207174 Private Arthur Patrick "Paddy" Burke British army 5th Pals service Manchester from:Salford (d.9th October 1917) My Great Uncle Art/Arthur/Pat/Paddy Burke served from app Nov 1915 to his death, at Paeschendael, in Oct 1915. He was part of A company and spent 1916 around Mametz/ Fricourt, moving between the trenches and Morlancourt. He wrote some 200 plus letters, now with the Imperial War museum, many addressed "Somewhere in France". The recepients were his mother, brother Reg, and his sister (my Grandmother) Tot.
As a "picture" of the life of the private in the Great War these letters are as good as any that have been saved. He managed to circumvent the censor by sending some letters back with friends on furlough, or some who had "got a Blighty one".
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