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Transcript © 2003 Hubmaker. All rights reserved.
Reproduction by any means strictly prohibited.
RECTOR'S WEEKLY NEWS
January 7th 1943
My
dear Boys and Girls,
We were greatly honoured in last week's N.L. with New Year Greetings
especially written for us by the Archbishop of York and our own
Bishop of Blackburn. On your behalf I have thanked them for their
great condescension in thus writing to us. As I have received roughly
200 letters from you this Christmastide, and almost as many cards,
it stands to reason that I cannot possibly give extracts from them
all. So we will make a new start this week and I hope that you will
write as regularly as circumstances permit. I thank you one and
all for your kind thoughts which have deeply touched me and have
filled me with pride, pleasure, and humility.
As you know, my very dear children, you are never for one moment
out of my thoughts and my Prayers. I have watched you grow up and
for the last twenty years we have known each other very intimately,
and it goes to my heart to find you still retaining that love and
friendship, which we have mutually enjoyed during that long period.
With every Blessing I am able to bestow, and with every good wish
for you all for the coming year, ever your affectionate friend and
pastor,
L. N. FORSE.
HOME
FRONT NEWS.
Bring and Buy Sale in Schools organised by Agnes Spencer, Mary Ascroft.
Mary Baybutt, Norah Forshaw, Annie Bridge, Muriel Hodson and Alma
Macmarn, opened by Mrs. Kerruish. Good attendance, made £12.19s.
for M.U. Comforts' Fund. Bouquet presented to Mrs. Kerruish by Colin
Dandy. Bert Dickinson of Hoole (from Jack Mee’s) on leave
over Christmas, and Douglas Thomnson and Harry Bamford of Bretherton
have joined up. Mere Brow S.S. Tea Party on Wednesday last. After
tea the elders collected £1 amongst themselves and gave it
to the rector for N.L. Fund. A Social Evening followed tea, with
music by gramophone with new amplifier which cost £30. Rector
called on Mrs . Schwartzman to see how Harry was getting on. He
is suffering from shell shock. His boat was in terrific blitz. He
is now in a Scottish Hospital and doing as well as can be expected.
New Year's Dance in Schools was a great success. The School was
packed. 351 people paid for admission. Rector wished all a Happy
New Year and said he would like to see all our own lads back taking
the place of many strangers, or almost so, present. Church S.S.
Party held in Schools on Saturday. Children brought their own food.
Prize giving after tea and then games etc. What cakes etc. that
remained over were given to an A.A. battery. Mrs. Sephton, Rufford,
has telephoned the rector to tell him that she has had a letter
from Dick wounded in M.E.F., to say he is in hospital in Libya,
and is doing well. Hugh Melling is marrying Jennie Slinger on Saturday
at H. B. Parish Church, the rector of Tarleton is taking the service.
A Dance and Social, organised by the Hoole and District Homing Pigeon
Society, under the leadership of Mr. Orritt of Hoole was held at
Hoole last Saturday evening, and realised £64 for the Red
Cross Fund. The rector has received 200 Christmas Cards and greetings
from Tarleton boys and girls now on active service. In spite of
all the lads being away more people made their communion on Christmas
Day at Tarleton Parish Church than ever before. The rector was pleased
and proud to be served at the Altar by the following on leave, Jimmy
Parkinson, R.A.F. Billy Benjamin, R.A.F., Ernie Ball, R.A.S.C.,
Jack Robinson, R.A.S.C., Tom Dickinson, R.N. Raymond Coupe. It was
quite like old times.
EXTRACTS
FROM LETTERS.
A rare and very long and interesting letter comes from Lieut. Arthur
Croft R.A. from India, saying, "Will you please publish my
address and ask Harry Devitt and Richard Rymer to write to me."
(The address is Lieut. A. L. Croft, c/o Grindley’s Bank, Karachi,
Sind, India.) He goes on "I found myself on sick leave at .You
may remember that I spent two years at ---- before the war as a
tea planter. Naturally I met a lot of old pals and spent several
days visiting plantations. It was a first class leave." L/cpl.
Frank Foster sends an airmail to say "Bert Fawke says he envies
the boys who can talk of trekking through the jungle. I can assure
him that civilization is to be preferred. Jungle warfare is no bed
of roses. It isn't the actual jungle that is objectionable but the
insect life thereof. I have many good civilian friends, Tamils and
Singhalese. I am getting an appreciable amount of reading in; my
recent books have included Kagawa's "Meditations on the Cross"
and Church's 'In the Quietness', and most of Tagorets' works. I
thank you for the N.Ls." Another air mail letter comes from
Dvr. Ronnie Pilkington saying "I would like to be remembered
to the boys and girls, especially to my brother Harold, now serving
with the R.A.F., also my old friend J. Moore, R.N., of H.B., a friend
I have not met for the past two years. I know he will be pleased
to hear from me after such a very long time." Sto. Tom Spencer
R.N. writes, "To morrow night I will be taking my N.L. to my
old billet for my land lady's daughter to read, for she asks me
for them every week. Everybody likes reading them as well as the
Tarleton people. Please remember me to my two cousins, Harry Alty,
R.N. and Tom Fazackerley, R.A. also W.A.A.F. Eva Foulds, and ask
Jack Ashton if he knows Tom Wood of Rochdale, who is in the same
ship with me. Dvr. Fred Taylor begins, "Well, rector, I am
now able to tell you where I am. I am in North Africa, and I am
alive, glad to say. We all arrived safe and sound." Cpl. Doris
Molyneux W.A.A.F. says "There was a lovely dinner on Christmas
Day, and, as usual, we were waited on by the Officers. I expect
you remember the custom from your Service days. It always causes
great fun. The foxes seem to be accumulating round our district.
It seems strange that so many appear all at once when there used
to be none at all." Pte. Jack Parker sends an airgraph to say
"We arrived safely in India and I enjoyed the trip over. Life
here is but little different to life at home, but we have eaten
enough bananas to sink a ship. The trains are not so good as those
at home, but it only costs 50 rupees (£3.15s) to stop them
compared with £5 at home." L/cpl. Tom Tindsley says "I
am an Instructor helping to train future Guardsmen wireless operators.
The work is quite interesting and in some respects I have almost
felt like a schoolmaster again, though my class is made up of somewhat
bigger pupils. In the report of my engagement you made in the N.L.
there was a slight error. I am in the Royal Corps of Signals, and
not in the R.E.s as you reported. The Signals were a part of the
R.E.s in the last war, and only became a separate Unit or Corps.
just afterwards, as no doubt you know." Pte Arthur Barron (old
Post Office) writes, ''I must say that life is a complete change
to what I have been used to, but I have settled down very well.
The training is pretty stiff, Home Guard is quite easy compared
with it. The food and conditions are first class. Please thank the
M.U. for their kindness to me." AC/2 Freddy Coupe says “I
had quite a reasonably good Christmas. I saw a Pantomime, Little
Red Riding Hood, and went to the Pictures twice, and also had a
good day in town, I had some good food and on the whole I cannot
grumble.“ Pte. Ronnie Sergeant writes "We have just got
over a big 'spit and polish' parade, on which we were inspected
by H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester. We gave the Royal Salute, accompanied
of course, by the bugle band and for the March Past the pipe band
played the Regimental March. I believe the Duke was quite pleased
with the turn out. I am going on another course on the 7th, this
time for further upgrading at the Motor Fitters' School there."
L/Cpl. Ted Barnish writes from India says "When I was in Burma
the N.L. was a tonic, especially near the end when things got rather
bad. I believe my brother Alec in the M.E.F. had his first experience
of action a short while ago. I was glad to hear that he came through
alright. I would give a anything just to have a chat with him and
with a bit of luck we may meet again in the near future.”
Sapper George Barker says "I do not want to loose contact with
the great N.L. which I missed so much while I have been in hospital.
I spent four weeks in hospital and the following five weeks in convalescece,
or supposed to be, but most of my time, with the matron's consent,
I was working at a nearby farm tractor driving and milking etc.
Please remember me to Bert Marsden, also my best wishes to Frank
Cairns, R.A.F. the Hoole and Tarleton lads, to Norman Barron and
Jack Gidlow " Dvr. Albert Becconsall asks "I wonder if
you could find a little space in the N.L. to thank the M.U. the
Women's Conservatives, and the Women's Section, British Legion for
their most welcome gifts?" Pte. John Caunce writes "I
have had a very good Christmas, and hope you have had the same.
The boy that I said came from Bretherton is not named Norris but
funnily enough his name is Bretherton, so you can say Bretherton
from Bretherton. You can tell John Spencer that he had better put
in plenty of practice at Billiards if he wants to beat me when I
come home on leave.” J. PERM Harry Alty, R.N. writes, "If
you have room in your N.L. sometime, will you please remember me
to my cousin Tom Spencer R.N., also Alf Rowland R. A.F., John Webster,
R.N. and all the boys and girls of Tarleton." |
