Mexborough and Swinton Times, September 1916

Private Thomas Waring
(York & Lancs Pioneers)

Wombwell – Severely Wounded

56 Gordon Terrace, Wombwell, who is now in hospital in Sunderland, writes his parents to say that he had been operated on, and his leg has been amputated.

Describing the fighting in which he sustained his injuries he says:

“Our first objectives were Fricourt, which was taken by storm. We afterwards advance still further and occupied about all of Fricourt Wod, and there we stood for a whole day. At night we were called upon to dig a strong point in the ward, and for hours we worked under heavy shell and rifle fire. For that nights work we were congratulated by the General.

A few days afterwards we were called upon to lay wire entanglements, and succeeded in laying 1,500 yards in three hours, despite very heavy fire, and once again we were congratulated by the General.

About a week before I received my wounds we were ordered to dig a communication trench, about 4 miles in length, a task which took us about five days to conclude.

One day while we were working in the trenches a shell fell right between two of our lads and blew them to pieces.