The Supreme Sacrifice
Account of death of Henry "Harry" Langstaff
The supreme Sacrifice.
On Thursday morning last the sad news reached Mrs. George Langstaff, Laburnam House, Witton-le-wear, from the hospital sister, and confirmed by official telegram that her only son, Harry, had died in No. 6 General Hospital, Rouen, following upon amputation of the right leg. Only going out on 23 May last, he went into camp at Sutton, near Hull, and was at home on his first and draft leave in the middle of September, and was in France on 30 Sept. On 25 Oct. a field card was received saying he was wounded, followed by a letter from the sister in charge, dated 30 Oct., intimating that amputation had been successfully performed, and that he had stood the operation well, and his condition was satisfactory. On Thursday morning, 7 Nov., the sister wrote saying the poor lad had passed away after suddenly collapsing from heart failure, on the Saturday night, about 8 o’clock. She added “No doubt greatly due to shock after all the strain that it must be to these lads when in action. He was a good lad I know that no one ever heard him complain.” He was within two months of his 23rd birthday, and was the only son of the late Mr. George Langstaff, who died on 9 Jan. 1914, after a brief illness of a few days from pneumonia, and on his son’s 18th birthday. Harry was a lad of such a sweet disposition, a loveable lad, and so clever at his calling, and a partner in the old-established firm of George Langstaff and Sons, timber merchants, a firm with a wide reputation in the Durham coalfield, and of which his uncle Henry Langstaff, Hawthorn House, is the managing partner. An unstinted depth of sympathy, coupled with a sincere regret, goes out to a sorrowing mother and her three daughters, Misses Bella, Jennie, and Bessie. A cousin, Richard Langstaff, of the 7th Lincolns, third son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Langstaff, was wounded in August last, and shortly after had his right leg amputated, and is now in an English hospital near Manchester, and going on quite satisfactorily.
Date: 14-Nov-1918
Author: Bishop Auckland Chronicle
Reference: D/WP 4/42 Microfilm Ref: M61/43
Where to find this: Durham County Records Office
Contributed by Fiona Johnson - Durham
