Arthur GILL

14 July 1916

SKIPTON SOLDIERS WOUNDED

Private Arthur Gill, whose home is in Newmarket Street, is also in hospital in London. He has been at the front with the West Riding Regiment.

01 June 1917

GILL – May 22nd 1917, died from wounds received in action on the Western Front, Pte. Arthur Gill, West Riding Regiment, son of Mr. and Mrs. T. H. Gill, Newmarket Street, Skipton, aged 20 years.

01 June 1917

SKIPTON SOLDIER REPORTED DEAD

We regret to state that news has been received from an unofficial source that Private Arthur Gill, West Riding Regiment, son of Mr. and Mrs. T.H. Gill, Newmarket Street, Skipton, has died from wounds received on the Western Front. The sad news is contained in a letter written to his wife by a Skipton stretcher-bearer of the West Riding Regiment named Pte. J.W. Atkinson, whose home is in Nelson Street. Pte. Atkinson says:– “Private Gill was seriously wounded and died almost immediately.”

Twenty years of age, Private Gill enlisted in December 1914, and went out to France in May the following year. He had been wounded twice previously in the left leg on the 1st July 1916, and in the left leg and right arm on the 1st January following. In civil life he was a butcher in the employ of the Skipton Co-operative Society, and was connected with the Skipton Baptist Church and a member of the local Liberal Club.

Since the above was written, Mr. Gill has received a letter from Pte. J.W. Atkinson, in which the latter says:– “You will no doubt have heard all about the death of your loving son Arthur, as I wrote to my wife and mother asking them to let you know. Well, the Germans gave us a terrible bombardment on the 22nd inst. I am sorry to say Arthur was in a dugout which they knocked in with a shell, and he was very badly wounded and died nearly right away. It is with deepest sympathy that I am writing this letter, but I thought it my duty to let you know as early as possible. He was very well respected by all, and we have lost a good soldier, but he died like a hero, doing his duty to the last. I hope our Heavenly Father will be a comfort to you in this awful hour of trial and trouble.”

Pte. W. Boodle, West Riding Regiment, has also written to the bereaved parents as follows:– “I am sorry to tell you that your son was killed on May 22nd, about 2-50 a.m. He had just got into a dugout to have a sleep after being on patrol all night, and he had not been in it an hour when the Germans opened a very heavy bombardment upon us. The first shell knocked the dugout in and buried five of us. We got out all right, but suddenly found that your boy was still under, being covered with the remains of the dugout. I at once started to dig him out, and after working for an hour succeeded. I then got him on to a stretcher and saw him out of shellfire, as I was for hospital myself. His last wish as we parted was that I should write to you. We have been chums ever since we came to the Battalion, and I shall miss him very much. I can quite understand your feelings at the sad news which this letter brings you, and if ever I have the good luck to get over again I will come and see you and explain how it happened, as I live in Leeds myself.”

01 June 1917

THE LATE PRIVATE ARTHUR GILL, SKIPTON

Official news of the death of Private Arthur Gill, West Riding Regiment, son of Mr. T.H. Gill, Newmarket Street, Skipton, reference to which is made on Page 2 of this issue, was received on Thursday morning. The bereaved parents have also received further letters of sympathy from Lieut. Milligan and Sergeant Dolding, both of whom also testify in warm terms to deceased’s attractive personality and good character. The former says that Pte. Gill was a great favourite amongst his fellows.

“His cheery spirit,” he adds “made him popular wherever he went, and he was one of the men on whom I could always depend. Some months ago I chose him as my ‘runner’, that is my constant attendant, in action, and it was his lot to be by my side during many a lonely watch and in many an exciting hour. He received his unfortunate wound whilst resting. Only a few hours before his death, during a very heavy bombardment, we both escaped miraculously from a shell which burst within a few feet of us. And so, having myself realised his worth, I can in some small way realise how great is your loss. Please convey to his mother my deep sympathy, and be assured that I hope and pray that you all may have strength to bear your great loss, and to feel the pride of having sacrificed so much for the great cause.”

The letter from Sergeant Dolding is as follows:– “I am writing to let you know how sorry the lads and myself are at having lost your son, Arthur. He was loved by everyone in the platoon, and he died doing his duty. He was always cheerful and had a good word for everybody. He never gave me an anxious moment, and as his platoon sergeant, I can speak as I found him. I know it seems very hard for so young a boy to be cut off, but I believe he will receive a just reward for the good life he lived. I hope you will accept our deepest sympathy. He was a good boy.”

30 November 1917

SKIPTON BAPTISTS’ MEMORIAL TO SOLDIERS

On Tuesday afternoon a three days’ sale of work was commenced in the Baptist School, Otley Street, Skipton, in aid of the Soldiers’ Memorial Extension Fund, by means of which it is intended to extend the premises in memory of the young men associated with the place who have paid the supreme sacrifice in the war. Seventy young men belonging to the church and school are at present serving with the Colours, of whom two, H. Maudsley (deacon and Sunday School superintendent) and H. Birch have been missing since May 3rd and August 17th respectively, while the following have given their lives in the great cause:– S. Bishop, J. McIntyre, J. Duckworth, G.A. Wilson, H. Greenwood, D. Collins, B. Peel (Sunday School secretary), H. Scott, A. Bruce, J. Metcalfe, A. Gill, W. Barraclough, E. Platt and W. Ireland…

24 May 1918

GILL – In loving memory of a dear son and brother, Private A. Gill, who was killed in action May 22nd, 1917.

“Peace, perfect Peace.”

From his Father, Mother, Sister and Brother.

23 May 1919

GILL – In loving memory of a dear son and brother, Private A. Gill, who was killed in action May 22nd, 1917.

“To memory ever dear.”

From Father, Mother, Brother and Sister, 23 Newmarket Street, Skipton.