War letter was another piece of the jigsaw...

THE discovery of a letter was “another piece of the jigsaw” for one woman who wanted to know more about her uncle and other relatives who fought in the First World War.

Katherine Miller’s uncle Thomas Alfred Huggins wrote a letter found by his daughter Margaret — Mrs Miller’s cousin — while looking through his belongings five years ago. Alfred’s children now live in Australia.

The letter touched them so much that each member of the family now has a copy of it, which gives an insight to the man they never met or knew.

Alfred — as he was known — wrote the letter on December 20 to his youngest brother Lynton who, aged 10, was far too young to go and fight in the war. His children now live in Australia.

Alfred was killed on January 11 serving with the Kings Royal Rifle Corps, less than a month after writing his letter, in which he described life in the trenches.

Mrs Miller (78), who now lives in Rochdale and is a head teacher at a Middleton school, went to visit Alfred’s grave in Cambrin, France, with her family.

She said: “It was quite moving to see the graves, even though we never knew him. We always talk about him, our uncle Alfred. He was always part of the family.

“The letter did raise a lot of questions — it’s just another piece of the jigsaw.”

Fortunately, the other three brothers who fought in the First World War — Cecil, John Neville and Alwyn — survived, though Alwyn did sustain an injury to his right arm.

Their father, Thomas Alfred Huggins, had initially moved from Pendle to Oldham to become a police inspector in Chadderton.

The brothers continued to live in Oldham for the rest of their lives.

Cecil was injured in France, where he met his wife Lily who was serving as a nurse.