Flemington-Kensington Church News, March 1919

Just as we are printing we learn  that Reg. Symes died of pneumonia on Feb 15th. A fuller notice will appear later.  Let us keep that saddened home much in our prayers and in our love.Just as we are printing we learn  that Reg.  Symes died of pneumonia on Feb 15th. A fuller notice will appear later. Let us keep that saddened home much in our prayers and in our love.     

Flemington-Kensington Church News, April 1919

Driver Reg. S. Symes,108th Howitzer Battery, embarked on the "Medic," 20th May, 1916, arriving in England on 18th July. He spent some weeks in the Lark Hill Camp, and was then sent to Winchester training school, and on passing, was sent to France on 29th Dec. Reg. was immediately sent to the firing line, his first fight taking place on the Amiens road, Except for a fortnight's leave in England, he was at  the front till the end of the war.

Reg. was always bright and cheerful and we were looking forward, with fondest hope, to his return, unscathed from the great adventure; but late on the night of the 14th February he was admitted to the  5th C.C. Hospital, suffering from pneumonia, and died on the 15th.

ln a recent letter he wrote—"I have earned my  leave after 16 months and in five big pushes. The first was  Messines, where I got gassed, but not seriously, yet was ill for a couple of weeks.  The next was at Ypres, and it was awful, for the roads were lined with dead - German and our own. We had to pull the guns over a lot of them ....... There  are not many of the old boys left in our battery now, as most of them have been killed or wounded. It is a terrible thing to see one of our mates lying dead, when a short time before he was speaking to us."

And now Reg. has gone the amazing road of his mates—to be with Christ, which is far better. May God comfort with hope all those that loved him!