Private John Thomas Heys
267462 6th Seaforth Highlanders
Killed in Action 9th April 1917, aged 19
Lived at 20 Cotton Street
Buried in Highland Cemetery, Roclincourt France - I.C.22.
Burnley Express 5th May 1917

FELL ON EASTER MONDAY
(Burnley Express 5th May 1917)

Mrs. Heys, of 20 Cotton Street, Burnley, has now been notified by the chaplain of the Seaforth Highlanders that her son, Pte Tom Heys 267462 was killed in action on Easter Monday. The soldier was only 19 years of age and before joining up was employed as a weaver at Messrs. Simpsons Albion Mill, Whittlefield. He was a scholar at St. Oswald’s Sunday School and on the roll of honour at Claremont Day schools. The deceased soldier was a playing member of St. Oswald’s team. He enlisted at Nelson on October 6th, 1916 and was sent to Fort George, Scotland for training and then to France. He had previously been wounded and after recovery was given a ten day leave at home. After reporting at the depot in Scotland he was again sent to France on September 25th.
In his letter dated April 20, the chaplain wrote “ I have a very sad and painful piece of news to break to you, which I am afraid you will find hard to bear. Your son No. 267462 Pte.T.Heys, was killed in action on the 9th inst. In the great advance. The loss of your son must always be an extremely hard one for a parent to bear, and one can only guess what your feelings are at such a sad end. But in your case, at all events, you have two great and abiding consolations. In the first place you know that your son died as a brave man in the battlefield and made the supreme sacrifice for his king and country, so that your memory of him must be a proud and a happy one. Nevertheless, your greatest consolation must always be that which the Christian religion teaches which is that death, far from ending a noble life gives it a great peace and fuller scope of usefulness and that there is no death for those who died in Christ. More-ever the Resurrection is a sure and certain proof that we will some day meet those loved ones who have passed the veil never to part again. May God be with you in this your sad situation? And may the sunshine of his love increase through, the dark clouds of your sorrow. I deeply sympathise with you in your bereavement”