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Home » Memories » Pre-1939 » Aireborough Boys, 1914 – 1918 (01)

Aireborough Boys, 1914 – 1918 (01)

WWI 1914-1918

SL038 – Yeadon, 1914 – 1918.

Title Aireborough Boys
Date 1914 – 1918
Location Aireborough/Europe
Written By Carlo Harrison
Comment See below…

I am going to share with you the contents of two books that have come to light in our archives.
These books have been put together one can only imagine as an ongoing painful memory taken from newspaper cuttings as they appeared on a regular basis of the young men of Aireborough fighting in the First World War.
As you will see as I publish these articles day by day, some of these young men never came back home to Yorkshire, their Mums and Dads, Wives, Brothers and Sisters and children.
Not all of the cuttings are in good order but, I hope you will agree that our digital archives are the place for these young men to be remembered forever.
With additional information from Ken Roberts.
I am more than happy to accept photos and stories of ancestors, family, loved ones who served in any of the Wars and came from Aireborough.
The sacrifice these boys, men, and women made, even if they did come back home alive is worth mentioning in our digital archives for future generations to read.
I think these people and their story’s add depth to any opinions of the people of Aireborough.

Private James Hartley 1914-1918

1418-J Hartley.

Private James Hartley


Pte James Hartley of Rawdon.
Rank: Private
Service No: 7523
Date of Death: 25/01/1916
Regiment/Service: Army Cyclist Corps
21st Div. Cyclist Coy.
Panel Reference: Panel 11.
Memorial: PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL, Belgium.

Private James Harling 1914-1918

1418 – J Harling.

Private James Harling

“Private James Harling, of the West Yorkshires, died on July 29th at the 91st Field Ambulance Station, France, from the effects of Gas Poisoning.
Nineteen years of age and the son of Mr…s. Fred Myers, of 26, South View Terrace, Yeadon, Pte. Harling joined the Colours on the 8th of October last year, and went out to France in the early part of June last.
Prior to enlistment he was employed as a cutter at Banksfield Dyeworks”.
Rank: Private
Service No: 203562
Date of Death:23/07/1917
Age:19
Regiment/Service: West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Own)
1st/5th Bn.
Grave Reference: I. K. 37.
Cemetery: COXYDE MILITARY CEMETERY
Additional Information:
Son of Ethel Myers, of 26, South View, Yeadon, Leeds. Native of Rawdon, Yorks.

Private A Exley 1914-1918

1418-A Exley.

Lance Corporal Alfred Exley

Lance Corporal Alfred Exley. Guiseley (Killed) L/CPL Alfred Exley killed in action, Flanders Nov 1917.
The son of Joseph & Alice Exley.
Alfred is commemorated on his parents grave in Guiseley Town Cemetery.

I can find no mention of him in the CWGC register.

Alfred Exley
Rank: Lance Corporal
Service No: 29098
Date of death: 18.10.1917 aged 19
Regiment/Service: 10th Battalion West Yorkshire Regt. (Prince of Wales’ Own)
Cemetery: Tyne Cot Memorial
Additional Information: Enlisted in August 1916 when a dyer’s finisher, at Keighley and joined the British Expeditionary Force to France in December.
Born in Lothersdale, but lived in Guiseley. Son of Joseph and Alice Exley, with four siblings at the time of enlistment.

Additional research by Helen M.

7 December 2022


Private Fred Roberts 1914-1918

1418 – F Roberts.

Private Fred Roberts

Private Fred Roberts, Yeadon.
(Killed)
ROBERTS, FRED
Rank: Private
Service No: 242186
Date of Death: 28/09/1917
Regiment/Service: West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Own)
12th Bn.
Place of enlistment: Yeadon.
Panel Reference: Panel 42 to 47 and 162.
Memorial: TYNE COT MEMORIAL
This man has no known grave.

This page compiled October 2013.

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Consolidated by Jack Brayshaw. 06 August 2022.
Last updated: 31 January 2023 – All images updated. 9 December 2022 – Photo ID: 1418 A Exley additional text.

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