Rev'd Kent Kent Grave E Harrowing Leo Crane  Baldwins  D.F.Cunningham-Reid

At the beginning of 1914 the Rev'd Charles Kent must have expected to spend his remaining active years quietly serving his parishes of Merton, Thompson, Tottington and Sturston, and enjoying his favourite pursuits, fly fishing, Photography and local history. International events changed all this, and the war years were to prove some of the busiest and most eventful of his life. In January 1916 Rev'd Charles Kent devised a new way of maintaining contact between the men at the front and there relatives at home via the "Breckland Magazine" Men at the front would write there letters to Rev'd Kent and then he would publish this letters in the Magazine with other events of the parish and local history, the magazine was sent out to the troops with the next batch of parcels. Here a sample of the type of letter from troops..

February 1916, Leo Crane,

Who from a sick bed became the hospital orderly, is now enjoying a good time. He writes from Malta," such a pretty place and warm climate. It was lovely here Christmas day, with the sun shining beautifully. The nurse waited on us. After the dinner we were given a churchwarden pipe, tobacco and cigarettes, and then after the interval, a concert- the best I have ever heard. I know which hospital Bertie Baldwin is in, the other side of the grand harbour... when on day duty i shall go and see him ".
 

March 1916 Capt. George de Grey, Writes from Bombay, " They (the Turks) got me at the end of the first day at Ctesiphon. I think I was peppered by a machine gun for two bullets hit me at identically the same moment; one broke my left shin bone, but not badly. I was sent back to India straight away... He also says, " That there is nothing in the world to beat the Norfolk man, He is worth four townsmen, the great thing about him is he never gets rattled or fussed".
 

April 1916 Capt. George de Grey, We are proud to record that the heir to the Merton estate has been rewarded with the Distinguished Service Order. For conspicuous gallantry in the performance of his duties as adjutant : he repeatedly crossed fire swept zones in order to take orders, send up ammunition, and direct reinforcements, until he was severely wounded.
 

April 1916, Lieut, R.E.Brassey, Writes a cheery letter from a cosy camp on the frontier about Solonika, "We have seen several German patrols, but not near enough to have a go at them, we saw them being shelled by the French, and two French planes chasing a Taube firing a maxim gun, they came right over ,it was most exciting. The new Breckland Magazine is most interesting as it gives all the doings of the Merton boys at the front".
 

April 1916, Leo Crane, Writes from St Andrews hospital, Malta," All the men that come here are well looked after, while those poor fellows who die have a full military funeral and flowers always on there graves. I think the new magazine is a great success, much better than the old one.... I often think on a Sunday of the Merton people walking peacefully to church, while the sick and wounded are all around us with awful wounds...
 

June 1916 Pte. Percy Baldwin, Writes after a long silence, " Iam sorry not to have written before. We have had a rough time of it latly. We only came out of the trenches on the night of the 11th after a sojourn there of 21 days. The position we hold at the moment is very important one, which has been the scene of many a hard fight by the French".
 

July 1916 Pte Leo Crane, Now in Egypt writes, " The game of waiting day after day, and never seeing a Turk gets on one's nerves, as we have to go through the same routine as if they were facing us, I shall be glad when the old Turks come along for a scrap".
 

September 1916 Pte. Percy Dalton Writes " I was very pleased to get the postal order, and pleased also to know the people at home never forget us. I was wounded on July 7th,at Ovilliers, making an attack on the German trenches. We went over at 8.30 am, and started to walk to the enemy trenches 500 yds away. We did not get 40yds before they opened fire on us in every direction. Nearly all our officers were killed before 50yds were gone. Our Colonel was killed, having 8 bullets through him. our losses were very heavy only two left in my platoon, and only 9 of the company of 250".
 

September 1916, Leo Crane, Who has been down with dysentry, is about again. He writes, " I lazed about the camp for some days, trying to stick it and not report sick, but it got my master. When the doctor came round, he sent me to Port Suez. i was so bad there, that the doctor said i must go to Cairo. When we got to Ismailia, we were changed into the main hospital train running from Port Suez to Cairo, which is fitted up splendidly. the fast of Ramadan is on now- the people fast till 7pm. When a gun fires, and then they may eat. It is so nice to have a clean bed under one".
 

November 1916, Pte. Percy Baldwin, Who was wounded in August, writes, " I have to go before a medical board to see if I shall be fit for active service, but i fear i have a stiff leg for good. Thank you for sending the postal order.. I wonder why some people said we were better off than them, when Mr Walter Nunn asked them to give a bob.. Our pay is about a shilling a day, and for this we offer our lives, while up here the men are earning in munitions works from £5 to £20 a week".
 

May 1917, Pte E Harrowing, Writes" I am sorry not to have received the new year's gift of the Merton people. Perhaps it is owing to me moving about so much, I am now in a convalescent home at Cairo, getting my weight back, I had a outing last Saturday to the citadel and Ali Mosque Mohamed ".
 

May 1917, Pte V.Blanchflower, With the Canadians, writes," A line to let you know I have come safely through the big battle for the famous Vimy Ridge ".
 

July 1917 The Rector, Off to the front! even the starting of the boat train was kept a dead secret until 6pm, the night before, because of German spies.. I reached the fast steamer and went on board at 6.30pm,on June 22nd, and crossing, iam to do censors work. These are private and confidential letters of husbands to their wives, the soldiers would rather an old man like myself read these.
 

September 1917 I have just opened the Watton times to find that the wrangle about the right of way through the locked gate. Fancy in war time all these precious hours about a right of way, about which there never was ancient way for vehicles, only for foot passengers.
 

December 1917 Pte Leo Crane, Writes from the Holy Land, " I saw Dick Harrowing a few weeks back at the station on my return from leave. It is splendid here now, not to hot, and we are getting a bit of a breeze, only it lifts the sand. Iam glad " Breckland " continues, It is great help to us to know how our pals are doing scattered about the world ".
November 1918 The Rector, (Rev'd Kent)
At last iam settled down to my work at the War office, searching records day after day and writing to poor anxious and bereaved mothers, wives, and sweethearts. My head often aches and throbs with the numberless piteous letters beseeching for news...A young girl ' Ivy' writes that her mother died two months ago and she is looking after six little brothers and sisters...


Below two types of certificates that were awarded to some children for there part in the war effort, such as gathering and packing goodies to be sent to the Brave men who fighting for freedom.


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