St. Mary’s vicar, Arthur Adam Taylor Crosse, writes in the Waxham Deanery Magazines, February 1917:

“George Chase and Horace Mills are both reported “missing.” We hope it will turn out that they are prisoners of war. We offer our deepest sympathy to their parents in their present great suspense and anxiety. Though it is not well to underestimate the grave seriousness of the matter, let us thank God that there is still hope that they may be alive and well. We earnestly pray it may be so;”

and in June 1917:

“We have still no news of George Chase, who was reported missing on November 13th of last year; and our prayers and sympathy are with his parents in their increasing strain of anxiety and suspense.”

In April 1918 he wrote:

“It was pleasant to see that so many parishioners attended the Memorial Service on March 10th to pay a last tribute of respect to Private Charles Durrant, who died a prisoner of war in German hands, and Private George Chase, who was reported missing sixteen months ago, and was lately officially reported as killed in action. We sincerely mourn these two men, who were so well known to us all. This brings the number of men we have lost in the war to the total of twenty-two (a large number for a parish of this size). The choir rendered the solemn music of the burial office very sweetly and reverently, and the large congregation entered with full sympathy into the spirit of the service. Captain Knowles, of the South Lancashire Regiment, kindly sent over two buglers to sound the “Last Post.”

David Belsten