Who Remembers Them Now

Who Remembers Them Now?...

Todays 'Tale' is the first in a series of 'Tales' about those men from my local area, around Middlesbrough and East Cleveland who have passed out of 'living' memory. Seeing the commemoration of DDay 80th in July this year, started me wondering about the remmebering of those who have passed out of living memory from 110 years ago.

On the 4th of August 1914, war was declared on Germany and so began 'The Great War'...

110 years on and the only reminders we have of that generation, my 'Grandfathers' Edwardian generation are the Memorials to the fallen in France and Flanders and the War Memorials in various quiet cemetary's and Churchyards sprinkled around the Cleveland area. I thought it would be fitting therefore to ask the question, 'Who Remembers Them Now?'

we see here, the War Memorial in the ancient market town of Guisborough, in Yorkshire, England, next to the parish church of St Nicholas. Just a short distance away is the local cemetery, in which lay the final resting places of a number of men, well boys really, who died in local hospitals as a result of wounds and sickness caused by the Great War...

200933 Private Richard Watson,

4th Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, wounded most likely as the war ended on the 11th November 1918. He was repatriated to England for treatment of his wounds in a local hospital but sadly died, without knowing that he was amongst the last men to see the war...

T3/027064, Private Ward H W, Army Service Corps.

Harry Ward was injured in France and then repatriated to England. Sadly he died of his wounds in the Military Hospital in Aldershot, his body returned to Guisborough for burial in the towns cemetery...RIP young man 20 years of age he gave his 'Tomorrows for Our Todays'

T3/027064, Private Ward H W, Army Service Corps.

In 1911 Harry was 15 and still at school, living with his parents at 4 Cliffe Street, Brotton. His Father was a banksman so was responsible for coupling tubs together before they were lifted out of the mine, most likely at the Kilton Ironstone Mine, near Brotton...

Harry Ward was injured in France and then repatriated to England for treatment. Sadly he died of his wounds in the Military Hospital in Aldershot. His body was returned to Guisborough for burial in the towns cemetery...RIP young man, at 20 years of age he gave his 'Tomorrows for Our Todays'

26221 Scott R.

Robert Scott, according to his Medal Card above left was a soldier of the 2/4th Yorks and Lancaster Regiment, a Territorial Battalion which was formed in Sheffield in September of 1914. The Battalion went to France on the 19th January 1917.

In December of 1917, the UK workforce was recruiting so drastically, that industry began to slow dwn. This forced the War Office to recall men, who were previously working in industries vital to Munitions Production. Robert Scott being an Ironstone Miner, was recalled back to his civilian job at Park Pit in Guisborough, which at the time was owned by Bell Brothers as you can see right.

Unfortunately, it seems that he was taken ill whilst at work and was sent home. His Military Records from the National Archives contain a letter from the local Pensions committee. Reading this letter and others he was sent to a Medical Board at Northallerton because the local Tees Military Hospital wouldn't take him as he was a Class W Discharged soldier, even though his ulcer had burst and he had for some days been vomiting blood. He travelled to Northallerton by train!! and was seen by the Board who immediately sent him to Stokesley Red Cross Hospital. He died due to this medical condition, made worse by War Service in France and died in 1920. After much persuasion his wife was given a War Widows Pension but not before she had to write to various Depts. in the War Office. Bureaucracy! Some things it seems never change...

243533 Private Rispin J H

Harry Rispin, according to his Commonwealth War Graves Commission record, he was called up to the 3/5th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment, later to become the 4th Training Battalion Northumbrian Division. He was Posted to Redcar in 1916 and then to Hull in 1917, he was finally working on 'Coastal Defences' at Hornsea near Bridlington, Yorkshire. There are no references to how he died but unfortunately it was either sickness or accident. His widow was also denied a Pension because he had served at Home!!...

7414 William Forster, Durham Light Infantry

200933, Robert Watson 4th Bn. Yorkshire Regiment

20040 George Hurn Yorkshire Regiment

There are 14 men who served in 'The Great War' that have CWGC grave markers in the oldest part of this fine cemetery here is a list of them:-

200933 Pvt. Richard Watson, 4th Bn. Yorkshire Regiment.

2nd Lieut. Arthur John Buchanan Richardson 4th Bn. Yorkshire Regiment.

131365 Pnr J Hughes Royal Engineers.

26221 Pvt. Robert Scott 16th York & Lancs.

37513 Pvt. Thomas Knaggs 3rd Reserve Bn. Yorkshire Regiment.

243533 Pvt John Rispin 3/5th Bn. Yorkshire Regiment.

37880 Pvt John William Muir 3rd Bn. Yorkshire Regiment.

200382 Pvt George Flanary 3rd/4th Bn. Yorkshire Regiment.

74414 Pvt William Forster 3rd Bn. Durham Light Infantry.

T3/027064 Dvr Harry William Ward Army Service Corps.

11489 Pvt Ernest Balls 10th Bn. Yorkshire Regiment.

There are 14 men who served in 'The Great War' that have CWGC grave markers in the oldest part of this fine cemetery in Guisborough, here is a list of them:-