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| Pte James E. Hurst |
East Lancashire Regiment,
Killed in Action,
1st July 1916,
Age 19
Commemorated Thiepval Memorial
Newspaper Report:
Official news has been received from the Record Office, Preston, by Mr and Mrs. George Hurst, 17 Lower Lane, Haslingden, that their second son, Private J.E. Hurst of the 1st East Lancashire Regiment, has been missing since July 1st. Private Hurst, who was only nineteen years of age, joined the regular army at the end of 1913, and went out to France in December of the following year. He has been wounded twice.
In a letter to the young man's parents, Second Lieutenant H. Charnley says:- "It is with sorrow that I have to inform you that your son has been missing since July 1st." He took part in the operations on that date and since then nothing has been seen or heard of him. Of course this does not necessarily mean that he has been killed for there is a chance that he may be a prisoner in the hands of the enemy and until lists are exchanged we shall not be able to give you any definite news on that point. I deeply sympathise with you and thoroughly appreciate the anxious time you must be going through. I also feel very much my inability to give you any satisfactory information in connection with your son.
Private J.E. Hurst was in the machine gun section of the 1st East Lancashire Regiment, and after being wounded a second time was given the post of servant to Lieut. K.C. Jones, who unfortunately fell in the great battle of July 1st.
Any information regarding Private Hurst will be gladly received by his parents, or by his brother, who is a booking clerk at Rawtenstall Railway station and who resides at 15, Blackburn Road, Haslingden.
