34 Evening Post Special Supplement, Saturday, November 8, 2008 lep.co.

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Lancashire Evening Post Oliver's Place Preston PR2 9ZA

You’ll see by the Lancashire’s

Badge which I wear,
Each day I am training that
Arms I may bear,
To fight for my Country and
King,
And we’ll show the whole
world, or at least we’ll all try
That we know how to fight,
and if needs be to die
And may God to us Victory
bring.

T
HIS poem features on
a postcard dating from
the First World War
RESTING PLACE: Alfred and sits alongside a
Craven’s grave drawing picturing soldiers
training next to the badge of
Soldier’s the Loyal North Lancashire
Regiment.
On the back is a message from
postcard young Preston Private Joseph
Barton who writes to his par-

message
to mum
“DEAR mother, I am writ-
ing you a few lines to let
you know not to write
until you hear from me
again as we are perhaps
leaving tonight or tomor-
row morning, so I will let
you know later, Ernest.”
Those were the words
ents, who lived in Moor Lane:
“I received the
parcel you sent on
Tuesday night
thanking you very
much for the same,
I haven’t time to
write a letter. I will
tell you why later
on. Just going on
parade. From your
loving son, Joe.”
The same soldier
also wrote postcards HAPPIER TIMES: Joseph Barton with sisters Helena, left, and Clara. Inset, one of the
to his sisters Lilly postcards he sent home from the front, this one featuring a poem about his regiment
and Clara. To Lilly,

Postcards from the

written on a postcard he wrote: “Just a line to let you

from 19-year-old gunner
Alfred Ernest Craven to
his mother Elizabeth, of
Fletcher Road, Preston,
in 1916.
Within months he was
dead.
A victim of fierce fighting
close to Ypres, his body
was buried at the
Vlamertinghe New Mili-
tary Cemetery in Bel-
gium.
His second cousin Bar-
bara Allen, of The Turn-
pike, Fulwood, is trying to
discover how he met his
fate.
She says: “I know he was
killed in action on Sep-
tember 9, 1917.
“I am very proud of Ernie.
It was very moving to go
frontline
know I am alright, hoping you
are all the same at home.”
More poignant perhaps is a
postcard written to Clara on
August 31, 1916, from the
front line in France. He wrote:
“Dear Clara, Just a line for old
time sake although there is a
war on we don’t forget (happy
days).”
Within four weeks, Private
Barton was dead – killed as he
fought alongside his colleagues His nephew and Lilly’s son thing I’ve really found out Malaya as part of National Fought from July to November
in the Loyals’ first battalion John Grime, 70, of Portree while researching my family Service, also discovered that 1916, there were more than
during the infamous Battle of Close, Fulwood, says: “I re- over the last two years. Joseph worked as a baker and 1.5m casualties at the Somme.
the Somme. His body was member as a child being told “My family always said he was confectioner. The battle is best remembered
never found and he is currently he was blown to pieces and killed but when you are young- He adds: “We were a big fami- for its first day – July 1 – still
listed on the Thiepval Memor- they only ever got his helmet ster you don’t tend to ask ques- ly of bakers apart from my the bloodiest day in the history
ial as well as on Preston’s Har- back – that has been ingrained tions and now I wish I had.” mother. It is likely he worked of the British Army.
ris Museum Roll of Honour. on my mind. Mr Grime, who has served in the family shop in Moor A young Adolf Hitler was hos-
He was aged just 22. “But his story is only some- himself in what was then Lane.” pitalised in the battle.

The letter home

to the battlefields and
see the grave.”
Mrs Allen knows he
served with the West Lan-

‘Your son died in his sleep’

cashire Royal Field Ar-
tillery but does not know
the precise details of his
death and is appealing for
anyone who can help to
come forward.
An appeal has been made
for information about two
brothers named Craven
who may be related to
the family.
Catholic historian John
Garlington says: “James
Craven was wounded six
times before he was
killed close to the end of
the war. His brother
Joseph had been killed
the year before.”
Mrs Allen thinks the two,
who were from Broughton
Street, could be related
to her extended family.
“YOUR son was brought in
here on the morning of the
14th in a very serious condition
having been badly wounded in
both legs and arms and suffer-
ing from loss of blood and
shock.”
Those words were written to
the mother of young Preston
Private George Dixon by a
nurse at his bedside.
He had been fighting in the 8th
Battalion of the Border Regi-
ment in Belgium when tragedy
struck.
And as the letter reads on, it
reveals the worst possible news
anyone could ever tell a moth-
er about her child.
The hospital sister writes: “He
was quite conscious when
brought in but the doctors
thought he would not be able
to stand an operation and so
everything possible was done
to try and resuscitate him but
he did not seem to improve at
all and only lived until evening.
“We were able to make him
comfortable so that he went off
to sleep and was not conscious
the last few hours.
“He did not have any message
but I am very doubtful if he
knew he was not going to get
better as I always try to cheer
them up as much as possible,
as sometimes it has a wonder-
ful effect.
“ I am so sorry there was not
more we could do but I think
everything possible was done.”
Pte Dixon, who is listed on the
Harris Museum Roll of Hon-
our, died aged 21 on July 14,
1917. The revealing letter from
the nurse, dated July 29, 1917,
was been discovered by the sol-
dier’s family as they tried to
find out more about their
heroic relative while going
through the family tree.
His nephew George Borrill,
77, says: “It’s very sad indeed. I
think it’s very interesting to see
things like this letter.”
The family want to hear from
anyone who can come forward
with more details about Pte
Dixon.
THE letter to Pte Dixon’s
mother, August 29, 1917.
Dear Mrs Dixon,
I very much regret that you
have not been written to
before now about your son.
But I have found little time
lately to do all the writing I
would like. Your son was
brought in here on the
morning of the 14th in a
very serious condition,
having been badly wound-
ed... and suffering from TRAGIC: George Dixon
loss of blood and shock.
He was quite conscious did not seem to improve at
when brought in, but the all and only lived until
doctors thought he would evening. He was buried the
not be able to stand an op- following day.
eration and so everything With a great deal of sym-
possible was done to try pathy.
and resuscitate him but he H Gardener, Sister