Ezra STEPHENSON

17 September 1915

SHRAPNEL IN THE SHOULDER – Another Bentham Man Wounded

Private Ezra Stephenson, of the 1st 7th Duke of Wellington’s, was wounded at the Dardanelles on the 21st August last in the right shoulder and arm by shrapnel. Private Stephenson joined the Duke of Wellington’s at Skipton in October last and was picked to go to the Front at the end of June last. He is at present on a hospital ship in the Mediterranean. The bullets have been extracted and he in progressing favourably. Before joining the forces he worked at the works of Messrs. George Angus, hosepipe manufacturer. He has a brother, John Stephenson, who is on board H.M.S. Roxburgh, which was recently torpedoed in the North Sea. He was able to reach port. The wounded man is the youngest son of the late John Stephenson, joiner, of Burton.

20 April 1917

STEPHENSON – Missing since September 1916, now presumed killed, Pte. Ezra Stephenson, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, formerly of High Bentham, and a native of Burton-in-Lonsdale.

20 April 1917

HIGHER BENTHAM – WAR CASUALTIES

The name of Private Ezra Stephenson, of the Duke of Wellington’s, was in the casualty list issued on Tuesday. He had been missing since September last, and is now placed in the list of killed. He was employed at Messrs. Ford and Ayrton’s Silk Mill, and was well known at High Bentham, where he resided. He was amongst the first to join up, and was born at Burton-in-Lonsdale.

18 May 1917

HIGHER BENTHAM – PRIVATE EZRA STEPHENSON

We reproduce a photograph of Private Ezra Stephenson, of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, who, as reported in our issue on April 20th, was officially reported killed on April 17th after being classed as missing since last September. Pte. Stephenson, who was a native of Burton-in-Lonsdale, was employed before the war by Messrs. Ford and Ayrton at the Silk Mill, and was well known at Higher Bentham, where he resided. He was among the first batch to join up.

16 November 1917

HIGHER BENTHAM – MEMORIAL SERVICE

The second memorial service for soldiers killed at the Front was held at St. Margaret’s Church on Sunday afternoon. The sacred edifice was well filled by parishioners of every shade of religious and political opinions. The Vicar (the Rev. G. H. C. Bartley) officiated, and the service was choral, commencing with the opening sentences of the burial service, chanted, as a processional with the Union Jack was carried in front, draped with violet. Between the lessons the choir gave the anthem, ‘I heard a voice from Heaven’ very beautifully, and the Vicar read out the names of the fifteen heroes who have laid down their lives from the parish, as well as the three who are missing, and supposed killed, as follows:– Captain D. Morrison; Private Ed. Magoolaghan; Lance Corporal Joe Jackson; Captain S. C. Bartley (the Vicar’s brother); Corporal E. Leeming; Private Tom Wilcock; Captain G. G. Eccles; Private Ezra Stevenson; Private Len Nelson; Captain Pollard; Private Percy Whitfield (N.Z.); Corporal Wm. Robinson; Corporal Harry Smith; Corporal R. Clarke (missing); Private Lancelot Dowbiggin; Private Ed. Briscoe; Private Edwin Smith.

As the names were read out many tears were shed at the memory of the loved ones ‘Gone West’. Then followed an excellent sermon by the Vicar from the words ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend’, at the conclusion of which Miss V. Stubbs played the ‘Dead March’ whilst the congregation remained standing. The recessional hymn was ‘For all the Saints’, and at the close the organist played ‘I know that my Redeemer liveth’ as a voluntary. The entire service was of a very impressive character.