"Verdi" H V Holroyd

War Service

Pontefract & Castleford Express 31 March 1944 p4 (+ photos)
“HAPPY MEETING
Writing to her aunt, Mrs Holroyd of 1 Cardwell Terrace, Knottingley, Private Sally Haigh of the ATS serving with the British North African Forces, the daughter of Mr and Mrs S Haigh of 27 Broomhill, Knottingley, describes an unexpected happy meeting with her cousin Rifleman H V Holroyd, known in Knottingley as “Verdi.” Pte Haigh says “He came up to my depot at dinner time yesterday, so we had a good half day together. Believe me, when they came and told me a soldier wanted me, I wasn’t going to go out to see; I thought they were ‘having me.’ But when I got out and saw him there, well I just cried on his shoulder - I was so happy. He looks well, and he’s quite alright, so you have nothing to worry about. We have a ’Sergeant McCreedy;’ she’s good to us; she made him have his dinner too, and he had to sit among the girls to have it. He says he may be coming home soon, but wouldn’t it be awful to me if he had to go home after I’ve just met him. Still, I would like to see him going back home, all the same; he’s done his share of fighting if he never does anymore. I’ve prayed every night to God to meet him, and now my prayers have been answered, and I’m so happy. Meeting him has made me feel as though I’m at home a bit. Rifleman Holroyd has been abroad for two years and three months; and Private Haigh arrived in the same area in January.”