Four Littleborough soldiers who died in November 1915 remember 100 years after their deaths

LCpl Arthur Richards

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During November 1915, four Littleborough soldiers died.

Private Norman Clifford Brierley, born in Rochdale in 1897, was living with his parents at 107 Bury Road. By 1911 the family had moved to Stubley Mill, Littleborough. Norman was a drummer in Littleborough Scout Group and was associated with the Littleborough United Methodist Free Church.

He enlisted in Rochdale early on in the war and having finished training, he embarked for the Dardanelles.

At the age of 18, Private 8909 Normal Clifford Brierley, enlisted in the 1/6th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers and was killed in action in the Dardanelles on Wednesday 10 November 1915. He is buried in grave number VII F13, Twelve Tree Copse Cemetery, Turkey. His name is remembered on St Andrew’s Memorial Card and their war memorial, as well as Littleborough Cenotaph.

Private William Hawkhard Sutcliffe was born in Littleborough in 1888. In 1891 he was living with his family at 7 Higher Calderbrook. By 1911 the family had moved to 33 Calderbrook Road where William, his father and his brother were Cotton Weavers. Prior to enlisting, he was employed as a Weaver at Shore Mills and was actively connected with St James’ Church as a Sunday school teacher, former scholar of the school and member of the church dramatic society.

Private Sutcliffe enlisted in Rochdale on 7 May 1915 and had been at the Dardanelles since the middle of September 1915. On Saturday 11 December, Mr and Mrs Sutcliffe received information from the records office that their son, 27-year-old Private 10890 William H Sutcliffe, 1/6th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers had died in hospital in Mudros on the Greek island of Lemnos (Limnos) on 14 November 1915. He died from a gunshot wound that he received on 10 November 1915.

His name is inscribed on Shore Mill, St Barnabas War Memorial, St James’ (Calderbrook) Church Roll of Honour and war memorial and the Littleborough Cenotaph, as well as on his parents’ grave in St James’ Church. He is buried in grave number H25, Lancashire Landing Cemetery in Turkey.

Lance Corporal Arthur Richards was born in Littleborough in 1891 and at the time of the census, he was living at 2 Wellington Street. In 1901 the family had moved to 27 Church Street, Littleborough. He was a member of Littleborough Parish Church and a member of the committee of Littleborough Conservative Club.

Lance Corporal Richards enlisted in Manchester in October 1914 and embarked for France on 16 July 1915. On Tuesday 16 November 1915, 25-year-old Lance Corporal 14979 Arthur Richards, 7th Battalion Kings Own Royal Lancaster was killed in the front line trenches in France. Lance Corporal Richards was the NCO in charge of a machine gun and whilst cleaning the gun, he was reportedly shot by a German sniper due to a break in the parapets and was killed instantly by a rifle bullet.

He was buried on the 18 November 1915 in a cemetery not far behind the front line trenches in grave number IIE1, Brown Road Military Cemetery, Festubert, Pas de Calais, France. His name is on Littleborough Conservative Club War Memorial, the Oddfellows, Lodge 3397, Roll of Honour – Voluntary Section, the Holy Trinity War Memorial and Littleborough Cenotaph.

Private Ernest Holland was born in Halifax in 1890. Prior to enlisting in Halifax in 1915, he was employed at Durn Foundry, Durn Bridge and lived at 5 Back Ealees Road, Ealees.

Mrs Holland was officially informed that her husband, 24-year-old Private 17409 Ernest Holland, 10th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s had been killed in action in France on Saturday 20 November 1915.

Private Holland is buried in grave number A12X Farm Cemetery, La Chapelle-D’Armentiers, Nord, France. A special memorial service for Private Holland and Lance Corporal Richards was held at Littleborough Parish Church on Sunday 5 December.