John WIDDUP

14 July 1916

CRAVEN CASUALTIES IN THE GREAT ADVANCE

Private John Widdup, also of the 9th West Riding Regiment, and son of Mr. and Mrs. S.W. Widdup, of 118 Keighley Road, Skipton, has been wounded and is now in hospital.

18 August 1916

WIDDUP – August 2nd, in France, Private John Widdup, son of Mr. and Mrs. Widdup, of 118 Keighley Road, Skipton, of the 9th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s, aged 19.

18 August 1916

PTE. JOHN WIDDUP KILLED

Another Skipton soldier has lost his life in the great push – Private John Widdup, of the 9th Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, and youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. S. Widdup, of 118, Keighley Road, Skipton. Only 19 years of age, deceased was a young fellow of a most promising type, and prior to joining the Army on December 6th, 1915, was an electrician in the employ of the Craven and District Private Telephone & Electric Company. He was also connected with the Skipton Trinity Wesleyan Chapel. He enlisted at Bedale in the 9th Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, and did his training at North Shields, proceeding to France in May last. He was wounded on July 2nd, but was soon back in the trenches again, actually before his parents were officially notified that he had been wounded. News of his death came on Friday morning in the following letter to Mr. and Mrs. Widdup from Pte. W. W. Gibson, another Skipton soldier:– “It is with the deepest regret, but I feel it my first duty to let you know that your son John was killed on the morning of August 2nd by the bursting of a shell in the trenches where he was posed. His platoon Sergeant, our Sergeant Major, a private of my platoon, and he were killed together instantly, and I can honestly tell you he suffered no pain. It upset me very much when I heard the sad news, as he made himself a great favourite with the men and was respected by everyone – always cheery and willing to do his work. He spent many hours with me since he came to us, and since we had been taking part in the great advance. This is our second time up and it has been very rough. My platoon came out without an N.C.O. and only a few men, and I think myself a very lucky man to be here.”

In a letter to the parents, Pte. D. Smith, another Skipton soldier, says in reference to deceased:– “He was a smart lad and a fine soldier. Poor lad, I miss him very much as he was one of the first Skipton lads I met at the base. He had a smile and a cheerful word for everyone. It was my first time in action, and we had a very hard time. Every man was a hero and some of them had to pay the greatest price of all.”

Pte. W.O.K. Unson of Skipton, also expresses his sympathy in a touching letter, and proceeds:– “John was killed in a very heavy bombardment, death being instantaneous. I was not with him then as I am in ‘D’ Company, but on Thursday afternoon I was with a party carrying water to ‘B’ Company and I saw him stood in the trenches against the parapet. I shouted to him and he seemed quite cheerful, but I could not stay with him for a moment as the Germans were shelling our position very heavily. How little I knew it was to be the last time I should see him. Poor lad, he was always smiling and had a cheerful word for everybody. I miss him very much as we were always together when out of the trenches. John and I were mates at school, and how glad I was when luck placed us together as soldiers at North Shields. John, John Gray, and I were always together throughout training in England, and we all three came out here together. Now John has been killed and John Gray wounded, and so I am left on my own. It has been my good fortune to come through all those terrible battles on ‘No Man’s Land’ without so much as a scratch. It may be some consolation to you to know that he died a hero fighting for England’s glory and honour. I have nothing more to say except that I think victory will soon be ours, so pray to God that it may be soon.”

Lance-Corporal J. Harrison, of Skipton, has also written to Mr. and Mrs. Widdup expressing sympathy in their bereavement.

Mr. and Mrs. Widdup have two other sons in the army – Pte. Sutcliffe Widdup, with the 21st West Yorkshires, and Pte. Percy Widdup, with the 2nd 6th Duke of Wellington’s Regiment. The former was farming in Australia when war broke out and came back to Skipton and enlisted with his regiment whilst it was stationed here.