A Romance from the First World War has been revealed in a collection of letters written 93 years ago.
And now brothers-in-law Les Eckersley and John Scotson, from Radcliffe, are hoping that they will be able to track down any surviving relatives of the letter writer, Henry Grundy.
Bolton-born Henry, known as Harry, was engaged to Les and John’s great-aunt Agnes Fielding, who lived in Brandon Street, Daubhill.
But, in July 1916, Harry set off for the front line with the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, leaving Agnes behind.
On August 29, he was sent to France, where the battle of the Somme had been raging since the beginning of July.
In his last letter to Agnes’ mother, written the night before he left for France, he wrote: “You must all keep your hearts up for I shall be back before long . . . I don’t think it will be long before the war is over.”
But by October, less than six weeks after he sailed for France, Harry died.
Agnes wrote a letter to Harry on October 1, which said: “I wish it was all over and you was safe at home . . . It makes me long for you when I see others at home, but you may not be away for long.”
But unknown to Agnes —who was later to die of tuberculosis at the age of 29 — it was likely that Harry had already been killed in No Man’s Land. It was the following February before his body was found.
The letter was returned to Agnes by an unknown soldier who brought it back from France.
The letters and photographs of the couple were kept by Les and John’s mother, Theresa but the brothers knew nothing of their existence until they were discovered after her death two years ago.
John, who lives in Radcliffe and who himself was a warrant officer in the Lancashire Fusiliers and now works at the Fusiliers Museum in Bury, said it is rare for last letters to survive, as many were just thrown away when soldiers died.
The items will be donated to the Museum of the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment in Preston.
Les, who lives in Belmont, said: “If there is any family left who are wondering what happened to Harry then we can tell them. Even now soldiers are being brought home from Afghanistan every day — the sad thing about these boys is that they were never brought home.”
Anyone who believes they might be related to Harry Grundy can contact Les on 07912 387716. If Harry has any surviving relatives who would like copies of the letters they can contact the Museum of the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment.
kdibbits@theboltonnews.co.uk
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