Whitchurch Herald 19th June 1918

Report in the Whitchurch Herald 19th June 1918 of a letter received by Mr and Mrs Heatley regarding the death of their son, Frank Heatley

"Dear Mrs Heatley,
You will probably be surprised to get a letter from me; I am the Wesleyan Minister in Calcutta, and on Friday last I was visiting in the Station Hospital and just casually sat down by the bed of your boy, who was lying very ill. We had a pleasant little talk, especially about home. He was very bright despite his feverish condition and I looked forward to having a further word with him when I visited the Hospital again. On Sunday afternoon however, when I went I found his bed removed, and on enquiry I was greatly surprised and saddened to hear that he passed away on Sunday morning. The man in the next bed told me that he had been taken very much the worst during the night and had been delirious. He wanted to get out of bed, as he said his brother had come and he wanted to go and speak to him. However at 08.30 he sank back and peacefully passed away. Though so far away I could not feel what a very great grief this would be to you when you got the news, and my sympathy went out to you and I prayed, that God would strengthen you that you might bear bravely your great loss. Though I only met him once, I felt immediately that he was a true, simple-hearted British lad, and to think he should pass away in a foreign land to which he had come to do his duty for his country was a sad thought to me, but to you the blow must be very severe. I felt I could not do any less that write a word or two to you in your sorrow.
With sincere sympathy I remain yours, very sincerely,
Fred James, Wesleyan Minister, Calcutta"

Whitchurch Herald 19th June 1918


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