Burnley Express and Advertiser
September 29 1917
Confirmation From Officer
Mr. and Mrs. James Nutter, of Scarrs Farm, Briercliffe, have received the following letter from Lieut. H. Middlewood, dated September 1st:- "I received your letter a few days ago, and will try to answer it as well as I can. When your two sons were killed I was in charge of 52 section. It was a quiet morning, and your sons were standing near one of the guns with three other gunners watching a French aeroplane, when a shell dropped suddenly very near to them, badly wounding all five. A motor ambulance was near, and they were bandaged up and sent off at once to the hospital in the next village. The doctors did all they could, but all five died the same day. I attended the funeral two days later. The service was conducted by a Church of England chaplain, and your sons were buried in a French cemetery."
This letter should now set at rest the unfounded rumours which have been circulated in the district recently.
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