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No: 274
RECTOR'S WEEKLY NEWS
July 5th 1945

My dear Boys and Girls,
The election, which is being held today, is causing only slight excitement in Tarleton. As I said last week the runners are King-Hall, Gregg and Wilson. The Schools are being used as polling booths, so the children are happy because it means a holiday for them.
You won't mind me reminding you that the army of occupation is now facing its greatest spiritual struggle. With no imminent physical dangers to face and with more spare time on their hands, the lads in general must find something to occupy their minds. Such occupations can be good or bad. It will be a real testing time, as I know from personal experience as I was in the Army of Occupation at the end of the last war. And spiritual wars are far harder to fight than physical ones, as I suppose you have all found out by this time. Well! There's my little sermon, with my love, my prayers and my Blessing, ever your very affectionate old comrade, L.N.FORSE.

HOME FRONT NEWS
Miss Bertha Nichols, of Penwortham, was married at Hoole Parish Church on Friday last to Mr. Thomas Smalley of Manchester and Settle. Miss Nichols was for some years at the County Offices, Preston, and will be known to many of our readers.
Tom Wright, Kearsley Avenue, was married on Saturday at the Methodist Chapel, Tarleton, to Florence (Flossie) Allen, of Preston, a landgirl.
Last Wednesday the rector went over to see Mr. And Mrs. George Formby at their new house at Barnacre, near Garstang, where he was entertained to lunch and spent a very pleasant two hours admiring their really wonderful gardens.
Arnold Bailey has been called up to the Army and goes to Carlisle on Tuesday.
Hesketh Bank Musical Festival last week. Entrants came from all over Lancashire. There were nearly 300 entries.
Anyone wanting to look up Sid Ball will find him at Undenburg, six miles from Flagenfurt.
If others in BLA will give me their station town or village, I will put them in the NL for the benefit of their friends.
Aubrey Smith has returned to his Unit after 6 weeks p-o-w leave.
On Saturday last the rector had the honour of being asked to open a Garden Fete at Heskin Hall (the residence of Mr. Sagar of Dewhurst and Carrington Mill, Eccleston), in aid of the Eccleston and Heskin Welcome Home Fund. Mr. `Charlie` Houghton was the treasurer.
The infant son of Mr. And Mrs. Jack Stazicker was christened by the name of Garrard on Sunday afternoon in Tarleton Parish Church.
Dvr. John Caunce is in Genoa. Any driver with No.41 on his wagon will tell you where his billet is.

ON LEAVE:
Will Riding, Robert Barron, Billy Carr (Moss Lane), Edgar Wait, George Wait, Harry Alty, John Webster, Ted Barnish, Ken Ogden, Nick Forshaw, Harry Rigby.

EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS:
Pte. Billy Parkinson writes from BLA "I have a request to make, and that is that the closing date for the Berlin Medal be postponed. I am expecting to go to Berlin this week with the 7th Armed Div. We are having some very good weather here and I hope it will keep like this for July as I am hoping to be home on leave early in the month. I am still hoping to meet someone from the village but up to now have no luck. I have moved a few miles nearer Hamburg to a town called ITZEHOE. We have got our own club, called the Jerboa Club, which is the correct name for a desert rat. We have also the Jerboa Beer Garden, complete with Dance Hall, but only Polish and Russian girls are allowed to go."
Dvr. Noel Clark writes from BLA "I am getting quite near Hanover and am expecting to move any day. Our Company has been given the great honour to enter Berlin on the great Victory march through, but I am keeping my fingers crossed. I have not read in the NL of any of the lads winning the Berlin Medal so far so I should be in the running. Thanks for the NL which I have received in at least a dozen countries every week without fail."
LAC Harold Pilkington airmails from SEAAF "Here are a few more lines; I say a few because they are few after reading one of your NLs. I believe that my brother Ronnie is on the way home, and he will be sure to visit you in due time. It is 4 1/2 years since I saw him. I would like to be remembered to Harry Cookson, and Ronnie Iddon (Hesketh Lane). I am pleased to know that you received my photograph safely."
Dvr. Billy Whittle writes from BLA "It is just ten days since I met George Wait. Really, I could have dropped. He just walked in when I was in the act of getting into bed. Of course, I dressed in a `push` and we went for a stroll. He was living on a houseboat which, apparently had been towed down the Rhine. It was through the NL that George found me. I see in the NL that Jimmy Harrison has not forgotten me. Please give him my best regards. Will you ask him, via the NL., his Unit number and Company number, because the chances are that I can get to OSS to see him. All the best to the lads and lasses."
Gunner Arthur Harrison writes from BLA "We have had our photographs taken, so if they are OK I will send you one. We are in the beautiful village of BRAUNLAGE, and I am sending you a few views of it. We are in lovely billets, H and C water, electric light, and spring beds. Many girls work here; they clean our rooms and put clean sheets on our beds every week. Will you please give my best wishes to my brother-in-law Nick Forshaw, my sister Vera, Jack Robinson, Harold Aspey, and all the best, and may we all be with you for good."
Pte. Bill Barker writes from BLA "I do not know if any of the lads have sent you the Service along that we held on VE Day; anyway, I thought I would send you mine, just in case. We are settling down to our new life in Germany at a small town called LSERLOHN, about 30 miles from Hanover. It is one of the nicest spots I've seen in Germany. I have covered as much as 300 miles a day on a round trip and in all my travels I have not met one lad from Tarleton since I saw Harry Cookson in Brussels. If I had known a few weeks ago I could have looked up Ted Harrison, as I was at the same place where he was. I saw it in the NL that was waiting for me when I got back. I would like to ask him through the NL if he remembers the day we spent at Perth, and if he would rather be there than where he is."
LAC Robert Bridge (late of Sollom) writes from SEAFF "I have not received a NL for the last three weeks, the reason being that for the past two months I have had four different addresses and my mail is chasing me round. The NL is the only thing we look forward to out here with any interest. I have not been lucky enough to meet Bill Lowe out here, but I don't think that we are far apart, so I might run into him any day. Please give my very best wishes to the people of Sollom and Tarleton and to all the lads and lasses in the Forces."
Dvr. Ronnie Whiteside writes from CMF "Hello, all at the Rectory, here's a line in reply to the NL. We are now in the midst of summer and all is looking its best. It is hard to tell most of us from our Indian squaddies, we are so brown. I'm on p-o-w duty guard tonight. I think I told you that we have had a parade for our former C-in-C during our desert days. It was a day of days with all looking their best. Yesterday we were again on parade for the celebration of the King's birthday."
Dvr. Jimmy Southern writes "I am corresponding with my old pal Arthur Proctor once again after having lost touch with him for about 18 months. I get to Skegness and Cleethorpes quite a lot, but I think the east coast holiday resorts are not a patch on Southport and Blackpool - there's only one Blackpool. Remember me to my brother-in-law Ronnie Brain, and to my best pal Arthur Proctor. Thanks again for the `Old Faithful`, it's the best paper out."
LACW Elsie Winstanley writes "The Army seems to be making rapid strides in the demobilisation scheme, but the RAF, much to my dismay, seem to have adopted the slogan `Better late than never`, and no definite arrangements have so far come to light regarding WAAFs position according to trade. I am in the unenviable position of being duty clerk, which entails innumerable interruptions despite the fact that it is now 9.30pm. It seems to me that the RAF won't let `sleeping dogs lie.`"
Rfm. Jimmy Monaghan writes "We have been sent here to make up the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers. The camp we are in was made for the bombed-out people of Swansea. It is right on top of a hill, so we get plenty of sunshine. We have games such as football and boxing."