Gased by the Germans

Ampthill Road, Shefford [Z1306/101/3/2]

Thursday 13th May 1915: Last week a report was received in Shefford that Private Algy Breed, C Company, 1st Bedfordshire Regiment, had fallen a victim to the asphyxiating gas used by the Germans on Hill 60 on the 19th April. Happily, the report was unfounded. On Monday three letters written from the trenches on the Hill and dated 27th April, were received by his wife, his father and Mr. Alldritt. They had taken a fortnight in transit!(1) Another letter to his wife, dated 9th May, was received by her on Tuesday. In his letter to Mr. Alldritt, Private Breed says: "I am quite safe and well, which I am very much pleased to say, for I have been in the hottest shop since the war began for shell fire, and all other sorts of fire, for the Germans used nearly everything in the way of killing; and they did kill and wound ever so many of the fellows of our regiment, and another, too(2). I thank God for sparing my life, for I am sure He has answered many a prayer which has been sent up by us. I said my prayers as a good many more did, for I am sure that all who were there were in the jaws of death. You would have thought the same if you had been there, which I am very pleased to know you were not. Well, sir, I am sure I did my best to help to hold the Hill, and I am sure that all of the 1st Beds Regiment did the same. I and all of us were very pleased when our reliefs came. As soon as we were relieved we were soon off out of it, for we had had enough of it for three days, but they kept on shelling us all the time we were going away out of the trenches to our other place to have a rest, which was, however, a very unpleasant one, for we were turned out at night and marched off towards the line again. So in our three days' rest we were very uncomfortable and at the finish we had what you would call no rest at all. All this was on taking that Hill. I am in the trenches now writing this. It seems such a long time since I heard from you last, and I should like to have another letter from you, or from anyone else from Shefford(3)".

Source: Bedfordshire Times 14th May 1915

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(1) Every effort was made to get mail to and from the troops as quickly as possible in order to maintain morale.

(2) 1st Battalion, East Surrey Regiment

(3) Happily, Algy Breed seems to have survived the war though five other men called Breed were killed with the regiment during the war.