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This is an extract from a newsletter published in December, 1943 in Hesketh Bank, Lancashire ...

The Rectory
Hesketh Bank
December 1943

My Dear Friends,
This is to wish you, with all my heart, and with all our hearts in Hesketh Bank, a happy Christmas and a victorious New Year.
I am not just saying the usual thing when I tell you that you will be much in our thoughts at Christmastime. Christmas is a wonderful link between us all, and especially with that lovely thing we call "Home" and all it stands for. But it is more than this. It links our thoughts to Christ the Saviour of the world, who did once come from Heaven to earth to show us that God is really love, and who comes still to comfort and strengthen us here and now in 1943
May He therefore make your Christmas a happy one, for even though you are far away from us, we are all near to each other in Him.
Yours very sincerely,
A P THORNE

Dear Friends,
The Rector has very kindly invited me to write a few lines for the monthly "News Letter" which I gladly do. To some of you boys serving your Country in many parts of the world I feel somewhat of a stranger, although I have been resident in Hesketh Bank for upwards of 16 years. It is my regret that I knew very few of you personally until this War started when I was asked to take over the local unit of the Home Guard. Since those days I have come into contact with many of you and to-day I feel that I am looked upon almost as a "Native". I daresay you know what I mean.
Life in the village passes without very much excitement. You will be glad to know that most of our local farmers got their harvest in pretty good condition, despite a very bad spell of wet weather. Shortage of labour was again acute but the Army came to the rescue and sent quite a large "fatigue party" to one of our bigger farms. The Home Guard, as in previous years, cancelled several training parades so that those engaged in farm work could get on with the job without interruption.
In conclusion, I would just like to mention that several men have been directed for duty with the Home Guard, so you will see that we at home are not being permitted to slacken our efforts to bring final victory nearer.
Good luck to you all, a speedy end to the War and a safe return.
Yours sincerely,
W O HOLMES Commanding Home Guard
15/11/43

POINTS FROM LETTERS
The Rector acknowledges a very appreciative letter from Charles Bury from somewhere in Italy. He thanks us warmly for the NL as "a link with home".
Fred Carr writes from the same country, thankful for a welcome change from sand and flies, though the mosquitoes (the little ones) bother them a lot. Once again he wishes to be remembered to Bert Miller and Tom Brewer. He is looking forward to the last "All Clear" which will mean re-union.

The Rector has received a very interesting card from an Army Chaplain at Tripoli worded as follows.
"To our Fellow Christians in the Hesketh Bank Parish we send greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus from a Church in the Middle East which was recently visited by John Jackson, of Newarth Lane, Hesketh Bank".
Signed H P Woodburn, Chaplain
SCF Tripoli, NEF

Joan Binns, of the WRNS writes to tell us that her unit has been recently inspected by the Duchess of Kent who is the WRNS Commander-in-Chief. She was very charming, has a most fascinating voice. They were all very thrilled to meet her. They have just started a play-reading group, and enjoy plenty of games and entertainments after work is done.
William Bailey writes again his thanks and particularly for the letter from Mr Bowker.
Ernest Buck writes of his cricket matches in the summer, and of four games of football already played this season. The neighbouring Padre seems to have been a great help to Ernest's Unit.
Ronald Whiteside says he has not seen rain since May (unlike us!) so we can guess what colour he will be before he gets home. He has seen and heard George Formby and also heard a very fine Egyptian Military Band. The day he wrote Sept. 30th, was Christmas Day in those parts. It was strange, he says, to be greeted with a Merry Christmas in September.
Reggie Cookson writes to say that of all the magazines and papers he receives, none are so interesting as the NL. He sends congratulations to Frank Cookson on his marriage, also to another old friend, Sgt.B Stringfellow of the Home Guards on his recent Certificate reward from the G.O.C.
JW Parkinson reports what he himself is OK and the camp where he is stationed is very good for food. He wishes to be particularly remembered to Tom Hurst, Jim Coulton, and Sam Long, whom he hopes is better and out of hospital, also to all the boys overseas he sends a Happy Christmas and New Year.
Bob Iddon says that he received the March NL on Sept 5th for which we are very sorry. It was evidently chasing him round from pillar to post. We thank him for the criticism of the NL for which we asked our readers. He evidently likes the articles about the home country-side such as Sydney Iddon's on the "shining plough" and the seagulls etc. We will try to remember this in the future. Bob has had an interesting journey through the tropics, completing it by crossing the famous mountain range called the Karoo on his twenty-first birthday. Following a troupe of monkeys into the bush he suddenly came across a large snake, and only a few days before he wrote he helped to kill a cobra outside his hut. When he goes ashore he stays with some people who used to live in Banks.
Acknowledgements also to John Wrigglesworth (Navy) (husband to Leah Clews, the Walk) for his recent letters, and to Joe Power from his near station in Cheshire. Leslie Bramwell writes to say that his experience in certain parts proves that old England can teach others a lesson in cleanliness. An officer of his unit knows Hesketh Bank and said to Leslie "That is the place where they go shooting wild geese. How I would like to taste one now". Leslie wants to be remembered to Harry Buck.
Walter Bassett writes from Northern Ireland. He was fortunate in seeing the "Stalingrad Sword" on view in Belfast.
The Rector apologises to Thomas Bond for the wrong address on his NL. He is rectifying it this time.

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