BERWICK ADVERTISER, 1 NOVEMBER 1918
Berwick Officer Severely Wounded
LIEUT. ALF. M. HUFFAM
We regret that we are not able to record much improvement in the condition of Lieut. Alf. Huffam, West Riding Regiment, son of Mr and Mrs Huffam, 119 High Street, Berwick, who was admitted on the 12th October to a Casualty Clearing Station in France, suffering from a wound in the face, and a severe wound in the back.
His brother has written home stating that though his condition has not shown much improvement, he is cheery and seems determined to get well again. We earnestly trust this determination will pull him through, and that next reports will be favourable.
Liuet. Huffam; who in civil life was a coach builder in Berwick, enlisted in the earliest stages of the war in the local battalion of the N.F. After training, he proceeded to France and came safely through the Second Battle of Ypres, and subsequent operations at Hooge, and on the Somme. He was recommended for a commission, and about a year ago was gazetted to the West Riding Regt. Since then he has seen heavy fighting, and has been mentioned in despatches. His younger brother made the supreme sacrifice last year, and other two brothers are in the N.F. Lieut. Huffam’s father was for over twenty-one years with the Royal Highlanders, and on leaving the Army was for some years a Volunteer Instructor.
The many friends of the wounded officer, especially those with whom he has associated in the Baptist Church Bible Class, wish him a speedy and thorough recovery.
War News
Military Cross for Berwick Officer
SEC. LT. JOHN STUART HARVEY
We extend our heartiest congratulations to Lieut. John Stuart Harvey, Worcesters, second son of Mr and Mrs S. G. Harvey, Railway Street, on his being awarded
the Military Cross for gallantry.
Lieut. Harvey joined up in 1915 as a private in the Northumberland Fusiliers, and was recommended for a commission before proceeding to France with his
regiment. After service in France he was brought home to undergo his course, and was later gazetted to the Worcesters. He took part in the masterly retreat conducted during the German offensive in March last, and when the record of how he earned his decoration is published, we believe it will be for gallantry there.
Lieut. Harvey served his apprenticeship with Messrs Johnston and Darling, Berwick, but at the time of his enlistment, he was on the staff of Messr Donaldson and Company, seedsmen, Edinburgh. We trust he will be long spared to wear his honour.
War News
Mrs Sutherland, Berwick, has received the following letter from a friend of her late husband, Sergt, Laurie Sutherland.
Dear Mrs Sutherland, – I want to just write you a note about your husband. You will longer this have received word from the War Office as it has taken me a long 
time to find out particulars about him. He was up with me moving the battery forward on the night of the 30th Sept., and was unfortunately wounded by a mine going off on the road. I had left him but a few minutes to go on with some other lorries and did not know of the occurrence until he had been dressed and taken to hospital by the other men with him. As we have been moving forward every day I have not been able to get any news of him until I got an official note of his death three days afterwards on a hospital train.Those with him said that they did not think he was dangerously wounded and his death has come as a great shock to us all. He was not only one of the best sergeants that I have ever known, but as a man he was the finest that it has ever been my good fortune to work with. He was liked and respected by everyone. All this sense of loss that we feel is nothing compared to your irreparable loss, and I and all his old comrades wish me to send you their deepest sympathy. He has died as he always worked, so that the children of today and of tomorrow may not know the awfulness of war. It is, I know, but poor consolation to you and to his little girl of whom he so often spoke, but he has not died in vain. He leaves behind the splendid memory of a great hearted man. Please accept most sincere sympathy in your terrible loss. Yours very truly, FRED RANDALL.
SPITTAL COUNCIL SCHOOL
CHILDREN’S SALE OF WORK ON BEHALF
OF WAR CHARITIES WEEK
A successful Sale of Work organised by the scholars of Spittal Council School under the guidance of their teachers, took place in the school on Saturday afternoon. A big crowd of parents and others interested in the School made a lively scene, the Central Hall being quite filled.
The various stalls were as follows:-
Work Stall – Mrs Clements, Mrs Burn, Miss Lee.
Doll Stall – Jenny Martin, Agnes White, Barbara Wood.
Golliwogs, Beads, toys – Roberta Johnson
Guessing Stall – Two chickens, a cheese, two cakes, etc – Ella Martin
China and Glass Ware – Miss Dickinson
Jumble Stall – Miss Millar, Eta Dumble
Dip – Lizzie Johnson
Vegetable Stall – John Rutherford, Robt.Wood, Matthew Holburn, Alex. Patterson, William McLeod.
Door Keeper – Miss J. Wood
Parisian Tea Rooms – Miss Noble, Miss Johnson, Miss Borthwick, Miss Wolfe.
Mrs J. Campbell made the tea and was of great help. The largest of the classrooms made a delightful tea room.
We were specially amused with the boys in charge of the Vegetable Stall. This was not a sum to work, it was not even playing at shops; it was real buying and selling. A customer appears, goods are displayed, real weights and measures and scales are used, real money is handed over and there is no discount.
The most optimistic expected to draw about £5 and we can imagine how surprised and delighted all were when the headmaster, Mr T. W. G. Borthwick announced that the nett proceeds amounted to £25. The parents and inhabitants of Spittal deserve the greatest praise for having given of their best and spared no expense to enable their children to do credit to their school in the various efforts to make “Children’s Day” a success.
Local News
The collection of plumstones and nut shells organised by the Patriotic Fund and kindly assisted by local grocers and greengrocers, is about to be sent to Government headquarters. Any contributions should be handed in without delay, and will be thankfully received. The proceeds, as our readers are aware, are used in the manufacture of gas masks, and the object should therefore appeal strongly to those who appreciated the value of such protectors of the lives of our men in the trenches.
Under sad circumstances the death has occurred of Mrs Reap, married quarters, wife of Private J. W. Reap, K.O.S.B., at present on active service. Mrs Reap, who is a daughter of Mrs Lough, West Street, died suddenly after a short illness, and leaves a family of seven children. Unfortunately the relations found it impossible to get into touch with Private Reap, and although funeral arrangements were delayed until Saturday, 19th, he was not present, and as yet no word had been received from him.