Tears at return of Dad's message

By Louisa Cleave

Auckland pensioner Emily Crowhurst received her father's last letter yesterday - 85 years after he wrote it and tossed it into the sea in a bottle.

English fisherman Steve Gowan netted the bottle containing the love note to Mrs Crowhurst's mother, Elizabeth, while he was trawling for cod in the Thames Estuary in Essex in March. The note was still dry and intact.

In an emotional meeting, he handed it and the bottle to Mrs Crowhurst, aged 86, at her Onehunga home. With tears in her eyes, Mrs Crowhurst hugged and thanked Mr Gowan.

Private Thomas Hughes, of the second Durham Light Infantry, wrote the note on his journey to France in September 1914.

Then aged 26, Private Hughes penned: "Dear wife, I am writing this note on this boat and dropping it into the sea just to see if it will reach you.

"If it does, sign this envelope on the right bottom corner where it says receipt. Put the date and hour of receipt and your name where it says signature and look after it well."

He signed off, "Ta ta, sweet, for the present. Your Hubby."

Private Hughes was killed 12 days later. Mrs Crowhurst was just two years old when he headed off to war.

Carefully clutching the creased Army form with the faded ink scrawl yesterday, Mrs Crowhurst said she would fill in the empty receipt space just as her father had asked. It would be dated Monday, May 17, 1999.

"I think he would be very proud that it has been received. He was a caring man," she said.

"I've often had him in mind and have thought about him and occasionally I have looked at the letters that I have in his writing."

Elizabeth Kennedy, Mrs Crowhurst's daughter, said: "The world has recognised him and that has brought him to life for her. He's not just a photograph, he's a real person."

Mrs Crowhurst said the letter would be kept in the family, but she was thinking about sending the bottle back to England to be displayed in the Durham Light Infantry Museum.

Mr Gowan, aged 43, said his remarkable catch had touched him deeply and he would stay in contact with Mrs Crowhurst.

The words Private Hughes had written to the finder - "Would you kindly forward the enclosed letter and earn the blessing of a poor British soldier" - were prophetic.

Mr Gowan's mother had a nervous breakdown at New Year and he said the discovery and search for the letter's rightful owner had given her a focus in recovery.

NZ Post flew Mr Gowan and his wife, Jan, from Britain. They will spend two weeks here.


A First World War soldier's daughter receives her father's last love note to her mother.


Tears at return of Dad's message


RED-LETTER DAY: Steve Gowan says he was blessed in finding Emily Crowhurst and giving the bottle and her father's last letter to her.HERALD PICTURE / BRETT PHIBBS




By Louisa Cleave

Auckland pensioner Emily Crowhurst received her father's last letter yesterday - 85 years after he wrote it and tossed it into the sea in a bottle.

English fisherman Steve Gowan netted the bottle containing the love note to Mrs Crowhurst's mother, Elizabeth, while he was trawling for cod in the Thames Estuary in Essex in March. The note was still dry and intact.

In an emotional meeting, he handed it and the bottle to Mrs Crowhurst, aged 86, at her Onehunga home. With tears in her eyes, Mrs Crowhurst hugged and thanked Mr Gowan.

Private Thomas Hughes, of the second Durham Light Infantry, wrote the note on his journey to France in September 1914.

Then aged 26, Private Hughes penned: "Dear wife, I am writing this note on this boat and dropping it into the sea just to see if it will reach you.

"If it does, sign this envelope on the right bottom corner where it says receipt. Put the date and hour of receipt and your name where it says signature and look after it well."

He signed off, "Ta ta, sweet, for the present. Your Hubby."

Private Hughes was killed 12 days later. Mrs Crowhurst was just two years old when he headed off to war.

Carefully clutching the creased Army form with the faded ink scrawl yesterday, Mrs Crowhurst said she would fill in the empty receipt space just as her father had asked. It would be dated Monday, May 17, 1999.

"I think he would be very proud that it has been received. He was a caring man," she said.

"I've often had him in mind and have thought about him and occasionally I have looked at the letters that I have in his writing."

Elizabeth Kennedy, Mrs Crowhurst's daughter, said: "The world has recognised him and that has brought him to life for her. He's not just a photograph, he's a real person."

Mrs Crowhurst said the letter would be kept in the family, but she was thinking about sending the bottle back to England to be displayed in the Durham Light Infantry Museum.

Mr Gowan, aged 43, said his remarkable catch had touched him deeply and he would stay in contact with Mrs Crowhurst.

The words Private Hughes had written to the finder - "Would you kindly forward the enclosed letter and earn the blessing of a poor British soldier" - were prophetic.

Mr Gowan's mother had a nervous breakdown at New Year and he said the discovery and search for the letter's rightful owner had given her a focus in recovery.

NZ Post flew Mr Gowan and his wife, Jan, from Britain. They will spend two weeks here.