Killed in Action
Private A.G. Sales, of the 3rd Monmouth, who enlisted on August 30th, 1914, went to the Front on May 11th 1915, and in the engagement at Ypres was badly wounded, sustaining fractured ribs.
After being treated in hospital in France, he was sent to Herne Bay, and on becoming convalescent was at his home in Dartford in June for a fortnight’s furlough. He returned to France in August, 1915, and met his death on December 29th, being killed by a shell.
His widow, who lives at 6 Westview Road, Dartford, received the sad news on January 9th, when she had the following letter from her husband’s Captain :-
Flanders, December 31st, 1915
Dear Madam, – I write on behalf of the company to offer our sympathy in the sad loss you have suffered by the death of your husband, who was killed by the explosion of a shell on the 29th inst. He was very popular, and will be very much missed in the company. He was always a good soldier and a brave man as he proved when he was elected to rejoin the regiment, instead of which he might easily have stayed in England. I would remind you that he died serving his King and Country in a time of grave need – Yours sincerely, G. Merton Jones, Captain, 3rd Monmouthshire Regiment.
A few days later, Mrs Sales received this letter from the Commanding Officer :-
January 3rd. Allow me to offer my sincere sympathy in your sad loss of your husband. Private A.G. Sales, who met his death on the 29th December by shell fire while in the performance of his duty for his King and Country.
During the period he had been under my command he had always acted as a good soldier and by his death the battalion has lost a trusty comrade. – (signed) W.B. Bridge, Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding 1/3rd Monmouthshire Regiment.
The War Office intimation was received on January 18th. Great sympathy is felt for Mrs Sales, who has two sons serving at the Front with the Royal Army Medical Corps, and a son-in-law is also with the same corps. Mr Sales’ aged father and mother live in Bayley Road, Dartford…
Source:
Bromley & District Times, January 1916
Record on the cwgc.org website