Article published in the Belper News published 18th June 1915 :-
“CLOWNE TERRITORIAL KILLED.
“News reached Clowne last week of the death at the Front of Private G. H. Fell, of the 6th Sherwood Foresters. The widow is at Basford nursing her mother in-law, who lies in a critical condition, and whose dying wish is see her soldier son. The deceased, we understand, had intended asking for a few days’ leave of absence in order to visit his prostrate mother, but alas! Private Fell has succumbed to the deadly marksmanship of a German sniper, and the last hours of his bedridden mother, now in her 70th year, will be overshadowed by the gloom of her son’s death.
“Though the widow has not received official intimation of her husband’s fate, a letter which Mrs. Bagshaw, of Bariboro’ Road, Clowne, has received from her husband, Private G. Bagshaw, of the 6th Sherwoods, confirms the report.
“Private Bagahaw’s letter reached his wife on Thursday morning, [17th June 1915] and in it he states: — “We are having some champion weather in the trenches. I expect we shall be coming out on Monday or Tuesday. I have not such good news to tell you this time, as we have lost poor G. Fell on Friday morning about 3.30. He was going for some water to drink for tea just at the back of the trenches when he was shot by sniper, poor old lad! One of the boys went out for him, but he had passed away. I obtained permission to attend his burial on Tuesday night, but by some mistake l did not get to see him buried, but as soon as I get out of the trenches I will go and see his grave. We have a splendid piece of ground to bury our boys in; they could not have a better grave if they were in England. They are all laid together side by side with a cross on each grave. I will do all I can to keep the grave respectable while I am here.... Tell Mrs. Fell that I send my deepest sympathy, also the boys and the officer.”
“Private Fell, who is a native of Nottingham, had resided in Neal Street, Clowne, for the past five years, being employed at the Creswell Colliery. He leaves a widow and two young children, neither of whom can as yet walk. He was in his 27th year, and before his marriage five years ago was in the South Notts. Hussars. His father fought in the Crimea, and came through that memorable campaign unscathed. In one of his letters home deceased expressed the hope that he would be as lucky as his father. He enlisted after the outbreak of War.”
Above article is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918