BERWICK ADVERTISER, 31 JANUARY 1919

LOCAL LAD HONOURED

Gunner George Percy Pringle, 10th Battalion, Tank Corps, son of Mr and Mrs Pringle, Murton Farm, has been awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in the field, the honour having only recently come through. Last October when his crew were all casualties or wounded and the Tank had two direct hits, he stuck to his gun and kept the enemy at bay until further assistance arrived. Gunner Pringle joined up in December 1914 in the K.O.S.B., and was at Dardanelles on the memorable 12th July, 1915, was invalided home with dysentery, and was transferred to the Tanks a year ago. His brother William was killed 1916, and another brother, Richard, is serving in a Labour Battalion.

BERWICK’S WAR MEMORIAL

ANIMATED DISCUSSION

A public meeting was held in the Townhall, Berwick, on Thursday evening, 23rd January, for the purpose of considering the question of a War Memorial. The Mayor presided, and, if the audience for a Borough the size of Berwick was disappointingly small (there were perhaps fifty present), it was a distinctly representative one and keen interest was manifested in the discussion. We were glad to notice such a strong representation from Tweedmouth, whose sons have certainly not been lacking in service to their country.

At the commencement the Mayor referring to the special object for which the meeting had been called said the idea of a War Memorial was a laudable one. A visible memorial might not be needed for the present generation, as there were few homes in which there was not resting the sad consciousness of a shadow, caused by the War. It was only fitting that some memorial should be reared to be handed down to future generations, as a reminder of the sublime heroism displayed on the part of our men who had all through shown such an utter disregard to personal danger. The idea of a War Memorial had been considered by the Town Council who resolved to call a public meeting. Suggestions as to what form the memorial should take were to be invited, and, should, so as to be embodied in concrete form, be submitted in writing.

BELFORD AND DISTRICT

Former Belford Lad Honoured

Sergt. Andrew Tully, 15th D.L.I., has been awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in the field. In civil life he was employed as game keeper on the Haggerston Castle Estate and resided at Berrington Law, Beal. Enlisting in 1916 he trained at Redcar, going to France in July of that year, and took part in the great offensive at that time. He was wounded in September 1918. His parents resided for many years in the Belford district but have now removed further south. He married a daughter of Mr and Mrs W. Clark, Belford Station, and has a younger brother in the Army.

SPITTAL NOTES

Private J. Purvis, D.L.I., is once again back to civil life. He went through a course of signalling, this course being rather lengthy it remained incompleted at the time when the Armistice was signed. Being a pivotal man he was amongst the first to be released from military duties. We wish him the best of health, and hope that he will be able to carry on in the usual way a Spittal Spade Works, where he is employed, for long years to rome.

Corpl. B. Lough, T.C’s., has been demobilised. Bart, who joined the N.C.B.’s at Berwick in 15, had the majority of his training in this country, being located in the county of Lincoln. From that training camp he was sent to France, and subsequently transferred to the Tank Corps, and saw a good deal of heavy fighting in that unit. He was sent home on sick leave, and hostilities ceasing in the interval, he was permitted to remain in this country until demobilised. He commences his trade of cooper shortly, in which we wish him every success and robust health to carry on.

TWEEDMOUTH JOTTINGS

We are pleased to see home to Main Street, Tweedmouth, Lanc-Corpl. B. Marston, having received his discharge. He was in Australia at the commencement of the war and came home to do his bit on the battle fields of Europe or elsewhere. He has been in the Labour Corps, and has done much good and useful work with that unit. His eldest son, Private Harold Marston, of the M.G.C., was killed in the St. Julien battle, where so many of our local lads fell.

We notice on leave, Private John Swinney, of the Tank Corps, whose home is at West End Tweedmouth. When mobilization took place he was in the Territorials, after training at Gosforth and Cambois he went to France with his Battalion in 1915, taking part in many actions in which the 7th N.F. were engaged.

He was wounded on the Somme front in November, 1916, his wounds not being of such a nature as to send him to Blighty. He was treated at the Base Hospital. After his recovery he was transferred to the Tank Corps, where he has had some rough work to do with this crawling complex contrivance which has played such a prominent part in the war. We understand he is demobilized and we welcome him back to civil life.