John MITTON

04 May 1917

HAWES – AN EX-POSTMAN PAYS THE PRICE

Mr. and Mrs. Warren Mitton, Hawes, on Wednesday received the sad news that their eldest son, Pte. John Mitton, Yorkshire Regiment, who was reported wounded last week, had been killed in action on the 9th ult. Pte. Mitton, who had been in France eight months, was ready to respond to the call when it came. His whole life demonstrated how big-hearted and courageous he was. A native of Hawes, he was for some years an active member of the Hawes Football Club and acted as Hon. Secretary for two years. He was also a fine billiards player, and was always seen at his best when things were going against him. He was for about 14 years rural postman at Finghall, and for the last four years he was postman in the Raydaleside round and lived at Askrigg. When he left Finghall he was presented with a marble timepiece, a pipe and pouch and purse of gold, subscribed for by the people on his round. The news of his death cast quite a gloom over Hawes and also Askrigg where his home has been for four years. He leaves a widow and two little girls. The greatest sympathy is felt for the widow and family, and also for his parents, brother and sister in their great loss. We will give a photograph of the deceased next week.

04 May 1917

HAWES – Soldier Wounded

News has been received by Mrs. Mitton, Askrigg, that her husband, Pte. John Mitton, Yorkshire Regt., has been wounded in action. Pte. Mitton is the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Warren Mitton, Hawes, whose second son is also on active service.

[This article followed the one announcing the death of Private John Mitton.]

11 May 1917

PRIVATE JOHN MITTON – Photograph of Private John Mitton, Yorkshire Regiment, son of Mr. and Mrs. Warren Mitton, of Hawes, who, as reported last week, was killed in action in France on April 9th.

11 May 1917

ASKRIGG – MEMORIAL SERVICE

A memorial service in honour of Sergeant-Major R. Mudd, and Pte. John Mitton, recently fallen in the war, was held in St. Oswald’s Church on Sunday evening. There was a large attendance and the service, which was conducted by the Rev. F. M. Squibb, was a most impressive one.

18 May 1917

HAWES – THE STRICKEN BRAVE: MEMORIAL SERVICE

A memorial service for all the local men who have fallen in the War since October was held in St. Margaret’s Church on Sunday afternoon. There was a large congregation and the service was conducted by the Rev. S.D. Crawford. The soldiers to whose memory honour was paid were:– Corporal S. Moore; Private C.E. Bacon; Private J.W. Horn; Private A. Kirkbride; Private J. Iveson; Private J. Mitton; Private R. Walton; Private J. Fawcett; Private L. Staveley.

The choir and clergy were preceded to the chancel from the choir vestry by one of the choristers, Master Kenneth Wilson, in Boy Scouts’ uniform, carrying the Union Jack draped in black. The service opened with the hymn ‘Days and Moments,’ followed by Psalm xxiii, and the lesson from Rev. xxi, verses 1 – 5. Then was sung the hymn ‘Nearer my God to Thee.’ Sentences and collects from the Burial Service, with other special collects, were followed by the singing of the ‘Nunc Dimittis’ and the hymn ‘On the Resurrection Morning.’

The Vicar said: “For the second time we meet to mourn the loss of our fellow townsmen in this terrible and sad war. Your presence here is not only to pay honour to their memory, but is a proof of your sympathy with their sorrowing relatives. No words can lighten that sorrow I know, but I pray – and I am sure you all pray – that time, the great healer of all wounds, may do its work, and that in the years to come their sorrow may be lightened by the thought that their dear ones died the noblest of all deaths – that of the soldier who falls in a righteous cause and for King and Country – aye, and more than that, for civilisation and liberty. I have been asked in more houses than one, “Why should all this fighting and bloodshed be going on between professedly Christian countries?” and I think the only answer that can be given is that it has been forced upon the rest of the world by a country which has substituted for the laws of Christianity the laws of the devil. When a nation goes so far as to brush aside treaties hitherto held sacred among the nations as mere scraps of paper, when it breaks not only the laws of humanity, drawn up to alleviate the horrors of war – laws to which itself had given assent, and gives as its only excuse, the laws of necessity, and when it tries to force upon other nations the ‘Kultur’ which has produced this spirit of ruthlessness and contempt for all that is just and noble and chivalrous, then I say, the danger to civilisation is so great that no Christian country should stand by and take no part in wiping it out. The fact that nearly the whole of the New World, following in the steps of the U.S.A., are either openly at war, or have broken off relations with our enemy, is a strong proof that our cause is just, for it is a condemnation, the greatest condemnation, of their conduct and action. So long as the spirit of militarism, which governs a powerful nation like Germany, lasts, and is allowed to exist so long there will be danger of fresh and repeated wars. We and our Allies are out to put an end to this; we are out to bring about a time when war shall be no more, and peaceful arbitration shall take its place. Is not that worth fighting for? It is a noble object, and those dear lads we mourn to-day, with thousands of others who have made the great sacrifice with them, have not sacrificed their lives in vain, for they have helped to bring about that victory which, God grant, will be the prelude of universal peace.”

After the address and whilst Mr. Haverfield played the Dead March, the chorister before mentioned stood at ‘Attention’ at the chancel steps holding the Union Jack.

The sounding of the ‘Last Post’ by Mr. J. Blades brought a most impressive service to a close.

19 April 1918

MITTON – Sacred to the memory of a dear son and brother, Private John Mitton, Hawes, killed in action April 9th, 1917.

“We think of sweet memories and days that have been.”

From Father, Mother, Sister and Brother in France.

11 April 1919

MITTON – In loving remembrance of a dear son and brother, Private John Mitton, killed in France, April 9th, 1917.

“‘Tis sweet to think we shall meet again.”

From Father, Mother and Sister, Hawes.