Photograph, newspaper cutting, badge, undelivered letter
Letters from William Horrocks to his sister. 1. Tuesday 5th Feb. Dear Sister, I have the pleasure to write a few lines to let you know I am going on in the best of Health and hope this finds you the same, for I like to write when we can make time, at present we are doing a bit more in the line but the weather is not so bad that is one good consolation. We have been staying in a small village for the last few days not a bad place at all I had the pleasure of going to church which I know you will be glad to hear about. I have had a parcel from home and it was a very good one too so that I had a good feed which you know I would do my duty to it. So I will now conclude with best wishes from your true and always loving brother William xxx Thursday Oct. 18th Dear Sister Mary, It is with pleasure that I have received your most welcome letter seeing that you have not written to me for a few weeks back, but I daresay you understand there is nothing wrong between us, although I know myself I have been a long time in giving you a reply. Well it has been this way I have not been able to buy any writing material until I received the money Mother sent me. So now I have got plenty of writing paper and Envelopes so I will be able to answer your letters as soon as I receive them. I am feeling in the best of Health again and in your letter I see you expected me to come to England and have a look at you, well I am not so fortunate as that. I am glad to hear that Fred Walsh is still at home, trusting that his brother will come through alright. Sorry to read about the death of Bob Wilding in Hospital. At the time of writing I am in a dug out and shall be for the course of a week probably after I come out I may be able to come and see you at home. So I will now close with best love and wishes to all. From your Loving Brother William xxxxxx Sunday March 3rd Dear Sister, I have the opportunity to write a few lines to let you know I am going on very well and hope this finds you the same, at present we are staying in a small village and likely for being a week or so yet, so you will have no need to worry yourself about me. I have had a letter from Will as well, a parcel from home so that I am not doing bad at all. Mother has sent a small loaf but have not yet tested it although I think the bread we get is better because it is much lighter and white. Today is Sunday and I have just been to a small prayer given by our Chaplain in the church Army Hut close by our billet so you see we get a chance occasionally to have service. The weather is very changeable at present still we can stand practically anything during the day so long as we get a good night's rest and sleep. I have not seen many lads from Ramsbottom yet in this Battalion only one I know that is Harry Calister who lives next door to Mrs Thornton Fruit shop; I have had a talk to him once or twice. I will now close with best love and respects from your true and always loving Brother William xxxxxxx Sunday Feb 17 1918 Headed paper ON Active Service With the British Expeditionary Force Y.M.C.A Dear sister I have the pleasure to receive your letter and the postal Order thanking you most sincerely for you can bet that I shall spend it in getting something to eat, most pleased to hear you have got a good home now, trusting you will be settled for a considerable time. Well I do not want you dear sister to go short of anything so that you can send something to me, do not make yourself hard up for I understand that food stuff is dear in England. I am sorry that it took my letter a long while to arrive to you, but the old saying better late than never. I have had a letter from Will 2. and he said they were living with mother for the time being, well do not bother about her she may be glad some day to invite you to go back. I am same as you keep moving from one place to another, I have come out of the trenches safe and sound and very shortly we are expecting to come for a good rest, when you write again my address will be name, number, A bay 1/5 East Lancs. instead of B Bay 1/4 East, that is the only alteration do not forget. I am keeping in the best of spirits and hope this letter finds you the same. With best respects from your true and always loving Brother William xxxxxxxxx Thursday Nov 15th Dearest Sister, I have received your welcome letter and pleased to hear from you once again, seeing that you are away from home I thought it was my duty to answer as soon as possible, well I am pleased to know that you are keeping in good health the same as myself. I understand how you are fixed with being away from home, but still you have no need to worry yourself about anything, my only wish is that I would like to be in Ramsbottom again, we keep grumbling about one thing and another but still keep carrying on in the same usual manner. The weather is getting colder and everything points to the war keeping on another winter. Well you must look after yourself for nobody else will, and trust that you are contented in your new home. I have not much to say only I am in the best of Health. So I will close with best love from your true Brother William. Friday Oct 26th 17 Dear Sister Mary, I have received your most welcome letter and that you are in the best of Health which I am most pleased to hear. Your letter is very interesting although I was surprised to hear that my best pal Bill Dearden was knocking about in England drilling recruits, as I was wondering about him only the other day. Well I have not had a letter from none of my old pals, so if ever you could see Dearden you will do me a favour just to get his address. I have only met a few mates in the East Lancs. but they seem to be getting away from here somehow or other, now that Fred Crawshaw is in England and I believe Harold Foster has been wounded. I came across John Knowles just before I went in Hospital, you know him he worked in the Warehouse at Rose Mill the time you worked there. Of course I had a talk with him he is in the Machine Gun Corps and they took over our positions in the line when we came out. James Fisher has been fortunate to get out of this what do you say, still let everybody get out of it the best way they can, for I have been fed up this last week or so. This life is getting dreary, every day passes and the same over and over again, the nights longer and cold. According to the papers the war is practically over but I put it down as bluff. Still we have not to look on the black side for better days are to come, but how long are they off. We are still roaming about Belgium, from one place to another up the line and then down as I sit in my dug-out facing a place which is prominent on the war map, as usual it has been battered to the ground by the guns, of course I would give the name of the place to you so that you understand where about I was only it is against army regulations. I have not had much time to answer your letter dear sister excuse me as I thought I would send you a decent one as soon as I had a bit of time to spare. Thanking you for the writing paper, and tell Mother that I am not in want of anything at present. So I will now close with best love and respects to you all Mother, Father , Sister Alice, Baby as Well I remain, your true Brother William xxxxxxx Wednesday 20th Dear Sister, I have the pleasure to write a few lines just to let you know I am keeping in very good Health, trusting this finds you the same as we are still doing training in a small 3. village behind the line, so that we are out of any danger and that is one good consolation, only it is the same practically over and over again, the food as well. Not much luxuries the same as being at home, no such thing here as going in the pantry and getting what you want a bit of good currant loaf or something like that. At present we are not receiving good rations by a long way and you know I can eat a good deal when I start, that is the only difficulty. I am expecting a letter from you now any day hoping you are still at the same place so I will now close with best Respects your Always loving Brother William xxxxxxxx On Active Service paper With the British Expeditionary Force Y.M.C.A Jan 30/18 Dearest Sister, Most pleased to receive your welcome letter which came about three days, But on account of being in the trenches at the time of receiving it I had not time to answer right away. Well I do hope dear Sister you will settle down in time but never worry at all, I only wish that I were in your place. You are safe and have a good bed to sleep on I cannot really see why you upset yourself, but I understand the way Mother is with you, well, it will come to her someday. I have written to Fred W..... When I arrived back here. When you write again my address is 202500 PTe W Horrocks. B Company 1/4 East Lancs Regt.B.E.J France because I have left the Machine Gunners. I am keeping in good health and while I am writing an army chaplain is giving his usual nights prayers so that we are not short of anything in that line. So I will close wishing you good night and the best of love from your true Brother William xxxx Sunday March 10th 1918 Dear Sister, I have just received your welcome letter dated the 5th March so that it has not been long on the way, thanking you most heartily for the Postal Order you enclosed inside. I can excuse you for delaying in answering my letter of course it is nothing much to bother about as I have been the same myself many a time. Most pleased to hear you are very comfortable in your new home for no doubt you have been fed up with knocking about from one place to another. Yes I will make the best of the money you enclosed, trusting you don't run short yourself. We are resting for a week or so out of any danger what so ever so that you will have no need to upset yourself at all. Glad to hear you came across Bill Dearden, Well to tell you the truth I have never received a letter from him at all, if it had been so I would have answered right away. I don't know how you like boils but I have had my share since I joined the Army, and they’re not very nice at all. I am keeping in the very best of Health; Mother has been sending parcels to me very frequent lately Will put some cigarettes in so that you are looking after me very well indeed, for I daresay you know we are what they term as fed up over and over again. Well I am the same as you looking forward to the day when we all meet together once again. I will now close and I am going to a short service to-night. in the Y.M.C.A as it is close by our Billet. I will now close trusting this finds you in the best of Health the same as it leaves me at present. With best respects from your true and always Loving Brother William. Newspaper cutting PTE William Horrocks RAMSBOTTOM SOLDIER KILLED. Mr and Mrs Horrocks of 24 Annie Street Ramsbottom. Have received official news from The War Office stating that their son Pte. William Horrocks. East Lancastershire Regt. Was killed in France on April 3rd. Pte. Horrocks who was unmarried and the Only son of Mr. and Mrs. Horrocks resided with his parents at the above address. He Joined the forces on 3rd November 1915 And has seen service in Egypt He was home On leave in December 13th of last year, when he Returned to France. His name appears on the roll of honour at St Andrews Parish Church being a regular Attender at both church and Sunday school. Prior to joining the forces he was employed At Messrs. Steads Irwell Mill, Ramsbottom A Field card dated April 1st was received from Pte. Horrocks on the 7th inst. On which he Stated that he was quite well.