Friday, 24 June 2016

From the Firing Line



Saturday 24th June 1916: Private Fred Pressland of the Bedfordshire Regiment, a former solo boy of Saint John’s church choir and a well-known employee at Biggleswade Brewery(1) writes from the British Base to his brothers at Newton and says: "In answer to your welcome letter which I received on Monday I am being moved from here, but will write as soon as I can. I suppose we are going to have a look at the Germans, but I hope to come out all right. They have only given us about five minutes’ notice”(2)

Source: Bedfordshire Standard 23rd June 1916

(1) Wells and Winch Limited – take over by Greene King in 1961
(2) it sounds as if Private Pressland was in a battalion to be engaged in the opening phases of the Battle of the Somme – either 7th or 2nd.

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