SL038 – Yeadon, 1914 – 1918
| Title | Aireborough Boys |
| Date | 1914 – 1918 |
| Location | Aireborough/Europe |
| Written By | Carlo Harrison |
| Comment | Newspaper cuttings taken from a scrap book donated to AHS. Addition information kindly supplied to us by Ken Roberts. |
1418- The Pratt Family.
The Pratt Family
The Pratt’s seem to be survivors.
One Man, I won’t say which, was in trouble a couple of times, not saluting an officer, & AOL for 21 hours.
Hopefully all came home.
Additional Research
The Pratt Family. All five young men came home.
Wilfred Pratt.1890 – 1968.
Herbert Pratt.1891 – 1964
Willie Pratt. 1894 – 1964.
Harry Pratt. 1894 – 1979.
Wilfred Pratt.1895 – 1972 (birth dates as shown on Naval Records).
Edward Pratt. 1897 – 1963.
Helen M.
27 August 2023
1418 – J Sunderland, J W Hill, C Watson.
Private J Sunderland, Private J W Hill, Corporal C Watson
SUNDERLAND, JOSEPH
Rank: Private
Service No: 18/385
Date of Death: 11/10/1916
Age: 35
Regiment/Service: West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Own) 8th Bn.
Grave Reference: I. R. 9.
Cemetery: WIMEREUX COMMUNAL CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France.
Additional Information:
Native of Armley, Leeds. Son of Thomas and Eleanor Sunderland; husband of Jane Ann Sunderland, of 13, North St., Rawdon, Leeds.
Pte. JW Hill. Yeadon, Killed. Failed to identify this man.
Corp. C. Watson. I think this man survived.
Additional Research
Cyril Watson. Service No: Corporal 13369 West Riding Regiment, Sgt 7339360 Royal Army Medical Corps (T.A) Cyril enlisted in September 1914 and left for France in August 1915. He was discharged in July 1917 after being regarded as no longer physically fit for active service. He lived in the Cragg Hill area of Horsforth.
Helen M.
27 August 2023
John William Hill
Rank: Private
Service number: 26065
Date of death: 10.10.1916 aged 40
Regiment/Service: 17th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment
Cemetery: Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery, Arras
Additional Information: Son of James and Sarah. He was a weaver and married to Ada.
Additional research by Helen M.
7 December 2022
1418- W Clark, R Clark, H Clark.
Wheeler Sgt W Clark, Wheeler Sgt R Clarke, Bandsman H Clark
Sergeant. Walter Clarke.
Born 1882, Rawdon.
Royal Field Artillery
Service number. 27415.
Enlisted at Otley. 31/8/1914
Demobilised 31/12/1920.
In France, 19/5/1915 to 10/6/1917
Distinguished Conduct Medal awarded for conspicuous gallantry & devotion to duty under fire. 18/6/1917
Military Medal awarded for bravery in the field 18/6/1917.
HE WAS A SURVIVOR
Sergeant Richard Clarke.
Born 1888, Rawdon.
Royal Field Artillery
Service number. 27416
Enlisted at Otley. 31/8/1914.
He & his brother, Walter, enlisted together.
In France, 19/5/1915 to 9/3/1918
HE WAS A SURVIVOR
Bandsman Harry Clarke.
Born 1880, Rawdon.
Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
Service number. 14727
Enlisted 10/9/1914
Discharged 7/11/1917.
No longer fit for service due to shell shock.
Received Silver War Badge.
HE WAS A SURVIVOR.
1418 – C Webster, H Webster, G Webster.
Private C Webster, Private H Webster, Cpl G Webster
WEBSTER, HAROLD GREENHOW
Rank: Private
Service No: 301774
Date of Death: 05/11/1916
Age: 19
Regiment/Service: Durham Light Infantry
1st/8th Bn.
Panel Reference: Pier and Face 14 A and 15 C.
Memorial: THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Additional Information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Webster, of II, New St., Horsforth, Leeds.
Pte. Clifford Devison Webster. Born 1898, Horsforth.
Can find no military info on this man.
Presume he lived.
Cpl. George Webster, born 1983, Horsforth.
Can find no military info on this man.
Presume he lived.
Additional Research
Clifford Devison Webster. 19th Dec 1894 – 1961. One of 8 children born to George and Lydia Webster. Service No: Private 39911 West Riding Regiment, 56329 Northumberland Fusiliers. He returned safely and married Ada Waterhouse in 1931.
George Webster. 28th Sept 1892. Service No: Private, A. Cpl. and Cpl. 5343, 25365, 307123 West Yorkshire Regiment. George enlisted in December 1915 whilst living in New Street, Horsforth and he arrived in Le Havre in June 1916. He left the service in 1919 and three years later married Florence Wilkinson.
Helen M.
27 August 2023
1418- R Towler, W Rolls, R Watkinson.
Able-Seaman R Towler, Private W Rolls, Corporal R Watkinson
Able Seaman W Towler.
Probably William Henry Towler born 1897.
Son of Isaac & Mary Ann Towler of 13 Queen St. Yeadon.
No further or Military info.
Pte. W Rolls.
No info at all.
I must have seen him in CWGC register but without mention of his family I can’t identify him.
WATKINSON, ROBERT ARTHUR
Rank: Lance Corporal
Service No: 24537
Date of Death: 19/09/1917
Regiment/Service: Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment)
10th Bn.
Grave Reference\: LVIII. F. 36.
Cemetery: TYNE COT CEMETERY, BELGIUM.
Additional Information: Son of Jonathan & Alice Watkinson. Husband of Elizabeth Watkinson of 50, Football, Yeadon.
William Henry Spurgeon Rolls
Rank: Private
Service number: 270387
Date of death: 28.08.1917 aged 37
Regiment/Service: 16th Battalion, The Royal Scots
Cemetery: Thiepval Memorial
Additional Information: Son of William and Esther who lived in Hyde Park Terrace. He enlisted in Horsforth and was a commercial clerk for a manufacturing chemist. Also Private 5387, Highland Light Infantry.
Additional research by Helen M.
7 December 2022
1418 – P Townsend, C Townsend, E Townsend.
Private P Townsend, Able-Seaman C Townsend, Private E Townsend
Pte. Percy Townsend, born 1896, Son of James & Hannah Caroline Townsend of Prospect Terrace, Horsforth.
We know he was Killed in Action but I cannot locate him.
Able Seaman C Townsend. (Could be Cyril, born 1894, or his brother, Clarence, born 1900.
Brother of the Percy.
No Military info.
Pte. Edgar Townsend, born 1898.
Brother to the above.
No Military info.
Percy Townsend
Rank: Private
Service number: 444943
Date of death: 02.10.1916
Regiment/Service: 25th Battalion, Canadian Infantry
Cemetery: Contay British Cemetery, Somme
Additional Information: Enlisted in New Brunswick, Canada in 1915. Part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, leaving in late Oct.1915. Next of kin showed two siblings in Canada. Died from wounds and a fractured skull.
Clarence Townsend was the Naval brother. 1st Service date 19.03.1916 on the Ganges. Last service 27.01.1920 on the Wildfire.
Edgar joined the Northumberland Fusiliers (Pte. 36251) and was discharged on 18.02.1919. Both lived long lives.
Additional research by Helen M.
7 December 2022
1418 – Walker…
Additional Research
Harris Weightman. 23rd Feb 1884 – 1959. Son of Jeffray and Mary Ann. Service No: 33138 West Riding Regiment. He was placed on the reserve list in March 1919. Prior to this he had married Florence Smith in 1913 and both were workers at the West Riding Asylum at Menston, he an attendant/porter, she a nurse.
Helen M.
27 August 2023
1418A – Walker…
Editor’s Note: Unfortunately Ken Roberts came across a number of images where only one set of identifying names were available. To this end, I have copied the names as they appeared in the newspaper at that time, printed between the images. J Brayshaw. 10 August 2022.
(1) Lcpl SAMUEL WALKER, Guiseley, (killed).
(2) Gunner JOHN H BROADBENT, Yeadon, (killed).
(3) Farrier Sergeant ALBERT MITCHELL, Menston, (killed).
(4) Cpl HARRIS WEIGHMAN, Menston, (missing)
(5) Private E TAYLOR, Baildon, (officially reported missing)
WALKER, SAMUEL
Rank: Lance Corporal
Service No: 301471
Date of Death: 28/03/1918
Age: 28
Regiment/Service: Royal Scots
2nd Bn.
Grave Reference A. 46.
Cemetery GOUY-EN-ARTOIS COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, PAS DE CALAIS, FRANCE.
Additional Information:
Son of William Henry and Ann Liza Walker, of Yeadon; husband of Jane Walker, 12, Carlton Lane, Guiseley, Leeds.
BROADBENT, J H
Rank: Gunner
Service No: 152025
Date of Death: 08/05/1918
Regiment/Service: Royal Garrison Artillery
R.A. Command Depot (Ripon)
Grave Reference P1. Gen. 51.
Cemetery SHEFFIELD (BURNGREAVE) CEMETERY
MITCHELL, ALBERT
Rank: Fitter Serjeant
Service No: 480474
Date of Death: 19/04/1918
Age: 32
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers
460th West Riding Field Coy.
Grave Reference XIII. B. 8.
Cemetery BIENVILLERS MILITARY CEMETERY
Additional Information:
Son of Jerry and Ruth Mitchell, of 119, Tong St., Dudley Hill, Bradford, Yorks husband of Cecilia Mitchell, of Derry Hill, Menston, Leeds
Cpl. Harris Weightman, Received the 2 standard campaign medals. Died in 1959.
No other military info.
Can find nothing on Pte. E Taylor of Baildon. He was missing, maybe found or lost forever.
Ernest Taylor
Rank: Private
Service number: 52567
Date of death: 21.03.1918 aged 30
Regiment/Service: 1st Battalion, West Yorks. Regiment. Also 31771
Cemetery: Arras Memorial
Additional Information: Son of Fred and Ann, married in 1917 to Olive. He was a warehouseman and was killed in action.
Additional research by Helen M.
7 December 2022
Consolidated by Jack Brayshaw. 10 August 2022.
Last updated: 27 August 2023 – Additional Research: Pratt, Pratt, Pratt, Pratt, Pratt, Watson, Webster, Webster, Weighman. 31 January 2023 – All images updated. 9 December 2022 – Phot ID: 1418 J W Hill, 1418 W H S Rolls, 1418 P Townsend & 1418 E Taylor all additional text.
