Lawrence McRINK

06 November 1914

Addingham Soldier’s Success

A letter was received on Monday by Mr. S. McRink, Bolton Road, Addingham, from his son Larry, serving with the Expeditionary Force in France. He stated:– ‘I have had the good luck to be made Farrier-Sergeant out here, which will mean more pay, though we have no time to spend it. I don't think the war will last long for the British are driving them back to their own country, and the Belgian and French refugees will be glad, for the women and children have no homes nor food, only what we give them. It is pitiful to see them walking about with babies in their arms, some of them only three and four months old. Remember me to all the boys in Addingham. It is getting cold out here. Have you heard from our John yet, for I think his regiment has got to Germany by now.’

01 January 1915

ADDINGHAM – News from the Front

Mr. S. McRink, Bolton Road, Addingham, has received a letter from his son (who is with the Expeditionary Force), Farrier Sergeant McRink, of the Royal Field Artillery, in which he says:– “It is getting cold and wet out here, but we can stand it as well as the Germans, who are losing a lot of men every day. My battery was in a village the other day and a shell came over and killed five of our drivers and wounded several of our gunners. Next day we caught them napping and mowed them down, and captured a lot of their guns and men. We had a letter from our General, and I am sending you a copy. He thinks the war is over any time, for we beat them in every battle. They are giving themselves up every day. Some are very old men, and some quite young.” The special Order, issued early in November to which reference is made, hardly bears out the idea as to the war being over expressed by the Sergeant, but it provides a fine testimony to the work done by the Army:–“It is an honour to belong to such an Army,” says General Sir John French. “The Field Marshal has to make one more call upon the troops. It is certainly only a question of a few days, and it may be only a few hours, before, if they stand firm, strong support will come; the enemy will be driven back, and in his retirement will suffer at their hands losses even greater than those which have befallen him under the terrific blows by which especially during the last few days he has been repulsed.” The call, as we know, was not made in vain.

30 June 1916

ADDINGHAM – MORE NEWS FROM THE SOLDIERS

Mr. Flint has received the following acknowledgement of parcels sent out:–

Corporal Horace Hustwick writes:–“We have just come out of the trenches after being in eight days and we had it very rough–it rained every day. I hope you all had a nice Whitsuntide; mine was spent in the trenches, and I shan’t forget Whit Saturday night, 1916, for a long time. The Bosches gave us it very hot for an hour and a half, but I think he always gets the worst of it when he starts. I have seen Jack England, Pat Holmes, Ellis Kettlewell, Wilf Ettenfield, Teddy Lister, Patsy O’Shea [McShee], and Segt. Laurie McRink, and they were all looking well. It is nice to come across old faces out here. I have seen Tom Throup too. I was sorry to hear of Fred Fisher getting killed. I am sure I can only wish the best of luck to them that are left.”

13 September 1918

ADDINGHAM – Dangerously Wounded

Mr. Stephen McRink, of Bolton Road, has received a telegram from the Artillery Records, Woolwich, to say that his son, Sergeant L. McRink, is dangerously ill at 21st Australian Casualty Clearing Station, France, suffering from wounds. Permission to visit could not be granted. Sergeant McRink, who wears the Mons Ribbon, had only just returned to France after spending his leave at Addingham.

13 September 1918

ADDINGHAM – STAFF-SERGEANT McRINK DIES IN HOSPITAL

We regret to record that Staff-Sergeant L. McRink, who was reported wounded last week, died of his wounds on September 8th at the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station. His father, Mr. Stephen McRink, has received the following letter from Major R. L. Griffiths, commanding D165 Brigade, R.F.A.:–

“Dear Sir, – You will no doubt have heard of the death of your son, Staff Sergeant McRink, from wounds received in action. Will you allow me to express on my own and on behalf of the other officers and men of the Battalion our deepest sympathy. Sergeant McRink, who had been with us three years, was a very efficient and brave soldier, and will be greatly missed by us all. He was always so cheery and ready to help anyone.”

Sergeant McRink was 32 years of age, and had seen 17 years of service in India, Egypt and France. He has two other brothers serving – Sergeant Major John McRink and Sergeant Ben McRink, both of whom were in the regular Army. We extend our deep sympathy to the family.