Mexborough and Swinton Times, March 9, 1940

Gunner J. Pearson, a former Wath Main Colliery employee, sends us this photograph with a request that it should grace our picture gallery, with the Wath Main connection prominently displayed. We are glad to publish it and hope Gunner Pearson and his pals will enjoy the issues of this paper which they read as regularly as they receive them.

In the picture are: (back row, left to right), Gunners J. Pearson, R. Birks and J. Mount, and (front row) Gunners E. Kelly and C. Hoyle. All worked at Wath Main before joining up. Gunners Pearson, Hoyle and Mount were haulage hands in the Haigh Moor Seam, Gunner Birks was a haulage hand in the Parkgate Seam, and Gunner Kelly was an assistant surveyor. All have their homes in Wath, and all but Gunner Mount are old boys of Wath National School. Gunner Mount is an old Brampton Ellis School boy. Gunner Kelly is also a former Mexborough Technical School student.

“We are all enjoying Army life and every day we wish Fritz would come over so that we could have a crack at him,” writes Gunner Pearson. The boys are with an anti-aircraft battery, and other Wath lads in the same battery are Gunners J. Parkes, P. Kelly, A. Warren, A. Holmes and A. Holt.

“I get the “Times” each week, and all the fads look forward to reading it,” concludes Gunner Pearson.