Obituary--Fred Hoad

Just a week from the first announcement of an area soldier dying in battle, is this one.  Very different circumstances, as he was serving with the British forces, but sad nonetheless to come so close to the end of combat. 
From the 17 October 1918 Fremont TimesIndicator:

FRED HOAD MAKES SUPREME SACRIFICE
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Hoad Killed in Active Service in France Sept. 4
Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Hoad of this city received a letter from England October 12 conveying the sad news of the death of their son, Fred, who died September 4 in France while in the service of the British government.  Fred served with the British forces in Palestine and while there wrote the interesting letter which appeared in the TimesIndicator last April.  After serving in the Holy Lands he was sent to France for army service.  He leaves a wife and six children.  In his last letter to Mr. and Mrs. Hoad he wrote:
Dear Mother and Father:--I received your letter while I was holding the firing line but the thought of your prayers on my behalf and for the sake of my loved ones and being in the position I was in at the time when readint it, brought tears to my eyes. But thank God He has spared me once more and I am having a little rest at the back of the line, but I still put my trust in God as I thank Him every day not only for my safety but for my mates and I often try and show them their sins they are living in, to bring them out of darkness into light.  No goodbye and may God bless and help you all for many years to come.   Fred

While I realized that in World War II many Americans went to England to join the RAF, I didn't realize that we also contributed directly to the forces in World War I.  I don't know how common it was, but here at least was one instance.  And as I said last time, it is so sad that these deaths only start appearing one month before the Armistice.