Joseph Bertram's Story.
Birkenhead News 30 March 1918
DIED FROM WOUNDS
Mr. and Mrs. Lancelotte of Hillside, Heswall, have received word from the War Office that their only son, Pte. Joseph Bertram (Bert) Lancelotte, of the Lancashire Fusiliers, was lying in a casualty clearing station severely wounded, and later have been notified that he had died on the 18th inst. Pte. Lancelotte was born in Heswall, and attended the Church Day School, the flag of which has been at half-mast. He was a member of the Parish Church choir and the Church Lad’s Brigade. Before joining the Army he was an apprentice joiner at Messrs J. and F. Kitchen’s earning the esteem of his employers and fellow workmen. Upon joining in 1915, he was attached to the King’s Liverpool Regt. then transferred to the 21st Reserve, and later to the Lancashire Fusiliers. The Church of England Chaplain at the Clearing Station writes :- “Your son died yesterday morning, at 11 a.m. as a result of his wound. He sent his love to you, but no other message. He had hopes himself that he would recover. However, his wound was a serious one, although he did not seem to suffer much pain, and he passed away quite peacefully, with a prayer that God may comfort you in your bereavement.” Mr. and Mrs. Lancelotte have received many expressions of sympathy in the sore loss of their only son, amongst which is a letter from the King.
The report from the newspaper has been reproduced word for word and although it states Joseph died on 18th March he actually died on the 16th March, as stated on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission database