Mexborough and Swinton Times November 4, 1939

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hall, of Illsley Road. Darfield, have two sons serving in H.M. Forces, one somewhere abroad, and the other one still in Britain.

The former. Irving Hall (picture), who is 22 formerly worked at Mitchell Main Colliery. He joined up at the age of 18 about four years ago. For a time he was stationed at Pontefract, then was sent out to Gibraltar, where he was stationed for 18 months. He returned to England where he worked as a despatch rider. In his last letter home, three weeks ago, he said they were being sent from England, but said “Don’t worry mother, we shall be all right.”

Newton Hall, his 18 year old brother, who worked at Dearne Valley Colliery, was a supplementary reservist, and was called up on the first day of the war. For a time the brothers were stationed together, but Newton was last week expecting to be moved. When over on leave he said the food was grand and everything was “just lovely.” He is not a bit worried at the prospect of being sent out.

Evidently these lads take after their father who is a miner at Mitchell Main Colliery. He served in the Great War as a sergeant in the 8th York and Lancs. from 1914 to 1918, and was only slightly wounded once. Mr. Hall says he remembers in those days how eagerly they looked out for their “Mexborough and Swinton Times” to see who was out in France and to scan the list of wounded, etc. His boys will be just as eager to get their copies of this paper.