Arthur BLEAZARD

18 September 1914

BOLTON BY BOWLAND - Lord Kitchener's Army

With the object of helping on Mr. H.G. Tunstill's effort to raise a company of 100 men in the Settle Division of the West Riding to join Lord Kitchener's Army, a public meeting was held in the Schoolroom on Monday evening, and in spite of pouring rain there was a full schoolroom. Mr. J. Howorth Massey presided, and was supported by Mr. C.B.E. Wright, Canon Wilson, Mr. A.C. Milne-Redhead, and others. Interesting speeches were made, and many patriotic songs heartily sung, after which Mr. Tunstill appealed for support towards his object. There was a slow response at the beginning, but subsequently the following 14 gave in their names:-Messrs. James Coates, Robt. Singleton, Victor Grubb, Richard Howell, Irvine Clark, R.D. Ellison, Joseph Syers, Geo. Bland, James Wilkinson, Edwin Brotherton, Harold Greenhalgh [Greenhow], James Kayley, Norman Carey, Jno. W. Parkinson. Messrs. H. Frankland and H. Geldard have promised to join Mr. M.N. Wright in the Yeomanry. Mr. H. Singleton has joined the R.A.M.C., and goes to the front at once. Messrs. A. Bleazeard, R. Bleazard, R. Killeen, and G. Marsh had joined the forces some days previously. Major Wilson is at the front, so Bolton-by-Bowland is to be congratulated on a contribution of 23 patriots. On Tuesday evening loud cheers were given as the recruits went out of the village in motor cars to pass the doctor.

10 September 1915

BOLTON-BY-BOWLAND - In the Roll of Honour

Information has reached the parents of Private Arthur Bleazard, who is reported by the War Office as "missing" since August 12th. He went out to the Dardanelles with the 8th Battalion Duke of Wellington's on July 2nd. - Private George Marsh, 4th East Lancs. is reported in hospital at Port Said, having been wounded in the hand whilst bomb throwing.

29 October 1915

BOLTON BY BOWLAND - NEWS OF PRIVATE BLEAZARD

Further information has been received from Lieut. Smith, of the 8th Duke of Wellington's, about Private Arthur Bleazard, of the above regiment, who was reported by the War Office as missing on August 12th.

Lieut. Smith states that Pte. Bleazard has not been seen since the morning of August 9th. As he was a sniper, it is quite probable that he was attempting, on that morning, to do some movement on his own initiative, was cut off from his regiment, and either taken prisoner or wounded and removed to a Turkish hospital. He was a very plucky and intelligent soldier and a most useful man, and his disappearance was a great loss to the Platoon.

14 January 1916

BOLTON-BY-BOWLAND - PRIVATE HAROLD CAREY KILLED

Quite a gloom was cast over the village of Bolton by Bowland when the sad news was received from the War Office by Mr. Alfred Carey, of the Copy Nook Hotel, that his son, Harold, was killed instantaneously on December 27th whilst in the trenches in France. Deceased joined the 'A' Company, 6th Duke of Wellington's, twelve months ago, and has been at the Front since the middle of June. Private Carey is, as far as known at present, the first in this parish whose life has been sacrificed for his King and Country, and his father and mother have the sympathy of all who know them.

They have received several letters from the Front, one from Lieutenant Stocks, who says:- "On behalf of the Officers, N.C.O.'s and men I wish to express to you our deepest sympathy in your great loss. Since your son joined us out here he has always shown plenty of pluck and fearlessness, and we are all sorry to lose him."

Pte. F. Clarke writes:- "Just a few lines to tell you of the death of your son Harold. He was my best friend out here. I was with him in the dug-out at the time of his death. We were having a sleep when the dug-out was hit by a German shell, a piece of which hit Harold and he drifted right away. All the boys feel it as if he was our own brother. He was a good soldier, and was liked by all his mates. We had our Christmas dinner together, and he was talking about bringing me to dinner after the war."

Pte. J. F. Core also writes:- "Just a line to let you know how deeply I sympathise with you in the death of your son Harold. Being a mate of mine all the time he was in training and in active service, I thought it was as little as I could to write a few lines to you. He was killed by a shell which came through the dug-out when he was in it. He was killed instantly and was a good soldier, always doing his duty, and was always ready to do a good turn for anybody and I can only say how deeply we all regret to lose such a good pal."

At the Parish Church on Sunday morning hymns which had been special favourites of the dead soldier were sung, and the Rector (the Rev. C. C. Brodhurst) in preaching on the subject of Christ's miracle of changing water into wine continued:- "And then there is the change from life unto death. To some, that change cools gradually but to some it comes suddenly as to Harold Carey, who died on the 27th in his country's service. His passing has brought, or ought to have brought, the war very near to every inhabitant of Bolton; for though some months ago Arthur Bleazard was reported missing, yet we hope, may we not hope in vain, that he may still be alive, though a prisoner; but Harold Carey is the first on our Bolton list to have given his life in fighting for his country, but in this we feel that he died without pain. We must be more determined than ever to do all that is in our power to carry this war to a righteous conclusion."

After the services, the Prayer of Commendation in the Burial Service was read, and afterwards Mr. Lambert played the Dead March in 'Saul.'

11 February 1916

BOLTON-BY-BOWLAND - A Soldier's Thanks

Corporal Harry Wilkinson, eldest son of Mr. Jas. Wilkinson, of the Coach and Horses Hotel, writes to Mr. Lambert dated January 10th from Egypt:- "Just a few lines thanking you and the Bolton War Committee for remembering me with another of their many kindnesses. I received your parcel yesterday, and I notice it has escaped going down with the mail steamer Persia. I am very sorry to say that thousands of parcels and letters for the troops went down with her. By the time you receive this, you will all know that the Gallipoli Expedition has been given up entirely, and to tell you the truth it does not go down very well with the troops; all the same, everybody seems glad to get off. Things are not working very smoothly in Egypt by any means. We hear that we are having relief in March, but we are not too hopeful of getting it, though we ought to stand a good chance, for we were in the first ship out from England on the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. I have still to meet the person out here that I know, and I have seen most of the Lancashire Regiments, and met some of the West Ridings, who belonged to the same battalion as the Bleazards, but they did not know them. I hope the Bolton lads are doing well and keeping safe in France. Taking things as a whole we had a decent time at Christmas and New Year, and had Turkey, ham and beer for our Christmas dinner. It needs all our resources to beat this formidable enemy, for we are up against a stiff obstacle. Everybody who has met the Turks gives them credit for being splendid fighters and clean with it."