Death of Another Henlow Soldier

Friday 9th April 1915: Mr and Mrs Stephen Field of Clifton-road, Henlow, have had official notification of the death of their son, Private Wilfred Field, 1st Bedfordshire Regiment. Private Field was 19 years of age and enlisted in February 1914. Previous to the outbreak of war he was stationed in Ireland and after a few months' stay at Felixstowe was drafted to France. A short time ago he contracted enteric fever(1) whilst serving in the trenches and was removed to Boulogne. His parents received a letter from Rev A. Langdon, Hospital Chaplain, informing them of the critical condition of their son and a further letter from Mr Langdon gave them particulars of his death, which took place (on 6th April) despite every care and attention. He is buried in the pretty little French cemetery of Wimereux, three miles out of Boulogne, amongst many of his comrades. Each grave is marked with a white wooden cross, and some English ladies are planting flowers all along the graves. The death of Private Field makes the number of Henlow men who have fallen in the war five. The bells of Saint Mary's church rang half-muffled peals at morning and evening service  as a tribute to the memory of a brave soldier.

Bedfordshire Times 16th April 1915

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(1) Another name for typhoid, contracted from contact with faeces in water.