News from Distant Lands
Title
News from Distant Lands
Description
A newspaper cutting about the three Homewood brothers who are serving in the Army, Navy and Air Force. Three more articles cover other Boston residents on active service.
Language
Type
Format
One newspaper cutting
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Rights
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Contributor
Identifier
NHomewoodWR190724-01
Transcription
NEWS FROM DISTANT LANDS
Below, left to right, are Dick, Harry, Bill Homewood, one of whom is in each of the three Services.
[photograph]
THREE BROTHERS
Boston Family’s Proud Record
MRS. HOMEWOOD, of 7, Chapel-of-Ease Passage, High Street, Boston, the widow of Mr. T. Homewood, has three serving sons – one in each of the three Services.
Harry, the eldest, is in the Royal Corps of Signals, and is engaged in radiolocation work. He joined the R.C.S. ten months ago, having previously served for 18 months in the Irish Fusiliers. He is married and has a week-old daughter. Prior to joining up he was employed as a clerk, by Messrs. W. Sinclair and Sons. Ltd., agricultural merchants, and was educated at Boston Grammar School, where he passed the Cambridge Examination.
Dick, an A.B. in the Royal Navy, which he joined 2 1/2 years ago, is a gunlayer on a convoy ship. He was at Dover just after the beginning of the war, and had experience of enemy bombing there. Since then he has visited Cape Town and Calcutta. Dick, who is unmarried, was home on leave last February. He was employed by Messrs. J. and J. Beaulah, Wide Bargate Boston, before entering the Navy.
L.A.C. William Homewood, R.A.F., is at present serving in South Africa. He celebrated his 21st birthday there last month and joined up about 1 1/2 years ago.
Of his arrival at his station he says, “We arrived on a hot, sunny day, and immediately bought plenty of chocolate, bananas and apples. We were only a day in our first camp, then we had a grand two days’ train journey to our present station. The people here are very hospitable, and while on the journey they cheered us and gave us the ‘thumbs up’ sign. We spent three hours at Bloemfontein station, and had a grand time there.
“We were walking towards a certain town two days after our arrival at camp, when a big car pulled up beside us, and gave us a ‘lift’ to the town, where the inhabitants were holding a carnival. After spending the afternoon at the festivities, we went to a W.V.S. canteen and had two eggs, sausage and bacon, bread and butter and coffee, all for one shilling.”
Bill, an old boy of Boston Grammar School, has met Jack Howes, R.A.F., son of Mr. and Mrs. R.L. Howes, confectioners, of Dolphin Lane, Boston, since he has been in South Africa.
A son-in-law of Mrs. Homewood, A.B. James Watson, R.N.V.R., of 7, Chapel of Ease Passage, High Street., Boston, is serving in the Middle East. He was among the last to leave Tobruk, remaining on the beach until only two small ships remained in the harbour to take off survivors.
In escaping from Tobruk, he was wounded in an arm and leg by shrapnel.
Before Tobruk fell, A.B. Watson met two Boston men there. They are Jack Hayway (his cousin) and Tom Lowe, who is now a prisoner of war. A.B. Watson is married, and has a son, Alan, aged 3 years
“AN EXCITING EVENT”
SIGNALMAN John L. Woods, Royal Corps of Signals, of 39, St. John’s Road, Boston, and now of “Somewhere in the Middle East,” is another typical example of Britain’s reticent fighting men. Of a particularly exciting event, which he admitted to his mother, he says, “I hope I never encounter such an event again.”
The son of Mr. and Mrs. Woods, of St John’s Road, “Johnny” is the nephew of Lieut. H. Woods, R.A.F., a former headmaster of Carlton Road School, and the cousin of Lieut. Gerard Woods, R.N.
Educated at St. Nicholas’ School and at St Botolph’s School, “Johnny” has been in the Army for 2 1/2 years. He has met L.A.C. A.W. Peberdy, R.A.F., in the Middle East.
MILLIONS TO ONE!
WE have received the following letter from L.A.C. A. W. Peberdy, a Bostonian, who is stationed in the Middle East:
“I should like you to know how much pleasure your paper gives to us who are so many miles away from home. It is really grand to read the news of the old town, although the paper arrives three months old. I always eagerly await their arrival.
“I have met yet another Bostonian to-day. Sgt. Edgar Littlechild, who resides in Duke Street. He is the second Bostonian I have met in this place in two months. I used to see many of the Boston boys when stationed in Egypt, but since I have been moved Bostonians have seemed scarce.
“Reading your ‘Standard’ dated 4TH July last, I noticed that a Boston woman had written 872 words on a postcard. So I told my friends about it. One of them, a native from Cheshire, then showed me a postcard from his wife. I was very surprised to find that on it was written 79 lines with 822 words, and with that I meekly kept quiet and my heart is still palpitatinng [sic]!
“Whilst playing a game of solo in the canteen (two Lincolnshire chaps from Grimsby and a Londoner and myself) the Londoner picked up a hand containing all the 13 diamonds. In my hand I held A K Q J 10 9 8 5 2 Spades, A Hearts, and two lttle [sic] Clubs My call was abundance only to be overcalled by abundance declared. This is the first time I have ever seen this happen. Is it done often?”
[Note: No, Mr. Peberdy, it is not. It is millions to one against. – Ed.]
IN THE MOUNTAINS
“IT is quiet [sic] strange going to bed with several blankets and no mosquito nets, after the heat I have been used to,” writes Corpl. William Hanson Jessup, R.A.F., to his parents Mr. and Mrs. W. Jessup, of 2, Brothertoft Road, Boston, from Darjeeling in the Himalayan Mountains, India, where he has been spending 14 days’ leave.
He continues, “This town is 6,812 feet above sea level and the temperature atmosphere is grand. The snow peaked mountains, lovely views and clear fresh air I can hardly put into words. Boy, oh boy, it is cold to get out of bed in the mornings!”
Corpl. Jessup was at Singapore when it capitulated and from there he went to Rangoon through Burma. He was at a hospital in Poona for three months, suffering from tropical ulcers.
Before he joined the R.A.F. in 1940 he was employed on the clerical staff of Messrs. J. and J. Beaulah, Ltd., Boston. In 1926, when a boy he went to America with his parents and he stayed in Atlantic City. They returned to England in 1935.
Below, left to right, are Dick, Harry, Bill Homewood, one of whom is in each of the three Services.
[photograph]
THREE BROTHERS
Boston Family’s Proud Record
MRS. HOMEWOOD, of 7, Chapel-of-Ease Passage, High Street, Boston, the widow of Mr. T. Homewood, has three serving sons – one in each of the three Services.
Harry, the eldest, is in the Royal Corps of Signals, and is engaged in radiolocation work. He joined the R.C.S. ten months ago, having previously served for 18 months in the Irish Fusiliers. He is married and has a week-old daughter. Prior to joining up he was employed as a clerk, by Messrs. W. Sinclair and Sons. Ltd., agricultural merchants, and was educated at Boston Grammar School, where he passed the Cambridge Examination.
Dick, an A.B. in the Royal Navy, which he joined 2 1/2 years ago, is a gunlayer on a convoy ship. He was at Dover just after the beginning of the war, and had experience of enemy bombing there. Since then he has visited Cape Town and Calcutta. Dick, who is unmarried, was home on leave last February. He was employed by Messrs. J. and J. Beaulah, Wide Bargate Boston, before entering the Navy.
L.A.C. William Homewood, R.A.F., is at present serving in South Africa. He celebrated his 21st birthday there last month and joined up about 1 1/2 years ago.
Of his arrival at his station he says, “We arrived on a hot, sunny day, and immediately bought plenty of chocolate, bananas and apples. We were only a day in our first camp, then we had a grand two days’ train journey to our present station. The people here are very hospitable, and while on the journey they cheered us and gave us the ‘thumbs up’ sign. We spent three hours at Bloemfontein station, and had a grand time there.
“We were walking towards a certain town two days after our arrival at camp, when a big car pulled up beside us, and gave us a ‘lift’ to the town, where the inhabitants were holding a carnival. After spending the afternoon at the festivities, we went to a W.V.S. canteen and had two eggs, sausage and bacon, bread and butter and coffee, all for one shilling.”
Bill, an old boy of Boston Grammar School, has met Jack Howes, R.A.F., son of Mr. and Mrs. R.L. Howes, confectioners, of Dolphin Lane, Boston, since he has been in South Africa.
A son-in-law of Mrs. Homewood, A.B. James Watson, R.N.V.R., of 7, Chapel of Ease Passage, High Street., Boston, is serving in the Middle East. He was among the last to leave Tobruk, remaining on the beach until only two small ships remained in the harbour to take off survivors.
In escaping from Tobruk, he was wounded in an arm and leg by shrapnel.
Before Tobruk fell, A.B. Watson met two Boston men there. They are Jack Hayway (his cousin) and Tom Lowe, who is now a prisoner of war. A.B. Watson is married, and has a son, Alan, aged 3 years
“AN EXCITING EVENT”
SIGNALMAN John L. Woods, Royal Corps of Signals, of 39, St. John’s Road, Boston, and now of “Somewhere in the Middle East,” is another typical example of Britain’s reticent fighting men. Of a particularly exciting event, which he admitted to his mother, he says, “I hope I never encounter such an event again.”
The son of Mr. and Mrs. Woods, of St John’s Road, “Johnny” is the nephew of Lieut. H. Woods, R.A.F., a former headmaster of Carlton Road School, and the cousin of Lieut. Gerard Woods, R.N.
Educated at St. Nicholas’ School and at St Botolph’s School, “Johnny” has been in the Army for 2 1/2 years. He has met L.A.C. A.W. Peberdy, R.A.F., in the Middle East.
MILLIONS TO ONE!
WE have received the following letter from L.A.C. A. W. Peberdy, a Bostonian, who is stationed in the Middle East:
“I should like you to know how much pleasure your paper gives to us who are so many miles away from home. It is really grand to read the news of the old town, although the paper arrives three months old. I always eagerly await their arrival.
“I have met yet another Bostonian to-day. Sgt. Edgar Littlechild, who resides in Duke Street. He is the second Bostonian I have met in this place in two months. I used to see many of the Boston boys when stationed in Egypt, but since I have been moved Bostonians have seemed scarce.
“Reading your ‘Standard’ dated 4TH July last, I noticed that a Boston woman had written 872 words on a postcard. So I told my friends about it. One of them, a native from Cheshire, then showed me a postcard from his wife. I was very surprised to find that on it was written 79 lines with 822 words, and with that I meekly kept quiet and my heart is still palpitatinng [sic]!
“Whilst playing a game of solo in the canteen (two Lincolnshire chaps from Grimsby and a Londoner and myself) the Londoner picked up a hand containing all the 13 diamonds. In my hand I held A K Q J 10 9 8 5 2 Spades, A Hearts, and two lttle [sic] Clubs My call was abundance only to be overcalled by abundance declared. This is the first time I have ever seen this happen. Is it done often?”
[Note: No, Mr. Peberdy, it is not. It is millions to one against. – Ed.]
IN THE MOUNTAINS
“IT is quiet [sic] strange going to bed with several blankets and no mosquito nets, after the heat I have been used to,” writes Corpl. William Hanson Jessup, R.A.F., to his parents Mr. and Mrs. W. Jessup, of 2, Brothertoft Road, Boston, from Darjeeling in the Himalayan Mountains, India, where he has been spending 14 days’ leave.
He continues, “This town is 6,812 feet above sea level and the temperature atmosphere is grand. The snow peaked mountains, lovely views and clear fresh air I can hardly put into words. Boy, oh boy, it is cold to get out of bed in the mornings!”
Corpl. Jessup was at Singapore when it capitulated and from there he went to Rangoon through Burma. He was at a hospital in Poona for three months, suffering from tropical ulcers.
Before he joined the R.A.F. in 1940 he was employed on the clerical staff of Messrs. J. and J. Beaulah, Ltd., Boston. In 1926, when a boy he went to America with his parents and he stayed in Atlantic City. They returned to England in 1935.
Collection
Citation
“News from Distant Lands,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed September 11, 2026, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/collections/document/45293.