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No: 305
RECTOR'S WEEKLY NEWS
April 11th 1946

My dear Boys and Girls,
As you will see from the 'Home Front News' it has been a very quiet week in the village after the great excitement of the local election. This gives me the opportunity of reminding you that Easter is now close at hand and, to all Christians, Easter does mean a great deal. I have no room to write a long sermon, but I must not forget to remind you that no Confirmed Christian should fail to make his, or her, Communion on Easter Day. It is a very definite Command, and it should not be disobeyed. See your Chaplain well beforehand, and ask him the time of the Service in your camp or area. Forgive me for repeating that it is our Lord's own command, and therefore cannot be lightly disregarded.
With every good wish for you all and, as you know, with my sincere prayers, and every Blessing I am able to bestow, ever your affectionate old friend,
L.N.FORSE.

HOME FRONT NEWS.
Mr. John Sephton, who used to live in Gorse Lane, and then bought Higham's house in Hesketh Lane, and went to live there, has now sold that house to a man from Clayton-le-Moors, and is going to live in his daughter's (Bessie Sephton) house next door. A Dalton from Croston has taken the hairdresser's shop in the front part of the house. The infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. (nee Linda Harrison, Holmes) George Sutton, of Holmes, was christened on Sunday with the name of Georgina. When Harry Johnson (butchers, Hesketh Lane), and John Rutter were taking back the Vicar of Penwortham, who had been preaching at Tarleton on Sunday night, they saw a private garage on fire at Hutton. They drew up, got a stirrup pump and put the fire out before the Preston Fire Brigade and the NFS fire engine arrived on the scene. They did the work, and the latter got the credit in Monday's Lancashire Daily Post.

Demobbed:- Harley McKean, Dick McKean, Sidney Ball, Eric Abram, Robert Howard, Robert Latham.

The Rector's car is at Morrison's all this week undergoing extensive repairs,but being very old, like the Rector, it has almost gone beyond the repair stage. Tarleton Methodist's Young Ladies Class, under the leadership of Mrs. Richard Melling, gave a supper, followed by a Concert, to the recently demobbed, last Wednesday evening. The rector, Mr. Moore(Methodist Minister) and Father Harvey (of the Church of Our Lady, Hesketh Lane) were all present, and spoke a few words of welcome to the lads.

EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS.
Lieut. Mick Melling writes from BAOR "As Transport Officer of this Unit I have nearly 50 vehicles to look after, and as we have now to do things on a full peace-time basis together with all the mountains of the inevitable paper work, it is quite a formidable task. Apart from that I am keeping well, and life is not too bad at all, although it gets boring at times. I am very grateful for the regular appearance of the NL. I am sure that all those who receive the NL as regularly as I do will join me in saying a very big "Thank you" for your efforts in keeping us in touch with the local news and with one another." Pte.George Wait writes from Kalyan, India Command, "As you will see I am still at the same depot,.with a very slight chance of being posted. There is a lot of talk about handing India over to the Indians. Believe me, the sooner they do that the better; this is no place for us. The temperature yesterday rose to 103 degrees in the shade. So you see, you need nothing on other than a pair of shorts. Just at present I am duty clerk, and am sitting in the office with the perspiration pouring off me. We have quite a lot of sport, chiefly football, which we play at night when the sum has gone down. There is also the 'Daily Sketch' Club, equipped with a swimming pool."
(Note-see last week's NL where Frank Foulds writes 'we are at present just outsider Bombay, in a big camp at Kalyan. George should try and get in touch with Frank. The Chaplain, or the Welfare Officer will put them in touch with each other if asked). LAC Freddy Coupe writes from Labrador "Very little excitement comes our way and I am getting rather fed up with the place. We are expecting to get out of here early in April, and I am hoping to get home; I am hoping to be demobbed about Christmas, and it won't be soon enough. I was glad to hear that Roger Watson had arrived home at last. The weather here has been mild for a change and we have had plenty of sun, but from what I hear we are due for a lot more snow." Corporal Ronnie Sergeant writes from BAOR "I am stationed in LUBECK,but only for one more week I am afraid. Next week I shall be disbanded; in fact by this time next week there will be nothing left of this battalion. I have had quite a rush of meeting old friends recently, as I have actually met two. I consider that quite good, since in nearly six years I have met nobody that I know. I was very pleased when I bumped into Arthur Barron in the canteen in town; and this morning I met an old friend from Hoole, John Fiddler. I didn't know that he was even in the vicinity. He has recently been posted to this Division." Sergeant Harry Hindley writes from BAOR "You will be pleased to hear that I leave this side on April 9th and should be home with my bowler hat a few days after that. Incidentally it is a good job that I have a home to return to. I am afraid that my gratuity would not be of much use in competition with some of our more fortunate brethren, judging by the current prices paid. I hope to call and see you as soon as I get my 'release' - what a blessed word!! And how appropriate!! Thank you most sincerely for the NLs which have never failed to arrive; and have never failed to please and interest me."
Pte.Joe Power writes from BAOR "As long as the publication of the NL lasts I should like to receive it. I would like to have your last issue as I have received them regularly for the last six years from the first issue. There is really no news except that the Spring has come at last. We are having good, fine weather here in Schlezwig-Holstein." Pte. Ken Robshaw writes from "Crash Camps", Hartford Bridge, Northumberland, "I have not seen any extracts from my letters to you in the NL lately. The other day we had General Deeds to visit the Regiment but, pleased to say, he only stayed for a short period. He shook hands with each man and asked a few questions, such as - how long have you been in the Army - when are you due for demob - have you a job to return to - etc. We had a small march past before he left for lunch." Dvr. William Whittle writes from BAOR "I arrived back safely from leave, and now have to sort out a glorious muddle of kit. The last two weeks of leave have proved once again that there is not a place on the map to beat the old village after all. If there is such a place I would be grateful if anyone would inform me as to is whereabouts, as I would very much like to see that place. The weather here is perfect, almost summer. My very best wishes to all the lads and, indeed, all the folk at home also." Dvr. Jimmy Southern writes from Singapore "I am still knocking around Singapore, our job at present being building a big ordnance depot or I should say watching it being built. We just give the orders while our Jap prisoners do the work. I must say that the Nips know that they are beaten, well and truly. Remember me to my brother-in-law Ronnie Brain and to my best pal Arthur Procter." WAAF Eva Fould writes from the RAF Officers' Mess, Scampton, "At last I am now practically a civilian. I go to Birmingham on Monday and shall be home on Tuesday evening. It does not seem possible that I have been in the WAAF 41/2 years, but it will be rather nice to think that I have no camp to go back to. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the NLs you have sent me. I am sure that all the boys have enjoyed reading them as much as I have done."