Littleborough soldiers who fell in April 1917 (but not in the Battle of Arras)

Private Charles E Strawson (Ernest Spinks)

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Private Charles E Strawson (Ernest Spinks)

In 1911 Manchester born, 1895, Ernest Spinks, a bleaching labourer, was living with his family at 25 Frederick Street, Whitelees Road, Littleborough.

Prior to enlisting in Rochdale in February 1915 he was employed by the Littleborough Dyeing Company in Calderbrook.

Ernest is likely to have enlisted under the assumed name of Strawson and was a signaller.

He had been in France since late 1915/early 1916 but on Sunday 1 April 1917 22-year-old Private 15723 Charles Ernest Strawson, 8th Battalion Devonshire Regiment died of wounds in France and is buried in Grave Number VIII. A. 179 in the Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, France.

His name is inscribed on Littleborough Cenotaph and Littleborough Central School War Memoria.

By then his father, Thomas Spinks was living at 2 The Croft, Longclough, Littleborough. His family included sentiments in the Roll of Honour of the Rochdale Observer for 7 April 1917.

Corporal Ben Osbert Whitham

Ben was born in Hebden Bridge in 1893 but by 1911 the family had moved to 9 Central Avenue, Littleborough with Ben being an apprentice Clogger.

He enlisted in Rochdale being wounded in September 1915. Official information was received weekending 21 April 1917 that 23-year-old Corporal R/6866 Ben Osbert Whitham, 11th Bn Kings Royal Rifle Corps had been killed in action on Wednesday 4 April 1917 and is buried in Grave No III F 9, Metz-En-Couture Communal Cemetery British Extension, France.

His name is on Holy Trinity and St Barnabas War Memorials and also on the Littleborough Cenotaph.

The Rochdale Observer for 6 April 1918 included sentiments from his family who now lived at 50 Featherstall Road, Littleborough.

The Rochdale Observer for 5 May 1917 reported on a Memorial Service held on Sunday Morning for L/Cpl Ben Witham in Littleborough Church. The “Dead March” was played to the fairly large congregation.

Private Herbert Ratcliffe

Herbert was born in Norden in 1891 and 1911 Herbert lived his with aunt and uncle and family at 175 Whitelees Road, Littleborough.

Herbert worked as an operative in the warehouse.

The Rochdale Observer for 28 March 1914 includes a story about a Herbert Ratcliffe, a flannelette raiser who got a black and white collie dog. He then received a visit from PC Barton the following morning and as he hadn’t a licence he ended up in court. Explaining he had been working late and had obtained the licence the very next day, his case was dismissed. His address was quoted as 86 William Street.

Prior to enlisting in Rochdale on February 28 1916, he lived with his sister at 2 Fletchers Square off Bare Hill and was employed at Messrs Kershaw Bros. Sladen Mill and was associated with Stubley Primitive Methodist Chapel where he was the secretary.

Private Ratcliffe was wounded on the 3 October 1916 returning to the trenches in France on 28 February 1917.

It was officially confirmed in May 1917 that 25-year-old Private 204461 Herbert Ratcliffe, “B” Coy 3rd/5th Bn Lancashire Fusiliers had been killed in action on May 16 April 1917 whilst in the trenches at Givenchy.

He is buried in Grave Number VI D 23 Bethune Town Cemetery, France and remembered on the Cenotaph in Littleborough.

During the week ending 16 June 1917 a special service was held at Stubley Primitive Methodist Chapel in memory of Privates Ratcliffe and Yeoman.

Private Frank Greenwood

Frank was born in Littleborough in June 1893 but by 1911 he was living at 21 Brookland Street, Castleton, Rochdale with his brother James and family.

He was a stripper and grinder at the Barchant Spinning Co Mill. He attended St Mary’s Church, Balderstone and played football for the Lowerplace United Methodist Church Club.

He enlisted into the Royal Regiment of Artillery, RFA at Manchester on 4 July 1914 but was discharged on payment of £10.

Two months later he enlisted in Rochdale but this time into the 10th Bn Devonshire Regiment. He went to France before going to Salonika.

Private 13306 Frank Greenwood, 10th Bn, Devonshire Regiment was killed in action in Salonika on Tuesday 24 April 1917, his memory commemorated by the Doiran Memorial, Greece.

The Roll of Honour in the Rochdale Observer for 26 May 1917 includes sentiments from Edgar and Alice.

Private James Albert Woodhead

Private Woodhead was born in Bradford in 1888 and at the time of the 1901 census he was living with his parents Albert and Emma and his six brothers at 8 Bakes Street, Bradford. He was employed as a woollen spinner.

By 1911 he was boarding with his foster parents Horace, 37, a layer in flannelette and Emily Alice, 31 and James was as employed as a labourer in pottery.

Mr and Mrs Travis later moved to 20 Gate House, Blackstone Edge Old Road.

He was employed at Messrs Kershaw's Sladen Mill and was associated with Holy Trinity Church.

He enlisted in Rochdale November 1915 in the Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Regiment, (Regimental Number 13032) but he was transferred to the 116th Coy Machine Gun Co before being posted to France in May 1916.

29-year-old Private 14725 James Albert Woodhead was severely wounded in Belgium on Thursday 24 April 1917 and subsequently died of these wounds three days later on Sunday 27 April 1917 and is buried Grave Number II C 3 Mendinghem Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

Private Woodhead is remembered on the Holy Trinity War Memorial and Littleborough Cenotaph.

Private Woodhead had a brother (not living locally) who was killed September 1916 and also three other brothers serving in the army.

The Rochdale Observer of 16 May 1917 reported that a special service for LCpl Eastham, Ptes J A Woodhead and H Holmes was held at Holy Trinity Church on Sunday and that special hymns and the “Dead March” was played and that there was a large congregation.

His family at 20 Gatehouse inserted a sentiment in his memory in the Rochdale Observer in May 1920.

Corporal Fred Wood

Born around 1895 in Littleborough, in 1901 he was living with his parents George, 41, and Margaret, 43, and his elder sister Alice, 21 a cotton weaver, and brother Benjamin, 19 a velvet finisher, at 4 – 6 Calderbrook Road. His father was a boot and shoe maker.

The 1911 Census shows him living with his widowed mother (of three years) and a boarder at 42 Calderbrook Road. At that time, Fred was a dyehouse labourer.

He later enlisted in Rochdale and in May 1915 the Rochdale Observer reported him as being wounded.

At some stage his mother moved to 133 Whitelees Road.

22-year-old Corporal 5790 Fred Wood, “A” Company, 13th Bn, Manchester Regiment died of wounds on Wednesday 25 April 1917 received whilst serving with the British Salonika Forces (reported in the Rochdale Observer of 29 September 1917).

At 8:45pm on the 24 April 1917 and after a heavy allied artillery bombardment, A, B and D companies. (C compnay in reserve) of the 13th Bn Manchester Regiment left their trenches to take their part in an attack on the very strong 3,000 yard enemy held Bulgar Line. Three companies when they reached the enemy wire were met with rifle fire but sustained light casualties.

B company in the centre with D company to their right captured their objectives with little opposition. A company on the left captured and occupied Sangars on the Krastali-Doldzeli trench finding little opposition.

During the night, the positions came under enemy artillery fire, the following day, 25 April, the 13th Bn Underwent three counter-attacks (morning, afternoon and late in the day) which were driven off by machine-gun and rifle fire, enemy aeroplanes were active and shelling by enemy field guns and howitzers was frequent, the Bn consolidated positions throughout the night but the work hindered by continuous artillery fire.

On the 26th the enemy again counter-attacked but with no success, the following day was wet and miserable, the Bns positions heavy shelled, during the evening the Bn was relieved by the 9th East Lancashire Regiment.

During the three-day engagement, the Bn casualties were two officers killed, of the other ranks, 35 killed, 225 wounded and two missing (Cpl Wood was possibly wounded and died the next day in the same action in which Private Greenwood lost his life).

His memory, like Private Greenwood's, is commemorated by the Dorian Memorial, Greece.

Cpl Fred Wood is also commemorated on the Holy Trinity War Memorial, Littleborough Central School Roll of Honour now located in the History Centre and the Littleborough Cenotaph.

Private James Howarth

Born in Littleborough in 1886 James Howarth, 4th Bn, Lancashire Fusiliers enlisted in the forces in Rochdale in May 1916.

After serving in France for four months he was invalided to a hospital in England on account of illness. He was discharged from hospital in March 1917 as being fit for duty and he returned to his regiment.

Six weeks later on Tuesday 24 April 1917, 31-year-old Private 28745 Howarth, died in a camp in Wales the result of either an illness or accident in training, (the 4th Bn was a training unit stationed Barry Docks, Glamorganshire 1916 until February 1919).

His body was brought home on Thursday 26 April 1917 and on May afternoon of 30 April 1917, he was buried in St Andrew’s Churchyard with military honours, the Rev. G R Oakley conducting the service.

At the funeral, there was a firing party from Bury Barracks and the 'Last Post' was sounded by a bugler. A wreath was received "With Deepest Sympathy from Officers, W.Os, N.C.Os and men of Company Z. 3rd Bn, Lancashire Fusiliers.

On his grave is a plain Commonwealth Graves Commission headstone inscribed with his number, rank, name, regiment and date of his death.

He left a widow and four children living at 7 Exchange Court. His name is recorded on St Andrew’s Memorial Card. Details were included within the St Andrew’s Parish newsletter for June 1917.

Private Edward Clarke

Edmund was born in Burnley in 1896 and in 1901 he was living with his parents George, a wire mattress manufacturer, and Sarah Ann and family at 2 Ince Court, Burnley.

The 1911 Census records Edward Clarke lodging at the Jockey Tavern in Cornholme, Todmorden.

He enlisted in Halifax but on May 2 April 1917 Private Edward Clarke17591 (or 15791), 9th Batt. Devonshire Regiment was killed in action in France.

His name is inscribed on Bay 4 Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France, and on the Cenotaph in Littleborough.

Private Herbert Holmes

Herbert was born in Littleborough in 1889 2nd Qtr and in 1911 he was living with his parents William and Mary Jane at 5 Calderbrook Terrace.

His father was a Cotton Cloth Finisher in a Dye Works whilst Herbert worked as a Cotton Card Room Jobber. The family also had a lodger.

Private 242318 Herbert Holmes 2nd/6th Bn attd Light Trench Mortar Bn Lancashire Fusiliers (enlisted in Rochdale) was killed in action in France on Saturday 21 April 1917 whilst in the trenches at Festubert.

On Sunday night 13 May 1917, a special service was held in the Summit Ebenezer Congregational whilst on the morning of the same date a special service for LCpl Eastham, Ptes J A Woodhead and H Holmes was held at Littleborough Parish Church as reported by the Rochdale Observer of 16 May 1917.

Private Holmes name is inscribed on the War Memorial of the Ebenezer Chapel, Holy Trinity Church, Littleborough Central School Memorial (now in the History Centre) and also on Littleborough Cenotaph.

Private Holmes is buried in Gorre British and Indian Cemetery, France, Grave Number IV. A. 14. This is the same cemetery as Pte David Woodhead.

In the In Memoriam column of the Rochdale Observer 20 April 1918 included sentiments from his close family, uncle Jim (in France) and sweetheart Ada.