Harry WILSON

28 January 1916

CONONLEY – Called Up

The following young men left Cononley on Saturday last, being called up in the first four groups under the Derby scheme, viz., G. Gott, C. Fielding, and A. Cooper. On Wednesday, H. Wilson and C. Whiteroak were called up.

21 July 1916

CONONLEY SOLDIER IN HOSPITAL

Writing from Newcastle-on-Tyne, Mr. Charles Walker, clerk to the Cononley Parish Council, says:– “On hearing that Pte. E.H. (‘Harry’) Brown had been wounded in the big push and that he was an inmate of the Northumberland War Hospital at Gosforth, near Newcastle; I paid a visit to that Institution on Saturday afternoon last. I was informed by one of the nurses that Pte. Brown had been operated on only about 1½ hours previous to my call. She, however, on paying a visit to the ward, found he had practically recovered from the effects of the drug administered to him and admitted me. He was, it is almost needless to say, delighted to see a Cononley friend. It appears that he had received a shrapnel wound in the calf of the left leg, and apparently the shrapnel had been somewhat deeply embedded. Private Brown was admitted to the hospital on Monday week, but the operation did not take place until Saturday afternoon last, as stated. In the meantime he had suffered much pain. The shrapnel was extracted and nothing serious is anticipated. He was very cheerful considering that the operation had only just taken place. He was wounded at the beginning of the big push on Thursday, July 6th, shortly before midnight.

It appears the regiment had been standing to in reserve, but were eventually ordered into the trenches. They had only been in the trench a short time when a bomb burst quite near and he was struck with a piece of shrapnel, as stated. Only a day or two previous to this happening his regiment marched into a village and Private Brown was delighted to meet, quite unexpectedly, half-a-dozen Cononley soldiers. They were Ptes. Joe Hudson (choirmaster, Cononley Parish Church), T.H. Reynolds, Ernest Lee (since wounded), C. Fielding, Henry Wilson, and C. Whiteoak, and a jolly evening was spent.

Pte. Brown enlisted, shortly after the outbreak of the war, in the 1/6th Duke of Wellington’s, and returned from the Front in April on leave, which was experienced owing to illness. He is the only son of Mr. Richard Brown, retired farmer.

28 July 1916

CONONLEY – NEWS OF CONONLEY SOLDIERS

Another Cononley soldier who has been wounded is Private Harry Wilson, also of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, but from a letter received from his parents now living at 84, Main St., it is satisfactory to find that the wound is not at all serious, and he soon expects to be back on duty again. Both he and Pte. Lee write very cheery letters home, and particularly hope there will be no undue anxiety on their behalf.

19 October 1917

CONONLEY – WAR MATTERS

Private Harry Wilson, brother of Sergeant Geo. Wilson, who was awarded the Military Medal a short time ago, has been brought to England from France suffering from wounds and trench feet. He is in Canterbury War Hospital, and making satisfactory progress towards recovery. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Wilson, Main Street, Cononley.

05 December 1919

CONONLEY – A SAD WEEK

Pte. Harry Wilson (25) died, after a lingering illness, from valvular disease of the heart, on Monday morning. Although not unexpected, his death caused a painful but sympathetic feeling throughout the whole village, inasmuch as prior to joining the Army he was a robust and healthy young man, and scarcely ever had a day’s sickness. He was a son of Mr. Nathan Wilson, foreman platelayer, on the Midland Railway, and brother of Sergt. George Wilson (foreman platelayer at Skipton Goods Station), who also served through the whole of the late war and was awarded the Military Medal and bar. Deceased joined the 1/5th Duke of Wellington’s in December 1915, and was sent to the Western Front in the following April. He was soon in the thick of the fight and was first wounded in the side in the battle of the Somme. After being invalided home he again returned to France, and was wounded a second time in the back in November, 1917, at the battle of Passchendaele. Prior to this he had been transferred to the 2nd battalion of the Duke’s and was gassed at Nieuport in September, 1917. He also suffered from trench feet. He was demobilised in March last, and subsequently, for a short time, did light work on the farm of his uncle – Mr. William Smith. The insidious effects of the poisonous gas began to tell on his system, and eventually he took to his bed where, after suffering in agony for two months, he was happily released as stated on Monday last. Heartfelt sympathy is extended by everyone to his bereaved parents and brothers and sisters. The funeral took place yesterday (Thursday) afternoon at St. John’s Church. It should be stated that prior to the war deceased was a prominent player of the Cononley Association Football Club, and occupied the position of inside right when Cononley won the championship of the Keighley and District League (2nd Division) in the season 1912-13.

No fewer than sixteen brave Cononley young men have now laid down their lives for their King and Country. Heroes all!

12 December 1919

CONONLEY – Funeral of Ex-Private Harry Wilson

The remains of ex-Private Harry Wilson were interred in the graveyard of the Parish Church, Cononley, on Thursday, December 4th, amid every manifestation of regret. Blinds were drawn along the entire route to the Church, and a large number of friends and relations, together with about twenty ex-Service men, joined in the funeral cortege. The coffin was carried shoulder high to its last resting place, deceased’s comrades being the bearers. The last sad rites were conducted by the rector, the Rev. J. J. Turner. There were a large number of beautiful floral tributes from the Ex-Service Men of Cononley; Uncle and Aunt and Cousins at 20 Sawley Street, Skipton; Harry and Alice; George and Eva; Peggy; Maggie; Joe Smith, Miss Smith and Jessie; Harry Snowden; Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Nelson; Aggie; Mother, Dad, Brothers and Sisters. In addition a beautiful everlasting wreath was sent by deceased’s fellow members of the Cononley Cricket Club and the Cononley Association Football Club.