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ISSUED WEEKLY SINCE MAY 1940

No: 308
RECTOR'S WEEKLY NEWS
June 7th 1946

My dear Boys and Girls,
So that every lad who served throughout the War can say that he, or she (and, of course, I should have said lad or lass) received every issue of the NL from the first to the last, I am now sending it to the 200 and more who have been demobbed, as well as to the few who are still on, more or less, active service.
We have been such a friendly united family for many years now, and I do hope that we shall continue to stick together during the years of peace. Quite honestly I do not want to lose touch with you all when you are practically on my doorstep when I was so very close to you in mind, and thought, and prayer, when you were scattered all over the world.
The rectory, as you know, is open house to you all, and I shall always be most glad to see you whenever you care to drop in for a chat.
Also, don't forget - when in doubt, ask the rector - and he will give a perfectly straightforward answer, and render any help that is within his power.
With all my love, and all my prayers for you all, ever your affectionate friend, L.N.FORSE.

Home Front News
Last Wednesday the rector called another meeting of those men and women now demobbed and asked the Chairman of the West Lancashire Rural District Council to address them on the housing problem. He brought with him Mr. Rosbotham, the Architect and Surveyor to the Council. About 200 attended, and some very straight questions were asked. Thirty two council houses are to be built in (note from transcriber: words missing from photocopied document).
Church Tea Party last Saturday. Wet day with fine intervals. Short procession, then some rain, then Mr. Ronnie Knight came to the rector and said he would put a suitable picture on at the cinema for the children. It turned out to be a real Wild West which everyone greatly enjoyed. Over two hundred children sat down to tea. Rufford Band played in the school porch. Fairly fine in the evening and quite a good number enjoyed Silcock's Fair on recreation ground.
A Royal Air Force laundry van, also carrying a few hitchhiking RAFs from Kirkham, took Windgate corner too quickly on Friday and turned completely turtle. Driver unhurt, but some hitch-hikers were taken to Preston Infirmary.
Mr. John Mayor aged 80 years of Church Road, boatbuilder, died last Thursday and was buried at Tarleton on Monday. (He was Jim Mayor's father).
The rector is arranging a motor coach tour for the wives and sweethearts of Servicemen to go round all the new Council houses in the district and examine all the latest labour saving devices installed in them. They will then be in a position to know what they want - when the new Tarleton houses are built.
Mrs. Isabella Parkinson, Meolsgate Avenue, (Mother of Thomas Parkinson) is in the women's hospital at Liverpool.
Mrs. Arthur Forshaw has presented her husband with a son - the third.
It is the Pioneer Corps who are now occupying Bank Hall and not the Royal Signals as stated in a previous NL.
It is now - as this is being written - 9.30pm., and a cuckoo is loudly proclaiming his presence in one of the trees round the rectory lawn.
Silcock's Fun Fair leave Tarleton on Tuesday but comes back in a week for the Methodist Tea Party.
The ladies of the Tarleton Bowling Club invited the ladies of the Wigan Bowling Club over to Tarleton one day last week for a friendly game. They came in motor coaches, had their game - or games - and then all visited Tarleton Parish Church and signed their names in the Visitors' Book.
Ken Dandy and Harry Crook are now demobbed.

Extracts from Letters.
Chief Petty Officer Jack Hodge writes from Colombo, Ceylon, "Here in Colombo things seem to pass on day by day with very much the same routine, and every day is just the same as the one before. My job here is in charge of 6 steam tugs, and I have about 80 Ceylonese fitters, who seem to think that the Admiralty pay them to sleep most of the time. If they are not hidden away somewhere they are jabbering away ten to the dozen. Still I am just about used to their crafty ways now, trying to get out of a job. Please remember me to my old pals Arthur Proctor, Arthur Barron, A.J.Waters, MN, and Jimmy Southern."
Sgt. Dick Blundell writes from India Command, "I am still alive and kicking and since I last wrote I have moved out of the jungle into the outskirts of Secunderbad to Haklmpet aerodrome, and we are finding it much more pleasant. Even so I am eagerly awaiting my turn for demob and that, I may add, cannot come too soon. Please give my kind regards to all the lads still on the `job`".
Sgt. Ernie Nicholson writes from India Command, "I expect to leave India this month, so please cross my name off the NL mailing list. I have got the chance of Class B release and I'm taking it. I haven't much else to say except that I shall be calling on you in the near future."
Gunner Edward Harrison (Fermor Road) writes from MEF "I had just got back to my Unit after my 28 days' leave, when I was rushed off to hospital with a high temperature and a very bad throat. It seems it was quinzies. I had 29 penicillin injections so I have been a little sore with the pencil. At present I am in the 42nd General Hospital at Haifa. Tommy Trinder was here last night giving a show."
Dvr. John Caunce writes from CMF "This is my birthday so I thought it would be just the right day to write to you. I am still working in the Office, so that accounts for this typewritten letter to you. I am looking forward to 48 Group coming along for I am really getting browned off with this life. We are getting KDs to wear as from tomorrow, so I shall have to get my photo taken again to send you one. I go out with a chap named Odell from Stoke-on-Trent. I happened to mention the name Forse, and it seems he knows your nephew. I now have a little dog which sleeps at the foot of my bed. I am 24 today."
Sgt. John Ball writes from Baghdad "I am now back in Baghdad where I have been for the last week. This will be the last letter that I shall be able to write for tomorrow I shall start on my journey home for release as I am in Group 31. Please remember me to everybody who is still in HM Forces, and wish them all, for me, a speedy demob. And I would like to thank you for all the News Letters which have never failed to reach me, wherever I have been."
LAW Elsie Winstanley writes from Kirkham, "Please continue sending the NL until June 19th which is the date I report to Wythall for my release. I must once again thank you for the regular flow of NLs during my Service. They have kept everyone in constant touch with home and all that it represents."
Mr. T. Mayson, Rufford, writes "I wrote to you ten weeks ago informing you of my release, but it looks as though the letter has been lost in the post. I have just started work, incidentally, on the type of houses you describe in the NL as Norwegian. I must correct you; they are Swedish houses. I am working on some at Mawdesley erected by the same firm. Your worldly goods - if that is the right word - seem to be letting you down; I refer to your car and your typewriter. Never mind, they have done good service. They deserve a rest."
Pte. Arnold Bailey writes from Blackdown, Aldershot, "I am now on a Tank Transport Carrier Course. It is a six weeks' course and I have now four weeks to go. There are camps surrounding our camp consisting of Units of every regiment in the Army. Aldershot itself is six miles from here. The billets are very good and the food is fairly good and the weather is very cold. Today (Sunday) all the lads are crouching round the fire. We are allowed a Pass every other week, so I may go for a week-end in London, i.e. if I can save enough money. Please remember me to Frank Foulds, Ken Dandy and Frank Taylor, through the NL."