Mexborough and Swinton Times, April 15, 1916

Dr Baxter, Darfield

The following interesting letter has been received from an old Darfield resident, Doctor Baxter, who joined the Royal Engineers last summer, and went to the front in September.

Sapper Baxter is a married man, with a large family, and has two sons serving. He was a miner at the Houghton Main colliery, and was formerly a tenor singer in the Darfield Church Choir, where at one time he was sexton and verger.

The letter reads:

“I have had the pleasure of meeting my two boys out there. They have come to the trenches where we are mining. I shall never forget meeting my lads, and may I also say the Darfield and Houghton Main colliery lads came running to me as though I were father to them all, which I shall try to be while they are near me.

I am sorry to have to tell you we had a visit from the German aeroplanes dropping bombs, and my old bedmate, ever since I enlisted was wounded – poor old George Fisher.

I have felt it very keenly, I can tell you, for out of the three of us who came out together from Darfield there is one killed (Mackmanus), poor old George wounded, and myself; but I am not downhearted, and will still continue to do my best.”