Fred FISHER

11 September 1914

ADDINGHAM – A LOCAL COMPANY FORMED – Enthusiastic Scenes

A very enthusiastic and largely attended open-air meeting was held on Saturday evening, presided over by Mr. A.V. Mason, C.C., for the purpose of asking for men willing and able to give their services for the safety and well-being of their country.

Mr. Mason said:–“We are engaged in a life and death struggle with a strong and merciless foe. Thank God, we have a strong fleet, strong enough to protect our shores and keep open the source of our food supplies, but we need a larger army to crush the power of Germany. We want young men to join the Army, to fight for their country.” Married men could be perfectly sure that their wives and families will be well looked after. Messrs. Lister and Co. had offered to keep open the place of any man who volunteered and take him back at the same wages.

Captain Mercer, who gave a splendid address, reminded them that our army was suffering loss, and men were wanted to take their places. He had served his country 48 years; therefore he was entitled to stand aside for younger men. Yet when his country needed him he was ready to say “Here am I, take me.” If it had not been for our Navy where should we have been now? We should have been where the Belgians are to-day. If German troops were to land here what would they do? They would drive our women and children before them, just as they had done in Belgium. Savages would not treat their prisoners worse than the Germans had done. He believed all the German Army had been located except three corps, which he thought were in readiness to invade this country if by any chance the German Fleet were to be successful or we were to suffer any great damage through floating mines. He had every confidence in our Navy, although it had not been in battle for a great number of years. We wanted young men to rise as one man, to be ready to fight for their country’s sake. It was the men of the country who alone can fight their country’s battles. “Join the Army now and fight for your freedom” (applause).

Mr. F.H. Humphray, J.P., said 153 men had been sworn in and he hoped he would be busy that night and every night; he did not mind if he sat all night.

Captain T.H.S. Tee also spoke, exhorting the young men to join the Army and defend their country’s honour. He announced that the company would be called the Ilkley and Addingham Company, and as far as possible the men would be placed where they wished.

The Ilkley recruits sworn in marched to Addingham, accompanied by the Ilkley Brass Band, and all attended the meeting, after which hearty cheers were given as the men came up to join. Twenty-one recruits were sworn in on Saturday; several had been sworn in earlier at Ilkley and a few on Sunday and Monday. The following is a list of men from Addingham and Bolton Abbey who have gallantly joined the army:–

Addingham–Corporal Hy. Horsman, F. Burke, W. Hall, C. Moulding, H. Spencer, H. Leech [Leach], G. Thompson, J. Hargreaves, R. Townson, F. Hartley, A. Wade, H. Wade, G. Bailey, F. Chaplin, W.H. Young, J. Lister, J.W. Fisher, F. Fisher, W. Spenceley, W. Wroe, C. Fisher, H. Tunnicliffe, J. Kettlewell, W. Waggott [Waggitt].

Bolton Abbey–N. Nelson, C. Binns, J. Mitchell, G. Robinson, W. Nelson, E. Woolston, J.T. Roberts, A. Nelson.

On Monday the streets of the village reminded one of the now defunct Club Feast (which, singularly enough, would have been on that day), as they were crowded with people. All traffic was held up, the reason being that the Addingham contingent were lined up in readiness to fall in with the full company on their way to Halifax via Keighley. It was about 4.15 when the strains of ‘Off to Tipperary’ were heard in the distance, and very soon the company of recruits for Lord Kitchener’s Army came in sight. A halt was called for refreshments and to take up the Addingham men. It was very pleasing to see such a fine sample of manhood all enrolled in their country’s call. Ilkley Brass Band headed the company from Ilkley to the outskirts of the village.

12 May 1916

FISHER – May 5th, died of wounds received in action in France, Pte. F. Fisher, 9th West Ridings, and formerly of Addingham, aged 21 years.

12 May 1916

ADDINGHAM – DEATH OF PRIVATE FRED FISHER

We regret to announce the death of Pte. Fred Fisher on May 5th from wounds received in action in France. Mr. and Mrs. T. Fisher, of 20, Bolton Road, received a telegram on Friday last from the Infantry Record Office, York, informing them that their son, Pte. F. Fisher, of the 9th West Riding Regiment, had been seriously wounded by gunshot in the head and could not be visited. On Tuesday morning they received a letter from the Sister-in-Charge of Ward iv, No. 13 General Hospital, Boulogne, in which she said:– “I am very sorry to have to send you very sad news about your son, who is in Ward iv, 13. He is badly wounded and in a very critical condition. He is conscious and sends his love to you. Everything is being done for him that can possibly be done.”

By the same post official information came stating that he had died on May 5th in hospital from the effects of his wounds.

Pte. Fisher was only 21 years of age and joined Kitchener’s Army with the first batch of Addingham recruits in September 1914. Previous to the war he was employed at J. Frean & Sons, Bolton Abbey. He was a member of the Ilkley Rugby Football Team. He has two brothers in the Army – George, who was in the regular army, and Sergeant J. W. Fisher, who joined the same time as Fred. A younger brother has just gone into training. Pte. Leach, who was killed recently, was his uncle.

09 June 1916

ADDINGHAM – SOLDIERS' LETTERS

Mr. Flint has received the following letters in acknowledgement of parcels sent out. Wilfred Holmes writes from France:–

C. S. Moulding writes from France: – “Thanks for parcel, which was a God-send. We are out of the trenches now and are back in the country. We had a good four days march to get here, not very pleasant, the weather being scorching hot. Eventually we arrived safe and sound and found ourselves in practically the same district we were in last January. We do not spend the whole day doing nothing out here; we get a lot of manoeuvring and such like, but we are out of danger and able to have a good night’s sleep, which is a big consideration. I was sorry to hear about Fred Fisher. I saw him when he came down to the dressing station, and a very nasty knock it was. He was very plucky and even walked down to the doctor, but I thought it would be touch and go whether he got over it or not. I have had 10 days in hospital with German measles, but I feel all right again. J. Lister went home on pass this morning, so I expect he will be giving you all the latest news. When my turn is coming I don’t know.”

30 June 1916

ADDINGHAM – MORE NEWS FROM THE SOLDIERS

Mr. Flint has received the following acknowledgement of parcels sent out:–

Corporal Horace Hustwick writes:–“We have just come out of the trenches after being in eight days and we had it very rough–it rained every day. I hope you all had a nice Whitsuntide; mine was spent in the trenches, and I shan’t forget Whit Saturday night, 1916, for a long time. The Bosches gave us it very hot for an hour and a half, but I think he always gets the worst of it when he starts. I have seen Jack England, Pat Holmes, Ellis Kettlewell, Wilf Ettenfield, Teddy Lister, Patsy O’Shea [McShee], and Segt. Laurie McRink, and they were all looking well. It is nice to come across old faces out here. I have seen Tom Throup too. I was sorry to hear of Fred Fisher getting killed. I am sure I can only wish the best of luck to them that are left.”

11 May 1917

Mr. Flint has received the following acknowledgement of parcels sent out:–

Corporal Horace Hustwick writes:–“We have just come out of the trenches after being in eight days and we had it very rough–it rained every day. I hope you all had a nice Whitsuntide; mine was spent in the trenches, and I shan’t forget Whit Saturday night, 1916, for a long time. The Bosches gave us it very hot for an hour and a half, but I think he always gets the worst of it when he starts. I have seen Jack England, Pat Holmes, Ellis Kettlewell, Wilf Ettenfield, Teddy Lister, Patsy O’Shea [McShee], and Segt. Laurie McRink, and they were all looking well. It is nice to come across old faces out here. I have seen Tom Throup too. I was sorry to hear of Fred Fisher getting killed. I am sure I can only wish the best of luck to them that are left.”