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
Acting Bombardier, 70th Battery, Royal Field Artillery. Service no. 55240. Early life: Lawrence was born in Leeds around 1891. Parents Henry and Martha Jane Wood. He was a woolcomber with Messrs Merrall & Sons and living at 58, Spring Row, Oakworth in 1908. Lawrence served as a volunteer for a short while with the 3rd … Read more
Private, 1st Battalion East Lancashire Regiment, service no. 19992. Early life: Richard was born in Fleetwood, Lancashire in 1891 to parents William Henry and Annie Baker. His mother died in 1894 when he was just three. His father remarried to Susannah Chatburn in 1898 and in 1901 the family were living at ‘Bold Venture’ in … Read more
Private, 13th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. Service number 47347. Early life: Edwin was born in Rawtenstall in Lancashire, parents Wright and Ada. His birth was registered at Haslingden in the last quarter of 1898. By 1901 he was two years old in the census and they were living at 3, Lower Scholes, Oakworth with his … Read more
Private, 8th Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment. Service number 32528. Early life: John was born in West Hartlepool in 1883 and his birth was registered in Hartlepool in the second quarter of the year. His parents were James and Elizabeth Alderson. He was christened there on April 18. He was eight years old in the … Read more
Alias John Docksey. Private, Prince of Wales’ Own West Yorkshire Regiment. No. 238120. Previously 4577, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. Early life: George was born in Oakworth and his birth was registered in Keighley in the third quarter of 1898. He was baptised at Christ Church in Oakworth on August 21st of the same … Read more
Oakworth men Sapper. Royal Engineers. 1010 Docks Operating Company. Service no. 2157659. Early life: Jim Emmott was born on 15th June 1916 at the family home at 11, Newsholme, Oakworth near Keighley. His parents were Stephen Emmott and Alice Emmott née Ideson and Stephen was a farm labourer. They were married on 10th February 1906 … Read more
Lance Corporal. 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards. Service no. 27290. Early life: James was born in Oakworth early in 1898, the birth was registered in Keighley in the first quarter of the year. His parents were John and Mary A. Binns née Wombwell who were married in 1896. John was probably working in a quarry near … Read more
Private Clifford Baxandall, 12th Battalion, Prince of Wales’s Own (West Yorkshire) Regiment. Service no. 18/1537. Previously 18th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment (2nd Battalion, Bradford Pals.) Early life: Clifford was born in Keighley in 1895, the sixth of eight children of John and Zillah Baxandall. The family was living at Holme House in Oakworth in 1901. … Read more
Private. 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Regiment. Service number 7724. Early life: Fred was born on August 7, 1882 and baptised in 1887, at St Peter’s Church. Parents Frederick and Martha Binns. His father was employed as a moulder and they were living at Calton Street, Keighley at this time. By 1891 they had moved to … Read more