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Transcript © 2003 Hubmaker. All rights reserved.
Reproduction by any means strictly prohibited.
RECTOR'S WEEKLY NEWS
March 4th 1943
My
Dear Boys and Girls,
Next Wednesday we begin Lent. From my own personal experience of
the Army at war I know how very, very difficult it is to alter one's
routine in the least degree, but I think that you will agree with
me that more than ever at the present time the worship of God should
not be neglected. Here is where your Chaplain will be of great help.
Ask him what he can do to mark the season. Such a question should
make a really good discussion for the "Padre's Hour".
It is just the kind of question that I should have welcomed when
I was serving as an Army Chaplain. And one last word. Don' t forget
to go to Holy Communion regularly during Lent. If you have not written
to me lately sit down and send a line straight away. I do not want
to lose touch with a single one of you and your letters do give
me the very greatest pleasure.
With my love and my Blessing,
Ever your affectionate friend,
L. N. FORSE.
HOME
FRONT NEWS.
Mrs. Ernie Hankin has presented her husband with a son. Mrs. Taylor
of Moss Lane, who was Bessie Dalton of Croston, has also presented
her husband with a son.
The interesting news comes to hand that Walter and Jack Moss have
met in the Middle East. Hugh Abram was married on Saturday to Gladys
Buck, of Hundred End, in the H.B. Methodist Chapel.
Mrs. Wilding, (nee Sally Jepson) of Moss Lane was killed on Saturday
while coming home from "munitions". She was walking out
of the works when she was knocked down by a motor. She was buried
at Preston on Friday.
John Taylor, Mill Hill Farm, Much Hoole, has paid £350 for
a Friesian heifer. The effects of the late Charles Fazackerley,
Hanging Bridge Farm, have been sold by auction and fetched very
good prices.
Mrs. Barker (one of the Dandy, Green Lane twins and wife of Sapper
George Barker) has presented her husband with a daughter. They already
have a son aged 2 years. Mrs. Bretherton, of Hoole, mother of A.B.
Tom Bretherton, R.N., is very ill in Preston Infirmary.
Annual School Concert last Friday night. This interesting event
was inaugurated by Mr. Peters when he became Headmaster.
Malcolm Parkinson, Moss Lane. who has been nearly two years at Flying
Schools in Canada and America, arrived home this week.
John Rigby, Hesketh Lane, was married to Margaret Iddon, Gorse Lane,
on Saturday in Tarleton Parish Church. Vernon Ogden, R.N. has joined
his ship for service abroad. He has been on embarkation leave. Leslie
Carr has been granted two months compassionate leave to work on
his father's farm, his father being unable to work owing to illness.
Mr. James Whittle, Coalmerchant, Coe Lane end, died on Saturday
morning aged 81 years It is just a year ago that his wife died.
He was buried on Tuesday.
General Sir Hugh Jeudwine, who commanded the 55th. West Lancashire
Division in the last war, died some time ago and was cremated. On
Sunday his ashes were brought to Liverpool and buried in the Cathedral.
The 55th being the rector's old Division, he was asked to take part
in the Service in the Cathedral. Colonel Colin Potter, D.S.O., M.C.,
who lives at Grimsagh, picked him up in his car while passing through
Tarleton. The sermon was preached by another Chaplain, the Rev.
R. Newman, rector of Gillingham, Dorset.
At Margaret Iddon's wedding, she was given away by her uncle Moses
Clegg, and the best man was Elijah Cookson, of Chapel Lane, H.B.
who is in the R.A.F.
Fred Forshaw has been home on embarkation leave. Mrs. James Swift
(Agnes Rigby, Coe lane) has been called up to the W.R.N.S. and goes
on Shrove Tuesday to her new station. The rector had to go to Bournemouth
to see his invalid brother on very urgent family business on Tuesday.
He hopes to return to Tarleton on Friday.
EXTRACTS
FROM LETTERS:
Gunner Harry Harrison writes by airgraph to say "Thanks for
N.Ls which I have received. I am enjoying a rest now just outside
Tripoli. I am in an orchard of Orange and Lemon trees. I have never
seen anything like it before, the trees are laden with fruit. We
had Mr. Churchill here and I was in a party that had to safeguard
the route on his entry into Tripoli. I had a good view of him for
he passed the point where I was on duty four times during the day.
I would like to know, sir, whether I was the first Tarleton lad
to enter Tripoli". (Cannot say yet, Harry, but Billy Parkinson
wrote a fortnight ago to say that his next stop was Tripoli.)
Dvr. John Iddon also sends an airgraph from the same quarter saying.
"The N. L. has been coming through quite regularly. I met Robert
Bond from Mere Brow the other day, the first Tarleton lad I've met
since being out here. I suppose he will be telling you about it
before long, so I thought I would be the first to let you know,
the same as Leslie Hodson did. Best regards to my bother Harry,
Dick Gabbott and Jack Moss."
Pte. Kenneth Robshaw sends an airgraph from India to say, "Just
a line in answer to your welccme N.Ls which reach me safely. I am
having quite a good time and am keeping in the best of health. There
are some very steep hills to climb about here, but I enjoy the climbing,
and it is better than being in the lowlands in the heat and having
insects biting you. Thanks also for Parish Magazine. All the best
to the lads, please remember me to them all."
Gunner Philip Rigby sends quite a long letter from India saying
"I do enjoy reading the N.L. We are kept very busy out here
in the jungle what with drill orders and shoots. We have some very
beautiful birds here, also a hundred and one kinds of ants including
the white ant which makes us keep an eye on our kit as they will
eat anything. Also there are snakes galore. I have killed four and
have seen scores. We get fields of rice here in place of wheat in
England. It is wonderful the way rice is grown as it has to be under
water which they draw from a big well and run it into the fields.
I must now close hoping to receive more N.Ls, but first, please,
remember me to all the Home Guard."
Gunner Arthur Harrison, who is somewhere near the North Pole, writes
"I was with Harry Cookson yesterday afternoon. I took him to
our dining hall for tea and we had a good chat together. It is grand
to meet someone from home. He had brought a football team down to
play one of our Batteries. I am going to see him again before I
come home on leave which I hope will be the week after this. I will
call and see you and Mrs.Cookson. To all the boys in the Forces
I will say "God Bless you all".
Marine Kenneth Nicholson says "I have been detailed for some
course and so I expect that I will have to forfeit my leave until
I have finished. It is expected to last at least two months. I don't
know what the course is I am going in for, but I expect it will
be very hard work like everything else about the Marines. Please
convey my best wishes to all the lads abroad and especially to the
Rowland Bros., Stan. Quinlan, Jack Moss and the rest of the gang."
Sergt. Ernie Ball writes "All last Monday and Tuesday were
spent on exams, and I arrived back here on Wednesday night. My final
result on all the course was "Distinguished" so I really
have reason to be satisfied with myself as this is the first "D"
ever to come back to this Unit, in spite of the fact that all the
senior N.C.Os have been on this course. Out of approximately 100
men on the course only four obtained "D". I now have the
job of Chief Instructor to the whole company, so I look like having
a busy time."
Gunner Robert Iddon, writes "The N.Ls have been coming every
week, and I want to thank you, for, believe me, they are grand.
I am in a depot troop here but I am expecting to be posted at the
beginning of next week. In depot we do all the cleaning around the
camp, we do everything from scrubbing to spud peeling. It is not
too bad for we finish at 4 p.m., but we have to work on Sunday morning.
Please remember me to all the Tarleton boys and girls in the Forces.
Must close now because in just half an hour I have to go on fire
picket and I want a wash". Dvr. Dick Taylor writes "I
have been travelling about Scotland since I last wrote to you. I
had a very nice time while at ....where we were about 3 1/2 miles
outside the town in a country mansion. We had a liberty waggon to
take us into P.... a distance of about 25 miles every Saturday afternoon.
The rest of the chaps are away on manoeuvres down in England. I
had everything packed, and the lorry on the road, when I was told
I had to be one of the three to stay behind. I was a bit disappointed
at first, but we who are left behind are taking it very easy, so
I daresay we ought not to grumble.
Trooper Jeffrey Wignall says in his letter, "We had a surprise
this morning at breakfast. We had an egg. I enjoyed mine for we
do not get many in the Army as I suppose you will know. I am having
a good rest this afternoon, and am writing one or two letters to
my pals. Then I shall have a wash and go for tea. I look forward
to the N.Ls for they give me some idea of what the other local lads
are doing. Please remember me to all the lads who are away from
the village."
Dvr. John Caunce writes "I came back here from hospital on
Saturday and hope to get my leave next week. I have been very unlucky
up to now in the matter of leave, and so let's hope that this time
it really does come off. I went to the Sergt. Major this morning
and asked him if I could have my leave, and to my surprise he said
'yes'. So expect me when you see me.
Engine Room Mechanic R.A.Burns, R.N. (Dick) writes "I have
moved again after successfully passing another exam with the result
of "Satisfactory", thus getting me out of probation and
qualifying me as an Engine Room Mechanic, carrying with it one anchor,
and making me leading hand. My brother Jim has now been in the M.E.F.for
three years and I am sure he will be ready for a look round good
old Tarleton once again. Now for my usual request; please pass on
my best regards to my brothers Jim, M.E.F., Tommy, who is ready
for his second trip overseas, and George (Irish Guards) also to
my brothers in law George West, Harry Forrest, M.E.F. |
