fighting line, has been reported "missing".

Rushden Man at the Front Enjoying the Cigarettes

A letter from Private Albert Lawman (Rushden) from the front was received this week. He thanks his friends for the cigarettes they sent and says he is enjoying them very much. His brother John is in Kitchener's Army in England.

Will the War Soon End? - Rushden Soldier Hopes So

In a letter written to his mother Mrs S Lawman, of Orchard-place, Rushden, Private Lawman asks for gloves and a muffler, which he says are very handy for a soldier. He feels the cold while on guard at night very keenly. He continues: "I am in the best health and hope the war will soon be over so that I can get home again. It is not all honey out here." He has a brother John in Kitchener's army at Weymouth.

Dr Greenfield* Attends Rushden Soldier

Not willing to let his mother know of his illness, Private H J Norman (Rushden), lately a motor-'bus driver in the district, writes from Rouen, France to say he has "seen Dr Greenfield." But we are given to understand that Private Norman is under the doctor's care, and has been in hospital for ten days. The letter is as follows: - "I am glad to hear that everything is going on satisfactorily in Rushden. I have seen Frank Sugars, and he is quite well. I have also seen Dr Greenfield and he was very pleased to see me. Albert Lawman is in No. 12 Hospital here. I was going to see him yesterday but could not get there. I will go to-day if I can. I am all right myself. The weather is very cold now but I have got plenty of good warm clothes. I had a letter from Mr Newberry the other day; the first letter I got since I left England, and he told me you were fairly well. Remember me to Harry. I hope he is well. Tell him I will teach him the French language when I get back."

*Dr Dudley Greenfield was a Rushden doctor.

A Patriotic Rushden Family - A Wounded Soldier

Pte Ernest King (Rushden), 2nd Northants Regiment, who is serving with the British Expeditionary Force, writes home to his wife to say he is quite well. He fought right through the South African war, and was called up as a reservist to serve in the present war on August 4th.

Pte King has one nephew who has been wounded while serving at the front, viz., Pte A Lawman, of Rushden, and another nephew, Pte J Lawman, of Rushden, is in Kitchener's Army.

Pte Fred King, of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, brother of Pte Ernest King, recently returned from Hong Kong, where his regiment has been stationed for the past four years, and he expects to be sent to the front shortly.

Another brother, Pte William King, is in Kitchener's Army, and a brother-in-law, Mr J Fields, also of Rushden, went to enlist yesterday.

Private Albert Lawman writes to his mother at 10, Orchard-place, that he has been wounded, but “I am in the best of health now and with the regiment again. I only had a slight wound in the face. I hope I shall soon be back in good old Rushden.”

Rushden Private Again Wounded

Pte. A. Lawman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lawman, of 10, Orchard-terrace, Rushden, has again been wounded. His parents had a card on Tuesday briefly stating the fact and giving no particulars. He wrote home about a fortnight ago stating he had recovered from a slight wound in the face and had returned to the trenches.

Private A Lawman – Twice Wounded – Ill Luck of a Rushden Private

Pte. A Lawman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lawman, of 10, Orchard-terrace, Rushden, has again been wounded. His parents had a card on Tuesday briefly stating the fact and giving no particulars. He wrote home about a fortnight ago stating he had recovered from a slight wound in the face and had returned to the trenches.

Rushden Private Wounded

Private A. Lawman, of the 1st Battalion Northants Regiment, writes to his mother, who resides at the Orchard, Rushden, saying he could not write before as he has been wounded in the wrist. He did not receive his Christmas parcel, but had a good time on Christmas Day as he was fortunate enough to be in a billet. Mrs. Lawman says she sent a parcel containing about 15s. worth of goods and food about a month ago, and she has just received back the Christmas card which she enclosed.

Rushden Brothers In the Same Company

We have previously reported that Lance-Corpl Albert Lawman, son of Mrs Lawman, of Orchard place, Rushden, has been twice wounded, and he has now written to his mother to say he is resting. Mrs Lawman now has two sons at the front, as Private J Lawman, who joined Kitchener's Army and was put in the 3rd Battalion Northamptonshires, has been sent to the front and transferred to the 1st Battalion, so that he is now with his brother and they frequently meet. In letters recently written to his mother Pte J Lawman says:-

"Albert and I are all right and in the best of health. I see Albert everyday - he is Lance-Corporal in our company, so he is getting on all right. I am sorry to hear that young Cumberpatch* has been killed."

Writing under date Feb. 9th Lance-Corporal A E Lawman writes: "I suppose you know that John is in the same company as myself, and he is getting on all right. There are several Rushden chaps out here and I hear that Billy Green will soon be out here. We are now resting, and they think it will be a long rest. We are having a bit better weather now, and I am very pleased we are. I hope it will keep like it."

*But Harry did not die until 1916.

Local War Items - Rushden Soldier with the Fever

Lance-Corpl A Lawman, of the 1st Northants Regiment, writes home:- "We are having some fine weather now. It all depends on the weather how long the war lasts. If we are going to have some fine weather this war will finish a lot quicker than most people think it will."

His brother, Pte J Lawman, of the same regiment, writes from Boulogne Hospital, that he has the fever, but is progressing well. He gets looked after at the hospital.

Rushden Soldier Brothers 'Never Mind!'

Lance-Corporal Albert Lawman (Rushden), of the 1st Northamptons, writing from the front under date 3rd to his mother in Orchard-place, Rushden, says:- "Thank you very much for the parcel. My chums laughed when I pulled out the Easter egg, and they all had a bit. The cocoa and sugar we are saving until we go up to the trenches again. We are now out for a little rest. This is the song which we composed between us. It is sung to the same tune as 'When your heart beats to mine, never mind':-

There's some Germans over there - Never mind!
There's some Austrians over there - Never mind!
They're in Belgium and France,
And we will make the devils dance,
They will be coal-boxes by-and-by - Never mind!

In another letter home he says:- "We are having some fine weather just now. It all depends on the weather, how long the war lasts. If we are going to have some fine weather this war will finish a lot quicker than most people think it will."

His brother, Pte J Lawman, of the same regiment, is suffering from fever and is in No. 14 Stationary Hospital, Boulogne Base, France. Writing home on Good Friday, he says: "Just a few lines to thank you very much for the parcel, which I received quite safely. I am as well as can be expected, and am now up in the convalescent ward. Thank you very much for the sweet and chocolates."

Rushden Man Three Times Wounded

It is feared in Rushden that Lce.-Corpl. A. E. Lawman, of the 1st Northants. Regiment, has been wounded at the front. A “Rushden Argus” has been returned to our office marked “wounded,” and nothing more is yet known. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lawman, of Orchard-terrace, have not received a letter from him for some time, and this fact seemed to point to the conclusion that he has been put out of action. Lce.-Corpl. Lawman has been wounded twice before. Mr. Lawman would be glad of any information about him.

Rushden Battalion Scout Missing

Mrs. Lawman, of Orchard-place, Rushden, has received an official note saying that her son, Lance-Corpl. A. E. Lawman, of the 1st Northants Regiment, has been missing since May 9th. As previously reported, Mrs. Lawman has heard from other sources that her son was wounded, and she is very anxious to get to know his fate. The soldier was a battalion scout, and did many brave deeds, so wounded comrades who returned home have stated.

Rushden Soldier in Hospital for Five Months - His Brother Missing

Pte J Lawman (Rushden), of the 1st Northants, son of Mrs S Lawman, of Orchard-place, Rushden, has now arrived home after having been in hospital for five months altogether - at Boulogne, the 3rd London General Hospital, and Addington Park War Hospital, Croydon. He was sent into hospital at the front with enteric fever on March 14th after he had been in France since Jan. 26th. He has not been in the firing line and had therefore no experiences of actual fighting to recount.

Mrs Lawman has not yet received any news concerning her other son, Lce-Corpl A E Lawman, 9535, 1st Northants Regiment, B Company, who has been missing since May 9th. Mrs Lawman would be grateful to any of his comrades who can send her any information.

Rushden Soldier Killed - Lce-Corpl AE Lawman Now Officially Reported Dead

Yesterday Mrs Lawman, of 10, Orchard-place, Rushden, received a letter from the Record Office to say that no further news had been received of her son, Lance-Corpl Albert Edward Lawman, 1st Northamptons, who had been missing since May 9th, 1915, and that the Army Council had been regretfully constrained to conclude that he was dead, and that his death took place on May 9th last year or since that date. The Army Council sent an expression of sympathy with Mrs Lawman, and Mr Asquith, as War Minister, forwarded the condolences of the King and Queen.

Rushden Man's Death - Lance-Corpl A E Lawman - How He Met His Death

We recently reported that Lance-Corpl A E Lawman, of the 1st Northamptons, son of Mrs Lawman, of Orchard-place, Rushden, had been officially notified as dead, after having been "missing" since May 9th, the date of the Battle of Aubers Ridge. Mrs Lawman has now received the following letter from the Red Cross Inquiry Department:

"Since we wrote you on February 14th, another report has reached us concerning your missing son, this time from a wounded soldier in an English hospital to whom I feel sure you will wish to write for further particulars. (F J Moore, Northants Regiment, Winslow). I most deeply regret that he tells us that on May 9th, 1915, at Aubers Ridge he saw Lawman fatally wounded about an hour after dawn.

"At the same time I think you ought to have had a rather different report which we obtained from J Boyce, in hospital abroad, place unknown. He says that Lawman and himself were wounded in the attack with a private named Cooper. Cooper and Lawman lay side by side with Boyce about 100 yards away to the left, until Boyce succeeded in crawling into our lines. Later on Boyce saw Cooper in hospital at Cambridge (where he died). Before his death he told Boyce that he had spoken to Lawman more than once as they lay on the ground, receiving a reply, but afterwards when he spoke to Lawman he did not answer, and by this Cooper thought he must be unconscious, in fact, life was probably extinct, otherwise the stretcher bearers would have brought in your son, too.

"In these very painful tidings I think your chief, and perhaps your only comfort will be that your son must have lost consciousness and sunk into painless death. At this very great length of time I cannot but fear that we are not likely to hear of anything more and beg to sympathise most sincerely with you in the very sad news which we are so sorry to convey."