Monday 12th June 1916: Following their big fight with the
enemy two months ago we have been steadily hearing of more members of the 8th Battalion
turning up in prisoner of war camps. The latest is Private J T Chandler. Aged
19, he is the only son of of Mr F Chandler of Toseland and is cousin to Private
Mitchell of Everton. Previous to enlisting Private Chandler was employed by Mr Alfred
Main, farmer, of Toseland Manor. He was, in the words of his employer, a
conscientious workman and in the village was greatly respected for his upright
character. He enlisted in the Bedfords in September 1915 and joined the 8th Battalion
in France on February 25th 1916. After the big fight on April 9th he was
officially reported as killed, but later he wrote home stating that he was a
prisoner of war at Giesen Camp, Germany.
Source: Biggleswade Chronicle 30th June
1916
