George William GOTT

12 January 1917

CONONLEY – SOLDIERS’ COMFORTS

The committee having the above matter in hand must feel amply repaid for their services in arranging for the despatch of parcels to the Cononley boys at the front. At a meeting held on Monday night at the Village Institute a balance sheet was presented showing how the sum of £30 2s. the proceeds of a concert and tea held in November last, had been dealt with. Of the 60 parcels sent out to France, Salonika, and various training centres in England the majority of the recipients had replied thanking the committee for the kindness and generosity of the people of Cononley in remembering them in so practical a manner. The sum of about 19 guineas had been expended in providing the parcels, which each contained a supply of confectionery, cigars, cigarettes, and a number of small but useful articles for men on active service. The ones for the boys at the front were more bulky than those for the boys in training in England. Each parcel contained a letter written by one of the children attending the Council School, and quite a budget of replies have been received by them. All the replies are couched in the most optimistic and cheerful terms, and it is very noticeable that all of the writers from the front have described the brighter side of warfare, evidently being undesirous of upsetting children’s minds. One characteristic letter from Pte. Geo. Gott, who had been buried by the bursting of a shell at the front, but who fortunately had been rescued, and is now in hospital in England, reads as follows:– “Dear Roddy,– I was very pleased indeed to find your letter enclosed in the parcel which I received to-day from the Cononley Soldiers’ Comforts Fund. It is very kind of the people of Cononley to go to such trouble and expense in sending us these splendid parcels, but all the boys will appreciate them, I am sure, especially those who are out at the front. Am pleased to say I am improving fine, and hope to spend a few days’ leave in Cononley soon. Am sorry I cannot send you a souvenir from the Somme. I had several things, including a revolver which I got from an officer in the Prussian Guards, but lost them all when I was buried. Will close with best wishes for a happy Christmas. Yours sincerely, Geo. Gott.” Another, Pte. Norman Baines, writes from the front:– “I have had a jolly good Christmas under the circumstances. We had an excellent dinner, roast meat, plum pudding, etc., etc. At night we had a good concert, got up by the boys of our battalion, and it was a treat. I was buried a few weeks ago with other seven, five inside and three outside the dug-out. We were fetching some wounded men in. My mate and I had just got to the door with a lad who had had his leg broken when a shell came and buried us all, breaking my mate’s leg, too, but I am pleased to say we got them all out little worse for the shock. Am keeping in the best of health and spirits, I am pleased to say, and I hope I shall continue so till this job is over.” The children are all proud of their letters, and will no doubt keep them for many years to come as mementos of the great war. A sum of £10 10s. 2d. still remains in hand, which the committee have decided to spend in providing a further supply of socks and some useful articles requested by the boys at the front. Miss Clayton, the secretary, who has had charge of the fund, and the committee of ladies who have assisted her, deserve special recognition for their services.

17 May 1918

CRAVEN AND THE WAR

Cononley Soldier Wounded

Information was received some little time ago by Mrs. Wormwell, of Aire View, Cononley, with whom he lodged, that Pte. George Gott had been wounded on April 13th, but no further news has been received as to his whereabouts.