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No: 303
RECTOR'S WEEKLY NEWS
March 14th 1946

My dear Boys and Girls,
I must first of all apologise for the late arrival of the last two issues of the NL but circumstances over which I have had no control have prevented me keeping quite up to my usual time. However, here they are at last. There has been a lack of local news this week, but it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good, and so I have been able to give more extracts from letters than usual. Just one word to the newly 'joined-ups'. Don't forget to write to me so that your mates can know what you are doing, and where you are. Just a few lines is sufficient. But, as I used to tell the elder ones when they joined the Forces, the NL cannot exist without your letter. With very best wishes and with, as you know, all my thoughts, and certainly my prayers, ever your affectionate friend,
L.N. FORSE.

HOME FRONT NEWS.
Walter Sharples of Gill Lane, Longton, was married on Saturday in Longton Parish Church to Jean Henderson,of Walmer Bridge. Walter is now in the Army. Confirmation at HB Parish Church last Thursday. The Bishop of Lancaster confirmed 17 candidates from Tarleton and 13 from HB. Roger Watson has now been demobbed. Mr. and Mrs. (nee Sally Tindsley) Almond have found a house in Hoole and are going to live there. Billy Lowe is on a month's leave from India. Ernie Ball is now demobbed. He has been staying with his wife at Luton for a few days, but they are expected in Tarleton during this week. Mr. John Hunter, the Postmaster, is putting up for the West Lancashire Rural District Council, in the place of Mr. Robert Latham who has resigned. Mr. William Grimes, late of the Victoria Hotel, Accrington, takes over the Cock and Bottle this week. Mr. and Mrs. Joe Kean are, we understand, going to live at Southport. At the annual meeting to elect members on the Parish Council 24 local men put up. There were only seven to be elected. After a good deal of plain speaking by some present, a Poll was demanded. So we shall have a voting day for this very local election. Among those who are standing are Tom Alty, Arthur Dandy, Hugh Ball, John Iddon, Richard Iddon (Gorse Lane), Richard Iddon (Hesketh Lane), John Taylor (Mere Brow), James Sutton, Nick Dandy, Tom Spencer, John Rimmer (Carr Lane), Will Ascroft (Coe Lane), John Hunter (Postmaster), James Wright (Tabby Nook, Mere Brow), Gilbert Marsden, Robert Farrington (Gatcliffe Farm), Harold Webster, Albert Lund, John Coulton Snr. (Green Lane Farm).

EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS.
Gunner Nicholas Taylor writes from Deolali, India Command, "I am very much alive even in this dump called Deolali. I have been here now for the past five months, with very little future prospects of going on further draft for my demob Group is 34; so I am frozen here. I am passing my time away on citizens' Training Centre courses. I've had three weeks on practical upholstery, and six weeks on bricklaying. If any of the boys come to Deolali they will find me on 5 Battery, RA Depot, Milnes Lines." Dvr. Robert Bond writes from BAOR "I have been expecting Class 'B' but no luck up to date; I don't think they are doing it fairly. I have seen in the NL that two boys have got agricultural leave and one of them at least was not farming when I remember him working. I do not know what you think, but to my way of thinking it is not fair."
Pte.Jack Ashcroft writes from Singapore "As you will see I have moved a little further on since I last wrote to you, and there isn't much chance of settling down yet, for I am on a draft for Borneo, which is a trip in the wrong direction. I have done quite a lot of travelling about Malaya and Singapore. Last week I went with a convoy by road to KLANG and KUALA LUMPUR, the capital of Malaya. KUALA LUMPUR is a fine town with plenty of good buildings and free from the usual smells that one usually finds in most towns out here." Pte. William Parkinson writes from BAOR "I am now stationed in Dandsbeck, HAMBURG. The worst part of being here is the Barrack life which does not appeal to me. We call the place 'Belsen' which is as near the correct name as we can think of, although actually they are called the Hermann Goering Barracks. The only consolation we have is that we are handy for all the amusements that the present Hamburg possesses. We have had quite a lot of snow here for the past ten days, and it has been freezing hard, but I understand that it has also been cold in England." LAC Freddy Coupe writes from Labrador "We should be out of here about the first week of April. With there not being many here those who are left have to work like mad. I am keeping my fingers crossed hoping that when I leave here they will send me home. As usual there is very little to write about, nothing ever happened in the wilds of Labrador, nothing of interest that is. It is very cold and there is plenty of snow. You have to send your letters to Goose Bay, Labrador, now which means that they take longer in coming. Thanks a lot for the NLs." LAC Dick McKean writes, with no address given "Just a line to ask you not to write to me any more out here. I am leaving the Unit on March 1st, but cannot tell you when I shall arrive in England d. I shall be very glad to leave this country. As you know rioting has broken out on a large scale, and it is not safe to go into Cairo or the surrounding villages. I suppose that by now Harley is home, and thinking of being demobbed. I suppose he has been to see you, and I am hoping to have that pleasure myself in the near future."
Pte.Arnold Bailey writes from Yeovil "I am in Somerset, about 140 miles from London, so you see, with moving I am still further from home. The chief drink here is cider. Last Sunday we called at a farm where we were told they had a cider press. We asked the farmer if there was any chance of seeing it and he obliged us by showing it to us and explaining how it was worked. It was very interesting. This camp was a Yank hospital, so it is a very modern and up-to-date cam;; also the food is very good. The other day I came across a lad I used to know in civvy street. You might know him, his name is Eddie Filbis." Pte. Cyril Winstanley writes from Chichester "I am wondering if you know that I have been called to the Services, and would you please send me the NL? I always thought that the South had a mild climate, but since I have been here the temperature has been many degrees below freezing point. This is only my third week in the Army, but I cannot say that I am thrilled with the life. I have not seen hot water, nor tasted sugar since I came here."
Dvr. Billy Whittle writes from BAOR "I haven't seen Fred Bentham since he went on leave, but I would like to thank him via the NL for the personal favour he did me when he went on leave. Please convey my sincere thanks to him. Things have been happening since we parted, private things that have upset a lot of personal arrangements, and which tend to make life in general more bleak. I will close now with the 'usual' to all the lads and lassies in the Services." Cpl. Harry Price writes from Aldershot "This will probably be my last letter to you as I hope to be demobbed on the 20th of this month, after serving 6 years, 4 months, 5 days and ? hours. Like all the lads I shall not be content until that one-way ticket is finally given up at Preston. I have no doubt travelled more miles than any other Tarletonian, and yet without fail the NL has always been the first letter I received on reaching a destination. Even when I made my first trip to Southern Russia, the NL was waiting for me on my return to TABRIZ (Persia), which had come via Africa, India, Iraq and Persia." ATS Winifred Iddon writes from Caton, near Lancaster "I have now been in the NAAFI six months and have become quite used to being away from home. I keep my eyes open for boys coming into the Canteen whom I know, but so far I have not been lucky. There is a boy here who married Minnie Fish from HB. He knows you, and I pass on my NL to him to read. It is lovely country here, and I believe that Sir Norman Seddon-Brown lives near Caton." (Yes, Winnie, Sir Norman and Lady Seddon-Brown live at a house called Escowbeck, at Caton).