Surtees SHEFFIELD

11 December 1914

A BRITISHER’S PATRIOTISM

We have received from Mrs. Wayte Hicks, of West House, Dent, wife of Captain Wayte Hicks, the following extract from a letter received from her brother, Mr. Surtees Sheffield, who volunteered and served through the South African War, and who is again making a great sacrifice, and is on his way to England to give his services on behalf of the Empire. We publish it in the ‘hope’ that it will stimulate waverers to decide to fight for their King Country:-

Perak, F.M.S., October, 1914.

‘‘Well, the war has been on for months, and it will, I fear, be a good many more before all is quiet again. As you are an Englishwoman, I feel I can say it-otherwise I would not own up to it - but I am very nearly ashamed of my country, in that the recruiting has not been faster. Just think, 40 million people in. England alone, and of those 40 million at the lowest estimate 8 million are able-bodied (single men, between the ages of 19 and 35). Of those eight million, suppose three million are already serving or unable to serve owing to other duty or sickness, where are the other five million, as it took Kitchener over three weeks to get a paltry 1,000,000 men?

‘‘I read ‘The Times’ with painful surprise. I cannot suppose the men at- home are cowards, but only that, even now, they cannot realise that England is not fighting for the premier place, but for her very existence. The nut who only thinks about his clothes, I suppose, does not care whether England is ruled by German militarism or not; but look at the example set by India, Australia, Canada, and all the dependencies.

‘‘There never was a finer response in answer to the call to arms than that which has come from all corners of the Empire, while many in England still hold back. In this part of the world we are not numerous enough to form a contingent, but over 40 men have already left to serve, having thrown up jobs worth 600 dols a month, and paid their own passage money of 450 dols – just because they think the Empire requires them. They do not leave in a blaze of excitement and cheering with bands playing but just go off quietly. You miss a man, and, on inquiring, the reply is always the same, ‘Oh he left for home last week to enlist.’

‘‘Years ago the King said, ‘Wake ‘up England,’ and I trust by now, or anyway by the time this reaches you, things will have improved in this direction. As to myself I have decided to go home if it can possibly be managed, but I fee1 I have no right to leave the estate and the large number of coolies employed with no one in command. I have written and cabled to the Company and also written privately to H-----. If they will grant the leave, I shall sail as early as possible; if they won’t and things get worse at home I shall have to take French leave and chance my luck at getting another job after the war.

‘‘But I am not thinking of myself one little bit, though I can’t quite forget the help I might be to the family… But I don’t think that ought to be allowed to enter into the calculations, so I am still undecided whether to play the game by the Company I serve or the Empire, and the Empire must take the first place.

‘‘I see poor K----- among the list of killed. It is very sad, but what must be must be, and I fear there will be few families who will not lose someone. But what a cause in which to fall? All who fall and those who mourn them are offering their lives (and what is dearer than life in many cases) to save the Empire and the race. Can there be a finer cause?”

05 February 1915

DENT – War Item

Mr. Surtees Sheffield, youngest brother of Mrs. Wayte Hicks, of West House, Dent, has obtained a commission as first lieutenant in the Hampshires, now stationed at the Isle of Wight.

20 August 1915

DENT – War Items

Lieutenant S. Sheffield, of the 9th Hampshires, reported missing at the Dardanelles, is brother of Mrs. Wayte Hicks, of West House, Dent. Lieutenant Sheffield has been specially mentioned in dispatches by Sir Ian Hamilton. Early in July he was wounded and sent to hospital. He returned to the Front and was reported missing from August 9th.–Owing to the generosity of local farmers, Mrs. Hicks has been able to send to Red Cross hospitals a supply of Dent-dressed walking sticks. These have been most thankfully acknowledged, and it is hoped to send a further supply shortly.

29 October 1915

LIEUTENANT SURTEES SHEFFIELD KILLED – A GALLANT OFFICER AND TYPICAL BRITISHER

Lieutenant Surtees Sheffield, attached to the 2nd Hampshire Regiment, who was reported missing on August 6th, is now reported to have been killed on that day while leading his company in an attack on the Turkish trenches in Gallipoli. Lieut. Sheffield had only left hospital at Alexandria five days when he met his death. At the outbreak of war he was rubber planting in Malaga [Malaya], and at once returned to England to take up his commission, which he had resigned after the South African War. For that campaign he held the Queen’s medal with three clasps, and the King’s medal with two clasps, the former being personally presented to him by King Edward at Buckingham Palace in July, 1901, in recognition of his distinguished gallantry at Retief’s Nek. Lieut. Sheffield was in his 38th year, and was the youngest son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Sheffield, and brother of Mrs. Wayte Hicks, of West House, Dent.

Although not a native of Dent, he was well known there and his relations have taken an active part in local matters for many years.

On Sunday morning the Vicar (the Rev. E. S. Curwen) referred to him in his sermon as “A gallant officer who had fought in the South African War, and came from the other end of the world to fight for us.” Special hymns were sung and the organist played ‘O Rest in the Lord’ (Mendelssohn) as a voluntary.

04 July 1919

PEACE SUPPLEMENT TO THE 'CRAVEN HERALD' – CRAVEN'S FALLEN OFFICERS

LIEUTENANT. S. SHEFFIELD

2nd Hants. Regiment, brother of Mrs. Wayte Hicks, West House, Dent, killed in action August 6th, 1915.