Private William George Turner was a family relation to the contributor. William might have been the contributor's suspected grandfather's sister-in-law or brother-in-laws' son. The letter was found in Ernest Arthur Alderman (the contributor's grandfather) belongings upon his death in 1956. William George Turner was a private in the Coldstream Guard and died on 28 September 1915. The letter is dated 18th June 1915. It describes life in the trenches and the headache brought on by the 'big guns' written in old English. He refers to his family and asks after them. The letter is written to his aunt and uncle, suspected to be Ernest Arthur Alderman, he and his brother both married women named Hogsflesh. William was the son of George and Eliza Turner, of Yew Tree cottage, Greywood, Haslemere, Surrey. William is commemorated on the Loos Memorial. || letter dated the 18th of june 1915. 13435. PTE. W.B Turner. No. 7 Section No. 1 company, 1st Batt Coldstream Guard, First Brigade 1st Division, Britsh Expeditionary Force. France. My Dear Aunty & Uncle, I am now writing just a few lines hoping you are all quite well, I am very glad to say I am at present, I went in the Trenches on Sunday for the first time & it was strange at first, & we were under very bad shell fire I have now experienced what the headache is like I have never had it before, but it was the big guns that done it, & I pity anyone who have it. I had a letter come from dear Mum when I was in the trenches, & I was very glad to hear from them all, I hope you will let me have a line from you soon. We are having a rest now come out trenches on wed night. I hope Dear little cousin is getting on quite well, I should like to see him now, but he will be a big boy when I come home & see him & so will my dear little Florrie, no more news this time write to me soon, Love to all from your ever loving nephew, William xxxxxxx || || Private William George Turner || Private William George Turner's letter

Article with annotations || Alexander Buller Turner VC (22 May 1893 – 1 October 1915) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was 22 years old, and a Second Lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion, The Royal Berkshire Regiment (Princess Charlotte of Wales's), British Army, attached to 1st Battalion during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC: On 28 September 1915 at Slag Alley and Fosse 8 near the village of Haisnes on the banks of La Bassee Canal near Vermelles, France, when the regimental bombers (Grenades)could make no headway, Second Lieutenant Turner volunteered to lead a new bombing attack. He made his way down the communication trench practically alone, throwing bombs incessantly with such dash and determination that he drove off the Germans about 150 yards without a check. His action enabled the reserves to advance with very little loss and subsequently covered the flank of his regiment in its retirement, thus probably averting the loss of some hundreds of men. Second Lieutenant Turner died three days later of the wounds received in this action as he was shot in the abdomen at close range during the action. He was reported to have died at No. 1 Casualty Clearing Station, Chocques on 1 October and he was buried at the Military Cemetery Chocques.2nd Lieut. A. Turner, 1st Royal Berkshire Regiment, was awarded the V.C. for bravery during the Battle of Loos . This account of his actions was written by James Price Lloyd of the Welsh Regiment, who served with Military Intelligence. After the war, the government to destroyed all the archives relating to this propaganda (section MI 7b (1)). They were regarded as being too sensitive to risk being made public. Remarkably these documents have survived in the personal records of Captain Lloyd. Many of these papers are officially stamped, and one can trace the development of many individual articles from the notes based on an idea, to the pencil draft which is then followed by the hand-written submission and the typescript. The archive Tales of the VC comprises 94 individual accounts of the heroism that earned the highest award for valour, the Victoria Cross. These are recounted deferentially and economically, yet they still manage to move the reader. Date stamp: 23 May 1918.

My Grandfather (John Turner) served in the 2nd Battlion The Leinster Regiment. || A Discharge & Character Certificate.