Andover Advertiser 28th January 1918

MILITARY HONOUR – Some time ago we reported that Lieut. W.R. Tovani, of the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), elder son of the Rev. W.T. Tovani vicar of Hurstbourne Priors, with St Mary Bourne, had been awarded the Military Cross. The following is the official account of what he did :- Lieutenant William Richard Tovani (Royal Highlanders). On 31^st  July 1917 during the attack, when his Company Commander had become a casualty, though wounded in the face carried on leading his men with the utmost gallantry, and capturing a machine gun concrete emplacement which was causing great hindrance to the advance to the first objective. He continued to lead his company to the second objective till he was twice again wounded and compelled to desist.

Andover Advertiser 25th January 1918

A MISTAKE SOMEWHERE – There has been a mistake committed by someone in the army, but fortunately, although serious on the face of it, it turned out amusing. On January 11^th  Private Richard Davis, of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, son of Mrs M. Brown, Lower Rank came home on a 14 day furlough from France. Last Saturday while he was at home, his mother received an important letter from the Dublin Records Office, stating that her son, Private Richard Davis 42463, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, was posted as wounded and missing on 28^th  November 1917. It is understood that about that time there was a very serious engagement in France, as a result of which some of the men of that battalion were thought to have been cut off, and no doubt the mistake had arisen through this. Had their son not been at home at the time that the letter was received, the mother would have had a most anxious time, but everybody had a good laugh at the mistake. In the earlier days of the war Private Davis belonged to the A.S.C, but was transferred with many others into infantrymen, and he has been in France for eighteen months. His chum was killed by his side on Christmas Day, but we are glad to know that although ill fate is trying to dog this young man’s footsteps, he has escaped injury so far, and we hope he will come through all right

Andover Advertiser 18th January 1918

A HOUSEHOLD ROLL OF HONOUR – It gives us much pleasure this week to refer to the patriotic family of Mr and Mrs G. Choules, of Riverside, who have (or had) four sons and two sons-in-law on the fighting roll in the present war. C.S.S.M Charles Choules A.S.C. 31, married living in Andover, served 18 months , and was discharged because of ill health.

Private George Edward Choules, A.S.C. transferred to the King’s Royal Rifles, 28, single, has been up three years, 16 months of which have been spent in France. He has had the misfortune to be wounded, for in the great push around the Cambrai area he had the sinews of his leg blown away by a bursting shell. With painful difficulty he dragged himself through water and mud to the dressing station. He was then sent to England, and for seven weeks he has been in hospital in Dundee. So serious was his wound that he has had to undergo two operations and tubes have been put in his leg in order to draw off poison engendered by the shrapnel. The latest news is that he is getting better and hopes that his leg will be saved. Before the war he was a policeman at Aldershot.

– Corporal Henry Choules Household Battalion, 25, married, was a policeman for five years in Bournemouth. In May 1917 he joined the Household Battalion, and in November he was drafted to France, On two occasions he has had to seek the kindly shelter of the hospital on account of a frost-bitten foot, but at the time of writing he is again out in the trenches.

– Private William Frank Choules, R.M.L.I., 20, single, joined in March 1917, having spent the last three months in France. In the great battle of Cambrai he lost his speech through shell shock, but we are profoundly thankful to hear he has recovered his speech and can talk in his accustomed manner. At present he is in hospital in Southampton.

– Private W. Mattingley, of the Anti-Aircraft Corps, has had two years experience of the present war. He is near Netley but suffers a great deal from chills.

– Private W. Allen, an old soldier, went out to France with the Scots Guards when the war began, and early on lost an eye through a bursting shell in his trench. Needless to say he has been  discharged. – This is a good record for one family, and our sincerest wish is that they may be spared to return safe and sound to their pre-war time occupations.