THE WW1 MEMORIAL IS IN THE CEMETERY EXTENSION NEXT TO ST JOHNS BAPTIST CHURCH IN KIRKBY WHARFE. AND REMEMBERS THE MEN FROM THAT VILLAGE AND ULLESKELF.
AROUND THE MEMORIAL LIE MEN FROM RAF CHURCH FENTON WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES DURING WW2.
Inside St Johns Church can be found this hand made painting in rememberance of the men who gave their lives in the Great War.
The smaller piece below was added to remember the men who gave their lives in world war two.
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LANCE CORPORAL GERALD WILKINSON.
SERVICE NUMBER: 15/982. UNIT: 15th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment Leeds Pals.
BORN: York. ENLISTED: Leeds.
GAVE HIS LIFE: 01/07/1916. AGE: 31.
LOCAL WW1 MEMORIAL: Kirkby Wharfe.
Gerald was the son of Frederick and Elizabeth Carr he was a resident of Ulleskelf and his father was the Railway Station Master there.
In 1901 Gerald was working at Ulleskelf as a railway clerk. He had elder brothers Harry and John Edger and younger brothers Reginald ( see below ) and Wilfred.
Gerald was Killed in Action on the first day of the Somme along side his brother Reginald.
Both local newspapers in York and Leeds reported the passing of the brothers.
The Yorkshire Herald at the end of July 1916 reported :
"Mr and Mrs F.Wilkinson of Ulleskelf, have suffered a heavy bereavement,one of their sons Lance-Corporal Gerald Wilkinson, having been killed in action on July 1st, whilst another, Private Reginald Wilkinson, was wounded on the same day, and has since been reported as missing.
Their comrades, in letters of sympathy to the parents, state that both were splendid soldiers, and fought with great bravery.
Mr Wilkinson who is a much respected stationmaster at Ulleskelf, is a native of York, and the two sons referred to are on the citys Roll of Freedom.
Lance-Corporal Gerald Wilkinson, who was 30 years of age, was the third son of Mr and Mrs Wilkinson. He was educated at Ulleskelf School, and had been employed as a booking office clerk on the North Eastern Railways at Leeds.
In september 1914 he enlisted in one of the Pals Battalions of the West Yorkshire Regiment, and went on foreign service, when his unit was ordered to Egypt, to be drafted later to the Western Front."
CEMETERY: Thiepval Memorial. PANEL: 2A. 2B. 2C.
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PRIVATE REGINALD WILKINSON
SERVICE NUMBER: 15/984. UNIT: 15th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment Leeds Pals..
BORN: Heck near Hensall Goole. ENLISTED: Leeds.
GAVE HIS LIFE: 01/07/1916. AGE: 24.
CEMETERY: Thiepval Memorial. PANEL: 2A. 2B. 2C.
LOCAL WW1 MEMORIAL: Kirkby Wharfe.
The younger brother of Gerald,Reginald was born in Heck, Hensall near Goole where his father was the station master at the time.
Reginald was a resident of Ulleskelf at the time he enlisted in Leeds with his brothers Note the service number of the brothers ! Reginald had 15/984 Gerald had 15/982 and Edgar 15/980 (Discharged 01/07/1916) i am not sure which regiment J. E. Wilkinson and Wilfred served with.
What is very clear as i say throughout this site is they joined as pals and gave their lives together as pals.
These two brothers more than likely walked side by side on the 1st of July 1916 with other pals from Tadcaster all paying the ultimate sacrifice.
The Yorkshire Herald piece mentioned above on Geralds section also mentioned the following regarding Reginald:
"Private Reginald Wilkinson, wounded and missing, was 27 years of age, and the fourth son.
He was educated at Priory Street,York. Previous to joining the same battalion as his brother Gerald, he was in the employment of the North Eastern Railway Company as a goods clerk at Cross Gates Station near Leeds.
Mr Wilkinsons second son, Private J. E. Wilkinson, who was educated at Ulleskelf School and his fifth and youngest son Private Wilfred Wilkinson, an old boy of Priory Street School, York, are in training in England."
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RIFELMAN NORMAN WARD.
SERVICE NUMBER: C/12713. UNIT/REGIMENT: 21st Bn Kings Royal Rifle Corps.
BORN: Ulleskelf. ENLISTED: York.
GAVE HIS LIFE: 19/07/1916. AGE: 27.
LOCAL MEMORIAL: Kirkby Wharfe.
Norman was the son of William and Emma, his father being a platelayer on the railways.
He had brothers Arthur and William and two sisters Francis and Rhoda.
The Yorkshire Weekly Post reported :
"Private Ward has succumbed to wounds received in action in France.
He was 27 years of age and the youngest son of Mr and Mrs Ward of White House Ulleskelf."
Yorkshire Herald July 1916:
"Mr and Mrs Ward White House, Ulleskelf, have received information (through the vicar of Kirkby Wharfe, the Rev Mr Metcalfe) from Lieut Brooksbank, Healaugh Hall Tadcaster,
that their son Private Norman Ward, Kings Royal Rifles, died of wounds at the front.
Pvt Ward appears to have been standing with several others near a tree when a shell burst, wounding him so seriously that he died in less than an hour.
Private Ward was a bomb thrower, previous to enlisting in December the deceased was in employment of the Prudential Assurance Company.
He was a member of the Ulleskelf Cricket Club and was one of the best wicket keepers in the Barkston Ash league."
CEMETERY: Berks Cemetery Extension Belgium. GRAVE: I.F.9.
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PRIVATE WILLIAM EDGAR RUMBOLD.
SERVICE NUMBER: 23940. UNIT: "B"Company 18th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment.
BORN: Tadcaster. ENLISTED: Tadcaster.
GAVE HIS LIFE: 27/07/1916. AGE: 21.
CEMETERY: St Vaaast Post military Cemetery,Richbourg-L'Avoue.
GRAVE: III.H.13.
LOCAL WW1 MEMORIAL: Kirkby Wharfe.
William was the son of Charles and Annie. William had one brother Albert and two sisters Ethel and Gertrude.
The Yorkshire Herald in August 1916 reported the following :
"Mr and Mrs Rumbold,of Ulleskelf, have recieved official notification that their youngest son, Private William Edgar Rumbold, was killed in action on 27th July.
The deceased was 20 years of age, enlisted in January 1916, and went to the front in June.
Previous to enlisting he was employed as a stoker at the Tadcaster Gas Works.
Trooper Albert Rumbold 23, brother of the deceased is in training with a Yorkshire Yeomanry Regiment."
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LANCE CORPORAL JOHN WILLIAM NATTRISS.
SERVICE NUMBER: S/10781. REGIMENT: 1st Bn Queens Own Cameron Highlanders.
BORN: Ulleskelf. ENLISTED: Inverness Scotland.
GAVE HIS LIFE: 03/09/1916. AGE: 20.
LOCAL WW1 MEMORIAL: Kirkby Wharfe. Barkston Ash.
John was the son of Joseph and Annie Wilson who married in 1888. He was a resident of Tadcaster at the time he gave his life.
CEMETERY: Caterpillar Valley Cemetery Longueval. GRAVE: XIII. J. 9.
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PRIVATE GEORGE REYNOLDS.
SERVICE NUMBER: 38787. REGIMENT: 25th Bn Northumberland fusiliers ( Tyneside Irish ).
BORN: Ulleskelf. ENLISTED: York.
GAVE HIS LIFE: 09/10/1916. AGE: 20.
CEMETERY: Trois Arbres Cemetery Steenwerck. France. GRAVE: I. B. 12.
LOCAL WW1 MEMORIAL: Kirkby Wharfe.
George was the son of George William and Emma Askham who married in 1888.
George had one brother Fred and two sisters.
George enlisted originally into the West Yorkshire Regiment Service Number 23818.
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GUNNER WILLIAM EVERETT COOKE.
SERVICE NUMBER: 353421. UNIT: 351st Brigade Hampshire Royal Garrison Artillery.
BORN: Walton near Wetherby. ENLISTED: Southampton.
GAVE HIS LIFE: 21/10/1917. AGE: 29.
LOCAL WW1 MEMORIAL: Kirkby Wharfe.
William was son of William Everett and Selina Barker he had three brothers and four sisters.
His father was a coachman at Grimston Hall which is next to Kikby Wharfe Village on the A162 Tadcaster to Sherburn in Elmet road.
William was married to Ethel M Cooke of the Scullards Hotel Southampton.
CEMETERY: Ypres Reservoir Cemetery Belgium.
GRAVE: I. H. 89.
YORKSHIRE EVENING POST LEEDS THURSDAY NOVEMBER 1ST 1917.
"Mr and Mrs E.W.Cooke of Grimston Park Tadcaster have lost their eldest son Gunner Everett Cooke of the R.G.A. who was killed by a bomb on October 21st .
He was 28 years of age and his wife resides at Southampton."
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PRIVATE EDWARD KETTERIDGE.
SERVICE NUMBER: 28366. UNIT: 12th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment.
BORN: Radwinter Saffron Walden. ENLISTED: Selby.
GAVE HIS LIFE: 18/08/1916. AGE: 24.
LOCAL WW1 MEMORIAL: Kirkby Wharfe.
Edward was the son of Edward and Susan Taylor both Born 1849 in Radwinter Essex they married at Saffron Walden in 1868.
Edward had brothers Joseph Born 1871, Harry Born 1878, and sisters Jane Born 1880, Sarah Born 1882 and Harriet Born 1887 Saffron Walden (Radwinter) Essex.
In the 1901 census his eldest brother Joseph was living in Newton Kyme just outside Tadcaster, i believe this is the reason Edward came toYorkshire where he married Annie E Marshall in 1913.
YORKSHIRE EVENING POST LEEDS JUNE 30TH 1917
"Pvt Edward ketteridge previousley reported missing and now officially presumed to have died on August 18th last, leaves a widow and two children, living at Middleton Terrace Ulleskelf.
He was 24 years of age and before joining the West Yorkshires last year was employed by John Smiths and Sons Brewers Tadcaster."
YORKSHIRE HERALD 1916
""Private Edward ketteridge, labourer, now of the West Yorkshires, joined April 11th 1915.
He has been missing since August 18th, he has a brother Sergeant Instructor H. Ketteridge, in the York and Lancaster Regiment."
CEMETERY: Guillimont Road Cemetery France. GRAVE: V .III. I. 3.
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A. H. ELVIDGE.
LOCAL WW1 MEMORIAL: Kirkby Wharfe.
A mystery this chap, in the 1901 census the Elvidges were living in there is no A. H Elvidge however there is a T. H. Elvidge aged 9 and a George aged 6.
However the details for either a A. H. or T. H. Elvidge do not show on the records of CWGC or those who died.
YORKSHIRE HERALD.
"Private G. Elvidge brewers labourer, of Rockliffs Yard, enlisted in August 1915, and is on active service.
He has a brother in the same regiment."
CAN YOU HELP.
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PRIVATE GEORGE JOHN COPPERWHEAT
SERVICE NUMBER: 129739. UNIT: Royal Army Medical Corps.
BORN: North Milford. GAVE HIS LIFE: 01/08/1920. AGE: 43.
CEMETERY: Kirkby Wharfe.
LOCAL WW1 MEMORIAL: None.
George was the son of the late George Born Mursley Buckinghamshire 1841 and Jane Copperwheat Born Stoke Hammond 1850 who married in Stoke Hammond in 1872.
They were living in Kirby Wharfe when George passed away.
George married Mary Elizabeth Price in 1904 in the district of Bingham Nottinghamshire.
Mary isdetailed in the CWGC website as residing at no 4, Progress Avenue, Harden, Bingley, Yorks.
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AIRMAN 1st CLASS JOSEPH COPPERWHEAT.
SERVICE NUMBER: 24024. UNIT: Recruits Depot Royal Flying Corps.
BORN: Kirkby Wharfe. GAVE HIS LIFE: 31/01/1918. AGE: 36.
LOCAL WW1 MEMORIAL: Kirkby Wharfe.
The CWGC States:
"Son of George and Jane Copperwheat; husband of Sarah Jane Gardiner (formerly Copperwheat), of Edderthorpe, Ardsley, Barnsley."
Air Mechanic Class I Joseph Copperwheat was serving at the RFC Recruit Depot when he died on 31 January 1918.
I believe his wifes maiden name was Sarah Jane Grimes who he married in 1905.
CEMETERY: Kirkby Wharfe St. John Baptist Churchyard.
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F. DENT.
LOCAL WW1 MEMORIAL: Kirkby Wharfe.
This could either be Frederick born 1882 Grimston Park or Frank Born 1886 Grimston Park near the village of Kirkby Wharfe.
Their father was John Grasby Born 1854 and Elizabeth Ann Birdsall Born Ulleskelf 1858 who married in 1877.
It is not at this time possible to tell which brother is remembered on the memorial.
Frederick aged 19 1n 1901 was a Private in the 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queens Bays) in Aldershot, an F Dent is shown on the CWGC website has giving his life in the South African Infantry.
Could it be Frederick went to the Boar War in South Africa and settled there ?
Meanwhile Frank was working as an Errand Boy aged 15 in 1901 living at Grimston Park with his parents and brothers and sisters.
CAN YOU HELP ?
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PRIVATE WILKINSON ROTHERY.
SERVICE NUMBER: 11547. UNIT: 13th Bn Royal Fusiliers ( City of London Regiment )
BORN: Birstall near Batley. ENLISTED: York. RESIDENCE: Ulleskelf.
GAVE HIS LIFE: 16/11/1916. AGE: 29.
CEMETERY: Thiepval Memorial. PANEL: 8 C. 9 A. 16 C.
LOCAL WW1 MEMORIAL: Kirkby Wharfe.
PRIVATE ARTHUR SOUTHERN
SERVICE NUMBER: 30912. UNIT: 7th Bn East Yorkshire Regiment.
BORN: Kirby Overblow. ENLISTED: Hull.
GAVE HIS LIFE: 20/03/1917. AGE: 23.
LOCAL WW1 MEMORIAL: Kirkby Wharfe. Tadcaster.
Arthur was the son of John and Edith Havercroft his father was a police constable at the time of his birth.
He had two brothers John William (See Below) Charles and one sister Dorothy.
Arthur Died of his Wounds at one of the many hospitals which were found in the town of Rouen where he lies at peace.
GRAVE: O. VII. L3.
CEMETERY: St Sever Cemetery Extension Rouen France.
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LANCE BOMBARDIER JOHN WILLIAM SOUTHERN.
SERVICE NUMBER: 151997. REGIMENT: 301 1st Bde Royal Field Artillery.
BORN: Westborough Lincolnshire. ENLISTED: Harrrogate.
GAVE HIS LIFE: 13/01/1918. AGE: 32.
CEMETERY: Jerusalem War Cemetery. GRAVE/PANEL: S. 62.
LOCAL WW1 MEMORIAL: Kirkby Wharfe. Tadcaster.
John William was the elder brother of Arthur ( Above ) in the 1901 census his father was a police constable in Follifoot Spofforth and John Wm was working as an errand boy.
John William was married to Lilian.
He died probably from one of the many diseases that took so many mens lives in this region.
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PRIVATE WILLIAM CARTER.
SERVICE NUMBER: 47291. UNIT: 12th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment.
BORN: Ulleskelf. ENLISTED: Selby.
GAVE HIS LIFE: 09/04/1917. AGE: 24.
LOCAL WW1 MEMORIAL: Kirkby Wharfe.
William was killed in Action in the battle for the Above town where he is buried, which was captured on the day William gave his life.
CEMETERY: Tilloy British Cememtery. Tilloy-Les-Mofflaines. GRAVE: B.1.
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PRIVATE ARTHUR BENJAMIN LACY.
(Photo to be added)
SERVICE NUMBER: REGIMENT: 3rd Bn Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.
BORN: Kirkby Wharfe. ENLISTED:
GAVE HIS LIFE: 29/09/1918. AGE: 41.
LOCAL WW1 MEMORIAL: Kirkby Wharfe.
Arthur was the son of Joseph and Mary.He had Five brothers and Four sisters.
In 1891 Benjamin as he was called in the census was working as a servant at the Old Vicarage in Kirkby Wharfe and his father was working as a gas stoker next door.
In 1901 Benjamin was a boarder living in Gosforth and was a painter and decorater.
By 1905 he married Ellen Blakey in Easingwold near York.
When he gave his life he was living in Church Street Helmeskelt, York.
CEMETERY: Kirkby Wharfe St Johns Baptist Churchyard.
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SECOND LIUETENANT ROBERT BENTLEY MASKILL WATERHOUSE.
REGIMENT: West Yorkshire Regiment.
BORN: Kirkby Wharfe. GAVE HIS LIFE: 26/03/1919. AGE: 30.
LOCAL WW1 MEMORIAL: Kirkby Wharfe.
Robert was the son of Bentley Haigh and Helena Annie Maskill origanilly from Bolton Percy note how the family name from Helena was carried on.
Robert had one sister Hilda K.
In 1901 Robert was living in Gigleswick at the district grammer school as a student and his father was a brewery agent.
As for how he died ?
can you help?
CEMETERY: Kirkby Wharfe St Johns Baptist Churchyard.
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CORPORAL EDWARD JEWITT.
SERVICE NUMBER: 305599. UNIT: 1/8th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment, Leeds Rifles.
BORN: Ulleskelf. ENLISTED: Leeds.
GAVE HIS LIFE: 09/10/1917. AGE: 25.
LOCAL WW1 MEMORIAL: None.
Edward was the son of Robert and Hannah Mary Hodgson.
He was the eldest brother of Lawrance and Reginald (see below).
In 1901 his father was working as a Tram Driver and the family were living in Burley Cum Headingley Leeds.
CEMETERY: Tyne Cot Cemetery Belgium. GRAVE: XXI. B. 19.
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PRIVATE REGINALD JEWITT.
SERVICE NUMBER: 15891. UNIT: 11th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment.
BORN: Ulleskelf. ENLISTED: Leeds.
GAVE HIS LIFE: 12/10/1915. AGE: 17.
CEMETERY: Erquighem-Lys-Churchyard Extension. GRAVE: I.E.16.
LOCAL WW1 MEMORIAL: None.
Reginald was the younger brother of Edward ( see above ).
He died of his wounds in one of the clearing stations near to where he now lies.
( The Jewitts are related to the Jewitts in Bolton Percy see Prince Jewitt ).
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PRIVATE LAWRANCE LISTER.
SERVICE NUMBER: 32882.
UNIT: 15th Battalion (Leeds Pals) West Yorkshire Regiment.
BORN: Ossendyke. ENLISTED: Selby. RESIDENCE: Ulleskelf.
GAVE HIS LIFE: 03/05/1917. AGED:
CEMETERY: Arras Memorial. PANEL: Bay 4.
LOCAL MEMORIAL: Tadcaster.
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PRIVATE ERNEST HARTLEY.
SERVICE NUMBER: 82151. REGIMENT: 103rd Company. Machine Gun Corps Infantry.
BORN: Kirkby Wharfe. ENLISTED: York.
GAVE HIS LIFE: 10/04/1917. AGED: 27.
LOCAL MEMORIAL: None.
Ernest was the son of Henry and Emma Bulmer who married in 1883 at Sherrif Hutton near York.
Ernest had brothers Harry, Herbert and William and a sister Edith.
Ernest origanilly joined into the West Yorkshire Regiment having the service number 37901.
CEMETERY: Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension. GRAVE: I. L. 45.