Two Crawley Lads at Letouret Memorial

 

 

A LOCAL SOLDIER KILLED. - We regret to announce the death of Private W. G. Wright, of the County of London Rifles, who was wounded sometime since during action. The sad news has just been officially conveyed to his mother; and for her the utmost sympathy will be felt in the loss of her only son. Private Wright was an old Blue Coat Boy, but his home was at Waverley, Crawley. Wright was 25.

A CRAWLEY MAN WOUNDED. – Bomb. George Miller, 58^th battery RFA, has been unfortunate enough to sustain a very severe wound. On 7^th December Bomb. Miller was in a house which came under shell fire, with the result that a piece of shell stripped the tips of his fingers, and, travelling upwards, ripped open his arm and finally lodged in the muscle. The wounded man is hoping to shortly arrive in England.

DEATH AT THE FRONT. – News has reached Crawley last Saturday – a month after if happened of the death of Private. R. Hilder, of 2^nd Royal Sussex, who was killed in action. The deceased soldier formerly lived at Crawley, and with the relatives, who still reside in Malt House Road, much sympathy will be felt in their bereavement.

Then on 16^th February 1915 Private Frederick Hedger also of 2^nd Battalion Royal Sussex was killed in action near Cuinchy at the age of 25. It was reported in the local newspapers that – News has come to hand, though not officially, of the death in action of Mr Hedger, of Albany Road, Crawley, a reservist, who was called up at the commencement of the war. The deceased was a baker in the employ of Messrs. Newport, and he leaves a widow and two children. A soldier friend has communicated the sad news, he having attended Private Hedger’s funeral in France. Much sympathy will be expressed for the bereaved.

The soldier friend mentioned above may have attended Frederick Hedgers funeral but his grave must have been lost in the subsequent fighting as his name appears on a panel of the Letouret Memorial. By one of those very strange coincidences his name appears on the same panel, two names above that of Roland Hilder.

Two brave Crawley men who made the ultimate sacrifice for their home and their country, who must have known each other in Crawley as well as serving in the same battalion their graves lost for all time have the small crumb of comfort that their names are together on the same panel of the Letouret Memorial.  

IMPRESSIVE MILITARY FUNERAL AT CRAWLEY

 

DEATH OF MR C. KENNETH MITCHELL.

Not for years has the death of a local person occasioned so much sorrow, and drawn forth such profound sympathy, as has characterised the passing away of Charles Kenneth Mitchell, the only son of Mr and Mrs C. J. Mitchell, of Post Office Road, Crawley. The deceased was a popular son of a popular family, was known by everybody and loved by all, and the news of his death came as a great shock.

Soon after the formation of the Southdown Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment, Kenneth joined that body with other Crawley friends and had been spending a happy time at Cooden Camp, near Bexhill, and only a few weeks ago he secured his first stripe, giving him the rank of Lance Corporal.

Suddenly he was stricken with an illness which developed cerebro-spinal meningitis and, despite the best medical attention and nursing, he breathed his last on Friday February 5^th in a hospital near the camp. Naturally his parents, who were with him to the last, were broken hearted and in their great and unexpected bereavement they have received the heart felt sympathy of all their friends. This, to some extent, has lightened the burden, but the blow has indeed been a terrible one and Mr Mitchell was so ill that he could not attend the funeral.

Kenneth Mitchell was a thorough sportsman and he was a member of all the local cricket and football clubs, both at Crawley and Three Bridges. He was an active member, too, and one whose play, whether at football or cricket, was watched by many enthusiasts. It was his close association with all the sporting clubs with the district that made Ken, so well known and popular, and that popularity had spread far beyond the immediate district of Crawley. He was equally enthusiastic as a soldier and was keen at having a pop at the Germans. This opportunity to do still greater service for his Country has been nipped in the bud by his untimely death, but his life has nevertheless been sacrificed in his country’s cause.

The body was brought home to Crawley in a motor hearse on Monday and the funeral took place on Wednesday afternoon in the Crawley parish church yard. There was a very large and sympathetic crowd, the largest seen for many years at a local funeral. Military honours were accorded and the ceremony was of the most impressive character. The polished oak coffin was practically covered with a union jack and was borne from the house to the church on the shoulders of uniformed comrades, preceded by a firing party with arms reversed.

Following the coffin walked N.C.Os carrying beautiful floral tributes, and behind them four of the deceased’s comrades carried a bier, which was completely covered with wreaths and other lovely floral tokens of sympathy and sorrow. Major the Hon. Neville Lytton and Lieut. Page walked next and behind marched the Crawley boy Scouts these being followed by he family mourners. The rear was brought by a contingent of the Manchester Regiment (now stationed at Three Bridges), under Sergeant Gale, these being followed by the general body of mourners – amongst whom was my great grandfather Herbert Cook. On the coffin was the inscription, ‘Charles Kenneth Mitchell, Born 1^st Oct 1889, died 5^th February, 1915.’

After the rendering of the final hymn the usual three volleys were fired over the grave and the Last Post was sounded by the buglers, this ending a ceremony which was extremely impressive and full of sadness.