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Hesketh Rectory
May 1943

My Dear Friends,
We have been delighted to receive lots of replies from you about 40 so far, and we are thankful for all the appreciative remarks contained in them.
This month you will notice a special message from the Rev W B Barton, the Minister of the Hesketh Bank Methodist Church. Each month we hope to insert a message from some well-known friend, so look our for the next. Meantime I will content myself with giving you a reminder. If you have not done so already, seek out the Chaplain attached to your unit. I am sure you will find him ready to be a real friend and councillor.
Don't miss the last lines of this Newsletter on page 4.
Yours very sincerely
A P THORNE

My Dear Friend,
The little ship, as the Rector described the Newsletter in its first issue, has already made two voyages bearing its precious cargo of news about and good wishes of the "folk you have left behind you" for a while. My personal greetings have travelled on each voyage but I am grateful to the Rector for the privilege of labelling them for this third trip. Labels may be dangerous but they can be delightful, for they bring added warmth and richness by being so definite. These Newsletters are so live and interesting because they are not general descriptions of village life but news about definite people and happenings told to you personally. Is this not true, also, of the Gospel? It is personal. God is "my Father" - "your Father". We are not merely members of a great family. "He calleth His sheep by NAME".
God bless YOU
Very sincerely yours
W B BARTON

POINTS FROM LETTERS
We have received many appreciations lately from the lads. Martin Wright sums it up well when he says that it is not only the news he likes but 'the good cheer it brings, the past memories it recalls, and the hope it gives for the future'.

Nicholas Taylor (Hesketh Bank Band Secretary) has met Bill Lang, the Black Dyke Mills Cornetist, and Sgt Bedford of Brighouse and Rastrick band.

J R Melling (Navy) has seen plenty of action lately, and records his gratitude for being safely brought through it. It is good to be reminded by Harry Hornby, from the South of England, of all the 'foodstuffs going in' from the Hesketh Marsh. It makes one thankful.

Harry Hindley wishes to be remembered to the members of the Home Guard. He has just completed a Course, and after a fortnight's practical training expects to be on the move again.

William Bailey is very glad to hear that his old pal Ralph Iddon is safe and well, also Bill Stringfellow.

Edith Fish is a cook in the RAF. She hopes to be home on leave at the end of May.

Tom Hurst wants to be remembered to all his friends in the Forces. I am sure we should like to send him and his wife herewith, our deep sympathy on the sad death of their infant son James, only a few days after birth.

We congratulate John Coulton (Navy) on qualifying for the diploma known as 'the order of the Blue Nose'. He wants to know if there are any more local boys who have had a similar success. If they will tell us, we will tell him through this Newsletter.

Bert Price wants to be specially remembered to Jimmy Baxter and Bobby Sharples, his old pals. He has been Squadron Barber for the past two years.

Most of you will know that Douglas Iddon has been running a series of Whist Drives during the winter months for the War Comforts Fund, and he has made the magnificent sum of over £100 - great work, Douglas.

Some of you have asked for a bit of sports news. At present there is not much just yet. However, here's a bit which might interest you. Walmer Bridge are running a Football Medal competition and about 12 teams have entered. Our village has not managed to raise a team, but a few of our lads, Wilfred Cookson, Leonard Gautrey, and Jimmy Sharples have been asked to play for Walmer Bridge, and they displayed a good example of classic football. The salmon season has begun, and Mr Lawrence Dawson has caught five in the first fortnight. Mr Hugh Baxter has only just begun, so let us hope they have lots of good catches.
Most of our sailor boys have been at home on leave, including Rigby Melling, Bert Miller, James Woodhead, also L/Bdr John Baxter, L/Bdr Clarence Iddon.
Tommy Bourne is getting married on May1st to Emily Jackson of Hesketh, formerly of Longton.
Ted Baybutt has been over on leave for Easter, and has been to see his parents with his wife and child.
James Coulton, of Becconsall Lane, has got his papers to join up on May 3rd.
Mr Herbert Parkinson has been elected a member of the West Lancashire Rural District Council, in succession to Mr John Taylor who has resigned.
We are very sorry to record the death of Mrs Winn, near the Chapel, very suddenly. The funeral took place at the old church on April 20th, only about 8 weeks after her husband's funeral on February 25th
Mr Mrs Joe Watkinson, Moss Lane, have a second son.
Kenneth Baxter is married. He has lately gone overseas.
Jack Ashcroft, Newarth Lane, was married on the same day at Tarleton.
Harry Hoyle was called to the Forces (RAF) on Easter Monday.
Mrs James Wignall, Shoreside, is slowly recovering from a severe illness.
Eric Ashcroft has arrived in India.
Instructor Robert Moss, RAF, who lived opposite the Water Tower, Hesketh Lane, was killed while flying on April 20th. He was buried at Churchtown.
There was a happy reunion at Mrs Miller's, Guide Road, last week. Bert came home on leave for three days. It was the first time he had been home since he was posted as"missing".
The following have been home on leave: Tom Miller, Bert Miller, Rigby Melling, Albert Blackburn, Dick Baxter, Jack Baxter, Henry Baxter, J Garlick, Nicholas Wright. The first three of these all report back to the same depot, all waiting for a ship.
There is a dance on Wednesday this week in aid of the Red Cross, and on Wednesday May 12th there is another dance in aid of funds for this Newsletter. The Victory Band is playing for both.
It was in the Lancashire Daily Post on Wednesday last that General Montgomery was in Cairo on Easter Sunday and read the lesson in Cairo Cathedral that day. We send him and all the boys our best wishes for a speedy victory and a safe return.
On Tuesday April 27th, Mr William Iddon was presented with an illuminated address be the members of the Parish Council, in commemoration of thirty five years' service as a member of the Parish Council. The presentation was made by the newly-elected Chairman of the Parish Council, Mr Herbert Parkinson.
Concert at Methodist School, Wednesday 21st April given by Hesketh Moss Concert Party for Red Cross Rural Pennies Scheme. Made about £9.7s.

A remarkable Worm.
Last year an announcer on the Rome wireless stated "The Englishmen will be soon looked upon as a worm with more than one screw loose under its thatch". Evidently the worm has done some turning since then.

A Parent's Howler.
"Please send me a form for supply of milk for having children at reduced price". Quoted by Mr R A Butler, President of the Board of Education.

An Unkind Story.
"There's a man outside", said the attendant at the lunatic asylum "who wants to know whether we have missed any of our patients lately".
"Why does he want to know that?" asked the Medical Superintendent.
"Well, he says somebody has run off with his wife".

Nothing.
Mother to son wandering round the room:
"What are you looking for?"
Son; "Nothing".
Mother; "You'll find it in the box where the toffees were".

Value.
Where words are scarce, they are seldom spent in vain;
For they breathe truth that breathe their words in pain. Shakespeare.

Power
When God has told you what you ought to do, he has already told you what you can. W S Landor.

At the Gate of the Year
And I said to the man who stood at the Gate of the Year: 'Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown'. And he replied: 'Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light, and safer than a known way'
So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night. And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of the day in the lone East.
M Louise Haskins

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