Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 12 July 1941

Hopes Realised

A Bolton soldier in the Middle East, Trooper Sam Buxton of Lowfield Road, who was looking forward to some action recently, will probably now have had his hopes realised.

He was formerly employed at Manvers Main Collieries, and has now been abroad for nearly 2 years.

He writes regularly to the Manvers Main Comforts Fund expressing gratitude for comforts received, and says the most troublesome type things in the sector at present are insects and lizards.

In one of his letters he writes “They asked for volunteers for guerrilla warfare, and I put my name in at once, patting myself on the back and thinking I was going to get a chance to do something at last. But no, it is not my luck, and the officer crossed out my name. Maybe we’ll get a chance some day if we keep waiting, although while we are here they tell us that we are keeping the Jews and Arabs quiet, but that is not my idea of getting our own back.”

Trooper Buxton has a brother in the Navy who took part in the battle of Narvik.