Sergeant Joe Bancroft

Sergeant. 1/4th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. No. 200453. Previous number issued on enlistment was 1995, before the change to six figure numbers. Served prior to the war as a Private with the 6th Battalion West Riding (Territorials) No. 1799. Early life: Joe’s parents were John Henry Bancroft and Agnes Ann Bancroft née … Read more

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Sapper Sam Bancroft

Private. (Sapper) 49th Division Signal Company. Number 481793. Formerly Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. No. 1637 and later, 265107. Early life: Sam’s parents were John Henry Bancroft and Agnes Ann Bancroft née Green, who had been married in the first quarter of 1890 when John would have been 24 and Agnes would have been … Read more

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Serjeant Harry Higgins Adams

Serjeant. 168th Siege Battery. Royal Garrison Artillery. Service No: 29836. Early life: Harry’s parents were John Alfred Adams and Juliet Helen Adams, née Hemsley, who were married on 7th July 1874 at Richmond Parish Church. Juliet is described as 18 years old but John’s entry described him as ‘of full age’ later records show a … Read more

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Private Joseph Henry Philbin

Private. Tank Corps. Service number 307210. Previously Private. 1st Battalion, King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. Service number 21560. Note: Joseph’s surname in civil records is Philbin, in Army records it is Philburn. Early life: Joseph was born at 6, Mill Lane in Oakworth in 1892 and the birth was registered in the first quarter of … Read more

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Private Arthur Ryder

Private, 2/4th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. Regimental number 5211. Early life: Arthur was born in Oakworth on May 16, 1879 to parents Joseph and Ann Ryder and baptised at Christ Church on August 17. They lived at Mill Lane, Oakworth. Joseph was a wool sorter. By 1891 they were at 34, Percy … Read more

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Corporal George Page MM

Corporal, 1st/6th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. Service number 265267. Early life: George was born in Oakworth on January 15, 1896. His parents were Maurice (Morris) and Clara Page. He was baptised in Christ Church in Oakworth on March 22 of the same year. They lived at Lidget and Maurice was a weaver. … Read more

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Private James Whitaker

Private. ‘C’ Company, 1st/7th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. Service number 307737. Early life: James was born in 1890, registered at Keighley in the third quarter of the year. Parents Wilson and Ruth Whitaker. In the 1891 census he was six months of age and living at 134, Lidget in Oakworth with his … Read more

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Private Luther Wilkinson

Private. 8th Battalion, Alexandra, Princess of Wales’ Own Yorkshire Regiment. Service number 42662. Early life Luther was born at Oakworth in 1884, living at Lower Laithe Farm with his parents Benjamin and Ann, plus his siblings. In 1891 he was six and they were still at Lower Laithe Farm with Benjamin a farmer The children … Read more

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Private Binns Wilkinson

Private, 10th Bn. West Yorkshire Regt. (Prince of Wales’s Own) Service No: 64176. Early life: Binns was born in Oakworth in 1886, registered in Keighley in the second quarter of the year. Parents Benjamin and Alice Wilkinson. In 1891 he was five years old and living at Lower Laithe Farm with his parents, three brothers … Read more

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Private Norman Walbank

Private. 4th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, the Duke of Albany’s) No. S/40506. Early life: Norman was born in Keighley in mid 1886, the eldest son of Joseph and Sarah Walbank. His younger brother Harold also served, but he survived the war. He was four years old in the 1891 census and a scholar, living … Read more

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