| Web
Transcript © 2003 Hubmaker. All rights reserved.
Reproduction by any means strictly prohibited.
RECTOR'S WEEKLY NEWS
January 25th 1943
My
dear Boys and Girls,
Just a short letter this week to wish you all the best and to assure
you that you are, one and all, always in our thoughts and our prayers.
Once again I would ask you to get to know your Chaplain, who will
always prove one of your best friends while you are in the Forces.
Remember that all Chaplains want and like to know you, and they
really do appreciate you going to them in all times of difficulty
or trouble.
With
my love, my Blessing and my prayers,
Ever your sincere friend,
L.N. FORSE
HOME
FRONT NEWS
The
engagement is announced of Lewis Clarke to Cynthia May Howard of
Crossons; also that of Ronnie Knight to Freda Gill, of Hoole. Bruce
Kendal Ogden, better known as Ken Ogden, of the Rose and Crown Hotel,
Hoole, was married on Wednesday by the Rector at Tarleton Parish
Church to Alice Mayor, Church Rd. the reception was at the bride’s
home and the honeymoon was spent at Blackpool.
John Richard Coulton, Hall Carr Lane, Longton, was married at Fleetwood
Parish Church on Saturday to Joan Frith, of Fleetwood.
Harry Price and Bert Melling have both gone abroad. Sale of the
late Mr. William Higham’s (Hesketh Lane) House and Greenhouses
on Saturday afternoon. They were bought by Mr. John Sephton, Gorse
Lane (father of Bessie, Helen and Eva) for £1210. Furniture
sold separately, fetched good prices.
Official notice from War Office reports that Jack Mee’s brother
Tom, who married Mary Iddon, Chapel Road, Hesketh Bank, has died
in India from concussion. He has been in the Army two years and
leaves a wife and three children. Memorial Service at Bretherton
next Sunday. Mr. Harold Webster has resigned his position as Organist
at Hesketh Parish Church. Mr. Thomas Sephton, of Churchtown, brother
of the late Mrs. Hough, who fell off his bicycle on Slope Brow,
Mere Brow, going home from Mr. Hough’s funeral, has died from
his injuries in Preston Infirmary.
Annual Bowling Club Whist Drive and Dance in Schools on Friday evening.
Usual large attendance. Gladys Buck, H.B., is being married to Hugh
Abram on February 24th. No more news has come to hand so far concerning
the condition of Frank Foster, in hospital in Ceylon.
ON
LEAVE
Harold Pilkington, Herbert Parkinson (Blackgate Lane), Pilot-Officer
Dick Rymer, who brought his wife with him to call on the rector.
Pilot Officer Harry Taylor (Hesketh Lane) also on leave for 10 days.
He told the rector that the Officer Commanding his O.C.T.U. was
Colonel Gainer, of the Loyal Regt., who said he knew the rector
quite well. Capt. Gainer, as he was then, was the Adjutant of the
rector’s Battn. for some years.
EXTRACTS
FROM LETTERS
Dvr.
John Caunce had only one line of his letter in last week’s
“Extract”, the rest was squeezed out so we will begin
with him this week. He writes “The Sergt. asked me if I would
take a course of motor cycling, but I said ‘I think you mean
join the suicide club! To that he merely smiled. The driving instructor
did his best to catch me out, but I am afraid his luck was out.”
O/Tel. John Webster, R.N. says “Bert Fawkes, after passing
his finals, was taken ill and had to go into the sick bay, so on
Sunday, as he is sitting up, I passed the afternoon with him. I
have just had one of those haircuts Tom Dickinson mentioned in the
N.L…. On Twelfth Night my thoughts strayed to the good times
we used to have at the Rectory on that night. Please remember me
to all the lads and lassies serving at home and abroad. 2nd Liet.
Stanley Baldwin writes, “No doubt you know that I am back
with the D.L.O.Y’s. I must say that I have been well received
in the Mess and am very happy here. We have had a new padre posted
to us; he is quite young, but I think he will do well.” Bert
Price writes cheerfully as usual saying “This village is rather
on the quiet side, as entertainments are poor, compared even with
Tarleton. The cinema opens twice a week, and when there is a dance
it is held in a 24’ x 14’ room at one of the pubs. There
is no canteen or N.A.A.F.I. I think I had the worst New Year’s
Eve I can remember. We were so busy packing boxes and bundles ready
for our move that I hardly had time to write home, and on New Year’s
Eve we entered the new camp. Our working hours were often from 6
a.m. to 9 p.m. and to crown the party, after travelling all night
and working till 9p.m. I was stung for Guard on New Year’s
Day. Never mind, folks, I can still smile and whistle a little.
I am still Battn. Barber and doing a roaring trade. Well, rector,
please convey my best wishes to all Service personnel, and especially
my brother Harry who is shortly going over ‘the pond’.
Good luck, kid.” L.A.C. Jack Edmondson says, “Those
that say they want one foot on the ground don’t know what
they are missing. It is a glorious sensation to be up there feeling
free and to see the small world going by underneath. I have successfully
finished the course here and am now waiting for posting to an Air
Observers’ School. Remember me, via the N.L. to Tom Tindsley,
brother in law Ronnie, and the rest of the local lads.” Dvr.
Jack Robinson writes “I have written a letter to Freddy Coupe,
but I have not heard from him yet. Well, it is my birthday today,
and it will take me a few nights to answer all the letters I have
received. I am going to do nothing else tonight only write. Will
you please thank the M.U., B.L., and the Women’s Conservatives
for the presents, which I received alright? I wish to be remembered
through the N.L. to all my mates in the Forces.” Gunner Arthur
Harrison says, “I can’t tell you much, even about the
weather, because all our letters are censored. We had an hour’s
talk by the Padre on Friday. It was very interesting, and we are
having one every week, so I am looking forward to them. Will you
please remember me through the N.L. to the boys at home and in the
Services, not forgetting the girls, especially my sister-in-law
Vera Iddon, and a very special prayer for all our boys who are sick
and prisoners of war. L.A.C. Bert Barron writes, “I am in
the best of health somewhere in the wilds of North Africa. I am
writing this in the company of a couple of natives who live nearby,
but they interrupt occasionally with their throaty language. Actually
I would like to say “shoo” but I am afraid they would
be offended. Since arriving here we have been giving the wrong address,
consequently I have had no news from Tarleton for the last three
months.” Gunner John Hornby says, “I expect going abroad.
I have not had any N.Ls. since the one you gave me in Church at
Christmas. I hope to hear from you soon and will write to you when
I arrive at my destination. Sergt. Jimmy Leacy writes “If
I tell you that my wife is staying down here with me at present
you will have my reason for the few letters written. As I helped
myself to all the good things provided for as at the camp at Christmas,
I could not help thinking of those known to us who were having their
third Christmas in an enemy prison camp. This thought should make
all of us strive to make possible the return of all prisoners-of-war
this year. Surely this could be a New Year’s resolution for
all of us. Please convey my gratitude and thanks for gifts etc.
from the good people of Tarleton via the M.U. Conservative ladies,
Bowling club and British Legion.”
Pte. George Farrington says “I am now taking a driving and
mechanic’s course which I think should prove a great help
to me when I leave the army. The weather here is nice at present
for the sun has been shining for nearly a week now and I hope it
stays like it until I leave here, which will only be a week or two
off now.” Cadet Malcolm Parkinson, R.A.F. writes from Canada
to say “No doubt you will be surprised to see me writing from
Canada instead of from the U.S.A., but I have been “grounded”
for the time being. I have now been overseas for ten months and,
if possible, I shall try to return to England; but I shall have
to wait and see what the powers that be decide.” Gdsn. Aubrey
Smith writes” I am still on the Transport course and everything
is going well. I had the Theory exam, last Friday and managed to
get 85 pc. which is not bad. I am writing this in a Free Church
Canteen while out with the trucks. I guess you know this village
quite well. We have just had a very good and very cheap dinner;
Pie and Chips 4d. I was sorry to hear about Frank Foster’s
serious accident and hope that he will quickly recover. Remember
me to Sid Ball through the N.L. and also to John.” (The small
town in which you had your meal, Aubrey, was the one to which I
took my aged father the year before the war for an afternoon drive,
and we had tea at the Crown Hotel, coming back through Stoke Poges.)
O.A. Jimmy Sutton R.N. writes” I am in camp tonight and am
feeling rather ‘all on my own’ as they say, so to master
it I have started to write to all my friends and relations, so I
am going to be very busy. I was just wishing that I had Jack Bibby
here with me, it would make things a little bit better. Well, sir,
I wish it were April now for that is when I get some more leave.” |
