South Yorkshire Times, April 4, 1953

Better News.

For the past two months Mr and Mrs Richard Bettney, 215, Cemetery Road Wath, have wondered about their sick son, stationed in Malaya.

Much of their worry has been relieved this week by a letter from the officer commanding the 12th Royal Lancers. Major W. Delaney, who wrote to Mr and Mrs Bettney informing them that their son, Trooper Gordon Richard Bettney. was recovering from a serious tropical illness contracted two months ago.

They first heard of his illness in a telegram from the Record Office, Enfield, Middlesex. This was the first intimation that Gordon had been in the British Military Hospital at Kamuntung since February 2nd and had not written to his parents, telling them of the illness.

Gordon attended Wath Park Road Modern I School and prior to National Service training he was employed by G. H. Smickersgill, Wath.

He joined the Army in 1951 and volunteered for five years’ service. After five and a half months’ basic training at Catterick he was drafted to Malaya. At present the Lancers are taking part in rounding up operations in the jungle.