“Out of our little village of Pool over one hundred young men have joined the Army. The place seems dead now the boys are gone” From a letter sent by Maskell Mitchell published in London by the “Fishing Gazette” of 27th January 1917.
Cover photo: Harry Davey 2nd right, with “Yorkshire Lads” chalked on his billet.
Compiled and researched by Pat Lazenby, Pool Archives, 2014 Revised 2020.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without prior permission of Pat Lazenby.
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Initially, although I had traced, through the War Graves Commission, the details of the young men who lost their lives in WW1 named on our Poolin-Wharfedale War Memorial, I realised there was no record of those who served our country and returned. If possible, and before it was too late, there was a need to record their lives, both before and after the war, together with their ability to deal with any war injuries they might have sustained. A comment from Leeds City Council Project Officer dealing with the Commemoration of WW1, made to me earlier this year, that we had a “unique collection”, encouraged me to make this booklet. So difficult to trace: At first, I was relying on an old photograph showing some of the war veterans, taken at the War Memorial on its opening in 1923. Over the next few months more information was received, that, together with items from Pool Archives, have opened doors on discovering their lives. My grateful thanks to all relatives, neighbours and friends of those who returned and lived in Pool, Old Pool Bank and *Arthington, who have made it possible to make this small commemorative booklet, by telling their stories and by loaning me their treasured items. I trust you take time, at your leisure, to read this and join me in sincerely hoping that we never see such futile events again. Pat Lazenby October 2014
* Since the closure of St. Peter’s as a C of E church at Arthington those who lost their lives are named each year at Pool’s Service of Remembrance. It was for this reason I have had pleasure in incorporating the men from Arthington in this booklet.
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Courtesy Ray Hill & Otley Museum
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First World War veterans at the unveiling and dedication of the Pool-in-Wharfedale War Memorial on 4th August 1923. Names of some veterans recognised on the photo:Septimus Gardner, Billy Tankard, Bert Whitehead, Snr., Rev.Maddrell, Vicar, Jack Edwards, Herbert Pickard, Joe Whiteley, Eddie Oates, Harry Davey, Arthur Denton (in bathchair). Details of other recognised members of the village whose involvement in WW1 are not known but are shown below. JOSEPH (JOE) CONSTANTINE WHITELEY Joe was born in Burnsall in 1884, the son of Samuel and Ellen Whiteley. Samuel was a founding member in 1886 of B. S. & W. Whiteley Ltd., paper mills of Pool. Joe was a butcher operating from Stocks Hill, later working in the family mill as Branch Secretary of the Union. He married Lilly Tankard, a Pool Parish Councillor for over 23 years, covering the period of the war. She was involved in the erecting of the War Memorial. They lived at Brook Cottage, Mill Lane. Joe was a keen cricketer, playing for Pool. He lost two members of his family in the war, William Stanley son of Samual Whiteley and Thomas William Whiteley, only son of Benjamin Whiteley. SEPTIMUS GARDNER is shown on the photograph. On returning from WW1 he lived at 1, Castley Lane. He used the land rented to him by The Wharfedale District Council, as a market garden. He was also a landscape gardener. For many years the market garden was carried on by this daughter.
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HARRY COCKRAM Harry was born in 1889, living at “Cranford”, Mill Lane, Pool with his stepmother and father, William Charles & Mary Cockram. In 1915 his sister Kate married Holmes Whiteley of B.S .& W. Whiteley. Before Harry joined The Leeds Pals he was a clerk in a piano warehouse in Leeds. His training was at Colsterdale, near Masham, with the Leeds Pals. On a postcard (shown below), to his sister Kate at Cranford, possibly on 23rd October. 1914, is written in pencil: “We laugh, we laugh. This is our tent party, for rushing out of the tent to have this taken I upset all my dinner on the floor hence the misery.” (Many men thought the time they spent at Colsterdale was the best time of their lives). In Dec 1915 he moved, with his regiment, to Egypt and took over a section of the Suez Canal defences. On his return he worked for Barkers in Leeds and retired to Harrogate. His son, Michael, served in WW2. With the Leeds Pals, Colsterdale Training Centre (near Masham)
Jane Morris
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EDGAR COLLETT (from a letter written by grandson Andrew 2014) “Edgar was born on the 1st September 1893 to Alfred and Sarah Jayne Collett. Sarah Jayne died when my father was a baby so he was brought up with his aunt and uncle at the blacksmith’s forge in Eccup. When war broke out in August he was working as a blacksmith in the forge. He joined 15th Service Battalion the (Leeds Pals) the Prince of Wales Own (West Yorkshire Regiment).Regt No. 23608, enlisting at Carlton Barracks, Lovell Park Road, Leeds. His training was done at Colsterdale near Masham, North Yorks. My grandfather would not talk about his war exploits until I was 16. I think his one and only major battle was on the 1st July 1916 at the battle of the Somme. He told me that on the eve of the battle, the majority of the soldiers in the trenches were excited that the next day they were going to push the Germans back. The morning of the battle loomed, the soldiers were waiting for the whistles to blow at 7.30am. My grandfather told me that he thought if he was one of the first to go over the top, the machine gunners would not have their sights set. Almost immediately after going over he was hit. God was looking over him that day. In the breast pocket of his tunic were his bible and a tobacco pouch. The bullet ricocheted off those items and through into his elbow, dropping him instantly. When managing to crawl back to the trench, the sight that met him was horrendous. That day, out of just over 900 that went over, around 150 boys were left. His battalion was attacking the village of Serre. His battalion was attached to the 93rd Brigade. That day was the end of the war for him. Eventually he returned to “Blighty” and came to Arthington Hall to recuperate. In time he met my grandma who was an Arthington girl; her name was Frances May Clapham. They lived at the old chapel house. They married on the 19th September 1925 at the old chapel. After a while my grandfather started work on the railways as a platelayer/ganger until his retirement. He died on the 1st of October 1970, leaving my grandma and one son, my dad Geoffrey. I do hope this is some help to you Pat. It’s been good talking about him as nobody seems interested about it. When he became well again he joined the *R.D.C., his number was 68190.” (*Royal Defence Corps. Formed in Aug. 1917 – used to provide guards for premises, POW camps, bridges, etc.)
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HARVEY MASON COGGILL
Harvey lived at Braeburn, Arthington Lane. He joined The Sherwood Foresters, Notts & Derby Regiment in 4th Dec. 1915 becoming a Captain in the Special Reserve of Officers. He was discharged on 1st April 1920.
After the war he a member of the Home Guard during WW2 when he became Lieutenant., also leader of the Invasion Committee for Pool during WW2. Later he joined the Pool Branch of the British Legion becoming Secretary. When joining, he was described as an Estate Agent to the Yorkshire Electric Power Company
Pool Platoon 26.11.1944
Harold Coggill Corpl, killed in action on 1st July 1916. Buried at Serre Road No.1 Cemetery, West of Serrre, France. Lived at Braeburn, Arthington Lane. Relative of William and Harvey Mason Cogill, (information from Braeburn house deeds). Pool Archives
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DAVID WILLIAMSON CURRIE David was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1884. He joined as a Private in the 9th West Yorkshire Regiment (Leeds Pals) Regt. No. 33439. On the 12th December 1915, when by now a Corporal, he declared himself available for transfer to a Reserve on demobilisation, which he duly did on the 23rd March 1919.
He fought in the Battle of the Somme in 1916, returning home having been gassed. During his service for our Country he received the Victory Medal, British Medal and the Defence Medal (left).
He returned home to Leeds and married Mabel moving to Old Pool Bank around 1924, having one daughter, Jean, who treasured his knitted woollen balaclava hat worn during his military service. (These were knitted to a military pattern provided for women as their contribution to the war effort) He later worked as chief cashier at Proctor Brothers wire works in Dewsbury. In WW2 he joined the Home Guard receiving the Defence Medal, (amongst the medals shown above)
Jean Horn, daughter, Old Pool Bank.
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ANNIE & EDITH DAVEY Annie and Edith were from a family of ten children, born in Pool to Frederick and Jessie Davey, living in Park Buldings. Annie was the eldest daughter born in 1900, who before the war, worked as a general domestic. Edith was born in 1903. As young girls, they worked in Otley together “on munitions”. Later Annie worked at the “Biscuit Shop” in Kirkgate Arcade. Edith married Bernard Mitchell in 1923. Part of the dangerous and precise job was to pour chemicals into the bombs which often turned their skin and hair yellow, hence their nickname “The Canaries”. “Our munition makers are sharing in the battles now in progress as much as if their workshops were situated immediately behind the firing lines and they were personally engaged in handing the shells to the men who fire them. Ministry of Munitions, July 17th 1916.
Since the beginning of WW1 B. S. & W. Whiteley, Pool paper mill, had been producing “glazeboards” for ammunition factories but from 27th March 1916 they came under the control of the Ministry of Munitions. Various
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HARRY DAVEY Harry was one of ten children, born in Pool in 1898, the eldest son of Frederick and Jessie. His movements are recorded on the back of an embroidered card from Harry where someone had written: “Sept 19 1917; enlisted Feb 19 1917; joined up Feb 19 1917; went to France Dec 10 1917; got wounded March 29th 1918; home on sick leave June 14 1918; went back 25th June 1918” He was reported wounded and admitted to hospital on 2nd April 1918. After receiving war wounds and being gassed, he was taken to Rocherville V.A.D Hospital at Gravesend Kent. According to his sister Hilda, he came home very poorly and took a long time to recover. Recorded by his friend, Bernard Mitchell, as “never being the same again”. A plate layer, he married Ida Hall in 1921 having four surviving children. During WW2 he became a member of the No.7 (Pool) Platoon of the Home Guard. “I always recall that on a practice turn out, Harry was the first to report at Platoon H.Q. in full kit; a demonstration that if ever the occasion had arisen for the Home Guard to muster for action, he would have been first there.” – H. Mason Coggill Lt. O.C. No. 7 (Pool) Platoon.
Notification Harry wounded 2.4.1918 and recovering in Rosherville V.A.D. Hospital Gravesend, Kent.
“Yorkshire Lads” (written on billet). Harry is 2nd from the right in hat. Alan Davey & Jane Morris
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HAROLD DAVEY During WW2 Harry Davey’s son, Harold, had joined the South Lancashire Regiment 1st Battalion, but was reported missing on 27th June 1944. His father, Harry, died a few days before learning of this and was buried on 29th June 1944. It took over a year before confirmation of Harold’s death was received in August 1945. Desperate to hear more news of her son a letter was written to the War Office. Here are extracts from the reply of 25th July 1945: “Unhappily extensive enquiries have failed to reveal what subsequently happened to him. In view of the long lapse of time during which no news has been received which would indicate that your son had survived, the Department has, reluctantly and with deep regret, reached the conclusion that he must have succumbed to his wounds” Notification Harold missing 21.8.1944
Notification of Death 24.8.1945
Condolence letter from Buckingham Palace
Alan Davey
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ARTHUR DENTON Born in Pool in 1886, Arthur was one of four sons of Harry and Clara Denton. Before enrolling for service in WW1 he was a domestic gardener. On his return from the war, for a short time he worked as chauffeur for Sir Francis and Lady Watson at Torracks Hill (now Weidmann Whiteley offices) on Otley Road. Whilst driving their car, a horse in front bolted; it was then his shellshock began. For the remainder of his short life he was confined to a bath chair. To enable the photo left, to be taken, he was being “propped up” by a fence. He died from his war wounds on 14th December, 1928. His brother, Harold, was killed,,see below: Harold Ellis Denton D.C.M. son of Harry and Clara Denton. Sergeant. Duke of Wellington’s Regiment. Killed in France, buried in Belgium. Wounded and gassed at Hill 60. After recuperating at home, returned to duty and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his gallantry in raiding a German dugout on July 18th. On 8th Aug 1918, whilst at the head of his company leading an attack against the enemy, he was killed by a shot to the head.
From St. Wilfrid’s Parish Church Magazine 1918 Harry and Eva Denton.
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WALLACE DENTON Wallace was born in Pool in 1899, the fourth son of Harry and Clara Denton from the family of shuttle makers working in Pool from around 1830. To aid homecoming troops to obtain a living, in the early 1920’s Wharfedale Rural District Council built semis, with strips of land stretching to the river, and the small farm holdings on Castley Lane and Leathley Lane. The land was purchased from the Fawkes Estate for £33,600. It was into one of these semis on Castley Lane that Wallace moved in 1927. The rent for two weeks was 8/4d. which included the house and two acres of land. Wallace married Agnes Evans around 1920; two of their children, Harry and Eva, still live in the house. Wallace was to lose two of his brothers, Harold Ellis Denton D.C.M and Arthur Denton who died later from war wounds. For most of his life after the war he worked on Newby’s farm at Pool Farm Cottage, Stocks Hill. In winter he worked for the Council using a horse drawn snow plough to clear the footpaths. His son, Harry would often ride on the cross bar of Wallace’s bike to help on the farm. The following is an extract from Kendal Newby’s life on Pool Farm:“My father had a very good chap working for him called Wallace Denton, a grand fellow and wonderful worker. He lived down Castley Lane with his family. He used to cycle every day to the farm at five o’clock in the mornings to milk the cows by hand with my father, and many a time before five in hay-time and harvest-time, then cycle home for breakfast and back, the same at dinner time. Wallace always had dogs which came with him. They would run behind his bike, as he travelled backwards and forwards between the farm and his home. There wasn’t the traffic so much in those days. I remember one dog that Wallace called Jess. She was a brown and white sheepdog. She was a wonder at catching rats”
Harry and Eva Denton ( son and daughter)
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ARTHUR FOSTER After being employed as a forester on various estates, and finally the Harewood Estate, Arthur arrived in Pool in 1934 where he was to work at Pool Paper Mill for 24 years, retiring at the grand age of 78. His home was on the now demolished Old Post Office Row, known locally as “Fatticake Row”. He had two sons and four daughters. After fighting in the Boer War, joining the 3rd Battalion Imperial Yeomanry in March 1897 (the boat journey to South Africa took five months!) He became a Corporal and was discharged in 1902. He joined the Territorial’s in WW1 and was in the A.R.P during WW2. His sporting pastimes were shooting and cricket. He was a crack shot and won the Queen’s Cup in 1909; this together with many awards for marksmanship at Bisley. Always a keen cricketer, he was selected to play for the Army against the first South African team to tour England. His cricket interests continued, playing for Pool village and later becoming an umpire. He died in 1967 aged 84.
Arthur, umpire, left of photo c1939
E.Hyland
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ADAM FRYER (TEDDY) GREENACRE Adam, also known as Teddy, was born on 7th October 1889, who from accounts was, at the age of two staying with William and Priscilla Hill, his grandparents, living in Pool-inWharfedale. By the age of 12 he was at Pool Bank. In 1919 at the age of 30 he married Kathleen M. Edwards. At the outbreak of the war he was already a Class 1 Stoker in the Royal Navy, having first trained on the stoker training ship, HMS Renown. His service was to last between 1910 and 1922 where he was to serve on many ships including being shipwrecked whilst on HMS Argyll. A brief summary of his service is listed below. 17th Aug 1910 - 7 Sept 1910: HMS Hermione In September 1910 she began preparations for use as a tender for the Royal Navy's first airship, but when this project was abandoned she rejoined the Home Fleet in January 1912. 8 Sep 1910 – 10 Mar 1913: HMS Liverpool. During his time on the HMS Liverpool he was promoted to Stoker 1st Class. 14 Sep 1913 and 4 Aug 1914: HMS Excellent, also known as Portsmouth Gunnery School or Whale Island was the British Royal Navy's main gunnery training establishment for most of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. 25 Aug 1914 and 29 Oct 1915: HMS Argyll Whilst serving on HMS Argyll Adam was promoted to Leading Stoker. The ship was famously wrecked on Bell Rock in Scotland on 28th October 1915. Adam was serving on the ship, all the crew were rescued. According to notes written on a photo of Adam Greenacre with two other Otley sailors (A. Cowburn and Charles Firth) Adam...was "a Leading Stoker on HMS Argyll recently wrecked off the North of Scotland.� 24 Feb 1917 and 12 Feb 1918: HMS Levianthan. she was reassigned to the 6th Cruiser Squadron before she became flagship of the North America and West Indies Station in March 1915. She retained that position for the next three years until she was relieved as flagship in early 1918 and began escorting convoys from North America to Britain. 13 Feb 1918 and 2 Aug 191): HMS Highflyer returned to the East Indies Station in 1918 3 Aug 1918 and 25 Jan 1919: HMS Mutine later became a survey ship, Researched by Ray Hill
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EARL MASSINGHAM HILL Earl was born at Pool Bank on 7th October, 1898, son of Joseph, stone quarryman, and Clara. A pupil at Pool in Wharfedale school he was later to become a paper maker. At the age of 19 he joined the Royal Navy as an Ordinary Seaman becoming an Able Bodied Seaman in 1918. His service number was J.68602.
He was in active service from 1917 until 1919 being involved in hostile activities in 1917 whilst serving on the battleship HMS Valiant. He also served on HMS Victory 1*, HMS Victory X, spending some time on HMS Greenwich. On several occasions his conduct is recorded as being “very good�. In 1923 he married Edith Ellen Brett and had two children. * HMS Victory 1 was the accounting and holding Barracks for the Fleet sailing out of Portsmouth. HMS Victory X was a land based accounting section from 1917-19.
Researched by Ray Hill.
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GEORGE DENTON HILL George was born in 1893 at Pool Bank, son of Joseph and Clara Hill. He was one of several members of the Hill family living at Pool Bank and working at the quarry at that time. By the age of 18 he was already working there. In December 1915, aged 22, George had his military medical examination at Gay Lane in Otley. He declared the oath in Halifax on 28th January 1916, signing his declaration and becoming mobilised on that date. At that time he also agreed to become a member of the Army Reserves at the end of the war. Originally he was a Private in the 11th Brigade Duke of Wellington Regiment where he was in the Infantry, until being transferred to the Royal Engineers on 14th March 1916; No.129629. He later became Acting Sergeant. By December 1917 he saw active service in France, being involved in the Battle of the Somme. He received both the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. After being demobbed in Ripon on 15th June 1919 he was transferred to Class Z Army Reserve on Demobilization on 12 July, 1919.
George, back row 2nd left with pipe.
In 1919 George returned to marry Alice Whitehead; they had one son and lived in Otley where he worked as a steam engine driver. Charley Thompson Hill b.1891, Stoker, last ship H.M.S Apollo. Died on 3rd December 1918 (George’s Uncle) Researched by Ray Hill - grandson
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NORMAN HUDSON During his service in WW1 Norman was severely injured and lucky to survive, receiving severe stomach injuries which resulted in him losing half his stomach. He also lost one of his legs and was given an artificial leg, resulting in him having a limp for the rest of his life. In spite of this, he would use his bike to cycle to Otley. The local children affectionately called him “Hoppy”. After the war he came to live at 13 Castley Lane, Castley*, where he was given possession of a semi-detached house with a two acre strip of land stretching to the river. He married and had three daughters. His wife died in 1970, but he was to continue living in the same house until well into his 90’s. His family would carry him upstairs when the house became flooded by the River Wharfe. Norman’s hobby was keeping rabbits for showing. He had a great sense of humor, loved a drink and a cigarette. In later life “he would sit by the open fire in his living room and always had a smile to greet us kids.”. * To aid homecoming troops to obtain a living, in the early 1920’s the Wharfedale Rural District Council commissioned Ward & Crossley, Carcroft, Nr. Doncaster to build these semis, with strips of land stretching to the river, together with the small farms on Castley Lane. The land was purchased from the Fawkes Estate for £33,600. The land on Leathley Lane for £12,500
Harry & Eva Denton and Lorna Allison
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HUGH NOEL JOHNSTONE Hugh was the youngest son of John D & Kate Johnstone living at The Tower, Arthington Lane, Pool. In 1915 he was 2nd Lieutenant 2/8th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment (Leeds Rifles - Prince of Wales Own). In 1916 he was invalided out, through dementia, and died on 1st June 1921 aged 25. Buried Gt. Salkeld, St. Cuthbert Churchyard. His brother, John Cunliffe Johnstone was also to lose his life, as below. John Cunliffe Johnstone, Private in Honourable Artillery Company lst Bn, died 23rd April 1917. Service No. 3610. Grave Bay l Cemetery: Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Stained glass window in his memory unveiled and dedicated on 11th August 1918 at St. Wilfrid’s Church, Pool, where he often read the Lesson and taught in Sunday School. Lived at The Tower, Arthington Lane. Son of John D & Kate Johnstone, The Tower, Pool. “PARISH NOTES
New Stained Glass Window. – The window, in memory of Mr. John Cunliffe Johnstone, was unveiled and dedicated at the Morning Service on Sunday, August 11th. There was a fairly large congregation, though some of our regular worshippers were away from home. We were, however, pleased to see some occasional visitors, who came to do honour to the memory of our hero.” Extract from Pool Parish Magazine, St. Wilfrid’s Church 1918
Window in St. Wilfrid’s Church
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THOMAS (Tommy) RALPH KITSON, M.M. Thomas was born in Harrogate on 3rd August 1895. He married Sarah (Mawson) and had four children. He trained as a barber and at the outbreak of WW1 aged 18, he joined the 1/5 Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment with whom he served for the duration of the war.
Military Medal document
In 1916 Tommy fought in the Battle of the Somme at Passchendaele. On 25th April 1918, for his part during the battle at Kemmel Ridge, Tommy was awarded the Military Medal for carrying the wounded Regimental Sergeant Major across 'no man’s land.' After the war he came to Pool-in-Wharfedale for a short time living at Ivy Cottage soon moving to 11 Castley Lane. He worked in the Pool paper mill of B.S.& W.Whiteley Ltd. In 1961 he received a gold watch from the company for over 25 years’ service. He continued with the company, retiring aged 70.
During WW2 he served as a member of the Pool Platoon of the Home Guard. Seen here seated front row 2nd left.
Thomas’ brother Jack died at Ypres in 1918 aged 18. He has no known grave but is commemorated on the memorial at both Loos and on the cenotaph at Harrogate.
Grandson Richard Phillips 19
HARRY LUPTON Harry lived at the Bar House, Arthington Lane. He joined the 1st County of London Yeomanry on 4th May in 1918 being discharged on 24th April 1920 He married Florence Esme Procter from Arthington in 1921 and lived at 15 Castley Lane. They had a son Donald and daughter Dorothy. Harry had two brothers Percy and Arthur and one sister.
GEORGE, HERBERT, HAROLD PROCTOR Brothers in law of Harry Lupton who all returned from WW1. “Bantams of the R.C.A.”
Diane Fry, (nee Lupton), Keith Lupton British Legion records
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CHARLES (CHARLIE) MOSS Charlie was born in Lincolnshire in 1899. Always a lover of the country, he worked on the estate at Sledmere House from where he enlisted. It is to Sledmere House that his ribbons and medals were sent by his daughter for safe keeping.
He Joined a unit as a driver in the Waggoners Reserve in 1910 being discharged in 1917. He fought in the Battle of Mons where he gained the Mons Star. (This was issued to officers and men of British forces who served in France or Belgium between 5 August and midnight 22/23 November 1914. Recipients of this medal also received the British War Medal and Victory Medal. These three medals were sometimes irreverently referred to as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred.). On his return he came to the area working on the estate at the Nunnery, Arthington, later working at the filter beds in Arthington, to which he would cycle each day. He met and married Gertrude, who came to Pool from Durham to find work during the Great Depression. She was to work at the White Hart Hotel. They lived at the now demolished “Fatticake Row� or Old Post Office Row No.5, Main Street, where they had one daughter, Joan. Always a real countryman and character, he was the village mole catcher. He could be seen riding his bike with his traps on the crossbar always with his terrier in the basket.
Joan Toothill, daughter
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BERNARD MITCHELL Bernard gives this account of his life during WW1 as Bombardier in the Royal Field Artillery: “Along with many young lads I joined the Territorial Army in 1912 as a way of getting away for a fortnight’s holiday each year. This was in the 49th West Riding Howitzer Battery in Otley and in 1914 we went to Pembury, South Wales arriving for camp the day before war was declared. The government just commandeered the horses from the local farmers, what job it was breaking them in. The troop train arrived at Pembury about 4 pm on Saturday and when war had broken out on Sunday, we had to all pack up and come back to Otley Drill Hall, not being allowed home. Then we went to Doncaster racecourse being billeted in the stands, with the horses in the stables there. We got into trouble for riding the horses on the racecourse. We were eventually sent to France to Arras and the Somme. The Germans were in the Hindenberg line, well set up in large wood lined dugouts with bunks and with good stocks of food including tins of jam. Our trenches were not so good although the French complained that we had the best and we swapped over! The Leeds Rifles were on the Somme where it was just barren ground full of shell holes with dead horses and men. Our gun position had been firing gas shells. You could watch the 18lbs shells going up from our 4.5” howitzers. We got down for a rest, you could not go deep in the chalky ground and just had a tin cover of corrugated sheeting. I was in a place near the entrance when a Gerry shell came through the top of the dugout. The Sergeant Major pulled me out as it was just breaking dawn, then he pulled Bellerby out and we were taken away on the shell bogey to the 1st Dressing Station. I was the only survivor of the 7 men. The other 5 were unrecognisable and their remains were just put into sandbags. I was moved from one dressing station to another before reaching Bologne for transport to King George’s hospital in London where I spent 9 months. I was covered in shrapnel, pulling pieces out for days afterwards when I was working at Alnwick.. Two months convalescence was spent at Sutton in Surrey before I was discharged back home shortly before the war ended. My brother Harold was in the Leeds Rifles but was sent back with trench feet. Lucy’s brother Harry was gassed, he never looked after himself. After the war I joined my father’s fishing tackle business in New Station St. Leeds until I saw an advert for a situation at Hardy’s, Alnwick and went there where I had a motorbike and sidecar. I was married to Edith Davey in 1923. We returned to Pool at the beginning of the second war and I worked in the Avro aircraft factory at Yeadon as a storekeeper.” Taken from “David Whiteley Memoirs”
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MASKELL MITCHELL
Maskell Mitchell with his children, above and below, was a signal-man at Harrogate later moving to the north signal box at Arthington Junction, living in the Arthington railway house. In 1906 he moved again to live at 3 Chevin View, Pool. After leaving the railway he bought a fishing tackle business in Leeds from Francis Walbrun of Pool who, in 1895, had written the book “Grayling, and How to Catch Them”. A letter from Maskell Mitchell in the London-published “The Fishing Gazette” of January 27th 1917 headed “Five Soldier Sons of an Angler who are also Anglers” states, “Out of our little village of Pool over one hundred young men have joined the Army. The place seems dead now the boys are gone.”
Five of his sons, Private Mack Mitchell, Tyneside Scottish; Private Will Mitchell R.A.M.C.; Gunner Len Mitchell, Liverpool County Palatine-Regt. Royal Field Artillery; Bombardier Bernard Mitchell, R.F.A. and Driver H. Mitchell, R.F.A. were serving in the Army at that time and were all keen fisherman. All survived although Harry was gassed and Harold was sent back with trench feet. Bernard was discharged after being badly injured on the Somme, see graphic description given under “Bernard Mitchell”
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ETHEL MITCHELL Ethel was born in Morley, Leeds, moving to Poolin-Wharfedale in 1921 where she married Ernest Mitchell. Together they ran the local grocery business at the Bar House on Arthington Lane into which they had moved in 1933. During WW1 she went to France working as both cook and nurse. In WW2 she helped to raise money for the war effort – receiving a certificate of thanks from Lord Halifax for collecting £1,300.
After the death of her husband in 1959, she continued running the shop alone, retiring in 1983 aged 85. Ethel continued living in the village in Churchill Flats where she celebrated her 90th birthday.
90th Birthday!
Pool Archives Thought: Message from Egypt. Pte A C Clapham, a former Pool man, now in the RAMC, writing from a hospital in Egypt to Mr. W. Wigglesworth, his former schoolmaster says, “We have had our hospital full to overflowing with all kinds of cases, both wounded and sick. The main cases though I think, were heat exhaustion and this can be easily understood when I tell you that the temperature here has been 113 degrees F in the shade for quite a long period. (Taken from The Wharfedale Observer)
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EDWARD (EDDIE) OATES Eddie was born in Pool, son of Michael and Jane. He lived with his wife & children on Chapel Row with his blacksmith’s shop on Mill Lane. The family had a general grocery shop on St. Wilfrid’s Terrace. Eddie is seen above “under canvas” in Salonica, Greece where he served as a blacksmith. After WW1 he returned to the village to his blacksmith shop, also acting as slaughter man for Tankards butcher and making iron railings which encompassed the whole of Pool House property which is now Church Close. His blacksmith shop was demolished when the building of Wharfe Crescent took place in 1936. Eddie kept a number of postcards shown here in this holder. It reads “Cover of Certificate and Other Documents of Soldiers on Demobilization, Transfer to the Reserve or Discharge”
Aerial view showing Allies Camp in Salonica
“The Gardeners of Salonika” In October 1915 French and British troops landed at Salonika to protect Greece from possible German attack and to assist Serbia. They arrived too late to stop Serbia being invaded and were left in a state of limbo. More than a million troops were stationed there and given their derogatory nickname “The Gardeners of Salonika”. The Germans called it the “biggest internment camp”. Allied troops were involved in fighting but illness accounted for most casualties: 55% of British Army fatalities were a result of disease or other non-combat causes.
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“English Troops landing at Salonica”
“Salonica- A French Encampment”
“Crew of German Zepplin beaten down on the Vardar” Salonica
(Thanks to daughter Una)
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HENRY (HARRY “Dirk”) PERKINS Harry was born in 1896. At the beginning of the war he and his friends were miners at Micklefield Colliery, consequently, were exempt from fighting. In spite of this, and feeling the need to enter the war, he joined the Cavalry. His Cavalry unit was sent to Ireland on two ships. Harry’s ship arrived safely whilst the ship following was torpedoed. His first job on arrival was to bury those men who were being washed up on shore. Never speaking much about his time spent in the cavalry, except horses and food! He did however recall that when he presented his plate, he received both his pudding and main course on the same dish. After the war he returned to Micklefield until the miners’ strike of 1926 when he soon followed his brother, Fred, to find work at Pool’s B. S. & W. Whiteley Ltd, paper mill, working mainly on the calendar machine. He married Violet Walton who lived at the Waterworks in Arthington. He regularly played football for Pool. (Geoff Perkins –son)
In a newspaper cutting of 1934 Holmes Whiteley, Chairman of the Rural Council Rating Committee at Otley is reported as saying that Pool was not hit by the General Depression; “in fact, he could scarcely find an unemployed man in Pool.”
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HERBERT PICKARD The father of Herbert was Espin, a platelayer living at Castley long before the war. Herbert was born at Weeton Station in 1880. By 1911 he was a waggoner in Otley for a company of worsted spinners. Whilst a gardener at Pool Hall in 1915 he was attested to join up for the 4th West Riding Howitzer No. 1718. which was approved on 26th May 1916. Herbert married Jane and lived on Manor Crescent. Their children were, Arthur, Mary, Stanley and David who was born in Huby in 1915. David married Hilda Davey of Pool. After Herbert returned from the war he was Sunday School Superintendent at Pool Wesleyan Chapel apparently being a very strict Methodist teacher. He was also Pool scoutmaster. During WW2 Herbert and Jane’s son, David, was killed whilst on a secret mission behind the lines in 1944, leaving his wife Hilda who later lived in the Jane Whiteley Memorial Homes, Pool, until her death in 2008. Jane Morris
David Pickard –139528 Flying Officer Bomb Aimer. On 27 July 1944, Albemarle aircraft serial number P1400, 297 Squadron RAF, took off from RAF Brize Norton at 2300hrs for a special secret operation ‘Harry 41’ over France. Whilst crossing the coast west of Montmartin-sur-Mer the aircraft was attacked by a night fighter, damaging the controls, and the pilot gave the order to bale out. The aircraft crashed in the vicinity of Muneville-sur-Mer at about 0030hrs on 28 July 1944. Three of the crew managed to bale out of the aircraft, but the remainder lost their lives. Their bodies were recovered and they were buried on 31 July 1944. His father was gardener at Pool Hall. David was a joiner at Stephen Kaye wood yard, Pool – lived at Huby before his marriage to Hilda Davey of Pool.
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HERBERT (BERT) PICKERSGILL Herbert or Bert, was born in Ripon in 1891, one of 10 children. When he married Elizabeth Prentice in 1912 he was living in Otley being employed as a groom. He had two children. Herbert joined the East Yorkshire Regiment as a Private on 13th July 1915 and later became a Lance Corporal. He was badly injured in the Battle of the Somme where he lost his right leg. He was considered, by the family, to be one of the lucky ones who got back to England. He was taken to Carshalton Military Hospital in Surrey where further surgery was carried out. He lost most of his leg. The wound needed daily dressing for the rest of his life He received the Victory Medal and the British Medal, receiving the Star in 1923. The family moved to Pool around 1935 to man the Arthington telephone exchange which operated from 5 Chevin View, Pool-in-Wharfedale. Because of nature of Herbert’s injury he was never able to have an artificial leg. It became necessary later in life to move to live with his daughter for her to assist in the daily dressing of the wound. In a bath chair recovering at Carshalton Military Hospital. With his family at Otley War Memorial
During WW2 he was a night watchman at Duncan Barrowclough, Otley. His son, was a Navigator on R.A.F. bombers working for some time at Pool paper mill. Anne Watson, granddaughter
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HARRY REGINALD RIDEALGH, M.C. Harry was born in Pool in 1891 to Robert and Jane. He joined the Royal Field Artillery in April 1915 and went on to win the Military Cross in Cambrai during November 1917. Two separate accounts describing the determination and courage of Harry relating to his winning of the Military Cross have been taken from the internet and are as follows:‘Actg Captain Harry Ridealgh, MC was a Yorkshire Quarryman, an explosives expert from Poole-in-Wharfedale. He started off as a pre-war Territorial Serjeant in the 4th (West Riding) Howitzer Brigade, part of the 49th (West Riding) Division, and landed in France in May 1915. He was granted a temporary commission in November 1915 and served as F.O.O. (Forward Observation Officer) with D-Battery, 276 Brigade Royal Field Artillery. A complete set of interesting papers is preserved at the National Archives (copy with group). Briefly, the story is he went forward in the "Tank attack" at Cambrai, Novr 1917 and then again in the infantry attack. He held a Forward Observation Post under very heavy shellfire for ten days until the German attack, launched at a weak point in the line, crushed the 55th (West Lancs) Division and all but destroyed several Battalions. Rolling forward, with Ridealgh getting out of his post and retreating back to the Battery, the Howitzer batteries soon began to feel the pressure. Serjeant Gourlay of D-Bty 276 Bde RFA (Ridealgh's own Battery) won the VC for shooting his Howitzer more "from the hip" than as an artillery piece. At 100-200 yards range, Ridealgh's Serjeant blasted an enemy machine gun team to Kingdom Come and held up the German attack. At about this time, Ridealgh was blown up by a shell and hit in the stomach and leg with pieces of shell. He extracted the fragments from his stomach with his dirty fingers, this recorded on his medical papers, and so his wound went septic. Lucky to survive a much feered stomach wound, he was not to see action again in the First World War’. “ For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when brigade forward observing officer. He went forward with the infantry and established his post and, while waiting for daylight, started to mop up. In one perfectly dark dug-out he discovered five of the enemy and ordered them out. As they refused he killed two and took the other three prisoners. He afterwards again advanced with the infantry, reached and endeavoured to dismantle two hostile guns which were still red hot with recent firing, and having established another post, remained there, passing back information under very heavy shell fire and circumstances of the greatest difficulty until compelled to retire by the hostile counterattack” Lt. H. R. Ridealgh M.C. of the 4th West Riding Brigade resigned his commission on the 23rd September 1920, and retained the rank of Lieutenant. Research by Ray Ridealgh, France
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HERBERT WILLIAM RIDEALGH Herbert William, known to everyone as William, was born in Pool in 1891 to parents Herbert William Ridealgh and Sarah (Mitchell). The family emigrated to Canada in 1912, where he worked as a fireman. William, like Alfred, also served with the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force, 70th Overseas Battalion, enlisting in October 1915 at the age of 24.
Although wounded he survived the war. On his return he was employed as a “still runner� at the Imperial Oil Refinery. He lived in Sarnia, Canada, until in 1939 when he was killed after being struck by a car. He was married to Margaret and had one daughter and three sons.
Research by Ray Ridealgh, France.
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WILFRED RIDEALGH and brother ALFRED RIDEALGH (no photo) The two brothers, Wilfred and Alfred served in World War One. Wilfred was born in Pool in 1881. He enrolled with the British Army as a Gunner in the Royal Field Artillery. He married Eliza and had four children. Alfred was born 6th March 1884, working in England as a “scrappler” in Pool’s stone quarry (Semi-skilled worker, using 18” long picks to chisel large pieces of rock, taken from the rock face, shaping it to look like corduroy) and in Canada as a station engineer. Alfred emigrated to Canada, enlisting in Sarnia on 4th February 1915 with the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force, 34th Battalion. He was unmarried. Unfortunately Alfred was seriously injured and transported back Canada in February 1919 aboard the hospital ship ‘Araguaya’, where the ship’s passenger list identified him as receiving a gunshot wound to the head. On his return he was unable to work as a result of his wounds he died in 1924 in Sarnia after a long illness and was buried in Lakeview cemetery, Canada.
Research by Ray Ridealgh, France. & Pool Archives.
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JOHN WILLIAM (BILLY) TANKARD. M.M.
Billy, born in Leeds in 1896 living in Poolin-Wharfedale on Wharfe View by around 1907. Before the war he was employed as a clerk in the woollen industry.
He joined H.M.Forces R.F.A.* in 1909, became a Corporal being discharged in Feb. 1919. Shown on his application to join the Pool-inWharfedale Branch of the Royal British Legion in May 1949, are the letters M.M. indicating he was awarded the Military Medal Billy’s butcher shop was on Church View, Main Street during the late 1920’s. He was a good Pool cricketer and umpire. Allison Tankard was chairman of the Food Control Committee during WW1 also chairman of the War Memorial Committee being the prime mover in the erecting of the war memorial. A lead casket made and donated by Billy’s cousin, George Allison (Aldi) Tankard, is buried beneath the War Memorial. All the contents are not completely known. They did however include a coin of the realm, list of the fallen, list of the Parish Councillors, copies of the Wharfedale Observer and Leeds Mercury newspapers and “anything which was thought might be of interest in the future. (Roland Tankard, grandson of Allson Tankard.)
*R.F.A. was the largest branch of the Royal Artillery, providing howitzers and medium artillery near the front line. Pool Archives
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WILLIAM TOWNSEND William was originally from Holbeck, working in the quarries before the 1914 1918 war. He fought in the King’s Own Royal Light Infantry Regiment and for a time was stationed at Farnley Camp near Otley. He survived three battles on the Somme. During the third battle he was taken prisoner and because of his quarry experience, was considered a miner so was transported to work down the mines in Silesia. Although he is recorded as "missing" in York Minster, he actually returned home in 1920. Soon after, he moved to Old Pool Bank where he again worked in the quarry environs, this time at the brick works within Whitaker’s stone quarry.
Brick works at Old Pool Bank
Mrs. Singleton- daughter.
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WILLIAM WATERHOUSE William lived and worked at Manor House Farm (Bankfoot Farm), Arthington. He was also a master stonemason, building several houses in Arthington. He married Mabel Dickman, a parlour maid in Pool and had three daughters and two sons. He was a keen cricketer, playing for Arthington. Promoted to Corporal with the West Yorkshire Signals, he saw fighting in Gallipoli. He returned to the farm where he lived and worked until his death in 1955.
Card sent home reads: “To Agnes From Daddy" Susan Ford –daughter
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ALBERT WHITEHEAD Albert lived in Pool marrying Annie. Before the war he worked as chauffeur for the Stanhope family at Pool House. He was sent by them to London to learn to drive and maintain their new White Stanhope steam engine car which he brought back to Pool. (Driving the car was not easy as it meant careful control by the driver and filling with water at frequent intervals. David Payne & Sons, Otley, were to become the local agents for the car.). He joined the Royal Garrison Artillery as a gunner in 1815 being discharged in April 1919. He was the only survivor during an attack in which all his comrades were killed. He sustained a shrapnel injury to his leg, continuing to have a limp for the rest of his life. He was also gassed and complained of a “bad chest� which he always attributed to his injuries received in the war. He later worked as a Printers Engineer in Otley for Dawson, Payne and Elliott. They were makers of the Wharfedale Printing Press. He played cricket for Pool being umpire and scorer for many years. He was a keen fisherman and follower (on his bike!) of the Bramham Moor Hunt. Albert with Pool cricket team taken around 1954, right of photo
Mick Cryer and Susan Tweedie British Legion Records
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POOL CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCHOOL Soon after the outbreak of the war, on 3rd September 1914 a special lesson on “The Great European War and its Causes” was given. Such was their enthusiasm, that at this time the children collected 10/-d. towards the Prince of Wales National War Fund. To help in the food economy drive almost seven stones of blackberries were collected from Riffa Wood to send to the local receiver. They also aided local farmers with potato picking. The school log reports “Dec. 14th 1914. Four Belgian refugees from Vanhesie, are residing in the village.” and “Returned to Belgium Aug. 1915”. A plaque on the Otley clock tower thanks the people of Otley for having Belgian refugees in 1915. At the request of the Ministry of Munitions in September 1917, the school collected a sack full of chestnuts. (Chemicals from conkers were used in factories, to make a substance called cordite, which was an ingredient used in explosive shells and bullets. The conkers were sent by train to top-secret factories, and around 3,000 tons of conkers were collected by Britain's children in 1917.) Throughout the war there was a shortage of fuel at the school with temperatures in the classroom being regularly recorded of between 30- 40 degrees Fahrenheit, with the room often full of smoke. In 1917 a talk was given by Mrs. Stanhope of Pool House on “Fuel Economy”. After this the children sang several patriotic songs, the National Anthem, the Marseilles and saluted the Union Jack, which had previously been given by her husband, Herbert Stanhope. In January 1918 a school holiday was observed to celebrate “the courage and bravery of the 62nd West Riding Division on their success at Cambrai.”. The sun was going down when news of the ending of the First World War reached Mr. Wigglesworth, headmaster of Pool School. In spite of the gathering darkness he assembled all his pupils and, singing hymns, they marched through the village to the vicarage, on Arthington Lane. (recently renamed the Old Vicarage) Various, including Pool School Log book
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POOL BANK QUARRIES To help with the war effort and the need for scrap metal during WW1 the rail tracks were removed from the quarry’s wrought iron girder bridge which served the quarries and spanned the main Leeds/Otley road (A660).
Benjamin Whitaker & Sons closed Pool Bank Quarries in 1915. Two engines were sold to a dealer in Darlington. “Lea” found its way to the Mousehold Light Railway, serving a munitions factory near Norwich. By 1919 it had moved to Barnbow Ordnance Factory near Leeds.
LOCO “Whitaker”
LOCO “Lea”
The quarry began operating again after the war under the name B. Whitaker & Son (1923) Ltd. During WW2, in 1941, the bridge weighing 20 tons, was removed for scrap iron, again as part of the war effort. In 1940 authority was given for the removal of all iron gates and fences in Pool for war salvage. It was reported over half a ton had been collected within two weeks.
Various, including John Whitaker 1976, Steward Liles, Ian Bareham, Margaret Plasting, Pool Archives.
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Shown in the “Sunday Companion” week ending November 11th 1922 “THE TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN WARRIOR IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY” “SLEEP ON, THOU MIGHTY DEAD; A GLORIOUS TOMB THEY’VE FOUND THEE!”
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WAR MEMORIAL LAND In 1902 a sale of property and land, shown here, named The Manor House Estate, was held by the Pullein family (Lords of the Manor of Pool). The area was described as a building site of 693 sq. yards with 139 feet of frontage to the highway. It was sold by “Hannah Pullein and others” to Emily Annie Swallow, of Troutbeck, Pool, on November 4th 1902, at 2/6d. per yard. At that time, the land had two cottages named Chapel Garth. On 22nd June 1920 Mrs. Emily Swallow gave the land to the Pool Parish Council for the building of a War Memorial. She made the following conditions: “She is prepared however to give to the people of Pool, for the erection of a War Memorial as described by you, the close of land adjoining the church yard and facing the Main Road. A condition would have to be, that if at any future time, this close of land should cease to be used for the purpose for which it would be given, it should become the property of the Church and join up to the present church yard”; stipulating that it should never become an eyesore and “detrimental to the Church". (Pool Archives)
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Money, amounts both large and small, together with gifts, were soon donated to the Pool War Memorial Fund
Extracts from original War Memorial details donated by Alec and Tony Denton
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Official Unveiling and Dedication of the War Memorial on 4th August 1923. “To the Men of Pool Parish who gave their Lives in the Great War 1914 - 1918�
Pool Archives
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POOL-IN-WHARFEDALE WAR MEMORIAL The Great War 1914- 1918 George Atack –lived at Farfield, Arthington Lane. Son of Joseph and Elizabeth Atack,Wetherby. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) 2/5th Battalion Number: 266985.Killed in action 27.11.1917 Cemetery : Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, Nord, France.Grave, Panel 6 and 7 Frank Bradford died 28.9.1916.Yorkshire Regiment. Grave, Regina Trench Cemetery, Grandcourt, Somme. . John Edwin Coxon lived at Old Post Office Row. Private in Northumberland Fusiliers 20th (Tynside Scottish) Bn. Died 9.4.1917 aged 31. Service No. 38637. Son of Edwin and the late Anne Coxon of Pool. Married to Lilian E. Doherty (formerly Coxon) of Manchester. Grave Ref. I.B.12. Cemetery Bailleul Road East Cemetery, St. Laurent-Blangy, Pas de Calais, France. Maurice Dawson, Private in Northumberland Fusiliers, 2nd Bn. Died 24.4.1915 aged 38. Service No. 9724. Husband of Frances Dawson of 3 Lambert’s Yard, Gay Lane, Otley. Grave Ref. Panel 8 and 12. Cemetery: Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium. Albert Lewis Denton. Gunner in Royal Artillery “D” Bty. 247th Bde. Died 27.6.1916 age 21. Service No. 877. Son of Albert Thomas and Margaret Hannah Denton of Grimthorpe St. Headingley, Leeds, Native of Pool. Grave Ref. III.D.5. Cemetery: Mesnil Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France. Harold Ellis Denton D.C.M. Son of Harry & Clara Denton. Sergeant. Duke of Wellington’s Regiment. Killed in France, buried in Belgium. Wounded and gassed at Hill 60. After recuperating at home returned to duty and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his gallantry in raiding a German dugout on July 18th. On 8th Aug 1918, whilst at the head of his company leading an attack against the enemy, he was shot in the head and killed. Arthur Denton son of Harry & Clara Denton died from war wounds - developed shell-shock and died 14.12.1928. Brother of Harold Ellis Denton killed in action on 8th Aug. 1918. John Alfred Dennison . Private in West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Own) 12th Bn. Died 13.4.1917. Service No. 37962. Grave Ref. Bay 4. Cemetery: Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Leonard Foster Second Lieutenant in West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Own) 15th Bn. Died in London 13.8.1916 after wounded in Battle of Somme 1.7.1916 age 27. Cemetery: St. Wilfrid Churchyard, Pool. Son of Jn. Wm. Foster of The Prospect (Overdale Manor), Old Pool Bank, Pool
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Charles Harrison Private in West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Own) 17th Bn. Died 31.8.1917, age 31. Service No. 41484. Husband of Lily Ann Harrison of “Hazeldene”, Pool. Grave: Pier and Face 2 A 2 C and 2 D. Cemetery: Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France Charles Thompson Hill. Stoker, last ship H.M.S Apollo. Died on 3.12.1918 age 27 of chronic uramia. Buried in Leeds General Cemetery. Born at Old Pool Bank. Son of William & Priscilla Hill. Charles Cyril Hopper Private in the Tank Corps “H” Bn. Died 1.12.1917. Service No. 78568. Grave Panel 13. Cemetery: Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, Northern France John Cunliffe Johnstone, Private in Honourable Artillery Company lst Bn. Died 23.4.1917. Service No. 3610. Grave Bay l Cemetery: Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Stained glass window in his memory unveiled and dedicated on 11th Aug. 1918 at St. Wilfrid’s Church Pool, where he often read the Lesson and taught in Sunday School. Lived at The Tower, Arthington Lane. Son of John D & Kate Johnstone, The Tower, Pool Hugh Noel Johnstone, 2nd Ltnt. 2/8th. Btn.West Yorkshire Regiment (Leeds Rifles- Prince of Wales Own) in 1915 invalided out through dementia in 1916, died 1.6.1921 age 25. Buried Gt. Salkeld, St. Cuthbert Churchyard. Youngest son of John D & Kate Johnstone, The Tower, Pool Herbert Coward Proud, Valley View, Old Pool Bank, Private in the East Yorkshire Regiment 7th Bn. Died 9.2.1917. Service No. 28282. Grave/Memorial Ref. Pier and Face 2 C. Cemetery Thiepval Memorial, The Somme, France. Bertram Jowett Pepper Lived at Brook Cottage, Mill Lane. Corporal in the Royal Field Artillery. Unit Text: “D”Bty. 321th Bde. Died 26.5.1917. Service No. 786074. Son of Clarice Helena Pepper and the late Herbert Pepper. Born Pool. Grave Ref. III. B.29. Cemetery: H.A.C. Cemetery, Ecoust-St.Mein, Pas de Calais, France. William Stanley Whiteley born 1891 died of wounds received in action 3.11.1917. Son Samuel Whiteley of B.S.&. W. Whiteley Ltd. mill. Gunner in West Riding Howitzer Brigade. Buried at Lyjssenthoek Military Cemetery, Ypes. Was employed by National Telephone Company “5 a.m. D/246 heavily shelled whilst manning their guns for the SOS. 10 NCOs and men killed; 4-7 seriously wounded. Two officers’ servants the only ones to escape. Guns much damaged and a good deal of ammunition approx. 2000 rounds destroyed. Battery out of action”. Thomas William Whiteley born 1883 killed in action in France 23.10.1918. Only son of Benjamin Whiteley of Whiteley’s mill. Private in Machine Gun Corps. (Infantry) 100th Bn. Died aged 35. Service No. 169994. Brother of Mrs. M. H. Barrett of Camp Farm. Bramhope. Native of Pool. Grave Ref. II.A.11. Buried in Highland Cemetery, Le Cateau, North France. The Battle of Le Cateau 26th August 1914. The town remained in German hands until the middle of October 1918. The original cemetery (Plot III) was made by the 50th (Northumbrian) Division after the fighting of 17 October; the name of Highland Cemetery is suggestive at once of the comparatively high ground on which it stands and of the 32 graves of the 13th (Scottish Horse) Battalion Noel Hugh Woffindale, Gunner in Royal Field Artillery “C” Battalion:, 277th Bgd. Died 23.9.1917 Cemetery Bailleul Communial, Extension (Nord), Grave 11E 155, Son of Amelia & Henry, Pool. Father was organist at St. Wilfrid’s Church for many years.
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Edward Woffindale Corporal in 10th Bn. Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment). Died age 37 on 20.9.1917. Service No. 11987. Grave Ref:. Panel 82 to 85 and 162 A. Cemetry Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium. Son of Henry and Amelia Woffindale of Chevin View, Pool. (Killed in action in 1914-18 war, but not named on war memorial) Harold Coggill Corpl, killed in action on 1st July 1916. Buried at Serre Road No.1 Cemetery, West of Serrre, France. Relative of William Mason Cogill, architect (information from house deeds, not on war memorial). Lt. W. M. Coggill was leader of the Invasion Committee & Home Guard, Pool Platoon during WW2. Cyril Bernardine Holroyd Rifleman in London Regiment (Queens Westminster Rifles) 1st/16thwounded in action & taken prisoner of war during the attack by the 56th (London) Division, T.F., on the Gommecourt Salient on the first day of the infantry assault of the Somme on 1-7-1916, & died of his wounds at a German field hospital. Died 8.7.1916, aged 20. Service No. 4381. Son of Rosaline Holroyd of 2 Beechwood Drive, Jordanhill, Glasgow and the late Frederick William Holroyd. Grave 111.AA.17. Cemetery: St. Souplet British Cemetery, Northern France. (Name on plaque in St. Wilfrid’s Church). (He was a member of the Denton family and lived in Otley.) WW2 1939-1945 Harold Davey lived at High Mill was nephew of Alice Davey and Hilda Pickard. Son of Harry and Ida Davey of Pool. Reported “Missing presumed dead 27th June 1944”. Lance Corporal in the South Lancashire Regiment. 1st Bn. Killed in Normandy buried at Hermanville Sur Mer, France, aged 21. Service No. 14202541. Casualty Thype: Commonwealth War Dead. Grave/Memorial Ref. 4. A. 8. Unmarried, worked at a green grocers in Bondgate Otley. On 7th Nov. 2008 his nephew journeyed to Westminster Abbey and placed his cross in the British Legion’s “Field of Remembrance”, opened by Prince Philip on 6th Nov.2008. Harry Davey WW1 father of the above. It took a year before confirmation of Harold’s death and that same month his father Harry, died from wounds received in WW1, never learning of his son’s death. Harold Yates Hampson District nurse’s son, Manor Crescent, worked at paper mill, unmarried. A Private in the Pioneer Corps, 40 Coy., Aux. Mil. Died between 26.05.1940 and 2.06.1940 aged 25. Service No. 849925. Son of Wilfred and Mary E. Hampson of Pool. Casuality Type: Commonwealth War Dead. Grave/Memorial Ref: Column 151. Buried in Dunkirk Memorial Cemetery. George Holmes lived on Pool Bank New Road, brother Reg. Worked in business as accountant, unmarried. (no record found on War Graves site) Francis Bertram Kaye Stephen Kaye & Son, Arthington Lane, unmarried. Sergeant (Pilot) in R.A.F. Volunteer Reserves 64 Sqdn. Died on 1.11.1941 aged 24. Service No. 1058697. Son of Arthur and Ellen Kaye of Pool. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead. 2 Grave/Memorial Ref. Sec. G. Grave 549. Cemetery: Otley (Newall-with-Clifton and Lindley) Cemetery. George Myers lived at top of Old Pool Bank. Chief Officer in Merchant Navy. S.S. Medjerda (Swansea). Died aged 53 on 17.3.1941. Son of Thomas and Mary Ellen Myers of Arthington. Husband of Florence Myers of Pool. Commonwealth War Dead Panel 69. Buried in Tower Hill Memorial
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Norman (Ray) Peel. Private in the Royal Scots Regiment, lst Btn. Date of death. 11.06.1944. Buried in Kohima War Cemetery, India, (on the battle ground of Garrison Hill) which is 200 km from Indo-Burmese border. April 1944 was the scene of perhaps the most bitter fighting of the whole Burma campaign when a small Commonwealth force held out against repeated attacks by a Japanese Division. The fiercest hand to hand fighting took place in the garden of the Deputy Commissioner’s bungalow around the tennis court, but the heaviest casualties on both sides occurred after relieving forces reached the Garrison and the Japanese were driven off a long wooded spur forming a ridge, so re-opening the road to Imphal. He worked alongside his father, George William Peel at Yeadon Avro factory. Mother Ada Ann Peel, parents from Otley. Both men left Avro. to join the forces, though they would have been exempt through working at the aircraft factory. David Pickard –139528 Flying Officer Bomb Aimer. On 27 July 1944, Albemarle aircraft serial number P1400, 297 Squadron RAF, took off from RAF Brize Norton at 2300hrs for a special secret operation ‘Harry 41’ over France. Whilst crossing the coast west of Montmartin-sur-Mer the aircraft was attacked by a night fighter, damaging the controls, and the pilot gave the order to bale out. The aircraft crashed in the vicinity of Muneville-sur-Mer at about 0030hrs on 28 July 1944. Three of the crew managed to bale out of the aircraft, but the remainder lost their lives. Their bodies were recovered and they were buried on 31 July 1944. Father was gardener at Pool Hall. Was a joiner at Stephen Kaye wood yard, Pool – lived at Huby before his marriage to Hilda Davey of Pool. Full details and photo on www.raf38group.org/muneville Norman Stead, lived 9 Park Mount, Old Pool Bank. Sergeant in R.A.F. Volunteer Reserve, 51 Sqdn. Died on 16.01.1942, age 30. Service No: 1378264. Son of Samuel and Elisebeth Stead. Married to Edith of Pool. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead. Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 94. Cemetery: Runnymede Memorial. . Wilfred Robert Warren. Lived 12 Park Mount, Old Pool Bank. Air Mechanic 2nd Class in the Royal Navy. Died 21.05.1942 on H.M.S. Daedalus, age 37. Son of Frederick William and Jane Warren. Married to Mabel. of Pool-in-Wharfedale. Grave/Memorial Reference: New Part. Row 4. Grave 85. Cemetery: St. Wilfrid’s churchyard, Pool. Iraq War 20th March 2003 –April 2009 Matthew Cornish, formerly of Otley. Corporal in 1st Battalion Yorkshire Light Infantry. Died Basra 1st Aug 2006, aged 29. Wounded in a mortar attack. Evacuated by helicopter to Shaibah Logistic Base but later died. The first soldier killed in an attack on a UK military base in Iraq. Married to Abby, children Ethan and Libby. Grave:Hawking Crematorium, Folkestone. Father resident of Pool. We will Remember Them To view war memorial details see: http://www.ukniwm.org.uk/server/show/conMemorial.22192/fromUkniwmSearch/1 Sincere thanks to all who provided extra details of those who lost their lives. Compiled and researched by Pat Lazenby, 2014.
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ARTHINGTON WAR MEMORIAL “Let those that come after see to it that their names be not forgotten” 1914-1918 Henry Metcalfe Appleton, Capt. In 1st King’s Dragoon Guards died 26th January 1918 Percy Buckborough, West Yorkshire Regiment, died 13th June 1917 Clifford Carrington, Royal Field Artillery killed 28th October, 1916 Obed Samuel Dobbie, King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry died 15th November, 1918 Jabez Buckle Drake, 7th Yorkshire Regiment, missing 12th May 1917 Harry Edmondson, Coldstream Regiment of Footguards, killed 15th Sept. 1916 George Marlborough Fearnley, Seaforth Highlanders died 10th April 1918 Ernest Frank Gains, West Yorkshire Regiment died 1st January 1917 Tom Gains, King’s Royal Rifles, killed 15th September 1916 James Hartley, 21st Divisional Cyclists Corps., killed 25th Jan. 1916 John Day Marshall, 1/7 Duke of Wellington, West Riding Regiment, died 13th April 1918 John Edward Myers, Royal Field Artillery, died 30th January 1917 Thomas Wrightson Myers, 2nd Lt. Northamptonshire Regiment, died 19th Nov. 1917 William Arthur Sands, Royal Garrison Artillery, Gibraltar died 15th March 1917 Arthur Spence, Royal Field Artillery, died 28th July 1918 John Lawson Tempest, 3rd West Yorkshire Regiment, killed 3rd May 1917 Stanley Tempest, King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, killed 1st July 1916 Horace Todd, 1/8 Lancashire Fusiliers, killed 25th March 1918 Richard Croft Ward, Royal Engineers, died 25th April 1916 Charles John Harcourt Sheepshanks Capt., 8th Battalion, Devon Regiment, killed Beckardel Becourt, France 17th March 1916 Ernest Richard Sheepshanks, Reuters Correspondent, age 27, killed in Spain 31st Dec. 1937 1939-1945 John Eric Parkinson, Lt. Queen’s Own Yorkshire Dragoons, killed 27th March 1945 Researched from the old St. Peter’s church 2014 by P.Lazenby for Pool Archives.
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In May 2019 the Pool-in-Wharfedale War Memorial became Grade 11 Listed
In 2014 a small grant made by Leeds City Council towards the publication of this booklet enabled a few copies to be printed which were given to subscribers. Voluntary donations were also made, enabling almost ÂŁ100 to be donated to Harrogate British Legion Branch, Poppy Appeal. The Poppy Appeal is always happy to receive further donations.
Printed by Small Print, Menston
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