Private Alfred William Rooke

Parkwood area Private, 1/6th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment). Service No: 2964. Early life: Alfred was born in Biggleswade in 1895, his parents were Harry and Lucy Rose Rooke. By the time of the 1901 census he was six years of age and the family was living at 11, Barrett Street in Keighley. … Read more

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Private Ellis Rawling

Parkwood area Private. 2nd Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. Service number 3/11789. Early life Ellis was born in Keighley in 1875 and his birth was registered in the fourth quarter of the year. His parents were Robinson and Sarah Ann Rawling. In the 1881 census he was aged five and living at 4, … Read more

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Private Fred Pickard

Parkwood area Private. 2nd Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. Service no. 10556. Early life: Fred Pickard was born on 9th October 1891 and baptised at St Mary’s Church, Eastwood about a month later on 12th November. His parents were Frank and Ann Pickard and he had two brothers Willie and Tom, and two … Read more

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Private George Mitchell

Parkwood area Private. 2nd Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment) 2nd Bn. Service No: 14096. Early life: George was born on 18th December 1890. His parents were George and May Ann Mitchell. George senior was a Mechanic. He was baptised at the Oakworth Road Mission Hall in Keighley on 20th March 1898 and they … Read more

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Jean Campbell

VAD Jean Campbell Red Cross, St John Ambulance Brigade and Royal Army Medical Corps badges Surgical Nursing Duties Early life: Jean Sinclair Campbell was the youngest of four daughters of Henry Johnstone Campbell and Mary Campbell nee Sonnenschein, both of London. Mary’s father was from Moravia in what was then Austria-Hungary (now the Czech Republic) … Read more

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Driver James William Orton

We have added a number of local men to our research who were involved in the Normandy Landings, also known as D-Day which occurred on 6th June 1944 and the fight which began on that day continued for a long time afterward until the war was eventually won. It was a huge turning point in … Read more

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Clarice Wilcock

VAD Clarice Wilcock Red Cross, St John Ambulance Brigade and Royal Army Medical Corps badges   Surgical Nursing Duties Early life: Clarice Wilcock was born in Tanshelf, Pontefract on 23rd February 1895 to Thomas Henry and Jane Wilcock. She was baptised at St. Giles’ Church in Pontefract. Thomas was a grocer with his own business … Read more

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Private William Mason

Parkwood area Private. 8th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. Service number 3/10908. Early life: William was born in Keighley on 19th July 1897. His parents were Graham and Jane Ann Mason (née Thirkill). Father’s occupation: Mechanic. He was baptised on 14th August, at St Andrew’s Parish Church, Keighley. They were living at 6, … Read more

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Private John Edgar Clayton

Parkwood area Private. 9th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. Service number 3/10593. Early life: John was born on 21st July 1896 with his birth being registered in Keighley in the third quarter of the year. His parents were Emmott Clayton and Edith Mary Clayton née Clark, who had been married at St. Mary’s … Read more

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