AGONY OF SUSPENSE

Evening Star, Issue 16778, 5 July 1918, Page 6

AGONY OF SUSPENSE

SOLDIER'S FATHER SUFFERS. •MYSTERY REGARDING RON. An unenviable experience na regards the f-ito of his soldier-son has befallen Colonel Farr, of the Repatriation Department, Sydney. He stated that lie recently received a letter from the War Office which indicated that his son Henry, who was previously reported to have died of wounds. Was stilt alive, and would he discharged forthwith for return to Australia. “ I do not know what to think,” said Colonel Farr. “ T do not know now whether the boy is alive or dead. He went Home to England in December. 1914, as one of the personnel of a transport's crew. While in England ho enlisted in the West Yorkshire Regiment in March, 1915. Ho was invalied to England with shell-shock after the Somme, and, recovering, was sent back to the front, whence his last letter heme was dated June 5, 1917. “ On Juno 6 the authorities cabled us that Harry had died of wounds, and later wo received a letter from a nurse in a casualty clearing station, who stated that my boy had been admitted to her hospital badly wounded, and had later died. Wo had become somewhat reconciled to our loss, when, on December 12. 1917, a cable was received from Nottingham in which the authorities stated that my boy was still alive, and doing duty with an area employment company in Prance. On receipt of this cable i wrote and cabled to my son at the unit address given in the cablegram, and also wrote to the War Office.' “ I received no letter or answer from Harry, but the officer commanding the company wrote that a man by the name of Farr had paraded to him and stated that to the. best of his knowledge he had no friends or relatives in Australia. As this man was about 45 yean of age. it ciuiid not possibly be my son. Row I have received a further letter from the War Office stating that my boy is still alive, and would be discharged forthwith, and that he would be instructed to report to A.I.F. headquarters in London, where arrangements would be made for his passage to this country. “ As, however, no letter has been received from Harry since June 5. 1917, up to which date he wrote homo regularly, it can only bo concluded that one of two things has happened—either that his mental faculties have become deranged through his original shell-shock, or, what T fear "is more probable, that the authorities have made still another mistake.”