Sutton-in-Craven Village Website

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Paul Wilkinson webmaster Wednesday, February 9, 2011 08:50	Sutton War Memorial � 90th Anniversary Gathering Over a number of years, Andrew Monkhouse (now resident in Australia ) has been compiling details of the �Fallen of Sutton� who are named on the village war memorial. The 19th March 2011 will be the 90th anniversary of the dedication of the Sutton memorial. It seemed fitting that a small gathering should be held at the memorial and the names of the �Fallen� be read out as a small token of thanks for those who gave their all so that we can enjoy a peaceful Sutton and its wonderful countryside. Young and not so young residents and friends of the village are welcome to join this informal historical event which will commence at 2pm. Dr John Laycock
Andrew Monkhouse Hanoi, Vietnam Wednesday, February 9, 2011 21:12	Just adding to Dr Laycock�s comments, I have put some information together on each of the 40 servicemen listed on the Sutton war memorial from WW1. This will be added to the �The Fallen of Sutton-in-Craven� page under the Local Information section of this website on, or just before the 19th March to coincide with the 90th anniversary of the unveiling of the village memorial in 1921 The recent release of the 1911 UK census information has been very useful in linking several of the names on the memorial to Sutton-in-Craven, names that did not have any apparent connection with the village at the time of the 1901 census. I have not forgotten the 15 names commemorated on the Sutton memorial from WW2. Within the next few years the British service files for WW2 will be released for public viewing at which time I or somebody else may want to take on this project. The ceremony that is about to take place on Saturday 19th March will certainly stimulate a poignant sense of occasion for those who will be in attendance. Less than one hundred years ago these 40 men walked the streets of Sutton and lived in the same houses that are still here today. I�d like to thank Dr Laycock for organizing and arranging this important historic anniversary.
David Laycock Monday, March 14, 2011 21:16	Regarding the memorial service. Will there be a video recording made for the overseas absentees to view?
Andrew Monkhouse Hanoi, Vietnam Tuesday, March 15, 2011 22:33	Hi David, I�m not sure whether there will be an official video recording made of the ceremony this coming Saturday, but I suspect there will be one or two camcorders recording the whole thing. There will certainly be a representative from one of the local newspapers, I think the Keighley News. I will put the agenda for the ceremony on this thread within the next 24 hours. To my knowledge there has never been a formal observance to mark the anniversary of the unveiling of Sutton war memorial on the 19th March 1921, so this may well be a unique event never to be repeated. It is going to be a rather sombre and moving occasion, particularly when the names of all 40 of Sutton�s Fallen are read out and I would suggest a ceremony not to be missed by the residents of Sutton. The young men of Sutton who gave there lives nearly 100 years ago were no different to the young people of today. Here they are in age order: Died aged 18 Percy Stell 18 Thomas Henry Summerskill 19 Charles Eric Ivan Calvert 19 Thomas Davy 19 Stanley Spence Duffill 19 Percy Hargreaves 20 Reginald Smith 20 Henry Taylor 21 Stanley Archibald 21 Wilfrid Clough 21 Walter Haggas 21 Gordon Smith 21 Harold Wilson 22 Willie Hargreaves 23 Percy Overend 23 Norman Riley 25 John Davey 25 Percy Beaumont Midgley 25 William Robert Simons 26 Joseph Greenwood Bancroft 26 Cedric Fawcett Horsfall 26 Samuel (Harry) Lund 27 Edgar Green 27 Ernest Jones 27 Albert William Tune 28 William Gordon Haggas 29 Thomas Hackston 29 Walter Hyde 29 Edgar Pullan 29 Frederick Simpson 29 William Blake Spencer 30 Evelyn Fisher 30 Nelson Widdup Petty 30 Frederick William Thompson 31 Arnold Heeley 31 Edmund Wilkinson 32 Arthur Smith 34 Harlan Smith 34 Richard Whitehall 37 Amos Wagstaff
Andrew Monkhouse Hanoi, Vietnam Wednesday, March 16, 2011 03:48	Sutton War Memorial � 90th Anniversary Gathering SATURDAY 19TH MARCH 2011 With only 4 days to go before the gathering in Sutton Park here is the agenda: � Gather in Sutton Park at the War Memorial 13.45 � Home Guard parade to War Memorial commences at 14.00 as church clock strikes � Welcome � Dr John Laycock � Poem � Peter Whitaker � Role of Honour � Malcolm Reeves on behalf of Andrew Monkhouse � Laying of wreath � WW1 �soldier� � Blessing � Revd Canon Michael Cowgill � Closing Home Guard parade. The Craven Herald should be including a short article in their next issue. The following is a list of the 40 Fallen soldiers from WW1 in date order. As you can see, Arnold Heeley was the first Suttoner to fall. 3 Suttoners were killed on the same day (3rd May 1917). 3 died after the war ended with the 11th November Armistice in 1918. Interestingly enough, 15 died in 1918 alone and 1 in 1919. If the war had concluded at the end of 1917, almost half of Sutton�s Fallen would have been spared. Date: 23/10/14 Arnold Heeley 11/11/14 Walter Haggas 21/12/14 Frederick William Thompson 18/04/15 Frederick Simpson 28/06/15 Nelson Widdup Petty 21/08/15 Percy Stell 22/10/15 Joseph Greenwood Bancroft 08/12/15 Edmund Wilkinson 21/12/15 Norman Riley 01/07/16 Richard Whitehall 05/07/16 Henry Taylor 07/07/16 Stanley Archibald 20/07/16 Thomas Henry Summerskill 25/07/16 Evelyn Fisher 29/08/16 Albert William Tune 18/09/16 Cedric Fawcett Horsfall 13/11/16 Edgar Pullan 03/05/17 Gordon Smith 03/05/17 Harold Wilson 03/05/17 William Blake Spencer 24/06/17 Willie Hargreaves 15/10/17 Harlan Smith 03/12/17 Amos Wagstaff 12/12/17 William Robert Simons 11/01/18 William Gordon Haggas 27/02/18 Samuel (Harry) Lund 16/04/18 Edgar Green 30/04/18 Thomas Hackston 05/05/18 Thomas Davey 27/05/18 John Davy 02/07/18 Ernest Jones 20/07/18 Percy Hargreaves 25/07/18 Wilfrid Clough 31/08/18 Percy Overend 04/10/18 Charles Eric Ivan Calvert 17/10/18 Walter Hyde 27/10/18 Reginald Smith 13/11/18 Stanley Spence Duffill 15/12/18 Percy Beaumont Midgley 13/02/19 Arthur Smith
Paul Wilkinson webmaster Friday, March 18, 2011 06:58	The detailed profiles are now available to download from the Fallen of Sutton-in-Craven page. A massive vote of thanks to Andrew Monkhouse for undertaking this mammoth project and investing the time and effort into seeing it through to completion.
David Laycock Friday, March 18, 2011 11:09	Well done Andrew.
Dr John Laycock Hampshire, UK Saturday, March 19, 2011 22:30	Many thanks to all who contributed to and attended the event held in the park today. It was pleasing to see approximatley 100 people present to pay their respects to our fallen villagers without whom we would not be able to enjoy the village and surrounding countryside with our friends and neighbours. We will remember them.
Andrew Monkhouse Hanoi, Vietnam Sunday, March 20, 2011 00:48	Yes from what I am hearing and the pictures I have been sent, the ceremony went exceedingly well and was witnessed by around 100 spectators. The Home Guard Unit certainly set the scene and atmosphere for the occasion and the young 15 yr old �stooping soldier� played a magnificent role. Well done to everyone who took part, this was a fitting tribute to the 40 servicemen who gave their lives during the Great War. I was trying to see if Corporal Jones from Dad's Army was part of the Home Guard outfit and I reckon he might just have snuck in there! As for the �Fallen of Sutton-in-Craven� files for all 40 soldiers now available for viewing under the Local Information section of this website, this will be an ongoing project. If anyone has any additional information, photos, documentation or anything else that can be added to any of the 40 files please let the webmaster know and I can add this information as and when it surfaces. Putting together the information on the 40 Fallen soldiers was a fascinating journey for me and very enlightening. I had always wondered who these people were that are listed on the war memorial. Living in Adelaide posed one or two problems for me in that I could not access certain bits of local information. Josie Walsh was particularly helpful in emailing me Keighley News extracts, photos of grave head-stones, UK census details etc � thanks very much for that Josie. Barbara & Allen Chapman and Paul (webmaster) also came to the rescue in helping me with this and that on numerous occasions. Several people sent me photos/information on some of the soldiers, so that was great. I�m looking forward to the service files for WW2 being released in a few years time. This will enable similar research to be compiled on the 15 servicemen listed on the memorial from the Second World War.
Peter Whitaker Cross Hills Sunday, March 20, 2011 21:43	It was a great pleasure for us, Coy 'C', 28th West Riding Batt., Home Guard, to be honoured to take part and do our 'bit' to remember those who fell in the Great War from Sutton in Craven. Furthermore I have to agree that our young 'WW1' soldier, Conner Lyman did a really superb job standing as he did for almost an hour without moving a muscle, a really fitting tribute I believe. I would just take time to remind all that we as a living history group made up from all walks of life as was the case 70 years ago, including former military serving personnel, and portray a genuine WW2 unit that was to have defended the village of Haworth in the event of a German invasion. We depict what would have been similar units that did the same job week in week out from 1940 to late 1944 during which time over a thousand Home Guard volunteers lost their lives! And without taking offence we are not depicting a BBC comedy programme, much as I, and our members like the show, but a real life living WW2 unit correct in every detail. Thanks for all your work Andrew, 'We will Remember Them', Peter Whitaker, Cpl. Coy 'C', WR 28th Batt. H.G.
Brenda Whitaker was Grime Queensland Australia Sunday, March 20, 2011 23:40	Andrew, it is obvious that you have done a sterling job with this, notwithstanding the enormous amount of time you have dedicated to it. Personally I think it is so sad that you could not have been present at the ceremony. Living at the other end of the world makes some things very difficult doesn't it? However that didn't stop you putting in all the hours it took to achieve a splendid result. I have just received a few photos of the occasion from Alan P taken by him at the ceremony and it seems that it was a very respectful and well represented occasion. I note Allen and Barbara attended, so you had distant family there.....Well done Andrew, and thanks.
David Laycock Monday, March 21, 2011 09:33	Great Andrew, Looking forward to any photos to be posted on our web.
David Laycock Monday, March 21, 2011 09:43	Just had a look at the photos and the U tube. It stops as Dr John starts to inform the people what is going on. Is ther more?
Paul Wilkinson webmaster Monday, March 21, 2011 10:49	Hi David - I've added a couple of photos and am awaiting the go ahead to post links to two more videos that include the speeches. UPDATE - two more video clips added to the page, thanks to all contributors.
Denis Marshall Pickles Norfolk Monday, March 21, 2011 16:15	I'll add my two penn'orth Andrew. You have done a great job researching, recording and making available to a wider audience, all the information relating to those 'Men of Sutton' who died in the service of their country during WW1. I have yet to read every account but I am not ashamed to admit that the tragic tales which I have read to date, have brought tears to my eyes. And do you know, although I was born years after these lads gave their lives in the service of their country, I feel such a close affinity with them. It was brought home to me when reading their stories, that in several cases I knew their brothers and sisters, I knew some of their Commanding Officers, the very same Laurence Preston who presented me with an apple and an orange at school in 1939 had twenty years earlier presented a purse of gold to the hero Sgt E Green. That was to be the war to end all wars but within 25 years another list of names would be added to the war memorial .......... and some of those I knew personally!
Andrew Monkhouse Hanoi, Vietnam Monday, March 21, 2011 19:56	Well it�s funny you should say that Denis, because I too feel a close affinity to these 40 servicemen. It�s difficult not to having delved into their individual lives and compiled as much information as I could from a wide variety of internet websites and other sources. For some of the Fallen soldiers they did not die during a major offensive, rather they died during the course of the day-to-day trench warfare that came to depict the Great War, often hit by a shell and killed instantly. For others I was able to follow a paper trail, join the dots together and determine the specific battle where the individual soldier had fallen. More often than not it was the 1st day of a major offensive when these lads were killed such as the 1st July 1916 (first day of the Battle of the Somme) in the case of Richard Whitehall for example. I learned a heck of a lot about WW1 in doing this research. I�d previously never heard of half the battles that took place such as the Second Battle of Bullecourt fought from the 3rd � 17th May 1917. William Blake Spencer was killed in action on the first day of this battle on the 3rd May 1917. It was absolutely fascinating working through each profile. Interestingly enough, all 40 served in the army. Nobody enlisted into the Royal navy or the recently formed Royal Flying Corps, renamed Royal Air Force around 1917. These 40 men also saw a wide range of army service. Ernest Jones for example joined the Labour Corps but never saw active service overseas. He was in all likelihood deemed medically unfit to join a front-line regiment, despite being described as a �strong built young man�. So he served his entire time helping out at Catterick Military Hospital in North Yorkshire until he contracted pneumonia and passed away quite suddenly. He was the only one of the 40 fallen soldiers to not be entitled to campaign medals. Percy Beaumont Midgley on the other hand managed to join the colours in January 1915 having been initially rejected. He fought and was wounded on the battlefields of France with the Northumberland Fusiliers, only to be transferred to the King�s Liverpool Regiment and set sail from Glasgow in October 1918 bound for Murmansk and Archangel in Russia. The North Russian campaign lasted well into 1919, so he was unlucky somewhat to have continued seeing active service after the 11th November Armistice in 1918 when WW1 �apparently� came to an end. He died from pneumonia on the 15th December 1918 whilst serving in North Russia. What these guys went through during WW1 was horrific beyond all comprehension and as you point out Denis, peace only lasted 21 years before the next generation had to do it all over again.
Alan Pickles Bingley Tuesday, March 22, 2011 17:51	Having had the privilege of being able to attend the ceremony at the weekend, I would just like to say thank you to those who were responsible for it's organisation. The young fellow who stood with head bowed for over an hour, deserves a mention and a medal. Dad's army were also well portrayed and added the essential part to the whole affair. Thanks to Andrew and to Dr. John for making the idea come to fruition.
Patrick Hargreaves Glusburn Tuesday, March 22, 2011 22:14	As a member of the WR28 Home Guard Platoon attending Saturday's 90th Anniversary of the War Memorial, I'd like to record the sense of pride I feel in being part of what was a moving commemoration. I have Sutton family ties going back about 150 years. The young sentry, Connor Lyman was wearing a replica of the uniform worn by my Grandad Fred Hargreaves, of Sutton Mill, who unlike the 40 names was lucky. He was wounded at Passchendaele, but recovered and came home to his wife and young family in Main Street in March 1919. I'd like to thank Andrew, and Dr John for the splendid work on the project. One closing thought - what WR28 Home Guard represents is rather more serious than the 'Dads Army' image which seems to be rather dominant nowadays, as entertaining as the show will always be. I will pass a photo to webmaster Paul of Sutton's Cadre - WR27 Home Guard marching up Main Street.
Andrew Monkhouse Hanoi, Vietnam Wednesday, March 23, 2011 04:28	Hi Patrick, your participation in last Saturday's 90th Anniversary of the War Memorial ceremony along with the rest of the WR28 Home Guard Platoon was nothing short of magnificent. I�ve seen all the footage of the military parade and ceremonial observance and it is something that I will remember for a very long time. I take your point about the Dad�s Army comments with reference towards the WR28 Home Guard Platoon. I don�t think anyone seriously brackets the two together but I can see how such remarks, as light hearted as they may be intended, could be taken the wrong way. You mention your Grandad Fred Hargreaves returned home from the war in 1919. According to archived records housed at Northallerton he was one of 241 men from Sutton who served and returned, with an additional 40 men paying the ultimate sacrifice. Not sure how �lucky� he was really. Sure he left the battlefields of France with his life, but did the battlefields of France leave him? The long term after effects of poisoned gas, shell shock, anxiety, insanity, nightmares, festering wounds & scars, missing limbs, grief felt for countless Fallen comrades��..would have placed a tremendous life-long toll on all of these returned servicemen.
Denis Marshall Pickles Norfolk Wednesday, March 23, 2011 07:03	"According to archived records housed at Northallerton" 241 men from Sutton served and returned! Incredible! It's only when reading statistics like this that the ghastly scale of WW1 comes into focus. I'm afraid that when casualties and participants are quoted in millions, I find it hard to visualise, but I can imagine 281 Sutton men lined up in uniform ... 10 platoons of 30 men .... enough to fill a parade ground! Sutton was a far smaller place 90 years ago. The village must have been culled of young men............. and this scenario was repeated in every village, town and city throughout the UK and indeed, the Empire. A sobering thought! Is it possible to access the Northallerton records on the internet Andrew?
Patrick Hargreaves Glusburn Wednesday, March 23, 2011 13:37	How true that must be Andrew. A whole generation of young men who returned from the Great War must have had to deal with the trauma of their experience. Fred Hargreaves never talked to us about what my Grandmother referred to as his 'soldiering.' He always carried the effects of his wounding, and kept mementoes of his lost comrades. He must have had very sharp recall of those events. In some small way we hope that the 'Living History' activities of our Home Guard unit will help us not to forget. Again congratulations on the work on the 'Fallen of Sutton.'
Andrew Monkhouse Hanoi, Vietnam Friday, March 25, 2011 05:57	Hi Denis, I�ve made inquires about the Northallerton archives and it looks like they are only accessible by personally visiting the place, nothing on-line as of yet. I was hoping that there would be an actual list naming the 241 men from Sutton who served and returned, but it�s just a hand written scrawl giving the tally. I�ll send the webmaster the image and see if it can add it to this thread. In any case I reckon I could name between 40 � 50 of these returned servicemen from WW1 newspaper reports I�ve read. Yes the village would indeed have been culled of young men. The impact upon the close-knit community of Sutton back then would have been immeasurable. I wonder what the turn out was at the unveiling of the memorial in March 1921, I suspect 90% of the villagers would have been in attendance to pay their respects. EDIT image below
David Laycock Friday, March 25, 2011 22:16	Hi Patrick, Denis and Andrew, Yes shocking memories, I only know from the news etc. as my Dad Donald was one of the 241 "lucky" ones who returned, wouded but safe. He never spoke about it that I can recall. As I have said to Andrew before, it was only the fact that he kept a few momentoes with his medals in his old tobacco tin that I found out.
David Laycock Sunday, April 24, 2011 23:32	Hi All, Today is ANZAC Day and the traditional march in Melbourne. As I had received my Dad's medals from my brother I had thought I should march as a lot do in the rememberance of their relatves. As fate would have I am back in hospital for my original wound (Oct. 2010) to have more maintenance done! As I write this I am watching the march with a tear or two! They were heroes!
Robin Longbottom Oakworth Monday, April 25, 2011 08:46	I for one hadn't realised it was ANZAC Day today. Although born in Steeton my paternal grandmother's two brother's fought with the NZ Rifles. The eldest , Irwin Baldwin, had emigrated in 1909 with a friend (also from Emsley Street) called Ewart Myers. My Uncle Tom followed about 3 years later. All three joined up, Ewart was killed at Gallipoli in 1916 and is remembered on the Steeton Memorial. My Uncle Tom, who in later life lived up Dovelands in Sutton, was declared missing in action at Messines in June 1917, only to turn up after being trapped in a shell hole for five days. He was not so lucky in October at Passchendaele where he was wounded in the lower right leg which had to be amputated. His brother Irwin fought in the NZ Forces last engagement of the war in November 1918 when they stormed and captured Le Quesnoy (a seventeenth century fortified town which the New Zealanders took using scaling ladders). Irwin received wounds to his right shoulder, right hip and lower right leg, he too had his leg amputated. Irwin died in NZ in 1961 and my Uncle Tom died in 1966. Brave guys. Just as an additional point of interest my grandma's eldest sister, Lena Baldwin, also joined up, she was a sergeant with the Women's Auxillary Army Corps and drove transport wagons (she emigrated to Australia in 1921).
David Laycock Monday, April 25, 2011 12:11	Hi Robin, Firstly, which branch of the Longbottoms are you related to? I knew David when we were young and my Uncle Gordon married Moana, Vic and Bill's mum. Isn't it interesting when you use the web and find a lead or reminder regarding relations.
Robin Longbottom Oakworth Monday, April 25, 2011 20:16	Hello David, I don't think I know you but I've known John Laycock from childhood and was only talking to him only the other day - he must be your cousin? I also know Vic and Bill but I am not related to them - I'm one of the other Longbottoms - related to the ones that kept the King's Arms in the 19th C. Are you aware that your father's service records have survived in part - most were destroyed in a bombing raid during last war but a number known as the 'burnt records' have now been made available. I see he was in the DLI and was with the 1/8th battalion in France, from 2/4/1918. The records are a little unclear - there appears to be a note suggesting a shell/shrapnel wound to left leg (S W Leg L). He was with the 5th Battalion when he was discharged in 1919. His attestation paper has survived albeit a little burnt around the edges. Patrick Hargreaves may also be interested to known that Fred Hargreaves service records have also survived and are available.
Joan M. Tindale Cowling Sunday, May 1, 2011 21:53	Digressing a little - anyone know the best place to take/store a Lothersdale Home Guard gas mask from WW2?
David Laycock Monday, May 2, 2011 05:13	Good to hear back from you Robin, You are correct regarding John,we generally keep in touch, he is the son of Gordon and Mona. I did some asking about, earlier last year on. Yorks. Gen to see if the records were available, as I also had been told that the records may not exist, due to the bombing in WWII. I had help from a member of YG who searched and sent me the Photos of his burnt edged records. It does show where in France he was, and what battle, but it's hard to decifer. I was also thankfull that Andrew helped with the medals info. Keep in touch on the web it's a good contact medium. kind regards David
Patrick Hargreaves Glusburn Monday, May 2, 2011 11:30	Reference to Joan's message: Dear Joan - The West Riding 28 (Haworth) Home Guard Re-enactment Group would be pleased to look after the Lothersdale Home Guard Gas Mask. As well as our parade at the anniversary of Sutton War memorial, we put on frequent displays and talks to groups while raising money for Manorlands and other charities. We are building a collection of items with a local Home Guard history. It would find a good home. Would you contact me if that is of interest. Thank you. Patrick.
Patrick Hargreaves Glusburn Monday, May 2, 2011 11:42	Thank you to Robin for the tip-off that Fred Hargreaves' WW1 papers are available. I have copies, including his Casualty Form which has a fair number of entries following the Wounded in Action 14-7-17 entry, sustained near Hill 60, Ypres. Some weeks in 2nd Australian and 8th British General Hospitals at Wimereux and Rouen followed, before he was able to return to his unit in time for it to be posted to the Italian Front in December 1917. Incidentally I also found at the National Archives my maternal grandfather's records as well. He was also wounded and gassed at Solemes, France in 1918. Again he was fortunate to return home to Glusburn.
Joan M. Tindale Cowling Monday, May 2, 2011 22:02	Now in contact with Patrick, arrangements being made to transfer the gas mask! Thanks.

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