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Pte. Harry William Thurlow
British Army 8th Btn. Middlesex Regiment
from:Staines, Middlesex
(d.25th April 1915)
Harry Thurlow was a soldier in the 8th Battalion Middlesex Regiment (Territorials)- he was aged 18 when he joined. He was a distant relative and his letters sent home during the war are now in my possession. The first was sent from Sittingbourne to his family in Staines. He says "We have been told that we are for the Mediterranean but whereabouts I do not know ... We are billeted in a large empty house which they say is haunted but have not seen a ghost yet ..." From October 1914 to January 1915 several letters were sent from barracks and hutments in Gibralter. His next letter was sent "somewhere near the fighting line ... the last three nights we have been digging trenches." Another letter states "we are billeted in a loft over some stabling." Generally his letters talk about the people back home and do not reveal the true horrors of his experience. In a letter sent from Belgium, he says "I spent my Easter Sunday in the trenches, it is not too bad as they do everything they can for us." In one of his last letters he says "I was just thinking how a nice piece of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, some greens and potatoes will go down when I can get it. Will write another letter tomorrow as I am rather tired now and am just going to sleep. Hope you are in the best of health, from your terrior boy."
The next letter was sent from Harry's father, William Thurlow who was in the same regiment. It reads:
"My Darling Wife. I am sorry to have to write and let you know that we have lost our Boy. He was killed on Sunday. A shell blast in the trench and killed nearly all of them. Harry was asleep at the time so he did not feel any pain. It is awful out here, it is simply murder. We have not got hardly anyone left in our regiment. Thank God I am alright at present, from your heartbroken Hub, Will xxx. God Bless you and help you in this trouble."
