Dumfries and Galloway Standard – Saturday 20 February 1915

TRAVELLED 9000 MILES TO FIGHT FOR COUNTRY.

Private Sylvester Vernon, a Dumfries man who is serving with the Army Veteran Corps in France, is anxious to get into touch with his parents, whom he lost trace of a few years ago on leaving his native town for South America. In a letter to Mrs Cruwys, Elmhurst, Pollard Road, Mitcham, Surrey, Private Vernon, returning thanks for gift of cigarettes, says: As a favour I ask you to try and get into touch with my people. I just arrived in Liverpool 13th January from Santiago, Chile, South America. I was only ten days in England when I was drafted out here. I left my parents’ home in Dumfries in September, 1909, for Patagonia, South America. I left there in March of last year for North America. I got a good situation in Santiago. Chile, and I was there for a few months. Could you try and find my people’s address for me through the Dumfries and Galloway Standard?’ I have travelled between nine and ten thousand miles to do my part for the old country. My address is: Private Sylvester Vernon (3756), No. 1, A.V.O. Hospital, British Expeditionary Force.”