We Expected the D.C.M. for Our Good Work

28th June 1916, page 10 Another letter from Sergeant Gutteridge of Bromley explaining the fun the ‘boy’ had trying to keep the soldiers awake! Of course we expected the D.C.M. for our good work in keeping the men awake “We had some fun a few nights ago. We had to “stand to” and the boys were allowed to lay down their equipment and helmets on, but not to go to sleep. We found it difficult to keep them awake, so a few gathered round and told them the methods used…

We found it difficult to keep them awake

23rd June 1916, page 10 More tales from the Front Line provided by Sergeant Gutteridge of Bromley: “We had some fun a few nights ago. We had to “stand to” and the boys were allowed to lay down their equipment and helmets on, but not to go to sleep. We found it difficult to keep them awake, so a few gathered round and told them the methods used by the Huns when they gas us. This is how the tale went. The Germans send forth to our line trained monkeys,…

A Good Tune Would Make All the Difference

5th May 1916, page 5 WHO WILL? Sergeant Gutteridge (long known to our readers as Corporal Gutteridge), of Bromley, and now “somewhere in France,” writes:- “Have any of your Bromley readers a gramophone they could send the boys? One is apt to get dull when all is quiet, and I have an idea a good tune would make all the difference. If someone would be so kind as to send the boys of our Battalion a gramophone I am sure they would more than appreciate their kind gift. You have…

A Narrow Escape

28th April 1916, pge 2 CORPORAL GUTTERIDGE HAS A NARROW ESCAPE In a recent letter home Corporal Gutteridge relates a narrow escape he had. He says: “I was conducting a sergeant of a certain regiment (who was taking over our trenches) to a listening post in front of our firing line, when the Germans opened fire on us with a machine-gun, and I, being near the parapet, at once jumped over. Being dark, I did not notice a rifle and bayonet that a sentry had left on the fire-step, so…

I wonder who will start the games today

14th April 1916, page 8 I ran across one of the Bromley boys last week, and we had a jolly good time, in fact the best I had spent since being out here. As ever cheerful and optimistic, Gutteridge writes to the Bromley Times of life in the trenches. Dear Editor:- APRIL FOOLS DAY I wonder who will start the games today. We have had a quiet week, owing to being moved to another part of the line. The weather being of the best recently we are having a good…

Tribute to Captain Ross

10th March, 1916 page 10 CORPORAL GUTTERIDGE’S LETTERS: TRIBUTE TO CAPTAIN ROSS Last week we had two communications from Corporal Gutteridge, of Bromley, 1324, B Company, 8th Royal West Kent Regiment, whose cheery and optimistic letters are always welcome, although indeed they are but characteristic, as our readers know, of all the letters from the men at the Front. It is only the less hard-worked civilian at home who finds time, and thinks he has cause, for grousing. One of Corporal Gutteridge’s letters, referring to the death of Captain Ross,…

He died a soldier’s death

3rd March 1916 (page 5) CAPTAIN W URQUHART ROSS – an officer respected by all his men As will be seen in the following extract from John Gutteridge, He had great respect for this commander of the regiment and spoke very highly of him: Another tribute to the deceased officer came to our hand only yesterday, from Corporal Gutteridge, of B Company, 8th Royal West Kents. In a letter which he says #“We are having a busy time, but the Germans have had a busy time as well dodging our shells.”…

People hardly know how we appreciate such comforts here.

25th February 1916 (page 2) OUR WARMEST TIME Our genial correspondent, Corporal Gutteridge, Royal West Kent Regiment, says:- “Deart Sir, – Have been very busy. Have been relieved from the trenches after being away from the rest camp for twelve days. My word! It has been our warmest time. The Germans have done nothing else but shell us, the shells dropping right in our trenches. But we have been very lucky. They must have sent, in all, something like a thousand shells; and we only had six casualties. We expected…

15th October 1915 – Letter from Gutteridge

I wonder what we fellows will do after the war Also printed on 15th October, 1915, Gutteridge gives us an interesting insight into life in the trenches. “Our regiment has just returned from the trenches, and had a very peaceful time; a change from the bayonet scrap we had on the 26th of September, we coming our this time with a complete roll. The only danger we had was when we relieved the —, and when we were relieved by the —, as they (the Germans) have machine guns sighted…

Their work was deserving of the highest praise

28th January 1916 COMMENDATIONS FOR WEST KENTS Corporal Gutteridge, of the 8th West Kents, who has recently returned to the trenches, after a brief visit home on leave, writes: “I thought probably you would like to know that two of our fellows have been commended for special work. While the regiment were in the firing line at ___ Private Calaw and Private Watson crawled from our own lines to the enemy’s, and sketched their firing trench, and arrived back in our line quite safely. I might say that their work…