During WWI several thousand soldiers from Yorkshire were billeted with Gainsborough families during their training here.
After they went out to France in April 1915, the local paper published many of their letters describing life in the trenches and breaking news of injuries and deaths.
The Gledhill family, from 4 Cromford Street, had four Sergeants billeted with them and several of their letters were published in the paper, one of them saying “We often talk of the happy days we were lucky enough to spend with you.”
Then in October the Gledhill’s received a letter saying that Sergeant Dick Simon had been killed in action by a sniper. Another of the sergeants was killed in 1918.
It is hoped to produce a book about these Yorkshire soldiers including their letters published in the newspaper and if any Gainsborough people know that during WW1 their families had soldiers billeted with them the Friends will be delighted to hear from them.
One of the West Yorkshire soldiers who was billeted here was Captain Maurice Lupton, killed in action