Wombwell and the Great War [Pinned post]

Welcome to 'Wombwell 1914 - 18'. Here you will find information about the men of Wombwell who fell during WW1. You can click on any name in the right hand column that's highlighted in orange to view that person's biography and military details. This blog also has a list of local war memorials as well as photographs of local military graves and WW1 memorial headstones, Please remember that this blog is a work in progress and will be updated regularly.

FRANCIS JOHN FEASEY 13/1129, 13th Battalion, York & Lancaster

Frank Feasey back left, with his siblings
Photograph with hanks to Michael Riley

Service Details 
Francis John Feasey 13/1129, 13th Battalion, York & Lancaster Regiment. Killed in action 1st July 1916, aged 20

Biography
Written by 
Yvonne Joan Viva Riley Niece of Francis John Feasey and Michael John Riley JP Great-nephew of Francis John Feasey.

Francis John Feasey was born in 1896, in the village Brackley, near Buckinghamshire. In the late 1500s Buckinghamshire had received an influx of Huguenot refugees from France, and
the stories passed down inside the family are that he was descended from some of them (the relevance of this will be seen later). Frank’s was a farming family, grounded in a Christian Faith that was the focal point for life in the villages around Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire. Had Frank lived, he would surely have passed on to his children a religious tradition based on the farming principles of being ‘a good shepherd’; a ‘pastoral Christianity’ based on serving others, while wary of spiritual leaders whose congregations are founded on the prospects of greater rewards on earth. Certainly, this was the Faith of his siblings who survived to adulthood.

Frank's parent Aubrey And Louisa Feasey
Photo with Thanks to Micheal Riley.

About 1906, the two parents, three boys and three girls were encouraged to move north, to join another branch of the Feasey family. At the time, agriculture as a British industry was
beginning to decline, and it was felt that there would be more opportunities for the children in an industrial area. Once in Yorkshire, living at 22 Jardine St, Wombwell, the family was
blessed with the addition of two more boys. Frank had always been big for his age, and tended to mix with boys who were older than himself. When war came he begged his mother to let him join them in volunteering for service.His friends would have many adventures, he said. They would see the world and, when they returned, their life experience would be so much greater than his. He desperately wanted to share in the soldier’s life that was so heavily promoted to those who would volunteer. After much discussion, and against their own intuition, Frank’s parents reluctantly allowed him to register, despite his relative youth. History books now tell more than our family knew of Frank’s life in the army. We knew that he trained in England, then traveled to Egypt. By his own account, this period of his life seemed to be all that he had imagined the life of a soldier to be. Frank’s military records show him as always a Private. Our family did hear of his recommendation for promotion to Corporal. Unfortunately, on the day of his recommendation and in the ensuing revelry, a wooden bench seat went through a window, and the promotion was withdrawn before it could be confirmed. So his family was told. In March 1916, the 1st Barnsley Pals relocated to France, to defend the front line of the Somme. We know little of his activities between March and June, but we believe this to have been a period of greater hardship, compared to his time in Egypt. On July 1, the 1st Barnsley Pals were ordered to rise out of the trenches and march toward the German lines, which were thought to have been decimated by earlier shelling. Instead, they met with fierce resistance, and Frank was one of many soldiers recorded as ‘missing’ on that day. Ironically, Frank died not more than 50 kilometres from the area where his Huguenot ancestors are reputed to have lived, 350 years before.

Frank's Camp Bible

More than his own heart was stilled at that time. On the 20th of July the family received notice that he was missing. His mother’s heart was broken by the loss of her eldest son and she was forever wistful, even at the best of times. Frank’s father bore the loss silently, but with equal grief. Right into her old age my grandmother, Elsie, born just a couple of years earlier than Frank, often spoke about the loss of the boy who, despite his youth, had behaved as a big brother to her. Elsie kept a letter her brother had sent from The Front. Our family still has the letter, and it is clearly tinged with anxiety and a little homesickness. The letter expresses Frank’s interest in Elsie’s friend, Mildred, and in his fellow-soldier’s (Frank Inskipp) interest in corresponding with Elsie. Sadly, both Frank Feasey and Frank Inskipp were

Inside the front of Frank's camp bible.

killed together on July 1st, 1916. After his mother died, Frank’s soldier’s paybook and tunic buttons were buried with her. When Elsie died, we placed Frank’s photograph beside her. Truly, from the time he was declared missing, Frank was constantly missed. Frank’s two brothers who also served in World War One returned to live out their lives in Yorkshire. Some of Frank’s friends also returned, but were wounded (either physically or psychologically) and were considered to be unreliable witnesses when they told Frank’s mother that they had seen him being marched away as a prisoner of the Germans. Nevertheless, the prospect that Frank had somehow survived, but with total loss of memory, was too tantalizing to ever give up completely, and it haunted the family for years. The official version of what happened to Frank is that he was killed at some time during the morning of July 1sy His name appears on the Thiepval Memorial as having died with no known resting place.

A transcript of Francis John Feasey's letter from the Front can be read here.

Grave:
No known grave.

Memorials:
Lundhill Sunday school memorial, now inside St. Mary's Church, Wombwell
Thiepval memorial, pier and face 14 A and 14 B, France
Wombwell War Memorial, Park Street, South Yorkshire.

Francis John Feasey’s Letter from The Front

This is a transcript of  a letter Francis John Feasey sent from the Front to his elder sister Elsie. In it he mentions his friend Frank Inskipp, who also died at the Somme on the 1st July 1916. Frank Inskipp is remembered at Darfield. The letter was kindly shared with me by Francis Feasey's great nephew in New Zealand, Michael Riley (The letter was written as one long sentence.)

Dearest Elsie,
With greatest of pleasure I now write you these few lines and no doubt you have had a letter from my pal, Frank Inskip, but I have had no letter from you saying whether you received them cards or not and tell Mildred to let me know whether she received hers or not herself (but you know I don’t mean our Millie) and I should like to know how you are going on in world so do drop me a line as well as my pal as there is only mother that writes to me just now only Cousin Florrie and she sends me two packets of Gold Flake cigarettes pretty regular and there’s about 50 in one packet so can get a few sometimes but I don’t care much for them sort as I would rather have a wild Woodbine cigarette than any sort you can mention so if you don’t mind and wish to do me a favour you can do by sending me a few Woodbine cigarettes so I can enjoy a good smoke and if there is anything that you would like from here just let me know what it is and I will try to get what you want if I can get it but don’t ask for anything that I am not allowed to send or anything that I can’t get so don’t forget will you and I would like a locket with your photo and you’re mate’s photo (Mildred, I mean) so I shall have something to keep reminding me of you and I have got a cigarette case with a picture in and I have took that out and put your old photo in so I can see what you look like any time I want a smoke but I should like something for a keepsake so if you see a locket cheap send me one with your two photos in but I will close with best love and good luck to you from your ever-loving brother,
Frank

Elsie Feasey

Frank Inskipp

Francis John 'Frank' Feasey

Private Bartley Bannister, 215, Lancashire Fusiliers 2nd Bn.

Service Details:

The Mexborough & Swinton Times 2nd Jan. 1915

Image with thanks to the Barnsley Archives

Private Bartley Bannister, 215, Lancashire Fusiliers 2nd Bn. Presumed dead 2nd September 1914, Age 28.

Biography:
Bartley Bannister was born in 1886, at Pemberton in Lancashire, He lived near Wigan for most of his twenty-eight years and only moved to Wombwell shortly before the outbreak of war, however, once he'd settled into his new home on Hough Lane, Bartley quickly became a much loved pillar of the community. He worked for Wombwell Main Colliery and spent much of his free time involved in actives at the local parish church, St. Mary's. He was a drill instructor for the Wombwell branch of the Church Lads Brigade as well as a member of the Church of England Men's Society. He was by all accounts a popular and well liked man.

As a member of the army reserve, Bartley was called up at the outbreak of war. He arrived in France on the 22nd August 1914. His regiment, the 2nd Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers, got there just in time to take part in the retreat from Mons.  After that he wasn't heard of again for sometimes. In May 1915 an article appeared in The Barnsley Chronicle explaining Bartley's fate:
"Private Bartley Bannister, a Wombwell soldier, who has been reported wounded and missing, died in hospital from wounds received at Cattenieres. Private Steele of the Lancashire Fusiliers, who has lately returned from Germany, as an exchange prisoner of war, brought the news. Private Steele states that Bannister was lying in hospital at Cattenieres at the same time as himself, and died there."

Barnsley Chronicle 8th May 1915

Article with thanks to The Barnsley Archives

Although private Bannister's death wasn't officially declared until September 1915, his name does appear in several newspaper's casualty lists as having being 'killed' prior to this date. The official notification of death claims he 'fell in action' on (or around) 2nd September 1915 and was presumed dead on that date, which is not entirely accurate if  Private Steele's account is to be believed.  Bartley is one of five identified WW1 casualties to be buried in the churchyard at Cattenieres. One man, Private T. Brady died at the same time as Bartley, but the other three burials date from December 1917. Due to his participation in the Mons retreat Bartley posthumously qualified to receive the 1914 Star, a medal also known as the Mons Star.

Church of England Men's Society Roll of Honour
St. Mary's Church, Wombwell.

Grave:
Cattenieres Churchyard, Plot 5, Northern France.

Memorials:
St. Marks Church War Memorial, Newtown, Wigan, WN5 9BN
Wigan Cenotaph, All Saint's Church, Lancashire, WN1 1NL
Wombwell war memorial, Park Street, S73 0HS
Church of England Men's society memorial St. Mary's Church, Wombwell, S73 0DQ.










Sources____________________________________
Barnsley Chronicle - 8th May 1915 & 11th September 1915
South Yorkshire Times - 2nd Jan 1915 & 5th June 1915
Cwgc.org - Casualty Details for B. Banniste
1901 & 1911 Census
Medal index card & Medal rolls for B. Bannister
Register of soldiers' effects f or B. Bannister
Wikipedia.org/wiki/1914_Star

Private Frank Pettitt, 15914,York and Lancaster Regiment, 10th Bn.

South Yorkshire Times 8th Dec 1917
 with thanks to the Barnsley Archives

Service Details:
Private Frank Pettitt, 15914,York and Lancaster Regiment 10th Bn. Died of wounds 12th October 1917, Age 33.

Biography:
Frank was born at Handsworth near Sheffield in August 1884. He was the eldest son of Elizabeth and John Pettitt. The family relocated to Hawson Street at Wombwell in the 1890s and a few years later Frank began working at the nearby Cortonwood colliery.  Sadly out of Frank's twelve siblings six died in childhood and his mother also passed away in 1908. But that wasn't to be the end of the families heartache, both Frank and his younger brother Henry would die during the First World War.

Frank enlisted on the 12th October 1914 and joined the 10th Battalion of the York and Lancaster, his neighbour John Haywood would later join the same regiment. On the 12th October 1917 the Battle of Passchendaele took place. Frank's regiment was one of many which took part in the action that day. The army's objective was to break through the German defenses and take Passchendaele Ridge, however, the operation would ultimately fail on this attempt and would cost Frank his life in the process. One of his comrades Sec. Lieut. H. D. Hughes wrote to his family about the circumstances of his death:

"It is with great sorrow that I heard of the death of your brother Frank. I was not with him at the time, but I know he was at his post and doing his duty, and his loss is a great blow to me. He was liked by us all he was buried near Jack (John) Haywood, another of our men from your street, in a cemetery near here. Words always seem useless in a case like this, but I wanted to tell you how we miss him."

The South Yorkshire Times

8th Dec, 1917

Frank was buried at Larch Wood cemetery 2.5 miles south east of Ypres city centre in West Belgium. His neighbour John Haywood died of wounds only three days after Frank and was buried at Bedford House cemetery. Frank was posthumously awarded the British War and Victory medal, and because he had enlisted before conscription he also qualified for the 1914-15 Star. After the war the government commissioned a commemorative plaque known as the 'Death Penny' to be cast in bronze and given to the families of all those who died serving. Frank's plaque was discovered at scrapyard near Goldthorpe in 2015 and has been displayed at several local history exhibition since it's rescue.

Frank Pettitt's Death Penny
Found at Wallis Metals in 2015

Grave:
Larchwood Railway cutting cemetery, Plot V. A. 19, Belgium

Memorials:
Cortonwood War Memorial, Brampton Brierlow, S75 0TU
Wombwell war memorial, Park Street, S73 0HS

Additional Details:
This piece was written in part with information kindly supplied by, and with thanks to the Wombwell Heritage Group.




Sources__________________________________________
South Yorkshire Times 8th Dec 1917
Barnsley Chronicle 4th Sept. 2015 & 11th September 2015
1891, 1901 and 1911 Census
Cwgc.org - Casualty details for F. Pettitt
F. Pettitt's Service record, Soldier's effects & Medal index card
Wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Passchendaele

Fitter Staff-Sergt. Bernard Washington Kilner, 52200, Royal Field Artillery

Roy Kilner's grave in Wombwell Cemetery

Service Details:
Fitter Staff Sergeant Bernard Washington Kilner, MSM, 52200, Royal Field Artillery 51st Bde. Killed in Action 18th October 1917, Age 28.

Biography:
Bernard Washington Kilner came from a well known family of Yorkshire sports men. His uncle was the former Yorkshire country cricketer, Irving Washington, and all of Bernard's brothers played cricket at some level, two of them professionally, but it was probably his younger brother Roy Kilner who would be considered the star of the family, Roy would play nine test matches for England before his own untimely death in 1928.

Bernard was born at Wombwell on the 16th July 1889 and was the oldest son of  Seth and Mary Alice Kilner. Later in life his parents ran the Half Way House Hotel at Wombwell. As a youth he attended the Church Lad's brigade at nearby St. Mary's church. In his early twenties Bernard married Edith Annie Booker, daughter of a local confectioner and sister of fellow soldier, Walter Booker. Together they had one son named Cyril, who was born 5th September 1910. Upon leaving school Bernard had found work as a fitter at Mitchell Main Colliery, he later left Mitchells' and took up a similar post at Treeton Colliery near Rotherham.

Memorial to Bernard Kilner
On Roy Kilner's grave

On the 4th January 1915 Bernard enlisted in the the Royal Field Artillery at Woolwich,  where he was awarded the rank of Fitter Staff Sergeant after passing all the required trade tests. According to several local newspaper articles of the time, Bernard had served "Through most of the major engagements there, and up to his death had come through it without mishap" In July 1916 Bernard took part in the Battle of the Somme, and was awarded the M.S.M only a few months prior to his death. The Battle of Passchendaele took place in West Belgium on 12th October 1917, six days Bernard was killed in action. He had been stationed near Ypres at the time. His commanding officer Captain R. F. Balmain wrote to his family explaining the circumstances of his death:
"Staff Sergt Kilner had returned to us a few days previous to this most terrible occurrence, and had set out from H.Q to inspect the guns. As he was approaching one of the batteries, he, along with an orderly, was hit by a shell, and died a few minutes afterwards, and did not regain consciousness and owing to this, thank God he could not have suffered. His remains were buried in the military cemetery at St. Julien, about 6 miles from Ypres, on 19th October. Staff sergeant  Kilner's death came as a great blow to us all. He had been with the Brigade such a long time, and had endeared himself on account of his reliability and bravery."

Church Lads' Brigade Memorial
St. Mary's Church, Wombwell.

Bernard's brothers Roy, Norman and Colin who were also serving, all survived the war. Though Roy was wounded on the Somme, he resumed playing cricket again once the conflict was over. Bernard was interred at St. Julien Dressing Station cemetery in Belgium.

Grave:
St. Julien Dressing Station cemetery, Plot I. C. 5, Ypres, Belgium.

Memorials:
Wombwell war memorial, Park Street, S73 0HS
Church Lads Brigade memorial, St. Mary's Church, Wombwell, S73 0DQ.

Additional Details:
There is a dedication to Bernard on his brother, Roy Kilner's grave in Wombwell cemetery.

Sources_____________________________
1901 census & 1911 census
De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour
Cwgc.org - Casualty Details for B. Kilner
Wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Kilner
Wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Passchendaele
Barnsley Chronicle - 23rd Jan 1915, April 10th 1915, June 9th 1917, 11th Nov 1917, 1st Dec. 1917 and June 29th 1918

Private Tom Drudy, 15918, Coldstream Guards 2nd Bn.

South Yorkshire Times - 7th Oct. 1917
Image with thanks to the Barnsley Archives

Service Details:
Private. Tom Drudy, 15918, Coldstream Guards 2nd Bn.
Killed in Action  31st July 1917, Age 20/21.

Biography:
Tom Drudy was one of  Passchendaele's first casualties; The 3 month campaign, which is also referred to as the 3rd battle of Ypres, took place in West Belgium between 31st July and 10th November 1917. The main aim of the offensive was to gain allied control of the area surrounding the Belgian city of Ypres.  At the time Tom was a 21 year old private with the 2nd Cold Stream Guards and a former miner at Wombwell Main Colliery. As the offensive commenced Tom was stationed not far from a railway junction, 5 miles east of Passchendaele. His regiment was part of the Guards Division. When the assault against the German's began at 3.50am on 31st July 1917 it was his brigade's job to support the other regiments in the division, 5 hours later at 8.50am Tom's battalion moved forward in order to take their own objectives, but enemy machine gun fire from the direction of the River Steenbeek caused them to fall 80 yards short of their target. It was during the advance that Tom most likely lost his life. The days following the battle were mired by torrential rain, which halted allied progress and turned the already churned and crater ridden ground into a boggy mire, this made it impossible to recover and identify the bodies of the fallen. Like so many other's that day Tom's remains were claimed by the mud of West Belgium, unable to receive a proper burial Tom is remembered on the Menin Gate instead. His wife, Doris, would not receive notification of his death until September, When it was official announced in The Barnsley Chronicle.

The Menin Gate Image from Wikipedia

Tom was the second son and third child of William and Mary Drudy, a coal miner and riper packer respectively, the family lived at 22 Main Street, Wombwell. Tom enlisted in April 1915, and on 15th September 1916, almost 18 months in to his service, he was wounded in the hand and thigh. Subsequently, Tom was sent back to England to recover and he spent some time convalescing at Whalley Hospital in Lancaster, before returning to join his regiment overseas. He was posthumously awarded the 1914-15 Star as well as the British War and Victory Medals.

Grave:
No known grave

Memorials:
Menin Gate, panel 11. Ypres, Belgium
Wombwell War Memorial, Park Street, S73 0HS.

Sources_____________________________________
Barnsley Chronicle: 30th Sept. 1916, 8th Sept. 1917 and 28th Oct. 1916
South Yorkshire Times 7th Oct. 1917.
Cwgc.com - casuality details for Tom Drudy
1911 Census, Soldiers' Who Died in the Great War and Register of Soldier effects