Newbury Weekly News, 5 October 1917 – Local War Notes
The sad news was received on Saturday that another young townsman had fallen on the battlefields of France. John Oakshott Nash was the son of Mr and Mrs Nash of Uplands, Newtown-road. He joined up in April last, and after 12 months at Reading and Portsmouth he left for France, where his training was being completed. Originally in the Berks Regiment, he was transferred to the Royal Engineers. Though never engaged in conflict, he experienced several narrow escapes whilst at work in the trenches and elsewhere. Cheerful letters were received from time to time, in which he spoke hopefully of returning in due course, and relieving his father from the Northbrook-street business of stationer and printer. A letter written on Saturday, the 23rd, was received on Friday, the 29th. But on the following day a fateful letter reached his parents saying that his son was no more, having been wounded in the head on Monday, and passing away of the Tuesday. The letter was written by a Sister of the hospital, who said that deceased never recovered consciousness. He was brought promptly to the base hospital and received every attention. He would be buried in the British cemetery, and his grave would be properly cared for. Deceased was 29 years of age.

Speaking at the Sunday afternoon meeting of the PSA Brotherhood, the Rev J W Harford said they met that afternoon under a great cloud of sorrow and sense of bereavement of Mr John Nash. News had been received on the previous day of the death of one who had been a member of the Brotherhood for some years, and also filled the important office of treasurer. It was about five months ago [sic] that he joined up, and the greater part of that time he had been in France, and as far as he could learn, he had acted throughout as a true Brotherhood man. On one occasion his superior officer asked why he never used the kind of language which, unfortunately, prevailed in the Army. The reply their friend used, was, “I came into the Army with a clean mouth, and I will go out of it with a clean mouth.” Another incident is also related. The men of his company were in a barn together, when the news was brought to one of them, telling of a favourite brother who had been killed. Nothing that was said by any of his comrades seemed to console him at all. Pte Nash, however, came closer to him and spoke words of consolation, and then said, “let us kneel down and pray,” and the two men knelt down together, and it had an effect on all the men, and they bowed in a devotional attitude. They could not but admire the courage and sincerity of their young brother. Their sympathy at such a time would go out towards Mr and Mrs Nash. His father naturally looked forward to the time when he would succeed him in the business. In the home there would be the blank created by the loss of an only son. Both father and mother were showing great fortitude and resignation under so great a calamity, and also wish to send a message of comfort in this hour of their great sorrow. The members of the Brotherhood then rose in approval, and stood while the Dead March in Saul was played, Mr Herbert Hall being at the organ.