Andy Wade Private. 7th Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment. Regimental no. 4753400 Early life: John Thomas was born on 29th April 1914 at 1, Kensington Street in Keighley and his parents were John Patrick O’Hara and Catharine O’Hara née Goulden who had been married in 1904. He had three brothers, Joseph aged , Francis, Edwin and James … Read more
Private. 6th Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment. Regimental no. 4750206 Early life: George was born on 2nd January 1917 in Keighley and in 1921 they are living at 9, Elmwood Terrace in Oakworth according to the electoral rolls and are living there at least until 1948. George was aged four in the 1921 census and … Read more
Private. 6th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment. Service No: 14315842. Early life: John’s parents were Robert Bertie Smith and Lena Smith née Stancliffe, who had been married in Keighley in the second quarter of 1923, when Robert was aged 41 and Lena was aged 28. Robert had been a fettler for Darling and … Read more
Sergeant, Wireless Operator/Air Gunner. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Service no. 1450865. Early life: Cecil was born in 1922 and was the son of William Knight and Agnes Tilson Knight, née Atkinson. They were married in 1934, three years after Agnes’s first husband John Frederick Clark had died in 1931. Because Cecil had been born … Read more
Corporal. 52nd Regiment, Reconnaissance Corps, R.A.C. Service No: 4544102. Early life: Allan was born on 31st August 1915. His parents were William Whitaker and Lily Whitaker née Grange, who had been married at St. Michael and All Angels Church in Haworth on 4th March 1914. In the 1921 census the family were living at 34, … Read more
Able Seaman, Mercantile Marine, M.T. Athelcrown Early life: John Allan Stephenson Bland was born in the early part of 1920 and his birth was registered in Keighley in the first quarter of that year. His parents were Allan and Jane Alice Bland née Baker and they were living at 6, Oldfield at the time. His … Read more
Sergeant. 422nd (West Lancs) Field Company, Corps of Royal Engineers. Regimental number 426520. Early life: Henry Wellman was born in Haworth in 1879, his birth registered in Keighley in the second quarter of that year. His parents were John and Jane Wellman née Moore and his father John was a stone mason/Labourer. In the census … Read more
Sergeant. 9th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Regimental number 21821. Early life: Michael was born in 1885 at Wetherby and his birth was registered there in the second quarter of the year. His parents were wool comber Michael Philbin who was originally from Ireland and Bridget Philbin née Lynch. In the 1891 census Michael was living … Read more
Lance Corporal. 12th Battalion, Manchester Regiment. Regimental number 44537. Early life: Moses’ parents were Moses Robinson and Mary Robinson née Langstroth, who were married at Skipton in 1874, registered there in the first quarter of that year. Moses Rayner Robinson was born on 29th December 1895 in Nelson, Lancashire and registered at Burnley in the … Read more
Private. 257th Area Employment Company. Labour Corps. Regimental number: 378783. Previously 84th Training Reserve (Service number 59904), and 87th Training Reserve. (Service number 69633.) Early life: Charles’s parents were Tom Hymas and Margaret Ellen Hymas née Scott. They were married at St. Peter’s Church (Bradford Cathedral) in Bradford on the 3rd August 1889. Tom was … Read more