George BLAND

03 March 1916

GLUSBURN

GLUSBURN SOLDIER'S LETTERS HOME - Pte. George Bland, of the 8th Duke of Wellington's, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Bland of Green Lane, Glusburn, writing home to his parents, tells of some very trying experiences through which he has had to pass since leaving home in August last for the Dardanelles. In referring to the country, Pte. Bland says: "There is not much to see out here except black mountains, a few farms and the sea. We have managed to get into a village once, but we could not stick it, it was black with the dead and the stench was awful." In recent letters, Pte. Bland writes from St. Paul's Hospital, Malta, where he is suffering from jaundice. He speaks in high terms of the treatment he has received while in the hospital, everything being done for him that is possible. In referring to the town, he says: "It is a very nice place; lonely. The people here are mixed, some black, others brown. The women do beautiful silk work, some of which I intend to send you now that I have received some pay." Referring to the Gallipoli campaign, he says: "We thought once over we had the Turks beaten. We got them fairly on the run, but we were short of reinforcements, and could not carry the job through. We are not allowed to tell much in our letters, which are all censored; but I will tell you one thing that happened while we were in the trenches. A friend of mine complained of internal pains and remarked, "I will bet you a shilling, George, that when we get out of here I shall have to go to hospital." Scarcely had the words been spoken when a shrapnel shell burst near him and blew off one of his legs, so his words came true. He cried and fretted very much about his wife and children. At times it is like murder here, and at other times you would think there was no war. Two of our biggest enemies are water in the trenches and flies. They are horrible." In his last letter home he writes: "I am fit again and am going to Egypt. I should have liked to come home but I shall be glad to have a look at some of the places in Egypt. Some of the things I have passed through have been like hell, but it is our duty, and has to be done by somebody."

27 October 1916

BLAND - On September 30th, killed in action in France, Pte. G. Bland, of the West Riding Regiment, of Sutton.

27 October 1916

CROSSHILLS MAN KILLED IN ACTION

Mrs. George Bland, of Wilson Street, Crosshills, has received official information that her husband, Private George Bland, of the West Riding Regiment, was killed in action in France on September 30th. Pte. Bland joined the forces in March 1915, and went out with his regiment in the July following to Gallipoli, where he went through some very severe fighting without receiving a scratch. While there his health broke down and he was taken to Malta where he remained for some time in hospital. While there he entertained strong hopes of having his first leave home. In this he was disappointed, for on recovery he was transferred to Egypt and thence to France. In his last letter to his wife he writes:- "I am quite all right, after what we went through. I am glad to tell you I was one of the lucky ones to come out without a scratch. I have just been talking to Tom Hill. He was fetching in the wounded and putting the dead heroes away. The Germans we faced were a faint-hearted lot. To tell you the truth, they gave themselves up by hundreds. They were paid and they knew it. They threw up their hands and cried for mercy. We are doing well here. When we went through their trenches it was a bit of a melee. Some of their dugouts were nearly 60 feet deep. They were like palaces - beds and everything. They are ours now." In closing, Pte. Bland refers to the local lads he had just seen - E. Green, R. Whiteoak, Phillips, Chapman and others. He considered things are looking so well that it won't last long.