Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Thursday 19 December 1918

Romance of Gunner’s 1914 Letter.

The promise a Belgian gentleman made to the soldier son Mrs. Wain wright, of Wharncliffe Avenue. Wath-upon-Dearne, four years and three months ago, has just been fulfilled.

On 24th August, 1914, R. Wainwright, R.G.A., wrote a letter informing his mother that he had been unable to write before he had been busy getting from Southampton to Belgium. This letter he gave to Belgian gentleman who promised to post it for him, and the belated letter was received last week.

The delay explained in a covering letter written by a Canadian gunner who, writing from Mons, Belgium, on 19th November last said the enclosure had been given to Belgian gentleman on 24th August, 1914, to mail, but unfortunately the town was captured the same day by the Germans, and under the impression that the letter might contain incriminating evidence, he hid it in the roof of house until the 18th November, when (the Belgian) went to the spot and found the letter and asked the Canadian if would forward it.

The Belgian gentleman’s address was on the back of the letter, and he asked the recipient (Mrs. Wainwright) to acknowledge the receipt. Although the letter had been hidden for four and three months, and the envelope and enclosure was partly mouse-eaten, the contents were easily decipherable.

Wainwright was one the first local soldiers to be mentioned in despatches.