James Holmes GREENBANK

15 January 1915

STAINFORTH – Recruiting Meeting: Five Married Men

On Monday night a well attended meeting was held in the schoolroom. Mr. Duncan Mackenzie presided. Capts. Groves and Brewin and Second Lieutnants Woodhead and McKillop from Skipton were present. Mr. Bibbings, of Sheffield, made a rousing appeal to the audience to enlist now, not to delay any longer. He made special allusion to the German toast “To-day.” “It meant,” he said, “the lowering of our good old English flag and the hoisting of the Teuton in its place.” – Mr. Simpson said the village had only added one in 75 of the population to the roll of honour. – Mr. Lund, however, pointed out that this was incorrect, and Mr. Simpson readily withdrew the remark. – Mr. Farnsworth spoke on the allowances made to wives and children of those who enlisted; and Captain Groves spoke on the German people and their military advisers. – Five married men volunteered their services. – John Greenbank, James Greenbank, Arthur Greenbank, Henry Lund, and John Lund. These were sworn in and heartily cheered. At intervals patriotic songs were sung by Mr. Thornber, the audience joining in the choruses. In addition to the songs on the sheet, Mr. Thornber sang ‘The Flag that never comes down,’ and ‘The boys in khaki, boys in blue.” Mr. Leaworthy accompanied on the piano. The singing of the National Anthem brought a very enthusiastic meeting to a close.

27 April 1917

STAINFORTH – PTE. JAMES GREENBANK WOUNDED

On Saturday, Mrs. James Greenbank of Town Head Road, received a telegram to say that her husband, Private James Greenbank, of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, was dangerously wounded. The villagers were very sorry to hear the sad news, and sympathy has been shown on all sides to Mrs. Greenbank, who has five small children. Pte. Greenbank volunteered more than two years ago. His brother Arthur was killed in action over a year ago.

11 May 1917

GREENBANK – May 1st, 1917, in hospital from wounds received in action in France. Pte. James Greenbank, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, husband of Mrs. Greenbank, Town Head Road, Stainforth, aged 30 years.

11 May 1917

STAINFORTH – DEATH OF PRIVATE JAMES GREENBANK

On Sunday morning Mrs. James Greenbank, of Town Head Road, received word from the chaplain of the hospital where her husband had been in hospital suffering from severe wounds in the chest, that he had died quietly on May 1st.

Pte. James Greenbank was 30 years old and the second son of Mr. John Greenbank of this village, who has already lost one son for his King and Country. This gallant soldier volunteered for service in January 1915, and was attached to the Duke of Wellington’s. After nearly 2 years training in this country he went to France at the beginning of the year. He had previously been slightly wounded. Before the war he was engaged by Mr. T. F. Knowles, right from leaving the school as a boy, to assist in the garden and as gamekeeper with his father. He was always of a cheerful disposition and a right decent fellow. Much sympathy has been shown to his widow and the five little children he has left to mourn his loss. He was wounded nearly three weeks ago and the villagers were beginning to think that Jim would after all recover, but it was not to be – the sacrifice had to be made. Formerly he was an assistant bellringer; and on Sunday evening the organist played the Dead March, in respect to the deceased soldier.

The Chaplain writes:– “Dear Mrs. Greenbank, – I received your letter yesterday and it is with very great sorrow I write to tell you that your husband died at 4 a.m. this morning. He was, as I told you, very severely wounded and at first we thought there was not the slightest hope of recovery, but the doctors here are very skilful and the last few days we began to hope he would pull through. Yesterday we were able to move his bed into the sunshine and he was very pleased about that and about your letter, which he got yesterday. He went to bed and to sleep very peacefully, and then this morning he just passed away quite peacefully and without pain – from weakness I think.

“I am so sorry for you, as I can imagine what a terrible blow this will be to you. We were all so fond of him, and you may be sure that there was no care or attention he did not get from the nursing sisters, the doctor, and as far as I could help him, from myself.

“Sincerely yours, N. V. Ridgeway, Chaplain to the Forces.”