Louis ACKROYD

Corporal 106514, Royal Engineers � 189th Field Company (Chemists Corp)
Died 3rd October 1915 aged 24
Buried Mazingarbe Communal Cemetery, France
Son of Dan and Mary Jane Ackroyd
Lived 12, Rydal Terrace, Heckmondwike

Corporal Louis Ackroyd BSc was born in August 1891 the second son of Dan Ackroyd, a Woollen Mill Mechanic, and Mary Jane Ackroyd nee Schofield who were living at Popeley Buildings, Millbridge, Liversedge. He was baptised at George Street Congregational Chapel in Heckmondwike on 27th September 1891.

Louis first attended Millbridge National School, he then graduated in 1903 to the Heckmondwike Secondary School (now Heckmondwike Grammar School). He excelled and won the Maintainance Scholarship in 1905 and in 1909 a County Major Scholarship to attend Leeds University for three years. His parents and three of his five siblings were living at Rydal Terrace, Jeremy Lane when his father, Dan Ackroyd, died in 1911.

Louis was a versatile sportsman who captained Leeds University at football, cricket and lacrosse. He was amongst a number of Heckmondwike Old Scholars who travelled daily by train to the University. He took his BSc,gaining second-class Honours in Chemistry. Louis then won a place at Manchester University for one year where he gained his post graduate Teaching Diploma in 1913 and toured Germany, Austria and Hungary with a Northern Universities football eleven.

Thereafter he taught at Heckmondwike Secondary School for a year followed by a move to Rastrick Grammar School where he was an Assistant Master.

By the summer of 1915 the Territorials and the first of Kitchener's New Army divisions were beginning to arrive in France in strength and plans were made for a major British attack to be launched at Loos at the end of September. Following the first use of poison gas by the Germans the British decided to follow suit and formed special gas companies of the Royal Engineers calling for graduate chemists, physicists and technicians from industry to carry out this new form of warfare.

On the August Bank Holiday 1915 Louis enlisted in London in the Chemical Corps of the Royal Engineers as Corporal Chemist in the 189th Field Company and within a week was in France. Louis took an active part in the Battle of Loos being one of those who had to prepare the way for the infantry by the use of gas. He had come unharmed out of severe fighting but was sitting in what was thought to be a place of safety on Sunday 3rd October 1915 when a splinter from a shell burst about 10 yards away and inflicted a wound in his neck which proved fatal the same day.

In his last letter home to his mother at Rydal Terrace, Jeremy Lane written on October 1st Corporal Ackroyd said: "We went into the trenches last Friday night, September 25th, and stayed there until the next morning. We were right in the front line, about 200 yards from the Germans. They were extremely quiet throughout the night but at dawn they gave us it hot. Luckily no one in our section was hit. After we had finished our little job the infantry mounted the parapet and charged the German trenches gaining a great victory and breaking through as you will have seen from the papers. Since then I have been up to the trenches every day, which means a five mile walk each way. Today we were marching up as usual when the Germans started shelling the road. A shell burst within 25 yards of us but no one was hurt. I have a piece of the shell. It was too dangerous for our work so we marched back."

Tributes were paid in the local newspapers, from the Heckmondwike and Rastrick schools, Leeds and Manchester Universities and the local churches and many organisations. A memorial service was held at George Street Congregational Chapel on the following Sunday.

Louis Ackroyd's nephew, Dr Louis Ackroyd, published "Heckmondwike at War, 1914-1918'' in 2000 in which he paid tribute to the men of Heckmondwike, including Louis, who lost their lives serving their country.

The following link take you to information about Louis at the University of Manchester

Medals: Victory, British and Star.

Commemorated: on Memorials at Leeds University, Manchester University, Heckmondwike Green Park and Grammar School; Rastrick town centre and Grammar School; George Street Chapel, St James's Parish and St Saviour's Churches of Heckmondwike and also in the Vellum Roll of Honour.

Louis's great great grandson has produced an obituary which you can view here.

Albert AITKEN

Albert was born at Heckmondwike in 1897; he was the son of James and Sarah Ann Aitken. His mother Sarah had died in 1909 and Albert's sister Beatrice ran the house. Before enlisting he worked at the Orchard Dyeworks in Heckmondwike. Albert's older brother, Harry born in 1890, is in the Heckmondwike Memorial Book so must also have served his country. Albert is included on the St James' Parish Church and St Saviour's Memorials.

The 4th Battalion KOYLI proceeded to France from Folkestone landing at Boulogne on the 12th April 1915 and within three weeks was in the thick of the fighting at Hooge. On 15th May the formation was renamed 148th Brigade, 49th (West Riding) Division. Their first action was in the Battle of Aubers Ridge in May 1915; following this the Battalion spent long periods in the line. On July 17th 1915 Albert Aitken received a gunshot wound to the head. He was transferred to the hospital in Boulogne but died there two months later on September 17th.

Ernest ALLEN

Ernest was born on 10th April 1892 in Heckmondwike one of the ten children of John Allen, a Coal Miner of Heckmondwike, and Jane Ann Wigham from Durham. His parents had married on 21st October 1876 at Birstall Parish Church. Ernest was baptised at St Saviour's Church in Heckmondwike on 24th November 1892.

Ernest's father died aged 50 in 1906 and by the time of the 1911 census only six of the children were still living. Ernest was aged 18, working as a Coal Hurrier and living at the family home at Westfield Terrace, Little Green Lane, Nunroyd, Heckmondwike. His younger brother George was working as a Printer's Labourer. By 1914 the family had moved to the Kilpin Hill area and it was from this address that Ernest enlisted. At first he was enrolled as Private 5218 in the York and Lancaster Regiment and he filled out the form for the "informal soldier's will" on 30th June 1916.

The Cleckheaton and Spenborough Guardian on Friday, October 26th 1917 published news of Private E. Allen of Heckmondwike as follows:- Last Friday Mrs J. A. Allen of 102, High Street, Heckmondwike, received the following letter Second Lieutenant Leslie Martin:- "You will have heard officially of the death of your son, Private Ernest Allen. I wish to sympathise deeply with you in your sorrow, and it will be consolation to you to know that he died bravely. He did not suffer, as death was instantaneous". As yet, no further communications have been received. Private Allen was 25 years of age, joined the Yorkshire Regiment in February of last year, and had been in France seventeen months. Previous to enlistment he was employed by Messrs. A Rhodes & Co Ltd of Heckmondwike, and was associated with St Saviour's Church. A younger brother, Private George Allen, is now serving with the West Yorkshire Regiment in France. He was wounded in the left arm in November of last year and returned to France five weeks ago."

Ernest's remains were never found and he is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial. His mother Jane Allen of 102, High Street, Heckmondwike was the sole beneficiary of his informal will. She lived opposite the Upper Independent Chapel, close to Kilpin Hill. His younger brother George Allen survived the war, although his injuries left him partially disabled.

Medals: British War and Victory Medal

Commemorated:- Heckmondwike Green Park Memorial and Roll of Honour; St Saviour's Parish Church and St. James's Parish Church Memorials; Batley War Memorial and Batley Town Hall (indoor) Roll of Honour.

George ALLEN

George was born in 1886 in Belper, Derbyshire the eldest son of William Allen, a Wire Drawer, and Martha nee Stone who married on 21st January 1882 at Duffield, Derbyshire. The family had moved by 1901 to West Bank, Ambergate and by 1911 they had ten children, four of the five sons being employed as Wire Drawers at the Johnson and Nephew Mill in the village.

Also living and working as a Wire Drawer in Ambergate was James Edward Shaw, who had been born in Brighouse in 1871 and married Hannah Bertha Garrett at St Ann's Church, Ambergate, Derbyshire in 1902. But in 1914 James Shaw and his family moved to 13, Thomas Street, Heckmondwike and George Allen moved with them as their lodger. It is known that George enlisted in the Northumberland Fusiliers in September 1914 at Cleckheaton and then went to training camp. No individual service record survives.

Twelve months later the War Diaries for the 12th Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers show that the Battalion disembarked in Boulogne at 1.15am on 10th September 1915. From there they progressed by foot and train to the front close to Hill 70 and Loos. On 25th September and the days following they were involved in hostilities around Hill 70. There was much loss of life and confusion.

The Derbyshire Courier newspaper reported that a letter had been received by George Allen's parents from a comrade, Private G Key, son of Matthew Key of Over Heage a nearby village, who wrote that George Allen had been wounded in the shoulder but not seriously. Then there was no further news of George who remained officially missing, prompting his parents in Ambergate to place adverts in the newspapers and for the local vicar to write to the authorities. The agony of not knowing what had happened to their son was to continue for 12 months by which time the authorities officially declared that he had died on 25th September 1915. A memorial service was then held for George in Bethel United Methodist Church, Ambergate.

Seventy miles away in Heckmondwike, James Edward and Hannah Shaw were still living at 13, Thomas Street. George Allen's name was submitted to the local war memorial committee for inclusion on the Green Park Memorial and on the Vellum Roll as a Heckmondwike resident.

Medals: Victory, British and Star

Commemorated: St Andrew's Parish Church, Derby Road, Ambergate; St James's and St Saviour's Parish Church memorials in Heckmondwike; Green Park Memorial and Vellum Roll.

James Barthomew ARCHER

James was born on 15th June 1898 and baptised on the 15th July at Holy Innocents Church at Thornhill Lees, the son of Sarah nee Senior of Hopton and Richard Archer, a Book Keeper of Ravensthorpe. His parents had married at Mirfield Parish Church on 17th March 1877. James was the youngest of their six children, only three of whom had survived into adulthood; they were their daughter Mabeth born 1881, Richard Senior born 1888, and James Bartholomew born 1898. Their father was recorded as a Manufacturer in 1898 and as a Rag Merchant and employer in 1901, but he died in 1905 aged 49.

The 1911 census records that Sarah Archer was living at 125, Staincliffe Road, Dewsbury Moor with her three children and two grandchildren. Her only daughter, Mabeth aged 30, had married Lister Kilburn and they had two children; Richard Senior Archer, the eldest son, aged 22, was working as a Rag Warehouseman; and 12 year old James was at school. By 1915 Sarah Archer, had moved to 30, Kilpin Hill.

James's British Army Service record was part of series 363, the 'burnt documents', damaged during enemy action on London in 1940. No newspaper account of his army career has yet been found. It is known that he enlisted as Private 43047 in the West Yorkshire Regiment in Dewsbury.

The Battalion records for March 1918 report that "they completed relief of the 7th Norfolk Regiment at 5am on the 28th March 1918 near Boozincourt. At 12 noon the enemy attacked but were driven off by rifle and Lewis gun fire. During the afternoon the Battalion dug and reoccupied posts along the road." "At 6pm on the 29th some posts were lost and the Battalion had 15 casualties". Further attacks were driven off. "The Battalion remained in the front line until 31st March when they were relieved by the 7th Lincolnshire Regiment. The Battalion went into reserve at Hinnencourt".

James was killed in action on 30th March 1918 and his remains were never found. He is remembered on the Arras Memorial on Bay 4, Course C, Stone 7. Richard is named as the next of kin at 30, Tattersfield Yard, Kilpin Hill, Heckmondwike. The 1931 Electoral Roll and the 1939 Register confirm that Richard Senior Archer was living at 28, Tattersfield Yard, Kilpin Hill, Heckmondwike and Sarah Archer had remained next door at number 30. His soldier's monetary effects were divided between his mother Sarah, his brother Richard S and his sister Mabeth Kilburn, in September 1918. The final payment of £4 made in December 1919 to his mother Sarah.

Medals: Victory and British

Commemorated: Heckmondwike Vellum Roll and Green Park Memorial.

Lothair ARMITAGE

Lothair enrolled in the KOYLI at Dewsbury. He is recorded on the 1911 census as being a Milk Vendor, born in Heckmondwike in 1889, the second son of Robert John Armitage, a Warehouseman, and Edith Burnley Firth who had married at Birstall Parish Church on August 9th 1884. His father then died before Lothair's first birthday, so he lived at first with his mother and older siblings Harold and Mabel in Kaye Street, Heckmondwike.

By 1901 he had moved in with his Uncles at High Street, and attended the Heckmondwike Higher Grade school, now known as Heckmondwike Grammar School. By the time of the 1911 census, the men are listed as living at 4, Lobley Street, and his mother is nearby in Kaye Street with her daughters. Lothair was brought up with his uncles, his Grandfather having been a Chapel Keeper, Lothair attended the Upper Independent Chapel and his photograph has come from their collection. In the publication "Heckmondwike at War" by Louis Ackroyd, it is recorded that "Pte Lothair Armitage, 1st KOYLI, a regular soldier and Upper Chapel member living in Lobley Street, suffered head wounds in early February and died in hospital at Boulogne on 2nd March 1915 aged 25."

He is buried at Boulogne Eastern Cemetery.

A service was held at Heckmondwike Parish Church on the first anniversary of the outbreak of the Great War and Lothair's relatives were invited along with the other seven Heckmondwike men remembered.

Locally commemorated on the Green Park Memorial, Roll of Honour, the Upper Independent Chapel Memorial and Roll of Honour, Heckmondwike Grammar School Plaque. Medals awarded:- British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Horace ASPIN

Horace was born in July 1899, in Heckmondwike, probably living at 22, Regent Street. His birth was registered in Dewsbury. His father was Alfred Aspin who was born in Halifax. In the 1901 census Alfred was working as a Carding Overlooker. Horace's mother, Elizabeth nee Preston, was born in Heckmondwike in 1875. In the 1881 census she was living in Regent Street, Heckmondwike.

Alfred and Elizabeth were married on 20 July 1895 at St Peter's Church, Birstall by Rev J E Hewison, the Curate, after banns. Emma, Elizabeth's sister was a witness. Both fathers are described as Carpet Weavers, though Alfred's was deceased. Prior to her marriage Elizabeth was a Blanket Weaver and Alfred a Cast Cleaner. They set up their home in Regent Street, Heckmondwike with Elizabeth's widowed father and her sister, Emma Preston. In 1901 the family of three, Alfred, Elizabeth and the baby Horace are at 22, Regent Street in Heckmondwike.

In the 1911 census Horace lived at 26, Regent Street, Heckmondwike his age is given as 11; the form is completed by a Ben Preston (possibly an Innkeeper from Halifax Road, Staincliffe) and his father, Alfred, who is described as Head of the Household, confirms the accuracy of the details by his mark - although he signed the register at his own wedding. Horace was the only living child of Alfred and Elizabeth, but there had been a sibling who had died. Emma, his aunt, was still living with them and at 38 was a Blanket Weaver; she was unmarried. Joseph his paternal grandfather was also with them.

On leaving school Horace worked at Mark Day's, Hoyle Head Mills at Earlsheaton. He enlisted in the 1st Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment at the Bradford recruitment centre; his army number was 41826, we are unsure of the date as the War Department Records were destroyed in 1939 in an enemy bombing raid. The 1st Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment were involved in the Second Battle of the Somme on 21 August 1918 at Albert and at Bapaume at the end of August. His parents had a letter from a Chaplain, dated 21 August, stating that Horace had been seriously wounded and a week later there was a letter saying that he had died. The letter said that after an initial improvement he got worse and died a noble death in his sleep on the night of the 7th September. Horace had been buried in the Regimental Cemetery in a grave marked with a cross. Horace's colleague, Private W Horn in Sunderland War Hospital had been with Horace on 26 August when he, Horace, was "all right and cheerful". They had been advancing when they came under heavy gun fire. Horace was wounded but there is no exact evidence of the nature of his wounds.

Horace died of his wounds on September 7 1918, aged 19. He is buried in Bagneux British Cemetery at Gezaincourt, Somme, France. A photograph, taken by The War Graves Photographic Project, of his headstone can be viewed by following this link. He was awarded the Victory medal and the British medal. Below is Horace's newspaper obituary. Aspin, Pte. Horace. 41826. 1st Bn. East Yorkshire Regt. Died of wounds 7th Sept., 1918. Age 19. Son of Alfred and Elizabeth Aspin, of 81, Upper Rd., Batley Carr, Dewsbury. Native of Heckmondwike, Yorks. VI. F. 29.

At the time of Horace's death Alfred and Elizabeth are recorded as living at 81, Upper Road, Batley Carr. Horace's mother received his outstanding pay and allowances of £10-13 shillings-9 pence in February 1919 and a war gratuity of £4 in December 1919.

John AYKROYD

John was born in 1879 in London, his father Simeon was a felt Carpet Printer and the family moved around the country before coming to live in Liversedge sometime between 1887 and 1891. He was one of eight children and his brothers also served in the army during The Great War.

John married Amy Leach in 1906, they had no children. He was a member of Westgate Chapel and before the war he worked as a Boot Riveter.

He died during the assault on Passchendaele Ridge. His Battalion left the dugouts at night in the pouring rain, the going was described as very heavy and the men had great difficulty finding the way and getting through the mud. The Battalion came under enemy fire and most men were killed by snipers or machine gun fire.

The attack by ten British and Australian Divisions of both the Fifth and Second Armies 'proved a tragic fiasco' (Liddle Hart).

George Frederick BALL

George was born in the first quarter of 1889, the eldest child of George Ball and Eva nee Woodcock. His sister Eleanor Mary was born 2 years later in 1891 and, tragically, his mother Eva died in childbirth at this time aged only 25 years.

In 1891 census (just after Eva died) George Frederick was with his maternal grandparents Joseph and Jane Woodcock at Church Lane Villa, Knowler Hill, Liversedge. Joseph Woodcock was a Manufacturing Chemist and well known local Methodist preacher. His sister Eleanor Mary was with her father at her paternal grandparents John and Amelia Ball at Moor End Lane, Dewsbury.

In 1899 George had married Edith Mary Fawcett and by 1901 they were living with Eleanor Mary at 18, High Street, Heckmonndwike. George Frederick was still with his grandparents at Church Lane Villa.

Joseph and Jane Woodcock retired to Morecambe and Joseph died there in 1908. George Frederick was still living with his grandmother Jane at Morecambe in 1911 and was a Student Teacher. Eleanor Mary was still with her father and stepmother in 1911 at 16, High Street Heckmondwike. There doesn't appear to be any more children to the second marriage.

George Frederick enlisted in the York and Lancaster Regiment and died on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. He has no known grave, but his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing.

He was awarded the War Medal and the Victory Medal.

His name is also on the St James's Parish Church War Memorial and St Saviour's Church War Memorial.

Frederick de Forge BARTLE

Frederick was born in 1885, the second child of Frederick and Lizzie Bartle. Lizzie was born near Boston in Lincolnshire on 12 December 1857 and her surname was Desforges. Frederick (senior) was born in Caistor, Lincolnshire in 1850. Lizzie and Frederick were married in 1882 in Boston and by 1891 the family were living in Market Street, Heckmondwike. Frederick (senior) was a Watchmaker; Lionel the elder son was 7; Frederick was 6 and Beatrice was 4. All the children would take as a middle name a variant of their mother's maiden name: de Forge.

Frederick (senior) continued to work as a Watchmaker and Jeweller, but by 1911 his son Frederick was at 49, Market Street living alone and describing himself as a Jeweller. His parents were living at 68 Walkley Lane; Lionel was a Civil Servant and a boarder at an address in Muswell Hill, London. At census time Beatrice was a visitor at an address in Manningham, Bradford.

I can find no indication of when Frederick joined the West Riding Regiment. The Battalion he joined was formed in 1914 and served in various parts of the UK before going to France in January 1917 as part of the 62nd (West Riding) Division. On 1 May 1917 the Major General commanding the Division wrote in his Order of the Day that the 'Division will shortly be going into action to take part in its first great battle.' He was confident that they would 'gain all objectives and hold them against the most determined counter-attacks.' The Battalion moved into the trenches near Bullecourt to the South-East of Arras around 11pm on 2 May 1917. Zero hour was 3:35am on 3 May 1917. All four Battalion Companies were in the first or second wave of the attack: 14 officers and 430 'other ranks'. Reports after the battle suggest that elements of the Battalion reached both the first and second lines of the German trenches, but all were isolated and under heavy shell and machine gun fire. Described in the war diary in terms that will sound familiar, the artillery barrage 'fell short of the (German) trench, leaving the enemy in force and the wire only demolished in parts ....... the enemy not having been in the least broken'. Orders were given to retire as soon as it was dark, around 9:30pm. Only 2 officers returned unhurt and two thirds of the soldiers were casualties.

Despite these losses the Battalion was back in the front line trenches by 3:00am on 5 May, though that did give them a chance to bring in their wounded from the attack two days earlier. One record shows Frederick Bartle's death as occurring 'on or since' 3 May.

Frederick's father received the outstanding pay and allowances of £5 17s 9d on 22 November 1918 and a War Grant of £4 on 4 November 1919. Frederick was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. Not having any known grave, he is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Bay 6, Course D, Stone 12.

Frederick BATLEY

Frederick was born in 1887, the second son of Ben Batley a Timber Merchant of Heckmondwike and Annie Elizabeth Kershaw (Kneeshaw) of Slingsby in Lincolnshire who had married on the 21st March 1883 at St Stephen's Church, Lindley. The family lived first in Huddersfield then Liversedge before settling by 1891 in Regent Street, Heckmondwike with their seven children. Their four sons, John Snell, Frederick, George Cooke and Ben attended Heckmondwike Secondary School (now Heckmondwike Grammar School) before starting work in their father's Timber business.

In 1911 the family, excepting Fred, were living at Providence House, 21, Blanket Hall Street, Heckmondwike close to the Timber Yard. Fred, aged 23 and single, was staying at a boarding house at 33, Pollard Street in South Shields and was listed as a Marine Engineer.

The Upper Independent Chapel Active Service Magazine reported in December 1918 that "Mr Frederick Batley was a Chief Refrigeration Engineer in the Mercantile Marine when war broke out. He was engaged by the New Zealand Shipping Company, which had it's headquarters in London, and was onboard the RMS Turakina on 13th August 1917". He had worked for the company for eight years, first on the "Tuscany", then from late 1911 to 1913 on the "Remura" but more recently was attached to HM Transport Turakina which had been commissioned to carry troops.

"Turakina", vessel number 11462, was a steel, twin-screw, refrigeration steam ship built in 1902 by Hawthorne, Leslie, and Co. Ltd of Newcastle and designed to transport goods such as mutton, cheese and butter from New Zealand to Britain. It also had accommodation for 40 first class passengers, 50 second class passengers and 74 third class passengers and was advertising accommodation for travellers in 1907 on a route via Teneriffe, Capetown, Tasmania, Australia and New Zealand with travel agent Thomas Cooke.

The crew list for the voyage from London on 20th August 1915 to New Zealand and back returning 28th December 1915 shows Frederick Batley of Providence House, Heckmondwike who earned £13 per calendar month with a displacement allowance of £10 7s 6d. Most of the mercantile seaman's records from 1915-1918 have been destroyed.

By August 1917, RMS Turakina had been commissioned by HM Transport to carry troops and had brought a cargo of troops and supplies to Britain from America. This was a dangerous route as the German U boats were destroying many allied merchant ships and the system of sailing in convoys had not yet been introduced.

On the return voyage back to America, the ship was steaming past Bishop's Rock WSW off the Isles of Scilly on 13th August 1917 when it was torpedoed by a German submarine, U-86 (Alfred Gotze), and sunk. Frederick was one of the ninety three officers and crew who were saved. The two men who died are remembered on CWGC Tower Hill Memorial, London. The shock of the sinking had affected Frederick's heart. He thereafter remained with his parents and under the care of a doctor.

During this time Frederick became an Associate Member of the Amphibious Masonic Lodge in Heckmondwike when he and his younger brother, George Cooke, enrolled on 17th May 1918. Ben, their father, had been a Past Master of the Lodge in 1900. Their two brothers, John Snell and Ben later also enrolled. It is documented that in August 1913 their father had presented an American Organ to the Lodge.

The influenza pandemic had arrived in France and Britain by late 1918, Frederick died at home on 20th November 1918 after becoming ill with Pneumonia. The funeral took place at the Upper Chapel, Heckmondwike where the bearers were fellow members of the Amphibious Lodge of Freemasons. The gravestone is inscribed "In loving memory of Frederick Batley, Mercantile Marine".

His younger brother George Cooke, was seriously ill with pneumonia in France at the same time. His parents received a message informing them of his condition but were unable to visit him in time. However his brother Ben was able to visit him as he was in uniform in the same area. George died on the 5th December 1917. Their brother Private 224356 ASC Ben Batley survived the war.

Commemorated: The Masonic Grand Lodge Roll of Honour and Scroll, London; Heckmondwike United Reform Church Memorial outside the Upper Independent Chapel; Heckmondwike Secondary School Memorial (now Heckmondwike Grammar School); Green Park War Memorial and Vellum Roll of Honour.

George Cooke BATLEY

Private DM2/190606, 33rd Mechanical Transport Company, Royal Army Service Corps
Died 5th December 1918 aged 30
Buried Caudry British Cemetery, France
Son of Ben and Annie Batley
Lived Providence House, Blanket Hall Street, Heckmondwike

George was born in 1889. His parents were Ben Batley and Annie Elizabeth (née Kneeshaw) who had married on 21 March 1893 in Lindley, Huddersfield. Annie was from Slingsby near Malton, North Yorkshire.

Ben and Annie had seven children: Sarah born 1883; John 1885; Frederick 18. The family were prominent in the timber and coal business in Heckmondwike and father and sons all became members of the Amphibious Lodge of Freemasons.

George enlisted in August 1916 with the Army Service Corps (the ‘Royal’ was added in November 1918).  The prefix DM2 to his service number indicated that Private Batley was a Mechanical Transport Learner and is shown incorrectly as DMZ on some records.  He went to France in January 1917.  The 33rd Division was involved in major actions in 1917 and 1918 including the Arras Offensive; the 3rd Battle of Ypres and the Battle of the Lys. At the Armistice on 11 November 1918, the Division was in the area of the River Sambre and the Forest of Mormal to the east of Cambrai.

Private Batley became ill and was taken to the 21st Casualty Clearing Station (CCS) based in Caudry, about 6 miles from what had been the front lines.  George died on the night of Thursday 5 December 1918 of bronchial pneumonia.   The chaplain later wrote to his parents saying…..’Your son was brought in ill with influenza on November 26. …….I have been laying his body to rest this afternoon.  Neat wooden crosses are always put upon the graves not long after burial, but his brother tells me that his unit will put up a cross of their own on your son’s grave'.  The 21st CCS was one of the many temporary mobile treatment units and had been in Caudry from 26 October 1918.

Remarkably Private Batley’s brother Ben, who had enlisted with the RASC on 21 September 1916, was able to visit him in hospital and attended his brother’s funeral in the Military Cemetery at Audencourt a short distance from the CCS.

As part of the process known as ‘concentration’ George’s remains were later moved from Audencourt to the British Cemetery at Caudry.  In 1920 his mother paid 11s 1d for an inscription to be carved on his headstone: “His memory is ever dear to those he left behind”.  Private Batley was awarded the British War Medal, Victory Medal and is also commemorated on the Masonic Great War Roll of Honour.

In 1919 his father was sent a total of £13 13s 1d of outstanding pay and War Gratuity. A further £3 1s 9d was paid in July 1920.  Probate for the sum of £951 8s 1d was granted to his father on 15 June 1921.

John Alfred BAXTER

Charles Samuel Baxter was born in Leeds in 1849. In 1872 he married 22 year old Lavinia Almond, a Dress Maker, in Ripon. By 1881 they were living in Bramley, Leeds with their four children: Clare Almond a son aged 7; Maud, 5; Herbert, 3 and Fred, 9 months. John Alfred was born in 1885 in Bramley. The family had moved to Hollinbank Lane, Heckmondwike by 1891 and Lavinia aged 8 and Charlie aged 3 had been added to the family. Sadly the father Charles died later that year aged 43. 1901 saw the family at 165, High Street, Heckmondwike and Clare and Maud had married by that time. By 1911 Lavinia was a 61 year old widow living at 189, High Street with four children at home with ages ranging from 33 to 23: Herbert; Lavinia; John and Charlie, all working in textiles. The 3 married children, Clare, Maud and Fred all lived in Heckmondwike.

On 29 November 1915 John joined the 3rd Battalion West Riding Regiment in Heckmondwike. His address was still 189, High Street, his occupation was Wire Mattress Weaver, his height 5ft 4¾ and his weight 125 lbs. The timing suggests that he volunteered under the 'Derby Scheme', an attempt to manage the flow of recruits into the Forces. John was immediately transferred to the Reserve on 30th November 1915 and was not mobilised until 2nd March 1916, when his training would start.

After training with the 3rd Battalion he embarked for France on 6th July 1916 and joined the 2nd Battalion based near Albert on 15th July 1916 as one of 28 'other ranks' who arrived that day. There were spells in the front line and in reserve during the following months, then on 8th October the Battalion began a march by track and across country towards the front lines in the Flers and Lesboeufs area to relieve other regiments in the front line. They arrived in the early hours of 9th October taking casualties on the way. The Battalion continued to take casualties from shell and sniper fire on 10th and 11th October whilst trying to improve their trenches, 'clearing wounded left by other regiments' and preparing for an attack on 12 October. That attack was successful, the expected German counter-attack did not develop and the new line held. But at a high cost: 48 dead (one of whom was John) 238 wounded and 54 missing. The Battalion moved out of the line during 14 October but continued to take casualties from shellfire.

A note in John's records shows that his mother Lavinia was receiving 4s 3d separation allowance plus 3s 6d taken from John's pay, a total of 7s 9d a week.

Lavinia was later sent John's British War Medal and Victory Medal. His body was never found and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 6A and 6B and on the Heckmondwike St James War Memorial. John's brother Charlie also served, as did his nephew Frank, the son of Clare and his wife Sarah (née Archer). Both survived the War and their names are on the Heckmondwike Roll of Honour.

Harry BELDON

Harry was the youngest of the four children of Alfred who worked in the Woollen Mills and Mary, his wife. He was born on born 23rd April 1893 in Ravensthorpe and was baptised at St Saviour's Church. He had three sisters two of whom had died in infancy, his sister Ethel died in 1904 at the age of 17 leaving Harry as his parent's only surviving child. He was educated at Staincliffe Church School and attended the Primitive Methodist Sunday School in Heckmondwike. He was a Plumber by trade and had worked for Edwin Walker & Co before the outbreak of war.

He enlisted in the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in January 1915 but was transferred to The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment soon after. He sailed from Avonmouth to Gallipoli on 17th June 1915, landing at Anzac Cove on the 4th August where the Regiment engaged in various actions including, the Battle of Sari Bair, the Battle of Russell's Top and the Battle of Hill 60. In December they were evacuated to Mudros due to heavy casualties from combat, disease and severe weather.

After a period of service defending the Suez Canal the Regiment went to Mesopotamia where Harry died of wounds in 1917.

He is remembered on the Basra Memorial which commemorates more than 40,500 members of the Commonwealth Forces who died in the operations in Mesopotamia from the Autumn of 1914 to the end of August 1921 and whose graves are not known.

William Edward BELLERBY

William was the son of Frederick and Mary Bellerby, his father was a Wine Merchant from Dewsbury and his mother was from Leeds. He was born in Mirfield and prior to settling in Heckmondwike he had lived for many years in Batley Carr. Before the war William had worked as an Assistant at George Jessop & Sons, Clothiers, and he was also in the 2nd Company WRVR; he excelled in physical education and was made a Lieutenant. In 1912 he married Emily Barker who was from Leeds and they had one child born in 1916.

He joined up on 4th August 1916; he was initially in the West Riding Regiment but was later transferred to the Durham Light Infantry. Whilst in France he developed trench foot and was in hospital in Greenock for a time. He returned to France six weeks before he died of gunshot wounds received during the Third Battle of Ypres.

Joseph BENNETT

Joseph was one of the sons of Joseph and Mary Bennett; he managed the family Pawnbroker business on Cemetery Road. In 1912 he married Clara Rodgers and their son Maurice was born in 1916. Joseph was connected with the Moravian Chapel.

On 20 November 1917, the Third Army launched a limited and tactically radical attack at Cambrai, where ground conditions were far more favourable than any seen to date. Following a surprise hurricane artillery bombardment 378 Mark IV tanks smashed through the Hindenburg Line positions temporarily creating a rupture to the German Lines and the chance for a breakthrough. Insufficient mobile reserves could get through in time to exploit the tanks' success and within days the chance had gone. However Cambrai proved to be a key learning experience for the British command. Joseph exited his burning tank and made it to his own lines; he was shot through the head by a sniper when he looked over the parapet to see if his comrades had escaped from the tank.

His death came six weeks after that of his brother Thomas.

The Cambrai Memorial commemorates more than 7,000 servicemen of the United Kingdom and South Africa who died in the Battle of Cambrai in November and December 1917 and whose graves are not known.

Thomas BENNETT

Thomas was one of the six sons of Joseph and Mary Bennett of Cemetery Road, the Bennetts had twelve children in all and the family were Pawnbrokers.

Thomas married Ada Spivey in 1908 and they had one daughter - Clarice. Before the war Thomas worked as a Pawnbroker in Westtown, Dewsbury for nine years and lived in Savile Town.

He joined the Coldstream Guards in 1916 and had been in France for three months before he was killed. He was a Stretcher Bearer and died whilst attending a wounded soldier. Three of his brothers also served in the army and one, Joseph, was killed six weeks after Thomas died.

Arthur BENSON

Driver 1460, Royal Field Artillery
Died 26th July 1916 aged 27
Buried Mesnil Community Cemetery Extension, Somme, France
Husband of Gladys Benson
Lived 14, Kilpin Hill, Heckmondwike

Arthur was born 31st March 1889 and was the second son and fifth child of William Benson and Sarah Ann nee Proctor. In 1881 the family were living in Battye Street, Heckmondwike but had moved to Beckett Nook in Dewsbury by 1891. William Benson died in 1894, but Sarah Ann stayed in Dewsbury until she died in 1907. Also during this period, his elder brother Oliver and his elder sister Annie died.

After their parents died, his surviving sisters Alice and Etty married. Arthur and his youngest brother Fred were living with their sister Alice and her husband, Norman Scargill, at 14, Kilpin Hill in 1911. Fred is also commemorated in the Heckmondwike Memorial book but he survived the war. Etty (Ettie) had married James Edward Wood in 1906.

Arthur worked for Messrs Pyrah & Mitchell of Providence Mills Liversedge. He played football with Dewsbury Anroyd FC.

Arthur had been in the Heckmondwike Volunteer Corps before the outbeak of war and volunteered as soon as war was declared. He enlisted in Heckmondwike in August 1914 in the Royal Field Artillery where he was a Driver.

He was on leave for a week at the beginning of June in 1916 and married Gladys Annie Holroyd at St. John's Church, Dewsbury on 5th June 1916. His best man was Gunner Ernest Whittaker with whom he was serving in France who wrote the letter telling his family of his death.

Seven weeks later, he died of the effects of poisonous gas dropped on his trench on 26th July 1916 during the Somme offensive. He is buried in Mesnil Community Cemetery Extension section 3 D 7.

He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal

Arthur's name is also commemorated on St James's and St Saviour's War Memorials.

Thomas Henry BLAKELEY

Signal Boy J/39929, Royal Navy
Died 31st May 1916 aged 16
Lost at Sea Commemorated Portsmouth Naval Memorial
Son of Henry and Mathilda Blakeley
Lived 11, Northgate, Heckmondwike

Thomas was born in Liversedge on the 8th July 1899, he was the son of Henry, a Carpet Weaver and Mathilda (Manuel) who was the daughter of a police officer from Jersey, she died soon after he was born. Thomas's naval record states that he worked as a Warehouse Packer before joining the Royal Navy in April 1915 when he was just 15 years old. In the 1911 census the family are recorded as living at Ings Road, Heckmondwike, his father had remarried and he had two sisters and a brother.

Thomas was posted to HMS Indefatigable which was involved in the Battle of Jutland, fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. In this, the largest sea battle of the First World War, fourteen British and eleven German ships were sunk, with great loss of life.

HMS Indefatigable was hit by two or three shells from the German battle cruiser Von der Tann. She fell out of formation to starboard and started sinking towards the stern and listing to port. After more hits, the port magazines exploded. Smoke and flames gushed from the forward part of the ship and large pieces were thrown 200 feet (61 m) into the air. Of her crew of 1,019, only two survived. The two survivors were rescued by the German torpedo boat S16.

Thomas was the youngest person from Heckmondwike to be killed whilst serving in the Great War.

Allen BOWKER

Private 26361, 2nd Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
Died of Wounds 5th August 1918 aged 36
Buried Heckmondwike Cemetery
Son of Henry and Mary Jane Bowker
Lived 47, Regent Street, Heckmondwike

Allen (Allan) Bowker was born in 1882, the youngest of the four sons of Henry Bowker, a warehouseman living in Heckmondwike and his second wife, Mary Jane Gladman of Lincolnshire. They had married at Birstall Parish Church on 11th May 1874.

Henry Bowker's first marriage had been to Margaret Senior in 1864. They had two daughters, Fanny (1864) and Emily (1865) before Margaret Bowker died on 24th March 1867 and was buried in the family grave along with their infant son Arthur. The two daughters were then brought up by their maternal grandparents in Earlsheaton.

Allen's three elder brothers were John Gladman Bowker who was born on 22nd October 1875; Walter, born in 1877; and Ernest born in 1879. At the time of Allen's birth, the family lived in Knowles Hill Road on Dewsbury Moor, but they later moved to Regent Street, Heckmondwike. Allen's mother, Mary Jane Bowker died on 28th January 1909 aged 61. Two years later, the census recorded Allen, a single man aged 28, living at the family home with his father and brother, Walter, who had also been widowed. John Gladman Bowker and Ada, his wife of four years, lived at 52 Boundary Street.

In February 1916, Allen enlisted into the West Riding Regiment as Private 19743 at Liversedge, under the Derby scheme and gave his address as 56, Church Street, Heckmondwike. The local newspaper in 1918, reported that "Allen lived with his brother Mr Ernest Bowker of 47, Regent Street, was a single man, employed in the Heckmondwike Manufacturing Company's warehouse packing department and a member of Back Lane Working Men's Club. He trained in North Shields before being sent to German East Africa in August 1916 where he was taken ill with malaria. Having recovered, he was transferred to Egypt where the climate caused a breakdown in his health again. He was sent home for a month in December 1917 to convalesce before returning to the battalion in Egypt."

The battalion then moved to France but had only been there for six weeks when Allen was wounded in the back. He was evacuated to Southampton and taken to the Graylingwell Military Hospital in Chichester for treatment.

A telegram was sent from Chichester on Monday summoning his father to the bedside as his condition was grave. The local newspaper reported that "owing to the post office being closed for the holiday the message was not delivered until Tuesday morning and by the same post came a letter containing the painful announcement that the wounded soldier had passed away on Monday." The flag at Back Lane Working Men's Club was flown at half mast as a mark of respect.

The Cleckheaton Advertiser and Spenborough Times recorded that the "Funeral service was held in Heckmondwike on Saturday and attended by members of the Heckmondwike Company's Volunteers, who acted as bearers, and also by a good number of members of the Back Lane Working Men's Club and fellow employees at the Manufacturing Company's works. The coffin was covered with a Union Jack, on the top of which the cap of the soldier was placed. The burial was preceded by a service at the Parish Church, at which the Rev. R A Henderson, vicar, and the Rev. G L Woodhouse, curate, officiated, the former also taking the service at the graveside."

His Commonwealth War Grave headstone stands in Heckmondwike Cemetery. Next to it is the family gravestone which also records his death. Below his name is that of his father, Henry Bowker, who died on 17th March 1919.

Medals: Victory and British

Commemorated: St Saviour's Church Memorial, Green Park Memorial and the Heckmondwike Vellum Roll

Tom Brayshaw

Private 29887, Northumberland Fusiliers
Died 14th April 1917 aged 20
Buried Duisans British Cemetery Etrun, Pas de Calais, France
Son of George and Emily Brayshaw (both deceased)
Lived 63, Cemetery Road / Oldfield Lane, Heckmondwike

Tom was born in 4th Quarter of 1896 at Milton Row, Liversedge. He was the eldest son of George Brayshaw born 1858 and Emily Hine born 1869. Tom had two older sisters and four younger brothers who were born before 1905. About this time the family moved to Oldfield Lane in Heckmondwike, but sadly Tom's mother Emily died in 1909 aged 36 years.

Tom's father George continued to care for his young family, while working as a Millhand. Tom was contributing to the family income in 1911 by working as a Rubber Maker Millhand, while his younger brothers were at school.

Another tragedy befell the family when Tom's father, George, died at the beginning of 1915 aged about 57 years.

Tom was working as a Mule Spinner at Albert Rhodes & Company Limited when he enlisted on June 15th 1916 in Halifax into the Northumberland Fusiliers, leaving his younger brothers living in the family home at 22, Oldfield Lane. Some months later he was sent to France and fought in the 2nd Battle of Arras in 1917. He died of his wounds on 14th April 1917. He was buried at Duisans British Cemetery Etrun near Arras in the Pas de Calais Department of France.

Before the war he was connected with United Methodist Free Church and Sunday School and was a member of Back Lane Working Men's Club. He also played football for St. Saviour's Club and the Gospel Hall Club in Batley.

His name is commemorated on the Heckmondwike Green Park War Memorial and also on St James's and St Saviour's War Memorials. He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Joseph BREARLEY

Private 236085, West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Own)
Died 9th October 1917 aged 18
No Known Grave Commemorated Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium
Son of James and Lydia Ann Brearley
Lived 50, Church Street, Heckmondwike

Joseph was born in early 1899 in Eldon Street, Heckmondwike. His parents were James Brearley born 1873 in Triangle, Halifax and Lydia Ann nee Gregg born in 1872 in Batley Carr. He was the eldest son, but had an older sister, and three younger brothers, Arthur, Horace and Percy and a younger sister. His older sister was called Elizabeth born 1897 and she married Samuel Ellison and she taught for many years at Battye Street Primary School. His younger brother Percy was born in 1902 and he also served in The Great War. After the war Horace married and had children, one of whom was the well known Middlesex and England cricketer Michael Brearley. Another sister of Joseph, Lydia born in 1911, married Robert A Heddon and they lived at Laurel Mount off Cemetery Road along with Samuel and Elizabeth Ellison.

Joseph originally joined the Yorkshire Hussars which was a Cavalry Regiment, but on the 9th October his Regiment joined the 8th West Yorkshire and Joseph was killed on that first day. He was shot through the lung and died instantaneously.

His commanding officer Captain Cecil Foster wrote to the family that "Joseph had a brave and unselfish spirit, and when but a lad of tender years he willingly offered himself to defend his country against Prussian Militarism. He has died a noble death".

He was a Clerk in the Rate Office before the war and was a choir boy at St. Saviour's Church, where his name is commemorated, along with War Memorials in St. James's Church and Heckmondwike Grammar School and also on the Memorial in Green Park.

He has no known grave, but his name is on the Tyne Cot Memorial near Ypres, Belgium.

He was awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.

Norman BRIGGS

Able Seaman KP/856, Royal Naval Volunteer Service
Died 27th December 1915 aged 27
Buried at the Redoubt Cemetery Helles, Turkey
Husband of Polly Briggs
Lived 6, Barber Square, Heckmondwike

Norman was born in Heckmondwike in 1888; he was the son of Sam and Ada Briggs and appears to have been an only child. He was a Miner by trade. He married Polly Allinson in 1908 at St Peter's Church, Birstall and they had one son born in 1909. In 1911 Norman and Polly were living at Nunroyd. Polly re-married two years after Norman died.

The Hood Battalion was part of the Royal Naval Division; Winston Churchill as First Lord of the Admiralty formed the Royal Naval Division as an infantry formation in August 1914. This continued a tradition of employing ad-hoc groupings of sailors and marines in land operations alongside units of the British Army. The Royal Naval Division was selected to play a major part in Churchill's plan to defeat the German/Turkish alliance by an amphibious attack into what he called "the soft under-belly of Europe" to seize the entrance to the Bosphorus at Gallipoli. This enterprise became one of the greatest disasters of the Great War.

After the division's massive losses at the Third Battle of Krithia, the Benbow Battalion and the Collingwood Battalion were chosen to be disbanded between 4th and 8th June 1915 to reinforce the other five depleted Royal Naval Battalions. A shadow of its former self, the Royal Naval Division stayed at Helles Beach until the very end of the Dardanelles campaign. Its units were amongst the very last to leave during the evacuation of the night 8th/9th January 1916.

James BRODERICK

Private 6120, Northumberland Fusiliers
Died 26th June 1916 aged 20
Buried Dartmoor Cemetery Becordel-Becourt, France
Lived 4, Royle Fold, Heckmondwike

James was born in Heckmondwike at the end of 1894. In 1901 he was living with his aunt Ann McCarty, a widow, at 4, Strawberry Square, Heckmondwike along with his brother Thomas who was 2 years older than James. They were also with their aunt in 1911 living at Globe Yard, Liversedge. They were still at this address when James enlisted.

The last letter that James wrote home was 'of a cheerful' nature and was hoping that he would shortly be granted leave. He referred, sadly, to the death of his friend who he feared had 'gone under'. His mother received a letter from the Vicar of Tring with whom James had boarded prior to going to France. The Catholic priest said in his letter, that James had lived with them for quite a while and felt they were old friends. He hoped that the family would take comfort from knowing that James had died 'the noblest of deaths'

He served with the Northumberland Fusiliers as a Private. He was killed in action on 26th June 1916 in France. He is buried in the Dartmoor Cemetery at Becordel-Becourt , near Peronne & Albert. This Cemetery was originally called Becordel-Becourt Military Cemetery when it was opened in August 1915. The name was changed at the request of the 8th & 9th Battalions of the Devonshire Regiment in May 1916. There are 768 Commonwealth graves in this cemetery, the majority of which were interred in 1916. The villages of Becourt and Becordel were just behind the front line of the Battle of the Somme and were important places during the battle and before. Many Field Ambulance Units were based in the villages during the battle of the Somme in 1916.

His name is also recorded on St James's Church War Memorial and St Saviour's Church Memorial.

George Henry BROOKE

Rifleman 15420, 11th Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps
Died 24th August 1916 aged 21
No Known Grave Commemorated Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France
Son of Henry and Mary Jane Brooke
Lived 2, Wharton Street, Heckmondwike

George was born in Heckmondwike in 1895 he was the son of Henry, who came from Ashton-under-Lyme, and Mary Jane Heeley who originally came from Holmfirth. In 1911 Henry is listed as a navvy at the sewage works working for the Urban District Council. In the 1911 Census George is listed as having one sister still at home, Lottie born in 1891, a hopper minder, two brothers , Wilfred born in 1898, a piecener for spinners, and Willie, born in 1904, who was at school. Wilfred also served in The Great War. In 1901 and 1911 the family are living at 2 Wharton Street, which was off Church Lane behind St James' Church.

Prior to the outbreak of war George had worked in the textile industry and by the time he enlisted he was working at Messrs J & M.S Sharp. He lists his occupation on enlistment as a miner. He was actively associated with Heckmondwike Parish Church and Sunday School. He was also a drummer in the Church Lad's Brigade.

George enlisted on September 6th 1915 in Bradford. He was a Rifleman in the 11th Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps. He landed in France on February 11th 1916. He died six months later in August 1916. He was initially wounded in the arm but was killed by a shell on his way to the dressing station.

He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in the Somme Department. The memorial is built in the area where George fought. From 1 July 1916, supported by a French attack to the south, thirteen divisions of Commonwealth forces launched an offensive on a line from north of Gommecourt to Maricourt. Despite a preliminary bombardment lasting seven days, the German defences were barely touched and the attack met unexpectedly fierce resistance. Losses were catastrophic and with only minimal advances on the southern flank, the initial attack was a failure. In the following weeks, huge resources of manpower and equipment were deployed in an attempt to exploit the modest successes of the first day. However, the German Army resisted tenaciously and repeated attacks and counter attacks meant a major battle for every village, copse and farmhouse gained. At the end of September, Thiepval was finally captured. The village had been an original objective of 1 July. Attacks north and east continued throughout October and into November in increasingly difficult weather conditions. The Battle of the Somme finally ended on 18 November with the onset of winter.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916 - George died in August 1916 and has no grave.

The local newspaper published details of how George was killed by an exploding shell after being wounded in action. His colleague Rifleman H G Stone wrote: "I thought it was my duty to write these few lines. He was wounded by my side in the muscle of the arm, and whilst on the way to the dressing station was killed by a shell. He was one of the best of chums, and I miss him very much as we have been together ever since we enlisted. I trust that God will give you sufficient strength to bear the burden of sorrow in your sad and sudden bereavement." The article goes on to say that: "Rifleman Brooke was actively associated with Heckmondwike Parish Church and Sunday School, and on the occasion of his six day furlough last May to attend his father's funeral. He was a drummer in the Church Lad's Brigade."

There was a memorial service for George on September 17 1916 at St James' Church.

An article describing the service says that George was killed by a shell and that his mother lived in Wharton Street. Joel Allott the organist played: The Funeral March by Eily, the Dead March in "Saul" and Chopin's Funeral March. Hymns were sung including "Jesu, lover of my soul", "Fight the good fight" and "On the resurrection morning." The Rev C E Hewitt read the lesson and the address was given by the Rev E H Shepherd. The burial service was read and towards the end of the service the "Last Post" was sounded.

His mother, Mary Jane, is recorded as having signed for his credit of 15 shillings and seven pence and for a war gratuity of £3 in December 1919. George's father had died in May 1916. George was awarded the Victory Medal and the British Medal.

Arthur Graham BURNETT

Lance Corporal 26165, 2nd Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own)
Died 24th July 1917 aged 31
No Known Grave Commemorated Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium
Husband of Lily Burnett
Lived 138, High Street, Heckmondwike

Arthur was born in Scarborough in 1886, the eldest son of James Thomas Burnett, a Tailor, and his first wife, Mary Elizabeth Dodds, who lived at 35, Columbus Ravine. He was three years old when his mother died and his father remarried.

Arthur was a pupil of the Central Board School at the corner of Trafalgar Street West, and Melrose Street, Scarborough until 1899, when he left to become an 'Errand Boy' for Birdsall and Wilson, the Scarborough Grocer, Tea Dealer and Provisioner in their store located at 23, St Nicholas Street. By 1911, Arthur had moved to lodgings at 15, Woodbank Place in Bradford and was described as a 23 year old Grocer. His brother, James William Burnett had moved to Pioneer Street, Westtown, Dewsbury and was working as a Tram Overlooker. Prior to the outbreak of war Arthur was residing at 138, High Street, Heckmondwike, whilst working for the Maypole Grocery Company at their branch at 26, Market Street, Heckmondwike. The Maypole Dairy Company sold butter, margarine and tea and had 985 shops throughout the country by 1915.

Arthur enlisted in the army at Heckmondwike during the autumn of 1915. He was initially posted to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion of the Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment) which was situated at the Regiment's Depot at Fulford Barracks in York. Arthur underwent the customary three months training before being made Lance-Corporal and then being posted to the 2nd Battalion in January 1916. During June 1916 Arthur returned to his home town of Scarborough for a fortnight's leave and to marry Lily Scales, the Scarborough born daughter of Sarah and Thomas Scales on Sunday the 11th of June, at Jubilee Primitive Methodist Church, which stood in Aberdeen Walk. Shortly afterwards he returned to his unit in time to take part in the Somme Offensive.

The 2nd West Yorkshire Regiment was amongst those given the unenviable task of capturing the village of Orvillers La Boisselle on the opening day of the Offensive on 1st July. They quickly ran into heavy machine gun fire and suffered appalling casualties. The Division was relieved that first night and took no further part in the battle until that Autumn. In late October the 2nd West Yorkshire Regiment, with an active strength of only 437 officers and men, went into action to capture an enemy position known as Zenith Trench. Fighting was fierce and by the end of the operation Arthur's unit had suffered many casualties, 230 officers and men were killed, wounded or missing.

The Battalion subsequently endured 'concentrated misery' during the terrible Winter of 1916/1917 in trenches at 'Priez Farm', near to the village of Rancourt. The hell in which Arthur and his comrades had found themselves had been described; "The conditions beggar description, the trenches are flooded and have fallen in. There is no cover either in front, support, or reserve lines, and men are being evacuated sick with frostbite and exhaustion by the hundred. The conditions are so bad that we were unable to see the actual trenches". Whilst in these positions Arthur and three other men had been buried in a trench collapse. After being dug out, with much difficulty, the four almost suffocated soldiers had been transferred to a hospital in England, where they had remained until well into 1917.

Arthur had not long been returned to the fighting front in France when he was killed by German shell fire on 24th July. News of Corporal Burnett's death had at first been posted to his widow, who had in due course forwarded the news to his parents and her father, Thomas Scales, a Chinaware Dealer, who had subsequently reported the tidings to the news office of the 'Scarborough Mercury', which had in turn, reported the soldiers death in an extensive casualty list on Friday the 10th of August 1917.

The Cleckheaton Advertiser and Spenborough Times reported Arthur's death together with that of a second Heckmondwike Maypole employee, Gunner Fred Hanson of Industrial Buildings, Hightown, who is remembered on the Spenborough Memorial.

No identifiable remains of Corporal Burnett were ever found, either during the war, or in the numerous searches of the battlefield after the war. His name was eventually included with those of nearly fifty six thousand other officers and men who had been lost in the Ypres Salient, on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, Belgium. Arthur's name is located on Panel 21.

Ned CARTWRIGHT

Private 16/1572, 16th Battalion West Riding Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own)
Died 27th February 1917 aged 38
No Known Grave Commemorated Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France
Husband of Ada Cartwright
Lived 21, Regent Street, Heckmondwike

Ned was born on the 10th April 1878 in Heckmondwike, and baptised on the 6th July 1879 at St Stephen's Church, Lindley, the son of Edwin Cartwright, a Heckmondwike Tripe Dresser and Catherine Eliza Brear who had married at Birstall Parish Church in 1874, both having been previously widowed.

Ned was 19 years old and living at Northgate, Heckmondwike and working as a Mattress Maker, when he married Ada Styles of Queen Street, Heckmondwike on 12th February 1898 at St Peter's Parish Church in Birstall. Their son Horace Cartwright was born on 22nd August 1899. By 1901 they were living at 6, Barber Square, Heckmondwike, close to his father Edwin, who had become a Fish Merchant. Ned and Ada's family continued to expand when children Agnes, Lucy, Elsie and Jack arrived. Times must have been tough in 1908, when working as an Upholsterer, he was convicted of non payment of the Poor Rates, but with the threat of 14 days in Wakefield prison his fine was paid on the same day. By 1911 they had moved to 1, Carr Street, Littletown, Liversedge and Ned was working as a Fish Fryer, remaining at this address until at least 1915.

The Heckmondwike Herald & Courier reported in July 1916, on various anonymous and difficult cases that were brought before a full days sitting of the Spenborough Military Tribunal held in Cleckheaton Town Hall. The applications were from shopkeepers and businessmen who were finding it difficult to volunteer for the services because they were needed to run their business. In one such case, "the proprietor of a Liversedge fried fish restaurant said he provided 2,000 meals per week. He would be willing to take up work in a factory. The claim was disallowed, but he was given an extension of time to August 31st to make arrangements".

Ned Cartwright's war record is lost but it is known that he enlisted in Bradford as a Private in the Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment) joining the 16th Battalion (1st Bradford). They were known as the Bradford Pals and were engaged against the Germans at Rossignol Wood near Hebuterne as part of the 93rd Brigade, 31st Division in February 1917. Ned was officially presumed dead on or after 27th February 1917. No newspaper announcement has yet been found. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial (Pier & Face 2A, 2C & 2D) as the son of Mr & Mrs Edward Cartwright of Heckmondwike and the husband of Mrs Ada Milner (formerly Cartwright) of 21, Regent Street, Heckmondwike.

Commemorated: Green Park Memorial & Vellum Roll; St Saviour's Church and St James' Church War Memorials

Medals: Victory and British.

Joseph William CORCORAN

Sapper 239493, Royal Engineers (Railway Operating Division)
Died 27th May 1918 aged 21
Buried Mendingham Military Cemetery, Belgium
Son of Edward and Ada Corcoran
Lived 4, Walkley Terrace, Heckmondwike

Joseph William, known as William, was born in Heckmondwike in 1898. His father Edward was born in Hunslet to Irish immigrants and his mother Ada, nee Crowther, was born in Mirfield. William was their only son, he had three sisters. Prior to enlisting in the army he had worked at CWS Bootworks - his father and grandfather were both boot and shoe makers. He eventually went to work on the London and North Western Railway and was a Junior Porter at Ravensthorpe Station before moving to Heckmondwike to be a Signaller. He attended Battye Street and High Street schools and the United Methodist Sunday School. He had been a Boy Scout and was a member of Heckmondwike Working Men's Club.

He joined the Royal Engineers in February 1917, was posted to France in March 1918 and was attached to the Railway Operating Division. The ROD, as they were known, were formed in 1915 and were comprised mainly of railway employees, they were exclusively concerned with operating full size standard gauge trains in various theatres of war, they managed traffic, provided crews and repaired rolling stock. Very few records have survived about the activities of this division.

His mother received notification of his death in a letter sent to her my Captain G. Smith, it read "Dear Mrs. Corcoran, It is with deep regret I have to inform you that your son was killed last night by enemy shellfire whilst on duty. A measure of comfort is perhaps to be found in the fact that death was instantaneous. Arrangements are being made for his burial in a military cemetery and details thereof will reach you later. I have always found Sapper Corcoran a particularly good fellow and well behaved, dependable and devoted to duty and am awfully sorry to lose his services."

She received a second letter on 29th May that said "Dear Mrs. Corcoran, I am forwarding to you 10 shillings; the equivalent amount was found in your son's pay book and I have exchanged it into English money for you. I am sorry to inform you that none of your boy's personal effects could be found. It may be of little consolation to you to know that he died painlessly and also that he was buried at 3:30 p.m. on the 28th inst; with full military honours in Mendingham Military Cemetery near Proven, Belgium. I, along with 50 N.C.O.'s and men attended the funeral. C. Tennison Lieut; R.E."

Leonard COULTON

Private 11049, 2nd Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
Died 31st October 1914 aged 22
No Known Grave Commemorated Le Touret Memorial, France
Son of John and Martha Coulton
Lived 2, Peel Street, Heckmondwike

Leonard was the youngest son of the nine children of John Coulter (Coulton), a Carpet Weaver from Barnard Castle in County Durham and his wife Martha who was born in Dundee, Scotland. Sometime after 1861 the family came to Heckmondwike and in 1871 were living in Oldfield Lane. John and his father George were both Carpet Weavers.

Acton Taylor, Leonard's maternal grandfather, was born in Kidderminster in 1826. By 1851 he was living in the Gorbals and was married to Sarah Henderson, from Ireland. They married on 13th May 1849 and their address is given at 84, Eglinton Street, Glasgow. Their daughter Martha Taylor, Leonard's mother, was born in Dundee in 1858. By the 1861 Census the family were living at 37, Central Street, off Webster Hill in Dewsbury. By 1871 they had moved to Upper George Street, Heckmondwike. Acton was a Carpet Weaver and the family were working in local carpet mills. Martha and John Coulton were married at St Peter's Church, Birstall, on 11 August 1878; they had 9 children, six boys and three daughters. Martha died in 1895, when Leonard was aged about three years. John is described as a widower in the 1901 Census living at 7, Upper George Street. John died in 1906 when Leonard was fourteen.

At the outbreak of war the Coulton family had lived in the area for over 40 years, John Coulton – Leonard's father - first appeared on the census in Heckmondwike in 1871. After John's death it seems that Leonard went to live with his brother Joseph Coulton a Rag Grinder for a flock manufacturer, living at 2 Peel Street. All the family worked in the mills and Leonard himself had become a Piecer, a person who mends, repairs or joins something, especially broken threads on a loom. He worked with Botany Wools, which then were made into fine cloth. He enlisted in the army at Pontefract early in 1914 and was the first fatality from the town of Heckmondwike, although it was some time before his death was reported.

By the time that Leonard died on 31st October 1914, the 2nd Battalion KOYLI had been in almost constant action for two months. The Germans were having considerable success at the First Battle of Ypres and in the early morning of the 31st the Battalion was taken by bus to Neuve Eglise and then further to Messines to re-enforce the 2nd Cavalry Division.

At 10am the Battalion was sent into the attack to try to re-take some trenches east of Messines. The western end of the village was in enemy hands and the Germans had concentrated their machine guns there. "B" and "C" Companies, leading the attack, could make no headway towards the objective and had to dig-in to await supporting artillery fire.

By 2pm, these two companies and the two support companies were entrenched and holding a line running along the road that ran through the village. Casualties were very heavy; the Battalion had suffered 155 casualties during the day - dead, wounded and missing, amongst them was Leonard – but the rest of the company held on until the next day when they were forced to withdraw.

He was initially posted as missing and it was another eighteen months until his death was reported in a letter from the Infantry Record Office in York. The letter stated that it was the writer's painful duty to inform the family that "no further news having been received relative to 11049 Private Leonard Coulton of the 2nd Battalion KOYLI, who had been missing since 31st October 1914, the Army Council have been regretfully compelled to state that he is dead and that his death took place on the 31st October (or since)". The writer expressed the Army Council's sympathy in the loss. An article in the Cleckheaton Advertiser and Spen Valley Times outlined some of the circumstances surrounding Leonard's disappearance. George Acton Coulton, Leonard's brother, was in France serving with the Cheshire "Bantam" Regiment. The "Bantams" were a regiment raised in Birkenhead for men of about 5 feet tall. George had a letter he had sent to Leonard, at the end of 1914, returned marked "killed" but this comment had been changed to "wounded". There was no further news for over a year.

Leonard's name is inscribed on the LeTouret Memorial which commemorates over 13,400 British soldiers who were killed in this sector of the Western Front and who have no known grave.

Leonard had qualified for the following medals: Victory, British and Star.

His effects were recorded, by the Army, in York in May 1916 as £12-16 shillings and sixpence and this was shared between his brothers and sisters. His eldest brother Joseph signed for Leonard's war gratuity of £5 in February 1920.

Norman Lawrence COWARD

Private 27078, 5th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment (The Green Howards)
Died 28th March 1918 aged 21
Buried Ham British Cemetery, Muille-Villette, France
Son of George and Alice Coward
Lived 23, Brighton Terrace, Heckmondwike

Norman was the son of George and Alice Coward. George was from Womersley near Pontefract and his mother, Alice Tolson, was born in Batley Carr. George was a Farm Bailiff and Norman was a Farm Labourer before moving to Heckmondwike where he worked for the Liversedge Coal Company at Dymond Pit.

His mother received a letter informing her of his death, the letter read "I am very sorry to inform you that your son was killed in action on March 28th. I am afraid it would be a bitter blow for you and all in his company extend their sympathy to you. It will be some slight consolation to you to know that his regiment did splendidly and they fought like heros and that he met a soldiers death in his country's cause F. B. Parkin Captain". A wounded Sergeant spoke eloquently of Norman saying of his (Norman's) cheerfulness and bravery at all times. On the 21st the St Michael offensive began and Norman's Battalion was ordered to Amiens to meet the German attack. The Battalion fought a rearguard action which resulted in a nine mile withdrawal from Hancourt to Amiens.

The Fifth Army had been spread thin on a 42-mile front lately taken over from the exhausted and demoralised French. The Germans ought to have broken through to Paris but were prevented by the heroism of the Fifth Army and its utter refusal to break. They fought a 38-mile rearguard action, contesting every village, field and, on occasion, yard ... With no reserves and no strongly defended line to its rear, and with eighty German divisions against fifteen British, the Fifth Army fought the Somme offensive to a standstill on the Ancre, not retreating beyond Villers-Bretonneux.

These defensive operations cost the 5th Battalion, The Green Howards, 372 casualties amongst whom was Norman Coward.

William CRANE

Private 22430, 6th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment
Died 17th July 1916 aged 34
No Known Grave Commemorated Shaikh Saad Old Cemetery Memorial, Amara War Cemetery, Iraq
Husband of Alice Ann Crane
Lived 55, Heckmondwike Road, Heckmondwike

William, born in 1882, was the son of Charles Henry and Lucy Ann Crane who lived on Hollinbank Lane. Charles, who was from Doncaster, was a Brewer and William followed in his footsteps working as a Maltster for Sutcliffe's of Liversedge before the war. William married Alice Ann Antcliffe who was from Liversedge in 1901 and they had eight children, the last one of whom was born posthumously in 1916.

William enlisted in the East Lancashire Regiment on August 22nd 1915, his brother Ernest joined the Lancashire Fusiliers - he was wounded in action but survived the war.

William served in Mesopotamia. The 6th (Service) Battalions of the East Lancashire, South Lancashire and Loyal North Lancashire Regiments landed at Basra in March 1916. They formed part of the 38th (Lancashire) Infantry Brigade of the 13th (Western) Division of Kitchener's New Army.

Thousands fought their way to Baghdad in the Mesopotamian Campaign and around 1,239 of them lie there still. With temperatures regularly exceeding 50 degrees Centigrade, death and illness from heat-stroke were common and dysentery, malaria and other tropical diseases endemic. William Crane was one of those who succumbed to the conditions; he died from the effects of heat leaving his wife and six surviving children. William was buried in Shaikh Saad Old Cemetery but the headstones were all removed in 1933 as they were deteriorating in the sand and a screen wall was erected on which the names of the fallen are recorded.

Lennox CROSSLEY

Corporal 14854, 8th Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
Killed in Action 27th August 1917 aged 23
No Known Grave Commemorated Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, Belgium
Son of Aaron and Sarah Crossley
Lived 15, Beauregard Street, Heckmondwike

Lennox was born on 30 March 1894 to Aaron and Sarah Jane Crossley. Aaron was from Batley and had enlisted in the 1st Dragoon Guards when he was 18 years old. After service in India he left the Army with the rank of Corporal around 1889. He and Sarah (née Crowther) married in Birstall in 1891 and later that year the couple were living in Gomersal. On 6 April 1900 when he was 41 Aaron re-enlisted in the Dragoon Guards and in 1901 the family were living in Brunswick Road, Sheffield, not far from Hillsborough Barracks. By 1911 the family were back in this area at 15, Beauregard Street, Heckmondwike. Sarah and Aaron had seven children by this time: Vernal (19); Hilda (18); Lennox (17); Emma (14); Arnold (13); Doris (11) and Joseph (9). The two youngest children were at school, Sarah was at home and all the rest of the family worked in textiles. Towards the end of 1912 Aaron died aged 54.

Lennox volunteered for the Army in November 1914 and went to France in 1915, probably with the 2nd Battalion and at some point transferred to the 8th Battalion. His address around this time was 1a, Brighton Street, Heckmondwike. In 1917 his mother Sarah died. By August 1917 the Third Battle of Ypres (often simply called 'Passchendaele') was underway. In mid-August the Battalion moved from their camp near Poperinghe towards the front lines on the Northern flank of the Ypres salient. On 27 August 1917 this experienced, hardened Battalion attacked the German position known as the Pheasant Trench, part of the Wilhelm Line. After some initial success the Battalion came under heavy machine gun fire and sustained heavy losses, one of whom was Lennox. An informal local truce followed the attack to allow casualties to be recovered, but Lennox has no known grave. He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Panel 82 to 85 and 162A.

The Cleckheaton and Spenbough Guardian in its obituary said that Lennox was to return to England in September 1917 to train for a Commission. In October 1917 Lennox's outstanding pay and allowances were divided between six family members: each received 5s 10d. Sister Emma was sent the £14 War Grant on 24 December 1919. Two of Lennox's brothers served in the Army. Vernal, 38131, served abroad with the Yorkshire Regiment. An indication of the willingness of young men to volunteer, and the pressure on those doing the recruitment can be seen in the records for Arnold. He volunteered as Private 4160 in the 2/5th West Riding Regiment on 25 May 1915. His fitness was assessed as 'good' and his age recorded as 19 years 6 months. When he was medically discharged on 11 August 1916 his record shows a more accurate age of 18, and that he had suffered from rickets* from infancy. Both Vernal and Arnold survived the War and are listed on the Heckmondwike Roll of Honour.

Russell Eric CROWTHER

Private 205211, 1st/5th Battalion Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment)
Killed in Action 25th April 1918 aged 19
Buried at Sanctuary Wood, Ypres, Belgium
Son of Thomas Wood and Kate Crowther
Lived Battye Street School House, Heckmondwike

Russell was born in July 1898 in Heckmondwike. By 1901 he is listed as living with his family at 1, Parker Street, Heckmondwike. At this time his father Thomas Wood Crowther is 39 years old and is working as a Schoolmaster in the Board School, probably the former Battye Street School. His mother Kate was born in Patley Bridge in 1871.

Thomas Wood Crowther, Russell's father, was born in Heckmondwike on 27 May 1861 and his parents were John Crowther (1834-1881) of Heckmondwike and Ann Wood (1834-1901) also born in Heckmondwike , her parents were Thomas Wood and Catherine (Kate) Parker nee Hawkin.

Ann Wood, Russell's grandmother, was born in 1834 and is listed as living with her father, a Blanket Maker, Tom Wood (1801-1871). In 1851 they were living in Goose Hill, in Heckmondwike and Tom is described as being a Sizing Boiler in the woollen trade. He is a widower and employed his daughter, Mary, as Housekeeper. Ann is a Milliner and unmarried aged 17.

Ann and John Crowther, Russell's grandparents were married in 1856 at Birstall Parish Church. John was described as a Stone Mason; his father and father-in-law are both described as Blanket Manufacturers. John and Ann had nine children, Thomas Wood Crowther, Russell's father, was their eldest son. In the 1861 Census John is described as a Mason and living in the Goose Hill area of Heckmondwike. In 1871 the family are living in Tom Wood's houses. John employed 4 men in his masonry business. Thomas Wood Crowther and his sister Catherine, the children, were nearby with their grandfather Tom Wood.

In 1881 the family was reunited in Cemetery Road: John, Ann, their children Emma Elizabeth (21) a Burler (someone who removes knots and loose threads from finished cloth), Thomas Wood Crowther an Assistant Master at the board school, John Henry Crowther (18) a Printer Improver, Rebecca (16) a Burler, Walter (12) and Ernest Parker Crowther (9) Scholars. By the 1891 census John has died and the family is headed by Ann. Thomas Wood Crowther is now a Certificated Schoolmaster he and his siblings are all single. Emma and Rebecca are described as Carpet Whippers, Walter is a Hairdresser and Ernest is a Grocer's Assistant.

Kate, Russell's mother, moved to Heckmondwike to work as a Milliner at Raleigh Humphries, Drapers in the town and is recorded there in 1891. Kate and Thomas Wood Crowther were married in Pateley Bridge in 1896. In 1901 Kate and her husband are living at Battye Street Board School, Thomas is described as a School Master, Russell and his brother Tom are there, there is a visitor a Mary Morrell (27), a Blouse Maker - Manageress, born in Harrogate. They have a servant Nellie Davies (18). There was a younger brother George Maurice who was born in 1901 but he died in 1902.

Russell is aged 12 on the 1911 census; he is at school, as is his elder brother, Tom Wood Stanley Crowther. Their mother Kate died in 1904, and father remarried Sarah Elizabeth (nee Hoey) in 1906. They are living in the School House, Battye Street. Russell's father is listed as Headmaster. When Russell left school he was apprenticed to F Mallinson the Chemist in Heckmondwike.

Russell enlisted in the army in Heckmondwike and served as a Private in the Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment). His army number was 205211. He joined the 1st/5th Battalion. The official diary for the events of 25 April describes the horrific situation at the front. There were 18 officers and 548 other ranks killed, wounded or taken prisoner from his Battallion. He was reported as missing in action after only a month in France. His parents received notification of his death via the Agence Internationale de Prisonniers de Guerre in Geneva. His death was reported in a despatch from Berlin on 1 July 1918 - it said he had been buried in a common grave. He was listed as having been killed in action. He was awarded the Victory and the British Medal.

Before his death he had been registered to vote with an address in Parker Street on 1918-19 Spen Valley Electoral Roll.

He was killed on 25 April 1918 and is buried at Ypres (Leper), Arrondissement Leper, West Flanders (West-Vlaanderen), Belgium. His body was initially marked as an unknown British Soldier but he was identified by "Titles and clothing" and his memorial indicates he was reburied near the Memorial in Sanctuary Wood Cemetery in plot 3 row D. His reburial was part of a process of moving bodies to cemeteries to "concentrate" graves to allow for more efficient maintenance.

John Arnold CULBERT

Private 46575, 10th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
Died of Wounds 28th October 1918 aged 27
Buried Giavera British Cemetery Giavera del Montello, Provincia di Treviso, Veneto Italy
Son of James and Ann Culbert
Lived at 10, Park Road, Heckmondwike

In the 1891 census James Albert Culbert, John's father, was living as a boarder at 14 ,Liversedge Hall Lane, Norristhorpe, he was working as a Dyer's Labourer. James Albert had been born in Halifax in 1868, he married Ann Woodcock at St Peter's Church, Birstall on 27th March 1893. In 1871 Ann, born in 1867, was living with her parents in Shavers Hill, opposite the Sir Robert Peel Public House, she had been baptised at a non-conformist baptism. In 1891 Ann lived in Blanket Hall Street and by 1891 lived in Swashland, near Wharton Terrace and was a Rug Weaver. At the wedding, James made his mark (X) in the register. His deceased father had been a Chimney Sweep. Ann was able to sign her own name, her father had been a Blanket Weaver.

In 1901 James and Ann were living at 119, Halifax Road, Staincliffe with their two children John Arnold, now aged 7 years, and Eveline, aged 1year. In 1902 Evelyn (sic) Allatt Culbert was buried at Westgate Independent Chapel in Heckmondwike.

In 1911 the family, James, Ann and John were living at 10, Park Road, Heckmondwike, in a house with three rooms. They had a lodger, John Tolson, aged 81 a widower. In 1916 John Arnold Culbert was working for J & M S Sharp & Co as a Cloth Finisher and he worshipped at the United Methodist Free Church.

He enlisted in the Northumberland Fusiliers at Halifax on 29th July 1916 when he was 25 years old. He was engaged to a girl called Alice. John's military records were destroyed during WWII as result of enemy bombing.

The Italians entered the war on the Allied side, by declaring war on Austria, in May 1915. The 10th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers forces were at the Italian front between November 1917 and November 1918. The Northumberland Fusiliers were fighting in the area around the River Piave. At some point in this fighting John was wounded and admitted to hospital. The final Battle of Vittorio -Veneto ended with the Armistice.

John Arnold died from his wounds and is buried in the British Cemetery at Giavera del Montello in the Venice region of Northern Italy. The inscription on his grave is: "The only beloved son may his reward be as great as his sacrifice". He received the British and Victory medals. A photograph, taken by The War Graves Photographic Project, of his headstone can be viewed by following this link.

His parents signed for his effects at York in May 1919 and February 1920: he left £17-11-01 and a war gratuity of £9-10-00.

The Cleckheaton Advertiser of 31 October 1919 carried two In Memoriam notices. The notice from Alice, John's fiancée said: " In our home you are fondly remembered, Sweet memories cling around your name. True hearts that have always loved you, Will love you to death just the same." His parents wrote: "He sleeps with England's heroes, In a hallowed grave unknown. But his name is written in letters of love in the hearts he left at home."

Christopher CUSHWORTH

Private 32617, 8th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment
Died 5th June 1917 aged 31
Buried Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm), Belgium
Husband of Laura Cusworth
Lived 20, High Street, Heckmondwike

Christopher Cusworth (Cushworth) was born in 1886 in Liversedge, the youngest son of William Cusworth, a local Draper, and Susannah Gent Coates from Durham. They had married in 1861 and had eleven children. Christopher was 12 when his father died and he had moved in with his elder brother Frederick by 1901 to work alongside him as a Hosier and Draper.

In 1905 Frederick William Cusworth recently widowed immigrated to America, taking his widowed mother, his three children and his younger sister with him. They settled in New Jersey, working in the textile mills, marrying, and having children of their own. Two other brothers, John and Ralph, also went out and settled nearby.

Their brother Christopher remained in Heckmondwike. By 1907 it is recorded that he had a warehouse at 12, Little Green Lane. He married a local girl, Laura Walker in 1909, and they had one child, Harry, born in 1910. They had moved to Walkley Lane by 1911 and then to 20, High Street, Heckmondwike by 1915. Christopher was well known in the drapery trade, with shops on the High Street, at Frost Hill and stalls on the markets in Heckmondwike, Dewsbury and Batley. He was associated with St. Saviour's Church and was a member of the Mechanics' Club and Institute.

He enlisted on 10th December 1915 but he was not called up until 10th February 1917 when he was enrolled in the 8th York and Lancaster Regiment. He had only been in France for 5 weeks when he was killed in action. The 8th Battalion war diary for the day records "5th June 1917. Day spent in interior economy, issuing fighting kit etc. At night we relieved the 13th DLI in the Mount Sorrell sector, relief being completed with 3 killed and 6 wounded at 4.30am".

The Cleckheaton and Spenborough Guardian reported that Mrs Cushworth of 20, High Street, Heckmondwike had received the following letter from Second Lieutenant A. C. Calvert of the York and Lancaster Regiment. "It is with deep regret I have to report the death of your husband, Private Christopher Cushworth, who was killed in action on 5th June. His body has been buried at Transport Farm and a suitable cross erected. Assuring you of the sympathy of all the officers, NCOs and men of his Battalion in this your hour of trouble".

Christopher's widow Laura, agreed to the inscription "Their Glory shall not be blotted out" being inscribed on his Commonwealth War Graves headstone. It was also inscribed on several other headstones as a special memorial owing to their graves having been obliterated by enemy action in 1917.

Laura's widow's pension amounted to 18/9d per week for herself and one child with effect from 24th December 1917.

Medals: Victory and British

Commemorated: Green Park Memorial, Vellum Roll, and St. Saviours' Memorial, as Christopher Cushworth.

War records, census, official documents recorded as Christopher Cusworth.

His headstone photograph may be viewed by following this link.

Thomas Firby DENT

Private PLY/184(S), Royal Marine Light Infantry
Killed in Action 13th November 1916 aged 20
No Known Grave Commemorated Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France
Son of James and Caroline Dent
Lived 11, King Street, Heckmondwike

Thomas (Tom) was born in Heckmondwike on 28th March 1895, the son of James Dent of Barnard Castle and Caroline (Catherine) Cooke from Much-Birch in Herefordshire. Thomas' father, James Dent had spent most of his life in Heckmondwike, having moved south with his own parents to Union Street by 1861, when he was 13 years of age. James died in 1900, leaving Caroline a widow. Caroline remarried in 1904 to James Ledgard, but he passed away in 1906.

Tom was educated at the local council schools, attended St James' Parish Church and was working as a Worsted Doffer by the aged of 14. Later he was employed as a Trammer at Dymond Pit in Liversedge, and prior to enlistment, was employed by the Stanley Coal Company.

With the outbreak of war, Tom enlisted in the KOYLI at Dewsbury on the 7th September 1914, but as they were oversubscribed, he and several friends from Heckmondwike, were transferred to the Plymouth Division of the Royal Marines Light Infantry on the 16th September 1914. After training at Plymouth, he embarked on HMS Victory, seeing action in Gallipoli in Turkey and later in Salonica in Greece.

A letter from Gallipoli, was received in Heckmondwike from Private Christopher Hallam who said that "Tom Dent and George Waite were with him at the front". He also said "that he was with George Gale when he was shot but that he died bravely, and that he was near to Hardiman when he was wounded a fortnight later."

Tom served two years in the Dardanelles, returning home via the hospital island of Mudros and Marseille in October 1916 for a short leave, he was then drafted to France. He wrote cheery letters home on October 20th and November 5th, but had only been there for three to four weeks when he was reported wounded and missing. It was an agonising wait for his family, as not until July 1917 was a letter received by his mother giving her official confirmation that Tom was presumed to have been killed in action on November 14th 1916.

Of his friends only two survived the war, George Gale had been killed in Gallipolli on 26th April 1915 and Christopher Hallam died in a plane crash. The surviving two friends were Josiah Hardiman, who was invalided out and George Waite.

Sydney DOBSON

Private 8741, 2nd Battalion Scots Guards
Died 16th May 1915 aged 21
No Known Grave Commemorated Le Touret Memorial, Pas de Calais, France
Son of William Edward and Mary Jane Dobson
Lived 12, Cambridge Street, Heckmondwike

Louis Sidney/Sydney Dobson was born in 1894, one of the eight children of William Edward, a Black and Whitesmith, and Mary Jane Dobson, living in Bowness-on-Windermere. The family moved to nearby Staveley later in their childhood as their father sought employment and then became separated when at least three of the children found jobs in Heckmondwike, Yorkshire by 1911.

John, the eldest son, became a West Riding Police Constable, living in Union Road, Heckmondwike with a wife and child. Louis Sidney Dobson, by then aged 19, was living with them and employed as a bed and mattress maker at Marriott's bedding works in Dewsbury.

His sister, Irene Gertrude Dobson, was lodging as a boarder at Francis Street, Heckmondwike on the census night of the 2nd April 1911. Two weeks later, she married Joseph Mallinson in Leeds and then they also settled in Heckmondwike.

James Hatch Dobson was three years younger than Louis Sidney Dobson and also took part in the Great War, joining the Royal Field Artillery as Driver No. 185384. He listed his sister Mrs Irene Mallinson as his next of kin and his last employer as Mr B. Child, General Manager, Back Street, Heckmondwike, where he had worked as a Horseman. He was a lucky one and survived the war, as did William Henry Dobson of 19, Carr St, who had also settled in Heckmondwike. These three brothers are named in the Heckmondwike Vellum Roll of Honour.

These siblings were to provide a contact for Sidney when he went to war, their parents living in Lancashire.

Sidney enrolled at Leeds into the Scots Guards, initially in the 1st Battalion. He went out with the British Expeditionary Force, disembarking on 13th August 1914.

An entry in the Spenborough Guardian newspaper told of his return to Heckmondwike to convalesce with his sister Mrs Irene Gertrude Mallinson at 12, Cambridge Street, having been wounded in the foot with shrapnel whilst in the trenches at Senlis. "Pte Dobson took part in the fighting at Mons and at Marne, and was amongst the brave men who crossed the Aisne on a single iron girder. He has a brother in the fighting line and another brother of his joined Kitchener's army yesterday."

Sidney returned to the front when his foot had healed and it was to be one of his chums, L/Corp. J. Thwain, who wrote a letter to his sister Irene. "You will no doubt be surprised to hear from me. Your brother Sydney asked me, if he got killed to write and let you know, as we were good friends. Sydney was killed two days ago in a charge. Poor Sydney, he died happy, and had a smile on his face. He was hit by a piece of shell. I saw him buried and it grieves me to write you a letter like this, but I promised him I would. He felt no pain, dying instantaneously. I am very sorry for you and the friends he left behind."

Sidney had made out a soldiers informal will on the 7th May 1915, nine days before he was killed in action. Later it was validated and his sweetheart in Barnsley, received his few belongings.

The bereaved relatives of Pte Sidney Dobson were present at a military service held at Heckmondwike Parish church one year after the start of the Great War, held to commemorate the men whose lives had been lost.

William DONNELLY

Private 11659, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
Died 3rd May 1915 aged 43
Buried Heckmondwike Cemetery
Husband of Ellen Donnelly
Lived 55, Croft Street, Heckmondwike

William Donnelly was born in Crowle, Lincolnshire in 1870, he was the son of John Donnelly an Irish immigrant and his wife Mary who was born in Crowle. By the time William was a year old the family had moved to Elland and from there they moved to Huddersfield. William was a Labourer and had a troubled life as a teenager, he joined the army and was in the East Lancashire Regiment for eight years prior to his marriage to Ellen Cosgrove on January 28th 1907 in Heckmondwike. William and Ellen had two children - Catherine born in 1907 and John born in 1912. In 1911 the Donnelly's were living in 55, Back Croft Street and William was working as a Mason's Labourer.

At the outbreak of war William enlisted in the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) - he was 43 years old. He was discharged on 7th November 1914 because of his rheumatism, he died on the 3rd May 1915 and was interred at Heckmondwike Cemetery by the Rev Malcolm Martin on May 5th.

Thomas DORAN

aka Tom BARDON
Lance Sergeant 17687, Northumberland Fusiliers
Died 20th September 1917 aged 27
No Known Grave. Commemorated Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium
Husband of Maud Doran
Lived 3, Herbert Street, Heckmondwike.

Thomas Doran was born in the 1st Quarter of 1891 and was the second son of Alfred Doran and Emily nee Armitage. Thomas, known as Tom, also had three younger sisters.

Alfred Doran, his father, was born in 1861 and was brought up by his mother's sister, Catherine nee Doran, and her husband Richard Bardon. This accounts for the reason Tom often used the name Bardon.

The family were living in Alfred Street, Liversedge (under the name of Bardon) in 1891 and his father Alfred was a Stone Mason. By 1901 the family (Bardon) had moved to Brickfield, Liversedge and the eldest son Hubert was working as a Rug Finisher. By 1911 the family (Bardon) were living at Wharton Street, Liversedge and Tom and his three sisters were all contributing to the family income, while Hubert had married and was living in Leeds.

Tom worked for Mr Ellis a Rag Merchant of Batley Carr before he enlisted in Spring of 1915. He was connected with St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church on Bath Road, Heckmondwike and was a member of the Millbridge Working Men's Club.

His brother Hubert was serving with the Salonica Forces. Sadly his father, Alfred, died in 4th Quarter of 1916.

Tom married Maud Brown in the 4th Quarter of 1915 and they had a son Harold E Doran in 3rd Quarter of 1917. Tom was home on leave just after his son was born but tragically died soon after.

A comrade wrote to the family that he was 'leading his section forward in the advance on September 20th when he was killed by a shell'. 'He was liked by all the men who knew him and was always trusted to do his duty as a soldier'.

He has no known grave but his name is commemorated on the memorial at Tyne Cot Cemetery at Ypres, Belgium.

His name is on the Green Park Memorial in Heckmondwike. He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Father Nicholas Hird published a book in early 2022, Valiant Hearts, in which he wrote up his research of the Roman Catholic War Dead of the Spen Valley. Father Nicholas devotes a number of pages to Thomas and his family.

We have a cutting from the local newspaper that you may be interested in, if you wish to view this please email us at [email protected] and we will forward it to you.

Arthur William DUFFIN

Private 330735, 9th (Glasgow Highland) Battalion Highland Light Infantry
Died 25th September 1917 aged 22
No Known Grave Commemorated Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium
Son of Joseph and Annie Duffin
Lived 131, Cemetery Road, Heckmondwike

Arthur's parents Joseph and Annie were from Driffield in East Yorkshire. They moved quite frequently and Arthur was born in Barnsley. His father was a Stone Mason and Arthur worked for Messrs J&MS Sharp Ltd as a Machinist's Labourer. He attended Heckmondwike Secondary School. He had a brother who also served in the army for a short time before he was discharged for health reasons.

Arthur enlisted in September 1914 and embarked for France two years later in September 1916. He was reported missing in action during the 3rd Battle of Ypres also known as Passchendaele, his body was never recovered.

An "In Memoriam" notice was published in the Cleckheaton Advertiser & Spenborough Times on 19th September 1919 which read

"Duffin - In affectionate remembrance of Private Arthur W. Duffin, 9th H.L.I. (Glasgow Highlanders) who was killed near Gheluvelt, September 25th, 1917, on his 22nd birthday"

Ronald DUTHIE

Private 57651, East Yorkshire Regiment
Died 12th November 1918 aged 18
Buried Heckmondwike Cemetery
Son of Charles Watt and Mary Ann Duthie
Lived Westfield House, Little Green Lane, Heckmondwike

Ronald was born in the 2nd Quarter of 1900 and was the youngest child of Charles Watt Duthie and Mary Ann nee Oldroyd. Charles Watt Duthie was born in Scotland but came to Heckmondwike before 1881. He married Mary Ann Oldroyd of Dewsbury at the end of 1882 and the family lived in Park Street, Heckmondwike in 1891 when Charles was working as a Power Loom Tuner. By 1901 the family of six children had moved to Westfield House on Little Green Lane and Charles was still working as a Power Loom Tuner but by 1911 Charles appears to have set up his own business manufacturing disinfectants at Westfield Chemical Works on Little Green Lane and at least one of his sons was also involved in this enterprise.

Ronald enlisted in the East Yorkshire Regiment on July 24th 1918 and was at Dalton Holme Training Camp near Beverley in East Yorkshire. He contracted Pneumonia and was taken to St. John's Hospital in Hull where he died on 12th November 1918. He was brought home and buried in Heckmondwike Cemetery. A photograph, taken by The War Graves Photographic Project, of his headstone can be viewed by following this link.

His older brother Charlie Duthie served with RFA in Kent and is named in the Heckmondwike Memorial Book.

Ronald and his family were involved with George Street Congregational Church and his name is recorded there as well as on St.James's and St. Saviour's War Memorials.

He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Harry DYE

Private 44194, 12th Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
Died 8th November 1917 aged 26
Buried Oxford Road Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
Son of Robert and Ada A Dye
Lived 18, Kaye Street, Heckmondwike

Harry was from Lower Wortley in Leeds. In 1911 the Dye family were living at 12 Artist Terrace, Lower Wortley and consisted of his father Robert (from Pentney, Norfolk) who worked in a forge, his mother Ada (from Spalding, Lincolnshire), William aged 21 a Drapery Shop Assistant, Harry aged 19 a Milk Deliverer, Osborne aged 18 an Iron Worker (Turner), Frederick aged 15 a Shop Assistant (Boots) and Edith aged 13. Before joining the army Harry was lodging with Walter Firth who lived in Kaye Street, Heckmondwike and worked at the Yorkshire Tramways Company based at Frost Hill. This type of work carried on into his military service and he was involved in transportation and small gauge rail transport in particular. He was working on the light railways when his unit was shelled. The group of seven of which he was a member were all casualties with 4 passing away either at the scene or shortly after.

He joined the Northumberland Fusiliers but was later transferred to the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry; he had been in the army for over 18 months when he was killed. All of his brothers served in the forces, his two younger brothers Frederick (Fred) and Osborne were killed in 1915. His older brother William survived. Harry died of wounds in a field ambulance in Belgium.

The 12th were a Pioneer Battalion which was originally made up of miners from the South Yorkshire coalfield. From 1st July to the 30th November 1917 they were attached to the Fifth Army to work on the light railway. The true nature and functions of a Pioneer Battalion were never fully understood during the war either by military or laymen. Little is known, or understood, of the contribution made by the many thousands of men who served with the original Pioneer Battalions. Building and repairing roads, bridges, railway lines, gun emplacements and laying barbed wire to protect the Front Line, were just some of the tasks that they carried out.

Law DYSON

Private 025162, Army Ordnance Corps (EEF)
Died 7th December 1917 aged 48
Buried Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt
Husband of Mary Ann Dyson
Lived 16, Back Lane, Heckmondwike

Law was born on 25th February 1869 at Lower Bank End, South Crossland, Huddersfield, the youngest of the twelve children of Henry Dyson a Woollen Spinner from Honley and Mary Heywood (Haywood) from Wigan. They had married at All Hallows Parish Church, Almondbury on May 7th 1846. However Law never knew his mother as she died aged 40, one month after he was born. Law and his older brother Sam were baptised five months later at Holy Trinity church, South Crossland. The family were textile workers and they had moved to Halifax by 1881 when Law, aged 12, was working as a Woollen Spinner. He later became a Blacksmith.

On the 21st February 1891 Law married Mary Ann Wignall of Brighouse Fields, Rastrick at St Mary's Church Elland. They had moved to Heckmondwike by 1903. On the 1911 census, Law has written the names of their eight children, all of whom were living with them at 27, Croft Street, Heckmondwike.

In 1914 at Cleckheaton, Law enlisted into the Army, joining the Northumberland Fusiliers as Private 16970. He was later transferred into the Army Ordnance Corps, which became the Royal Ordnance Corps in 1918. Law was sent to Egypt in the spring of 1917 with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF), to man one of the large logistic supply bases that had been established in the Egyptian canal-zone.

The Army Ordnance Corps (AOC) was responsible for the repair and maintenance of weapons and vehicles associated with weapons, such as gun limbers, gun carriages, ammunition wagons, harnesses, saddles and other leather accoutrements. The Corps also ran mobile repair and maintenance workshops, which were attached to army corps. The men of the Army Ordnance Corps were store-men and clerks, responsible for ordering, storage and issue, tradesmen such as blacksmiths, fitters, wheelers, welders, electricians, carpenters, saddlers tentmakers, armourers and armament artificers who were responsible for the more demanding aspects of weapon wear. Law's skills as a blacksmith would have made him an obvious choice for transfer to that unit. As with the rest of the British Army the AOC was transformed by the First World War. Both the sheer scale of the war and the increasing technical complexity created an organisational structure that, in its outlines, survives today.

The Cleckheaton Advertiser and Spenborough Times newspaper published on Thursday 13th December 1917 reported that "News has reached Mrs Dyson of Back Lane, Heckmondwike of the death of her husband Private Law Dyson, from dysentery, whilst serving in Egypt. A telegram was received on the 4th inst. saying he was seriously ill, and on the Tuesday of this week another 'wire' followed reporting his death. The deceased soldier joined the army three years ago, and was first attached the Northumberland Fusiliers but later transferred to the AOC. He had been in Egypt about eight months and at the time of his death was in hospital in Alexandria. Before the war he worked for Messrs Broadbent's, Walkley Lane, Heckmondwike. He was 48 years of age. Two of his sons, James and Harry are in the Army. The latter is in hospital in Derbyshire".

Law was 48 when he died, one of the oldest of the Heckmondwike men known to have given his life for his country in The Great War.

Medals: British and Victory

Commemorated: St Saviour's Memorial within Heckmondwike Parish Church; Green Park Memorial and the Vellum Memorial Book.

James Dyson is recorded alongside his father in the Memorial Book as living at 16, Back Lane, Heckmondwike.

Charles William EXLEY

Private 27001, 8th Battalion Yorkshire Hussars (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Regiment)
Died 8th October 1916 aged 23
No Known Grave Commemorated Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France
Son of William and Frances Exley
Lived 15, Darley Street, Heckmondwike

Charles was the youngest child of William Exley and Frances nee Schofield. He was born at the beginning of 1894 in Heckmondwike and baptised at George Street Congregational Chapel in Heckmondwike. He had two brothers and two sisters. His father William died in 1904 aged 46 leaving Frances to bring up the family of five children alone. Charles was only 10 when his father died.

Charles was the cousin of Louis Ackroyd who also died in 1915. Their mothers were sisters. He was also the second cousin of Ernest Exley who died in 1918. Their paternal grandfathers were brothers.

He was killed in action on 10th October 1916 during part of the Battle of the Somme. He has no known grave but his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing.

His name is also on the Heckmondwike Grammar School War Memorial as well as St. James's Church and St Saviour's Church Memorials. He was awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.

Ernest EXLEY

Private 35570, Labour Corps, Durham Light Infantry
Died 14th November 1918 aged 31
Buried Blargies Communal Cemetery Extension, Oise, France
Husband of Beatrice Annie Exley
Lived 124, Brighton Street, Heckmondwike

Ernest was born in the 2nd quarter of 1887 and was living with his family in Upper George Street in 1891. By 1901 he was based in Hull as a crew member of a ship, but by 1911 he was married and back living in Brighton Street in Heckmondwike.

He married Beatrice Annie Metcalfe in 1909 and his brother Herbert Wilson Exley was one of the witnesses. Their daughter Emma was born in 1912.

He worked as a Boiler Stoker for Heckmondwike Manufacturing Company and enlisted on February 16th 1917 into the Durham Light Infantry in the Labour Corps.

He was transferred to France on June 9th 1917 and his wife received notification of his death from unknown causes on November 14th 1918. He was aged 31 years. He was buried at the Communal Cemetery Extension at Blargies in France.

Ernest was a member of Brighton Street Working Men's Club.

His name is commemorated on St. James's and St. Saviour's War Memorials as well as on the Heckmondwike Green Park War Memorial.

Ernest was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Thomas William EXLEY

Private 27567, 12th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment (The Green Howards)
Died 12th July 1916 aged 19
No Known Grave Commemorated Arras Memorial, France
Son of John France and Rosetta Exley
Lived 103, High Street, Heckmondwike

Thomas was born in Heckmondwike in 1897 he was one of the four children of John France Exley and his wife Rosetta (formerly Ramsden).

Thomas was a member of the Methodist Free Church in Heckmondwike, his parents were married there and it is where all their children were baptised. Thomas himself was the first of the Church's scholars to fall in the war. Before the war he was a Cabinet Maker like his father and he and his father and brother Harry ran a successful business from premises in High Street they also had a warehouse on Chapel Lane. Harry served during the war and survived to carry on the family business.

Thomas joined the Green Howards under the Derby Scheme which was introduced in the autumn 1915 by Kitchener's new Director General of Recruiting, Edward Stanley 17th Earl of Derby. By spring 1915 the flow of volunteer recruits was dwindling. The government was torn when it came to the question of compulsory military service and so tried this half-way house scheme. The Derby Scheme required each eligible man aged 18 to 41 who was not in an essential occupation to make a public declaration. Men aged 18 to 40 were informed that under the scheme they could continue to enlist voluntarily or attest with an obligation to come if called up later on. Men who attested under the Derby Scheme, who were accepted for service and chose to defer it were classified as being in "Class A". Those who agreed to immediate service were "Class B". The Class A men were paid a day's army pay for the day they attested; were given a grey armband with a red crown as a sign that they had so volunteered; were officially transferred into Section B Army Reserve and were then sent back to their homes and jobs until they were called up. 215,000 men enlisted while the scheme was running and another 2,185,000 attested for deferred enlistment.

Thomas had only been in France for a month when he was killed at the age of twenty. His father, brother and sister all died in the 1920s, his mother Rosetta, the last surviving member of the family, died in 1933.

Robert FARRELL

Lance Corporal 241030, 5th Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
Died of Wounds 19th November 1918 aged 21
Buried Saint Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, Seine Maritime, France
Son of Thomas and Mary Farrell of Liverpool
Lived 30, Kaye Street, Heckmondwike

We know that many people experienced hardship in the years before WW1 and Robert is no exception. The surviving records give a hint of the difficulties faced, before they volunteered to enlist, by all those who came from what would now be called the 'deprived areas' of northern cities.

The first years of Robert's life were spent in an area just to the north of Liverpool city centre, not far from the docks, largely made up of tightly packed and overcrowded housing known as Courts. Though some of the street names survive today, the housing has long been demolished, partly to create space for the Mersey Tunnels.

Robert's father was Thomas Farrell who married Mary Dooley on 28 January 1889 at St. Sylvester Catholic Church in Liverpool. Thomas was born in that city and worked for some time as a Carter then as a Dock Labourer, a notoriously insecure occupation. Mary was from the Manchester area, but both families had their origins in Ireland. Their first child, Thomas, was born on 10 March 1890, but died soon afterwards. Thomas and Mary went on to have further children, six of whom survived to adulthood. They were: Mary born 3 June 1891; Michael 30 March 1896; Robert 23 September 1897; William 25 June 1899; Anna 30 May 1901, Margaret 22 February 1903. A son John was born on 31 August 1904, he died in a playground accident whilst young.

On 3 December 1907 the three boys, Michael, Robert and William, aged 11, 10 and 8 respectively, all appeared before W J Stewart, a Magistrate in Liverpool, before whom James Finnigan and his brothers had appeared in 1897. Using the wording of the records, they had committed the offence of 'wandering'. All were sent to the Refuge and Industrial School for Roman Catholic Boys, St. Anne's Street, Liverpool, not far from their home. Their 'sentences' were to last until they reached the age of 16. Their father Thomas was described as having 'no settled home' and their mother Mary as 'deserted'. The younger daughters, Anna, aged 6 and Margaret aged just 4 were sent at the same time to the Roman Catholic Industrial School for Girls, Blackbrook House, Blackbrook, St. Helens about 10 miles away from their home. Only 16 year old Mary, the eldest daughter, remained at home with her mother. It is believed that the parents tried to reclaim their family but without success.

Robert was allowed to leave the School on licence on 9 December 1912 and went to live at Nugent House, an Auxiliary Home for the School and began work as an Apprentice Marble Mason at 4s 4d a week. This employment was followed by a number of others, but Robert seemed not to be able to settle, until on 31 January 1914 he was found employment by the School with 'Mr J Stradling', Collier, of 30, Kaye Street, Heckmondwike. Terms: Board, lodging, clothing and 2s a week at Strawberry Bank Colliery, Heckmondwike'. Joe Stradling clearly had previous contact with the school; one former pupil was with him in 1911 at Union Road, Heckmondwike, Yorkshire.

Just after the outbreak of WW1 Robert visited the School and was said to be doing well at his work. Robert may have volunteered at first with the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in March 1915, but was certainly with the 2nd/ 5th Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) by July 1915, training at Thoresby Park near Worksop. He wrote to his mother in August 1915 saying he expected to be at the Front in September 1915. That was not to be, and Private Farrell moved to Bubworth Camp near Retford before in February 1916 writing to the School from the vast No. 5 Camp, Larkhill, on Salisbury Plain Wiltshire.

Much information has been obtained from the Refuge School Record Book, as Robert Farrell kept in touch with the School.

Details of Private Farrell's military service beyond that point are not clear. The next event we can be certain of is that by July 1918 he was an Acting Lance Corporal attached to the 186th Trench Mortar Battery, in the Third Army, 62nd Division, 5th Duke of Wellington's Regiment. Batteries of that kind operated Stokes Mortars, a weapon which fired a 10lb high explosive canister with an effective range of around 750 yards. At that stage of the war and in the area where they were in action the teams of soldiers would be operating with minimal cover and would always be themselves within range of enemy fire of all types. The work was both physically hard and dangerous. In the last months of the War the 186th Brigade took part in actions around the Canal du Nord, Quesnoy and to the East of Cambrai, including a major attack on 4 November. There were a series of attacks along the River Sambre in the first days of November 1918. It is probable that was where Lance Corporal Farrell received serious wounds whilst carrying out actions which led to the award of the Military Medal. When the attack was underway he rescued a badly wounded officer, carrying him on his back, along with his documents to safety and placed him into a horse-drawn ambulance. Robert received gunshot wounds to both his legs. He was moved along the casualty chain until he reached one of the long established hospitals in Rouen about 130 miles from the front. At some point one of his legs was amputated. He died from his wounds on 19 November 1918, eight days after the Armistice. He is buried in Saint Sever Extension Cemetery, Rouen.

The Liverpool Echo of 13 December 1918 announced that Robert Farrell had been awarded the Military Medal, but made no mention of his death on 19 November. The medal award was confirmed in the London Gazette in March 1919. Most of the Military Medal Citations were lost in World War Two in the London Blitz. Robert was also awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal. A Memorial Plaque was awarded on his death of which we have a photograph.

Robert completed his soldier's will on 8 July 1918 in which he left "all my property and effects to my Sister Maggie Farrell'. On 16 April 1919 Maggie was sent £25 17s 1d, which included a war gratuity of £22. The will is signed 'R P Farrell'. The 'P' is believed to be the initial of a Confirmation name but has been misread as an 'F' in some cases including the headstone on his grave.

Robert's sister Maggie married Denis McLoughlin on 22 August 1926. They went on to have four daughters, one of which was Robert's niece Marie McLoughlin who supplied us with photographs and details of how he was wounded.

In October 1911 Robert's elder brother Michael Farrell was released from the School on licence to join the South Lancashire Regiment as a bandboy, service number 9668. He served with other former pupils in Umballa, Northern India and Quetta, now in Pakistan. He later saw service as a Sergeant with the Norfolk Regiment. He was awarded the Victory Medal, the British War Medal and the India General Service Medal with clasp for Afghanistan, North West Frontier, 1919.

The younger brother William was the last to leave the School. On 10 June 1914 he moved to Nugent House and from there started work as a Printing Machine Feeder at 7s a week. He was discharged from Nugent House on 9 August 1915 and went to live with his mother at 23, Strickland Street, Liverpool. He was described as a' well behaved lad' and by March 1916 had moved to a new job with a shipping butchers with wages of '14s a week and food'. He joined the Royal Navy on 7 June 1917 and served until 4 April 1919. His character was described as very good and his ability as satisfactory. There are indications that he later joined the Royal Army Service Corps and the King's Regiment. William received no medals for his Naval or Army service.

The Roll of Honour for Heckmondwike has four soldiers having an address at 30, Kaye Street Heckmondwike: two of them lost their lives in the War; see the entry for James Finnigan 12/1474 12th Battalion Kings Own Yorkshire Infantry (Pioneers), the others are Edward and William Dooley, who survived, both of whom were related to Robert's mother Mary.

Robert Farrell is remembered on the Heckmondwike War Memorial, Green Park, Heckmondwike and in the Vellum Book of Honour located in Heckmondwike Library.

Daniel FAULKNER

Rifleman 40050, Royal Irish Rifles
Died 29th November 1916 aged 21
Buried Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery, Belgium
Son of Richard and Mary Faulkner
Lived at 70, Brighton Street, Heckmondwike

Daniel was born in the middle of 1896 in Woolwich Kent but was baptised at St. Mary's Church Riddlesden on June 21st 1896. His parents were Richard and Mary Ann (nee Merrick).

The family had moved around the country as Richard was a Canal Labourer. In 1891 they were at Runcorn in Cheshire and by 1901 were at Silsden near Keighley, but sadly Richard had died leaving Mary to raise at least 7 children.

Unfortunately Mary also died in 1907, so by 1911 the children were scattered around the West Riding of Yorkshire. Two of them were still in Silsden lodging with other families. Daniel was with his aunt Annie Griffiths in Brighton Street in Heckmondwike. He was working as a Checker at a local pit. The youngest sibling Elizabeth was with her uncle Thomas Faulkner at Roebuck Street in Heckmondwike.

Daniel, or Dan as he was known, enlisted into the Royal Irish Rifles at the beginning of the war and died of gunshot wounds on 29th November 1916. He was only 21 years of age. He is buried in Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery which is about 8 kilometres South of Ypres. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. Daniel's grave is the first one on Row H.

Daniel was an active member of St Saviour's Church and his name is commemorated on their War Memorial as well as on St. James's War Memorial.

Luke FAWCETT

Private 20879, East Lancashire Regiment
Died 16th October 1915 aged 35
Buried East Mudros Military Cemetery, Greece
Husband of Ann Fawcett
Lived 81, Brighton Street, Heckmondwike

Luke was born in April 1880 when his parents were living at Joan Royd, Heckmondwike. He was the eldest son of Abraham Fawcett and Mary Ann nee Hallas. He had an older sister Agnes born at the end of 1877 and three more siblings born before the family moved to Brighton Street, being on the 1891 census. A final son, Albert, completed the family in 1898.

Luke joined the army in 1903 serving with the King's Own Scottish Borders (see photo taken 1902) and was sent to Burma. He returned to Heckmondwike in 1905 and in 1906 married a Heckmondwike girl, Ann Wakefield. They were married 31st January 1906 at Birstall St.Peter's Church. Unfortunately in 1911 they were living apart. Luke was with his parents in Brighton Street and Ann and her widowed mother, Martha, were living with Ann's youngest sister Florence Jarvis at South Holme, Liversedge.

He re-enlisted in 1914/5 and was sent to Alexandria, Egypt for training on 7th July 1915. He was moved to the Dardenelles and wounded. He was transferred to a hospital ship but died of his wounds on 16th October 1915. He was buried at East Mudros Military Cemetery on the Island of Lemnos, Greece in Plot 3 Row B grave 49.

His name is also on St. James' and St. Saviour's War Memorials. He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory medal.

His nephew Ernest Smith, who also lived in Brighton Street. died in WW1 in 1918. Ernest's mother was Luke's eldest sister Agnes.

Joseph FIELDHOUSE

Lance Corporal 14564, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
Died 19th March 1916 aged 31
Buried Lapugnoy Military Cemetery, France
Husband of Eva Fieldhouse
Lived 53, High Street, Heckmondwike

Samuel Fieldhouse came from Louth in Lincolnshire, his wife Sarah was from Kendal in Westmorland. In 1891 they were living in Upper George Street Heckmondwike with their 7 daughters and 2 sons, aged between 19 and less than 1 year old. Joseph, or Joe, was born in 1885. By 1901 the family, with 7 children still at home, were living at 11 King Street Heckmondwike. The entire family, including the youngest, Charlie, worked in the textile trade.

Joe married Eva Stanley in 1909 after the banns had been read in July at St Saviour's Church, Ravensthorpe. Eva's parents were both from Keswick. A daughter, Lily, was born in 1910 and by 1911 the family were at 11 Carr Street Heckmondwike. A son Jack was born in 1912 and a daughter Ella in 1914. Joseph was employed in the coal yard of the Heckmondwike and District Co-op.

In November 1914 Joe, now at 21 Carr Street, joined 10th Battalion the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment). He was promoted to Lance Corporal in August 1915. On 26 August 1915 the Battalion landed at Le Havre. Spells in the front line alternated with periods in reserve, but on 3 March 1916 the Battalion returned to the front line to the north of Arras.

The Battalion's War Diary entry for Wednesday 8 March 1916 reads - 'Snow on the ground. Clear cold day. Enemy shelled our front line continuously throughout the day with heavy minenwerfen and aerial torpedoes. The trenches are in a very bad condition, in fact the front line can scarcely be called trenches since they consist of shell craters joined by shallow ditches'.

On Thursday 9 March 1916 the Diary continues ? 'More snow. During the day enemy continually bombarded us with trench mortars, aerial torpedoes and shells of every calibre. The centre section of the trenches manned by 54 men and one officer of C Company suffered considerably, one killed and 18 wounded'. It was on this day that Joe was severely wounded in the head and body by shellfire. Private Fieldhouse was evacuated from the front and taken to the 18th Casualty Clearing Station (CSS) at Lapugnoy near Béthune.

Mrs Fieldhouse received two letters from the Reverend W Whitehead, an army chaplain at the CCS. The last letter was dated Thursday 16 March 1916 and described how despite the best efforts of doctors and nurses Joseph Fieldhouse had died that morning, (though official records show date of death as 19 March). He had been buried that afternoon in the military cemetery near the hospital. Sister Jean N Murray also wrote, telling Mrs Fieldhouse that her husband had been 'such a good patient and gave himself every chance and was very keen to get home to you'.

In his Service Pay Book Will he left all his belongings to his wife. On 5 June 1916 Mrs Fieldhouse was sent £3 13s in outstanding pay and allowances and on 7 September 1919 received a War Grant of £5 10s. By 1920 Mrs Fieldhouse was living at 53 High Street Heckmondwike. Around that time Mrs Fieldhouse arranged for the words 'Loved by many, missed by one' to be included on her husband's headstone at Lapugnoy. There was a charge of 6s 5d for those 22 letters.

James John FINNIGAN

Private 12/1474, 12th Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
Died 1st July 1916 aged 24
Buried Queens Cemetery, Puisieux, France
Son of John and Mary Ellen Finnigan
Lived 30, Kaye Street, Heckmondwike

James was born in Liverpool on 6 August 1892. His parents were John and Mary Ellen Finnigan (née Kennedy), and he was the brother of Patrick, born 10 October 1888. James was baptised on 11 August 1892 at the Church of Our Lady of Reconciliation De La Salette on Eldon Street, Liverpool and the family lived in the densely populated area near the Church, just to the north of the city centre and a short distance from the docks and wharves of Liverpool.

Sadly John Finnigan died in 1893, leaving Mrs Finnigan to care for her two sons. Life would have been hard for Mrs Finnigan and records suggest that she found it difficult to care for her family. On 18 October 1897 her two sons appeared before a magistrate, W J Stewart. Using the language of the records, both boys had committed the offence of non-attendance at school and were committed to the Refuge and Industrial School for Roman Catholic Boys, St Anne Street, Liverpool until they reached the age of 16. Patrick was 9 years old; James was 5 years and 3 months. At this time Mrs Finnigan worked as a Mill Hand and lived in Buckingham Street Liverpool.

On 29th June 1900 Mrs Finnigan married Thomas Clinch at St Titus Church Liverpool and their address was Hornby Street, Liverpool. They had a daughter, Sarah Ann, born in 1905. On 25th June 1904 Patrick was released on licence from the School and went to work for a Doctor O'Hagan and was discharged from the School on 9th October 1904. James was released to the care of his mother on 5th August 1908. In 1910 Patrick married Mary Fitz-Patrick and their address was Burlington Street, Liverpool.

At some point before 1911 James moved to West Yorkshire to stay as a lodger with Wilford Atack at William Street, Liversedge. James worked as a Colliery Underground Labourer. At the outbreak of the War the West Yorkshire Coalowners Association was authorised by the War Office to raise a Battalion which became the 12th (Pioneers) Battalion of the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. We do not know exactly when James enlisted in Dewsbury but the records suggest it was early in the war. The Battalion camped and trained in Otley and Ripon before moving to Fovant near Salisbury in October 1915.

On 5th December 1915 the bulk of the Battalion, including James, left Dinton Station, Wiltshire, by train for Liverpool, then marched through the city to the docks. We do not know if James was able to see his Liverpool family before he boarded the troopship Empress of Britain, but that would be his last opportunity to do so. The ship sailed for Egypt on 7th December 1915 at 10am. The voyage through the Mediterranean was eventful: the Empress was in collision with a smaller French ship which quickly sank, with the loss of two lifes. Off Cyprus shells were fired at two German submarines which were tracking the unescorted Empress. Throughout the journey all the soldiers were not allowed to wear their boots on deck – the crew were concerned about damage to the woodwork.

James and his Battalion disembarked in Port Said, Egypt on 22nd December 1915. Setting foot on Egyptian soil before the New Year earned James and his comrades the coveted 1915 Star. For the next two months they were involved in rail track laying and a variety of defence work preparations in the Suez Canal area. The stay in Egypt was shorter than expected and lasted until 2nd March 1916 when the Battalion had to make the return journey across the Mediterranean on the troopship Llandovery Castle, this time to Marseilles on their way to the Western Front. They arrived in Marseille on 8th March and left by train the following day for Pont Rémy, a village in the Somme Valley near Abbeville, where they left the train on 11 March 1916. Much of the next 3 months was spent near to the front lines around Bus-lès-Artois as preparations were made for the Somme offensive.

The first day of the Somme battle was Saturday 1 July 1916 and James' battalion was part of the 31st Division which contained many of the northern 'Pals' battalions from places such as Accrington, Barnsley, Leeds and Bradford. Much has been written in great detail about the attack by 31st Division on the Serre village sector of the German lines but the Battalion War Diary has just three short lines: 'Battalion reported present at assembly point at 5.50am. Battalion reassembled at assembly posts at 4.30 pm. Approximate casualty list 197 all ranks'.

James Finnigan was killed that day though initially he was posted as missing and his name appears in the daily list published in The Times newspaper for 17 August 1916. Meanwhile his brother Patrick had enlisted on 29th April 1915 in the South Lancashire Regiment but had been medically discharged with a potentially serious medical condition a few weeks later. It was Patrick who arranged for an item in the Liverpool Echo of 27 November 1916 in which Patrick appealed to other soldiers for any news of his brother 'missing since July'.
York Infantry Records Office shows James' death as occurring 'on or since 1/7/16. Death presumed.' On 16 September 1918 the Records Office sent Mrs Clinch the outstanding balance of pay and allowances of £3 3s 6d then on 23rd October 1919 Mrs Clinch received what appears to be an unusually low War Grant of £3 10s. In 1919/20 the Imperial War Graves Commission arranged for headstones to be placed in Queens Cemetery Puisieux, which lies near the old Somme front line. Relatives were asked if they wished for an epitaph to be carved onto the headstones. That would have been important to Mrs Clinch and she asked for the words "In loving memory of my beloved son, on his soul sweet Jesus have mercy" which now appear on the headstone. It was the practice at that time for the Graves Commission to invite the family to contribute towards the cost of any headstone inscription beyond the basic details. The cost would be 3½d for each of Mrs Clinch's 56 letters. The records are incomplete but it seems possible and understandable that Mrs Clinch, now widowed for a second time, could not make that contribution, though the records which do still exist suggest that might have been so.

James was awarded the 1915 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He is listed in the Heckmondwike Memorial Book as living at 30, Kaye Street, Heckmondwike. Robert Farrell  a fellow inmate at the Liverpool Boys Refuge is shown at the same address and he was killed in 1918.

The Society thanks The War Graves Photographic Project (www.twgpp.org) for providing this headstone photograph.

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Fred FIRTH

Private 33510, 2nd Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own)
Died 16th August 1917 aged 20
No Known Grave Commemorated Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium
Son of Joseph Henry and Mary Firth
Lived at 22, Boundary Street, Heckmondwike

Fred was one of the three sons of Joseph Henry and Mary Firth. He went to Heckmondwike Secondary School and attended Westgate Congregational Chapel. Upon leaving school he was employed as a Clerk in the offices of the Tramway Company, having started there as a Parcel Boy. He joined the army on June 8th 1916 in Halifax and went to France in August 1916. His two brothers both served on the Western Front and survived.

Fred died at the third Battle of Ypres, he was 20 years old. He is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial which now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known.

John FIRTH

Sergeant 7522, West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own)
Killed in Action 4th June 1916 aged 29
Buried Essex Farm Cemetery Boezinge, Belgium
Son of Squire and Martha Firth
Lived 45, King Street, Heckmondwike

John was baptised in George Street Independent Chapel Heckmondwike on 19 June 1887 when he was one year old. His parents, Squire and Martha Firth, lived in Chapel Street, Flush. John's only sibling Amy was baptised in the same chapel on 19 January 1890 when she was 6 months old.

By 1891 the family were in Holme Street, Liversedge. Then it seems that misfortune fell upon the Firths. It appears that by 1901 John, aged 15, was at the Boys' Industrial School, Marygate, York. By 1911 John and Amy were together again, living with their relatives Allen and Mary Ellen Donkersley in Morley. Amy was a weaver, John a farm labourer. Amy married Johnnie Hudson in 1913 using the surname Donkersley.

In 1914 John was a Private with the 1st Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment and was in France by 8 September 1914. This points to John having joined the Army sometime before the outbreak of war. The Battalion was in the front line near Ypres in early June 1916. The War Diary contains lengthy entries for that time and confirms that the Battalion took and held a German strongpoint which was just 80 yards from their trenches. In that action on 3 and 4 June the Battalion suffered heavy casualties, including the loss of five Sergeants, all of whom had 'started the war as Privates and had worked their way up through hard work and merit'. One of these was John Firth. His name appears in The Times newspaper casualty lists for 23 June 1916 as one of those soldiers still missing.

The War Diary records that on 7 June 1916 the Distinguished Conduct Medal had been awarded to Sergeant Firth. The citation mentions 'consistent gallantry....notably when he carried messages at a critical time'. In addition to the DCM Sergeant Firth was awarded the 1914 Star (the 'Mons Star') confirming that he was one of the so called 'Old Contemptibles'; the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. All these medals were sold at auction in Mayfair, London in 2013 for £1500. Their condition was described as 'nearly extremely fine'.In October 1916 his sister Amy Hudson was sent his outstanding pay and allowances of £37 19s 2d. The War Gratuity of £13 was sent to her on 10 September 1919. Sergeant Firth is buried just to the north of Ypres in Essex Farm Cemetery, Boezinge, Belgium. This cemetery is one of the most visited in the area, partly because of the memorial to the Canadian John McCrae who wrote 'In Flanders Fields' whilst based at Essex Farm. Around 1921 Mrs Hudson, living at 221 Fountain Street, Morley, paid 6s 8d for 23 letters (at 3½d per letter) for the inscription: 'He died nobly doing his duty', to be carved at the foot of her brother's headstone.

Allatt FISHER

Private 20534, 2nd/5th Battalion Duke of Wellington's (Wes
Killed in Action 3rd May 1917 aged 35
No Known Grave Commemorated Arras Memorial, France
Son of George and Harriet Fisher
Lived 10, Milton Square, Heckmondwike

George Fisher married Harriet Wood in 1876. Allatt was born in 1882, joining sister Hannah born in 1877 and son Charles Henry, born in 1880. In 1881 the family were living in Milton Square, Heckmondwike and George was working as a Carpet Weaver. A daughter Emma was born in 1893. By 1911 George had died, leaving his widow, Allatt and Emma at home in Milton Square. Charles had married in 1904.

Allatt enlisted on 9 December 1915 and was placed on Reserve until 20 May 1916. After his medical examination in Halifax he was placed in category 3b, which suggests there were reservations about his fitness, and served with the 3rd Battalion on Home Garrison Service in the UK. Despite that he was posted to the 8th Battalion and left from Folkestone on 6 September 1916. The 8th Battalion was in the Somme area. On 27 September 1916 Allatt received gunshot wounds to his right upper arm and left leg. He moved along the casualty chain from a Canadian Field Hospital to 49 Casualty Clearing Station, then by train to hospital in Rouen before embarking on the Hospital Ship Panama on 30 September 1916. He arrived at the War Hospital, Seafield, Leith, Scotland on 3 October 1916. This hospital had formerly been a Poor House and was intended to accommodate 165 officers and 420 other ranks. After an X-ray Allatt had an operation on 5 October and a bullet was removed from his arm. This wound was described as 'very septic' but there was no 'nerve lesion' and the multiple wounds to his leg were 'not severe'. He returned to the 3rd Battalion but after again leaving Folkestone for Boulogne on 8 March 1917 he was eventually posted to the 2/5th Battalion on 26 March 1917.

At 3:45am on 3 May 1917 the Battalion took part in the attack on the Hindenburg Line west of Bullecourt to the South East of Arras. Following heavy bombardment of the German lines the Battalion took parts of the German trenches but had to return to their own lines after a counter-attack around 4pm. The whole Battalion came under heavy shell and machine gun fire and many survivors held out in shell holes until they could return to their lines after dusk. The Battalion remained in the front line trenches until relieved the following day. Allatt Fisher was at first listed as missing, then shown as being killed 'on or since' 3 May 1917.

Allatt's mother had been named as her son's next-of-kin, but she had died in 1916, aged 62. Allatt's brother Charles of Southfield Farm, Norristhorpe became next-of-kin and was sent his brother's British War and Victory Medals in 1921.

Allatt's sister Emma married George Albert Harmer on 30 May 1914 with Allatt as a witness. George Harmer enlisted on 13 April 1916 as Private 28557 in the West Yorkshire Regiment. Despite being 'gassed' in France he survived the War and his name is shown on the Heckmondwike Roll of Honour.

Herbert FRANCE

Private 18195, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)
Died 18th October 1917 aged 22
Buried Wimereux Communal Cemetery, France
Son of John and Mary Ellen France
Lived 10, Birkhead Street, Heckmondwike

Herbert was born in 3rd Quarter of 1895 to John and Mary Ellen nee Tingle. He had two older brothers, Arthur and Walter and two younger sisters, Hilda and Evelyn.

Arthur and Walter France also saw active service in the Army in The Great War.

Before the war, Herbert was employed as a Clerk at Messrs Burrows at Batley Carr. He was a gifted musician and played the cello and piano and had travelled through Canada and the United States with a concert party.

He was associated with George Street Congregational Chapel particularly the Young Men's Bible Class and his name is commemorated on their War Memorial.

In 1916 he moved to Coventry to work in a munitions factory and from there enlisted in the Royal Fusiliers. He trained in Edinburgh and was sent to the front in September 1916.

As only two men were left out of his original Regiment he joined the Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) and saw a great deal of active service. He was wounded in the arm in June 1917 but went back to active service.

His family received a letter from the Matron of the hospital at Boulogne to say he was suffering from gas poisoning and was in a serious condition. The letter told them if they wanted to see him they must travel to France immediately. His mother set off for Bolougne but when she arrived she was told that he had died 24 hours previously.

Herbert was buried in the Communal Cemetery at Wimereux, near Boulogne, France.

His name is commemorated on the Green Park War Memorial in Heckmondwike as well as St. James's and St. Saviour's War Memorials. As he attended Heckmondwike Grammar School his name is on their War Memorial as well as George Street Congregational Chapel.

He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Gilbert FRANKLIN

Private 42004, 3rd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment
Died 10th April 1918 aged 18
No Known Grave Commemorated Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium
Son of Charlton and Catherine Franklin
Lived 59, Brighton Street, Heckmondwike

Gilbert was born in Heckmondwike in 1899 to Charlton, who was from County Durham and Catherine (Kate) (formerly Hallas) who was born in Heckmondwike. Gilbert was one of nine children, six of whom had died by 1911. Gilbert's father's family had moved down from the North East in the early 1860s and had lived in Heckmondwike since that time, Gilbert's grandfather and uncles were Carpet Weavers. Charlton Franklin worked in a dye works and Gilbert was a Dyers Labourer before the war.

On the 9th of April 1918, the 25th Division were in the front line near Ploegsteert when the German Spring Offensive was launched (The Battle of the Lys). They suffered badly in heavy fighting around Hill 63 and by the 12th of April the men of the 25th Division were involved in holding a new defensive front line in front of Dranoutre and Kemmel. The following day they were fighting a defence on the high ground East of Bailleul, but by the 15th the high ground and the town of Bailleul were in enemy hands and they withdrew through Boeschepe on the 16th.

George GALE

Private PLY/175(S), Royal Marine Light Infantry
Died 3rd May 1915 aged 22
No Known Grave Commemorated Helles Memorial, Turkey
Son of Robert and Sarah Gale
Lived 10, Beck Lane, Heckmondwike

George, born 7th July 1892, was the eldest child of Robert Gale and his wife Sarah nee Scott. His father originally came from the North Riding of Yorkshire but moved to Heckmondwike around 1873 with his family. In 1881, they were living in Croft Street, but by 1891 Robert had met and married Sarah Scott and was living with her parents in Brighton Street. George was born in 1892 and was followed by a sister Ada in 1897 and two brothers, Robert in 1903 and Leonard in 1906. Both Robert and Leonard served in World War One and are recorded in the Heckmondwike Memorial Book. In 1911 the family were living 10, Beck Lane and George's grandfather was also living with them.

George enlisted in Dewsbury on 9th September 1914 aged 22 and was placed originally in the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. He transferred to Plymouth Short Service Royal Marine Light Infantry on 16th of September 1914. He was a Private ( PLY/175(S)) in the Plymouth Battalion. He was awarded the 1914-1915 Star and the Victory and British War Medals. He was killed in action on 3rd May 1915 aged 22 years at "Y" Beach in the Dardanelles in the Battle for Gallipoli.

By 1915 the Western Front was deadlocked and there was pressure to mount an offensive through the Balkans. In early 1915, the Russians were being threatened by the Turks and appealed for help. The British mounted a naval expedition to bombard the Gallipoli Peninsula on the Western shores of the Dardanelles. By capturing Constantinople, the British hoped to link up with the Russians and eliminate Turkey from the war.

The Naval attack began on 19th February 1915. Bad weather caused delays and the attack was abandoned after three battleships had been sunk and three others damaged. By the time the troops began to land on 25th April the Turks had fortified their defences and increased their personnel to six times the number they had when the campaign began.

His name is recorded on the Helles Memorial on the Gallipoli Peninsula on Panel 2-7. At home it is on St. James' Parish Church War Memorials, both the main and the small one and also on St. Saviour's War Memorial which is now in St. James' Parish Church also.

The Australian & New Zealand troops gained a bridgehead at 'Anzac Cove' on the Aegean side of the peninsula. The British tried to land at five points round Cape Helles, but only established footholds in three and the Turks took advantage of the delays to bring as many troops as possible onto the peninsula.

This led to a political crisis in London between Churchill, the First Lord of the Admiralty, and Lord Fisher, the First Sea Lord, who had always expressed doubts about the campaign. The War Council remained divided until late 1915 when it was decided to end the campaign. Troops were evacuated in December 1915 and January 1916. The Allies lost around 214,000 men and only achieved the diversion of Turkish troops away from the Russians.

Joseph GIBSON

Private 37235, West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own)
Died 20th February 1917 aged 28
Buried Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm), Belgium
Son of John and Ada Gibson
Lived 44, Chapel Lane, Heckmondwike

Joseph, known as Joe, was born in the second quarter of 1888. He was the second son of John Gibson of Heckmondwike and Ada nee Spivey also of Heckmondwike.

When Joe was born, the family were living in Oxford Street off Cemetery Road, Heckmondwike having recently moved from Gomersal where their eldest son Arthur was born. His father John was Carpet Weaver.

Joe's mother Ada had previously been married to David Hall and had two daughters who were living with the family in 1891. After David Hall died, Ada married John Gibson at the end of 1884. Their eldest son Arthur was born in 1886 and a younger sister Clara was born in 1890. By 1901 the family had moved a short distance to Park Street still off Cemetery Road and two more sons had been born, Albert in 1892 and Willie in 1900. By this time John was working as a Lamplighter. Ada's two daughters by her first marriage were also working as Chenille Weavers and Arthur their eldest son was working as a Boot Operative.

By 1911, the family had moved to 44, Chapel Lane and John was still a Lamplighter. All the children of John and Ada were working except Willie who was at school.

Joe was working as a Rough Cutter at CWS Bootworks, from where he enlisted into the West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own). He was home on leave at Christmas 1916 and returned to the front shortly after.

His parents had not received any news of him after his leave until Mr. F. H. Stead had a letter from his son who was also serving in France, intimating that Joe had been killed. This sad news was confirmed shortly afterwards. Joe was buried at Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm ) grave reference VII H 8.

His brothers Arthur (b1886) served in the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and Albert (b1892) served in the Royal Engineers in The Great War.

Joe is named on the Heckmondwike Grammar School War Memorial as well as George Street Congregational Chapel War Memorial, St. James's and St. Saviour's War Memorials.

He received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Miles GILL

Private 202002, 1st/4th Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
Killed in Action 3rd September 1916 aged 29
Buried Mill Road Cemetery, Thiepval, Somme, France
Husband of Maria Gill
Lived Leeds New Road, Heckmondwike

Miles was born in 1887. In 1891 his parents John Thomas and Mary Elizabeth Gill lived in Chapel Lane Heckmondwike with daughters Florrie, aged 5; Lavinia, aged 1 and son Miles, aged 3. John worked as a carpet yarn dyer. By 1901 sons Charley, aged 9; John, aged 7 and daughter Elsie, aged 2 had been added to the family, now living in South Street Liversedge.

On 2 April 1908 Miles joined the Territorial 4th Battalion West Riding Regiment in Cleckheaton. He gave his address as Ashton Clough, Liversedge and his employer was the Stanley Coal Company Liversedge. He volunteered for one year's service, but signed on for a further two years from 29 March 1909. Annual camps were held in July and August each year and their locations included Marske and Peel in the Isle of Man. His Territorial service ended in March 1911. Just a few days later the Census shows him working as a coal hewer and living in James Street, Quarry Road, Westgate, Cleckheaton at the home of his uncle James Yates, his wife Ellen and their three children. Also living at that address as a boarder was Maria Elizabeth Gibson, aged 20, and working as a worsted spinner. Miles and Maria were married on 3 June 1911 in the Parish Church, both giving their address as George Street Cleckheaton.

Miles re-joined the West Riding Regiment in September 1915 and was in France by January 1916, at which time the Battalion was 'resting' out of the line at Wormhoudt to the south east of Dunkirk. On 1 September 1916 the Battalion was in camp to the north of Albert in the Somme area, and received orders to move in 'fighting order' towards the trenches near Thiepval. The assault tactics of the first day of the Somme battle had by now been abandoned, and on 3 September 1916, supported by an intense bombardment, Companies of the Battalion left their trenches at 5:10am and laid on the ground forward of their line whilst the barrage on the German position continued. The War Diary records that the Battalion achieved their objective of occupying parts of the German trench system. But the soldiers found themselves cut off from any supplies of ammunition or contact with their own front lines. Machine gun and rifle fire from the front and to their sides caused heavy casualties. Over 300 of the Battalion were killed, wounded or missing within the first few hours of the attack. Private Gill was one of those killed. On 5 September 1916 the Battalion was taken out of the line.

Maria Gill did not receive confirmation of her husband's death until August 1917 and his outstanding pay of £2 8s 3d was sent to her on 5 December 1917. There were no children from the marriage. Mrs Gill married George Wilby early in 1918, but sadly died in September that year. The War Grant of £9 was not due for payment until 26 November 1920 and this was sent to Mr Wilby, though he had married again in 1919. Miles Gill was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

He is buried in the Mill Road Cemetery near Thiepval, alongside many of his fellow Battalion soldiers killed that day.

Miles' brother Charles served as Lance Corporal 6099 in the 12th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, but was killed on 4 October 1917. Their step-brother Ernest Wolfenden served as Private 6125 in the same Battalion as Charles but was killed on 25 September 1915. Both are commemorated on the Cleckheaton War Memorial.

Louis  GLADMAN

Private 15777, Coldstream Guards
Died 14th September 1916 aged 25
No Known Grave Commemorated Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France
Son of John and Ann Gladman
Lived 16, Princess Street, Heckmondwike

Louis was born in 1891 and was the fifth son of John Gladman and Ann nee Wood.  John Gladman was born in Lincolnshire but moved to Yorkshire around 1872.  He married Ann Wood in Holbeck, Leeds in 1876 and by 1891 was living on Walkley Lane, Heckmondwike with his wife Ann and 5 children.  By 1901 the family were still on Walkley Lane and the family had increased to 6 sons and 2 daughters.  In 1911 the family were living on Princess Street, off Cawley Lane.

John Gladman was a Joiner by trade and was a ‘Journeyman’ in 1911.

Louis attended Heckmondwike Grammar School and  was a ‘Boot Clicker’ in 1911.  He was employed at the Boot and Shoe Company before he enlisted.

He joined the Coldstream Guards and saw action in the Battle of the Somme.  His mother received the news that Louis had been missing since September 14th 1916.  This news must have been terrible for the family, coming so soon after the death of his father John Gladman in July 1916 and Robert in August 1916.

Louis was awarded the  Victory and the British War Medals.  He had attended George Street Congregational Chapel and his name is commemorated on their Roll of Honour.  His name is also on the Heckmondwike Grammar School Roll of Honour.

His name, however, is not on St. James’s Parish Church War Memorial or St. Saviour’s War Memorial.

Three of his five brothers  (Robert 1879, Frank 1890, and Harry 1896 ) are also in the Heckmondwike Memorial Book. Robert, like Louis, was also killed in action.

Robert GLADMAN

Private G/20685, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)
Died 16th August 1916 aged 37
Buried Serre Road Cemetery No 2, Somme, France
Son of John and Ann Gladman
Lived 16, Princess Street, Heckmondwike

Robert was born towards the end of 1879 and was the second son of John Gladman and Ann nee Wood. John Gladman was born in Lincolnshire but moved to Yorkshire around 1872. He married Ann Wood in Holbeck, Leeds in 1876 and by 1891 was living on Walkley Lane, Heckmondwike with his wife Ann and 5 children. By 1901 the family were still on Walkley Lane and the family had increased to 6 sons and 2 daughters. In 1911 the family were living on Princess Street, off Cawley Lane.

John Gladman was a Joiner by trade, but Robert seems to have had various occupations in the textile industry.

It appears that John Gladman died in July 1916 just before the family received the news that Robert had been killed in action.

He served in the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) and was involved in the Battle of the Somme. He was killed in action on the 16th August 1916 and was buried in the Serre Road Cemetery No. 2. His grave is numbered XXV E13.

He was awarded the Victory and the British War Medals. He attended George Street Congregational Chapel and his name is commemorated on their Roll of Honour. His name is also on St. James's Parish Church War memorial and St. Saviour's War Memorial.

Of his five brothers, three of them (Frank,1890, Louis 1891 and Harry 1896 ) are also in the Heckmondwike Memorial Book, Louis, like Robert, making the ultimate sacrifice.

George William GOODALL

Private 136018, 34th Battalion Machine Gun Corps
Died 1st November 1918 aged 19
Buried Kezelberg Military Cemetery, Belgium
Son of Josiah and Annie Louisa Goodall
Lived 69, Battye Street, Heckmondwike

George was the son of Josiah and his wife Annie, formerly Brierley. His two older brothers, Hearl and Fred also served on the Western Front. He enlisted in the Machine Gun Corps on 11th May 1917, he trained at Rugeley and Clipstones before embarking for France in April 1918. Before enlisting he worked for Messrs. A Hardwick and Sons as a Currier and was a member of the congregation at St Saviours Church.

George died of shell wounds at a hospital clearing hospital in France, during the Hundred Days Offensive. This was not a battle but a rapid series of Allied victories against which the Germans had no reply and lasted until the Armistice was declared on the 11th November. The Machine Gun Corps was formed during the early part of the war and saw action in all theatres of The Great War. In the latter part of the conflict the men of the corps frequently served well in advance of the front line - the casualty rate was high earning it the nickname the Suicide Club.

Whilst the population of Heckmondwike, along with the rest of the country, was celebrating the Armistice the local paper, the Cleckheaton Advertiser & Spenborough Times, reported the following "Another Heckmondwike family who had the period of rejoicing overshadowed by an irrepairable loss is that of Mr and Mrs Josiah Goodall of Battye Street, who on Monday morning received a telegram stating that their son, Private George Goodall, died at a clearing hospital in France on the 1st of November from shell wounds in the left shoulder. Previous to this Mr and Mrs Goodall had received a letter, dated October 31st, from the chaplain who wrote:- ' Your boy, in our M.G. Battalion has asked me to drop a line. He came through the dressing station wounded this morning. It is I think in his left shoulder, painful, and of course he was feeling rather done up. But he was full of pluck and good spirits; and he has gone straight away to the clearing station and so on to hospital. He is a fine boy and I value him specially as being one of our communicants. I shall be very pleased indeed if you can send me news of him as time goes on for we shall be out of touch with him till he comes back.' ..."

He is buried at Kezelberg Military Cemetery, Belgium which is very close to the French border. The inscription on his headstone reads "TO MEMORY EVERY DEAR".

A photograph, taken by The War Graves Photographic Project, of his headstone can be viewed by following this link.

George's brothers both survived the war.

Percy GOODALL

Private 35445, 2nd Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
Killed in Action 24th October 1918 aged 19
Buried at Verchain British Cemetery, Verchain-Maugre, France
Son of Ernest and Martha Goodall
Lived Coop House, Batley Road, Heckmondwike

The River Ecaillon is a modest river flowing through small villages and pleasant rolling fields in a gently sloping shallow valley. Yet an officer of the 2nd Battalion West Riding Regiment thought the countryside was 'extraordinarily difficult'. A few days later, on 24 October 1918, that assessment would prove to be correct.

Percy Goodall was born on 6 November 1898. He was the only surviving child of Ernest and Martha (née Taylor) who were married on 20 March 1892 in Birstall. In 1901 the family were at New Street, Rawfolds and were still at that address in 1911, with Martha's father John Taylor recorded as a visitor at the time of the census. Percy was still at school and his father's occupation was grocery manager.

Percy was 15 when The Great War broke out and he had to wait until 2nd March 1916 to enlist. At that date he was 17 and still not eligible for overseas service until he reached the age of 19. Therefore from March 1916 he was at home but formally on the Reserve before he was mobilised on 1 May 1917 at the age of 18 and 176 days. The forms he completed at that point show that Percy was a clerk; 5ft 5ins tall and weighed 130lbs. He lived with his parents at Co-op House, Batley Road, Heckmondwike. Though he expressed an interest in joining the Royal Field Artillery (which had links to Heckmondwike) he was posted to the 5th Training Reserve and sent to the vast Rugeley Camp in Staffordshire. He was soon allocated to the newly formed 53rd Young Soldiers Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers with service number 17880, then to the 3rd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, service number 58875.

He had spells as acting unpaid Lance Corporal and Lance Sergeant before reverting to Private on 10th August 1918. On 22nd August 1918 he left Folkestone for Boulogne and the base depot at Etaples near Le Touquet, where he joined the 14th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. Percy's records show that he was then transferred to the 2nd Battalion West Riding Regiment, with service number 35445, on 1st September 1918. This information on Private Goodall's record was contained within the format of a rubber stamp. But someone had inserted in clear bold writing the word 'permanently' before the stamped word 'transferred'. Had Private Goodall met someone at Etaples whom he knew and who could arrange for him to be transferred in this way? It seems fitting that his multiple postings should end with a move to a local regiment. Private Goodall reached his new regiment whilst the Battalion was at Averdoigt, West of Arras. Gradually the Battalion began to move eastwards. There was an indication of what was to follow when in early October the war diary showed that the soldiers practiced 'dealing with machine gun posts in open warfare' (that is, not trench based).

There was some light relief on 5th October 1918 when the Battalion marched into Arras accompanied by the Bands of the 4th and 2nd Battalions of the West Riding Regiment. The movement eastwards then resumed by bus and on foot until an area northeast of Cambrai was reached on 18 October.

There followed a series of attacks which had the objective of breaching that part of the Hindenburg Line known as the Hermannstellung. The Battalion war diary records that on 19th October the village of Saulzoir was taken with the Battalion 'peacefully penetrating the village with slight fighting for the railway'. At 4:00am on 24th October in the darkness before daybreak the main attack on the Hermannstellung began with a shrapnel shell barrage by the artillery. The war diary outlines five German defence lines, one of which was the River Ecaillon and there was clearly concern about attempting an opposed river crossing before daybreak. An air reconnaissance flight over the area took place on 22nd October and the passable bridges over the river were clearly marked on the resulting map. There is a suggestion in the war diary that the river might have been in flood after rain and all the battalions taking part in the attack carried forward temporary light bridges to enable the crossing to take place. During the attack the soldiers faced heavy machine gun fire from the slopes across the river. The war diary says 'the enemy were in force with numerous machine guns which were overcome in a marvellously efficient manner'. Once over the river the advance continued rapidly through the day. Over 350 prisoners and 31 machine guns were taken and the war diary says that 'the action can be looked upon as one of the most successful operations it [the Regiment] has ever taken part in'. On the night of the 24th/25th the Germans withdrew a distance of over 2000 yards.

All the battalions suffered heavy casualties, especially in the river crossing but the 2nd Battalion had the greatest losses with over 200 men killed or wounded, partly because the battalion on their right could not move forward and the West Riding Battalion was left exposed on that flank. Private Goodall was killed that day, just 17 days before the Armistice.

He left all his effects to his mother and on 24th April 1919 the Pay Office sent Martha £14 6s 2d, which included a war gratuity of £8. He is buried with many of his comrades in Verchain British Cemetery, not far from the place where he fell. A photograph, taken by The War Graves Photographic Project, of his headstone can be viewed by following this link. His headstone inscription, for which the family were charged 14s 10d, reads: 'O God let angels guard this spot where our dear one doth slumber'.

Albert Edward GREENWOOD

Signaller 31662, 13th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment
Died 6th January 1919 aged 27
Buried Heckmondwike Cemetery
Son of Albert and Eliza Greenwood
Lived 74, Brighton Street, Heckmondwike

Albert Edward Greenwood was born in Heckmondwike on 24th October 1891 the eldest son of Albert Greenwood and Eliza Jane Townend who married at Thornhill on 26th December 1885. Albert Edward was baptized on 29th November 1891 at St. Saviours Parish Church in Heckmondwike. His father was a self employed Grocer, running a shop on Brighton Street.

Albert worked as a Pawnbroker and at the time of his enlistment he was working in Bradford city centre. He joined the York and Lancaster Regiment in February 1916, just a month short of his 26th birthday and was posted to France on the 3rd October of the same year.

After only 6 months of service Albert sustained a severe gunshot wound to his back and was evacuated back to England on 23rd May 1917 and was treated at the military hospital in Chorlton-cum-Hardy.

Three weeks later the army authorities received the first of a series of letters from the Rev Henderson, Vicar of Heckmondwike, requesting that Albert be discharged from the army as his father had become paralysed and he was needed to carry on the family business. The army replied that no decision could be taken regarding his release from military service until he was discharged from hospital.

He was medically discharged on 23rd January 1918 on a pension of 27sh/6d for the first 4 weeks, then 8sh/6d for 48 weeks, after which it would be reviewed.

Albert returned home to Brighton Street to help with the family business. In 1918 he married a local girl called Adelaide Clegg. They had no children and Albert died on 6th January 1919 at 74, Brighton Street. He was interred in the family grave in Heckmondwike Cemetery on the 10th January.

Commemorated: Heckmondwike War Memorial & Vellum Roll; St. Saviours Church Memorial now held in St. James Church

Medals: Victory, British and Silver War Badge.