Lce-Cpl. Thomas Ashcroft, 41685, York and Lancaster Regiment 1st 4th Bn.

T. Ashcroft, 8th June 1918,
South Yorkshire Times

Service Details:
Lce-Cpl. Thomas Ashcroft, 41685, York and Lancaster Regiment 1st 4th Bn. Died 29th April 1918, Age 21.

Biography: 
"Lcp Thomas Ashcroft son of Mr & Mrs David Ashcroft 26 Broomhill, Wombwell was killed in Action in France on April 29th during a heavy bombardment. He enlisted in March 1917 and went to France in June. He was 21 years of age".

Taken from South Yorkshire Times, 8th June 1918.

Three of his brothers, David, Sam & William also served in WW1. Prior to the war Thomas was employed by one of the local collieries, His occupation is given as 'pony driver' on both the enlistment form and 1911 census. According to Thomas' service record at the time of enlisting he stood at 5ft, 3& 3/4" tall, weighed 133 lbs, had a scar on the bridge of his nose and was slightly flat footed. More poignantly, also contained within his service record are two letters from his mother, Alice, pleading to have her son's personal belongings returned, there is no reply to these petitions held within the records, so we will never know if she ever got a response or his items returned, Sadly it seems unlikely as Thomas has no known grave, perhaps his belongings were lost along with his body.

Grave:
No known grave.

War Memorials:
Tyne Cot Memorial, Panels 125 - 128,  Belgium
Wombwell, War Memorial, Park Street, South Yorkshire, S73 0HS

Source_____________________________________
South Yorkshire Times 8th June 1918
1901 &1911 census
Cwgc.org - Casualty details for T.Ashcroft
Service Record for T.Ashcroft

Grave of Corporal Joseph Firth

Corporal Joseph Firth died in Great Britain on 29th October 1918. He is buried in Wombwell cemetery, nr Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S73 8JE.

Front inscription:
JOSEPH  / the beloved husband of / Annie Firth /
Who died October 29th 1918 / Aged 36 years /
Also Clara Firth / Beloved sister sister of the above /
Who passed away May 24th 1948 / Aged 84 years /
Treasured memories //
Side Inscription:
Also / Albert / Devoted husband / of /
Georgina Firth / Died Dec 23rd 1953 /
Aged 79 years / loved and loving //

Grave location:
Plot U/C 6, 424, Wombwell Cemetery, S73 8JE.

Service Details:
Cpl. Joseph Firth, 9185, Army Pay Corps Army Pay Office (Woking)
Died 29th October 1918, Age 36.

Link to full bio:

Gunner Harry Allen, 152389, Royal Field Artillery.

Wombwell War Memorrial.

Service Details:
Gunner Harry Allen, 152389, Royal Field Artillery, Z11th Trench Mortar Bty. Died 14th July 1917. Age 18/19

Bio:
Harry was born in 1898, the youngest son of Sarah Ann Allen (nee Spinks) and George Allen, a coal miner. It seems Harry's father George must have suffered an injury prior to 1911 as he is registered on the census as being disabled. Prior to the out break of WW1 Harry was employed as a colliery pony driver at one of the local coal mines. He lived with his parents and three older brothers at 5 Broomhill on the outskirts of Wombwell. After enlisting in the army, Harry served as a gunner with the the Royal Field Artillery in Belgium. He was killed in action only a few weeks before the Third Battle of Ypres was to begin. It is possibly Harry died when a convey he was traveling with came under fire in the early hours of  14th July 1917. He was buried in Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery, Belgium. This particular graveyard was opened in anticipation of  the allied losses that would no doubt occur in the upcoming offensive planned for July 1917. This action would later become known as the Battle of Passchendaele or the Third battle of Ypres.

Grave:
Vlamertinge New Military Cemetery, Plot I. G. 8., Belgium.

Memorial:
Wombwell war memorial, St. Mary's Church, Park Street, Wombwell Barnsley, S73

Sources_________________
Cwgc.org - Casualty details for H. Allen
1911 Census
Register of soldiers' effects for H. Allen
Soldiers that died in the Great War

Lce-Cpl Arthur Almond, 16017. K.O.Y.L.I 9th Bn.

Arthur Almond

Service Details:
Lce-Cpl Arthur Almond, 16017. King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry 9th Bn.
Fell in Action 1st July 1916, Age 24.

Bio:
Arthur was born in 1893 to Hannah Matilda and George Almond, a wagon builder. At 18 years old Arthur was employed by a local glass works, however by the time he enlisted he was working on the Great Central Railway. In September 1916 Arthur was officially reported missing since 1st July 1916. He was later confirmed to have been killed in action on the first day of The Battle of The Somme. At the time of his death he was unmarried and lived with his parents at Heelis Street, Barnsley.

Grave:
No known grave.

Memorials:
- Thiepval memorial, Pier and Face 11 C  and 12 A.    France
- Wombwell War memorial, Park Street,
- Light Lines Somme Memorial Barnsley.

Arthur Almond - Top row, second from left.
Barnsley Somme Memorial by Musson & Rettalick.

Source___________________________________________
Cwgc.org - Service details for A. Almond
1911 Census
Soldiers that died in the Great War
Register of soldier's effects for A. Almond
Barnsley Chronicle

Private Samuel Pittam, 7095, Northamptonshire Regiment 2nd Bn.

Swinton & Mexborough Times 2nd Jan. 1915
Image with thanks to the Barnsley Archives.

Service Details:
Private Samuel Pittam, 7095, Northamptonshire Regiment 2nd Bn.
Killed in action 9th May 1915.

Bio:
Coming soon!

Grave:
AUBERS RIDGE BRITISH CEMETERY, AUBERS, plot III. B. 10. France.

Memorials:
Wombwell war memorial, Park Street, Wombwell, Barnsley

Links:
cwgc.org - Service details
LotFWW - Life story
Ancestry - Soldiers who died in the Great War

Serjeant Albert Ryman M.M, 7419, Lincolnshire Regiment 1st Bn.

Mexborough & Swinton Times 2nd Jan. 1915
Image with thanks to the Barnsley Archives

Service Details:
Serjeant Albert Ryman M M, 7419, Lincolnshire Regiment 1st Bn.
Died of wounds 2nd July 1916, Age 27.

Bio:
Coming Soon!

Grave:
MERICOURT-L'ABBE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION. Plot I. D. 19., France.

Memorials:
Wombwell war memorial, St. Mary's Church, Park Street, Wombwell.

Links:
cwgc.org - Service details
LotFWW - Life Story

Ancestry Links:
Soldiers that died in the Great War.

Signaller Harold Skinner, R/16952, King's Royal Rifle Corps 2nd Bn.

Photograph from De Ruvigny's Roll of Honor

Service Details:
Rifleman Harold Skinner, R/16952, King's Royal Rifle Corps 2nd Bn.
Died 10th April 1917, Age 21.

Biography:
Harold Skinner was born in Wombwell on 10th April 1896. He lived with his parent's John Green and Annice Skinner at 165 Barnsley Road. As a child Harold attended Barnsley Road Council School and was a member of the Church Lads' Brigade. After completing his education Harold went on to work at Cortonwood Colliery. Harold enlisted at Sheffield on 16th November 1915 and began training at Seaford Camp, East Sussex. From July 1916 onward he served as a Signaller and Rifleman with the 2nd Battalion,  King's Royal Rifle Corp in France and Flanders. In March 1917, during action at Walincourt, Harold was hit by gun fire while transferring equipment from one dugout to another. It was later reported in the Barnsley Chronicle that he had had to have his right leg amputated below the knee. Despite this operation Harold's injuries were too severe. He succumbed to his wounds, dying on what would have been his 21st birthday in the base hospital at Carmiers. He was interred in Etaples Military Cemetery the following day.

Cortonwood colliery WW1 memorial

Harold is remembered on the grave of his parents which is located in Wombwell Cemetery. He is also commemorated on several local cenotaphs including the memorial to the miners of Cortonwood Colliery who served in WW1 and on the St. Mary's Church War Memorial at Wombwell.

The headstone in Wombwell cemetery which commemorates Harold Skinner.

Grave:
Etaples military cemetery

Links:
cwgc.org - Service details
LotFWW - Life Story

Ancestry Links:
Soldiers who died in the Great War
Register of soldiers effects.
De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour

Able Seaman Ezra Major Hitchen, KW/45, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Anson Bn. R.N. Div

E M Hitchen -  Barnsley Chronicle 19th May 1917
Image with thanks to the Barnsley archives

Service Details:

Able Seaman Ezra Major Hitchen, KW/45, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Anson Bn. R.N. Div
Died 28th April 917, Age 27.

Biography
Ezra was born on February 16th 1890 at Monk Bretton to George and Sarah Jane Hitchen. Prior to the outbreak of WW1 Ezra lived with his grandparents William and Louisa Dinsdale at Old Road, Smithies. According to the 1911 census he was employed as a laborer on the colliery surface.

Able Seaman Ezra Major Hitchen was killed in action on 28th April 1917 while serving with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserves, Anson Bn, R.N Div. He died aged 27. In a letter written to Ezra's mother, his army Chaplain describes how he fell during the battalion's last advance:
" [he] was killed in our in our last advance by a high explosive shell while he was working his Lewis gun. In spite of the fact that we were under heavy fire, he stuck to his gun to the last, fighting bravely."

In another letter, subsequently printed in the Barnsley Chronicle on May 12th 1917, Ezra's commanding officer Sub-Lieut Fraser described the brave seaman as:
"obedient and dutiful"  he then went on say "and his death was at a time was at at time when he was following me without fear or flinching in the stern pursuit of duty."

Family headstone in Wombwell cemetery

Despite the chaplain's letter stating Ezra was to be interred with a cross to mark the grave. The CWGC.org does not give an official grave site but instead lists him as being remembered on the Arras memorial (meaning he has no known grave.). Ezra is also commemorated on the war memorial by St. Mary's Church, Wombwell and on his parents grave in Wombwell cemetery.

"His King and country called him,

The call was not in vain;

On Britain's roll of honour,

You'll find our loved one's name."

- Taken From Ezra's Obituary in the Barnsley Chronicle.

Grave Location:

No known grave.

Memorials:
Arras memorial
Wombwell War Memorial, St. Mary's Church, Wombwell, Barnsley, S73

Links:
cwgc.org - Sevice details
LotFWW - Life Story

Ancestry Links:

Second Lieutenant Alfred Edward Flaxman

Alfred Edward Flaxman
Photograph from the Hexham Courant 10th Jan 2011

Biography:

It could be said that Alfred Ernest Flaxman was one of Wombwell's most accomplished soldiers, but it could also be said he is it's most forgotten. Despite being a talented musician, an athletics champion and 1908 London Olympian, he is largely forgotten in the town of his birth. Remembered only on the crumbling grave of his parents' in Wombwell cemetery.

Alfred was born in Wombwell on 1st October 1879. He was baptised on 28th November 1879. Alfred's mother was named Harriet Jecks Flaxman. Though Alfred was to have little memory of her as she died before his second birthday. Her death came in the Autumn of 1880, shortly after the birth of Alfred's younger brother and only sibling Samuel Christopher Reeve Flaxman. Alfred's father was born in 1850 at Great Ryhburgh, Norfolk. He was became rector of St Mary's Church, Wombwell in the 1870s. The family lived at 10 Summer Lane (The Rectory) along with  three servants. One of whom, Mary Crookson would remain with Alfred's father until his death. The site of the Rectory is on what is now Summer Lane Car park.

By 1901 the family were no longer living in Wombwell. Alfred's father had taken a new position as rector in Grundisburgh, Suffolk. His sons were away pursuing their respective careers. Alfred in athletics and Samuel in medicine. Both men would eventually settle in London. It seems the only tie to Wombwell that remained was their mother's grave. In 1911 Alfred was studying music in Marylebone, London While his father had retired to Bournemouth to live with his sister-in-law, (Alfred's Aunt Elizabeth Reeve.)

Alfred Edward Flaxman is remembered on his
Parent's grave in Wombwell cemetery.

During WWI Alfred Flaxman served as Second Lieutenant with the 1/6th South Staffordshire regiment. He was commissioned on 18th June 1915. Once he arrived in France he was given command of battalion of bombers, where his athletic abilities and body building skills were put to good use. Once during a training exercise at the Bull Ring in Etaples, he managed to throw a grenade a full 75 yards. He was chosen to lead a battalion of bombers at the Somme. Unable to find away through their intended path his group got caught between the wires. They were shot down by enemy fire while exposed in the open. Alfred was killed in action on 1st July 1916, aged 36. His brother Captain Samuel Flaxman, who was serving with the 1/2nd North Midland Field Ambulance searched for Alfred's body without success. His remains were never recovered and subsequently he is remembered on the Thiepval memorial, along with the other missing of the Somme.

His superior LT Col F A M Webster described A E Flaxman as:

  "A simple gentleman, the best of sportsmen and a very gallant soldier"

Service Details:

Second Lieutenant Alfred Edward Flaxman, South Staffordshire Regiment 1st/6th Bn. Killed in action July 1st 1916, Age 36.

Grave:
Body was not recovered Alfred is remembered at Thiepval and on his parent's grave in Wombwell cemetery.

Bibliography:

A Lack of Offensive Spirit?:
The 46th (North Midland) Division at Gommecourt, 1st July 1916
By Alan MacDonald

Links:

British Olympians - Alfred Flaxman

cwgc.org Page

The Great War Forum - 46th Division Officers

Wikipedia Entry

Lives of the First World War entry