John Wright WADESON

10 December 1915

ANOTHER INGLETONIAN IN HOSPITAL

Pte. J.H. Wadeson and Mrs. Wadeson have received news from the War Office that their son, George, is suffering from myalgia, and is in No. 6 Stationary Hospital, La Havre. Private Wadeson went out to France last April with the 1/6th Duke of Wellington’s and has been near the firing line ever since. His brother, Private John Wadeson, went out at the same time, and has undergone operations, but has again gone up the lines. He was only 17 years old. Their father joined the 3/6 Battalion of the Duke of Wellington’s when it was formed last March. He also has a brother who has been out since the commencement and has been promoted to Battalion Serg.-Major of the 2nd Northampton Regiment. Surely a soldier family! His other brother, who is dead, served 24 years in the Army.

17 December 1915

INGLETON – A Plucky Lad

Mr. J.H. Wadeson, Main Street, Ingleton, on Sunday received notice that his son, Pte. J.W. Wadeson, is in No. 26 General Hospital, Etaples, suffering from pyoherhoea [pyorrhoea]. Pte. Wadeson has gone through operations and afterwards proceeded to the lines again, which is typical of the grit of the 1/6 Duke of Wellington’s, and is an example to those who are staying behind. He has just turned 18, and it is hoped he will soon be able to come home for deserved spell of rest.

11 February 1916

INGLETON – War Items

During the week the following have attested at Settle:– Messrs. F. Freeman, W. Dent, C. Stewart, and C. Heald.– Captain Gordon Mackenzie, who was recently mentioned in despatches, and Pte. J. Wadeson, have been home from the front, on furlough.– Pte. J.A. Preston is in hospital in Suffolk suffering from muscular rheumatism and trench fever.– Ptes. W. Brown and P. Howson have been home for their final leave before being sent to the Front, and Sergt. R. I.[E.] Walker, Pte. J. Preston, and Pte. J. Woodhouse have been at Ingleton on leave.– Pte. W. Dixon is at home on sick leave, and Pte. S. Slinger is now at home, having completed his term of service.

19 May 1916

INGLETON – Home on Furlough

Amongst those who have been home on furlough this week from the front are Pte. Jack Tomlinson, grandson of Mrs. Tomlinson, Thacking Cottages; Pte. Vincent Slinger, son of Mr. John, Slinger, Albion House; and Pte. John Wadeson, son of Sergeant J. H. Wadeson, High Street. Sergeant Wadeson has also been home for the weekend from Clipston Camp.

Amongst those home on leave from the Front is Pte. Richard Preston, son of Mr. John Preston, fruiterer and fishmonger. Pte. Frank Dixon, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. W. Dixon, who joined the King’s Own, has been wounded in the face with shrapnel and also in the leg. Sergeant Joseph Barker (Leeds Pals), son of the late Mr. James Barker, has been wounded in the foot. He also had a miraculous escape, being struck in the back with a bomb, which fortunately did not explode. Lieutenant Joseph Barritt, Dale Bank, is in a base hospital suffering from shell shock. Lieutenant Ernest Walling (Leeds Rifles), eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. G. Walling, Ferncliffe, has been promoted to the rank of temporary captain.

17 November 1916

INGLETON – War Items

During the week the following soldiers have been home on leave:– Corporal Tom Heaps, who a short time ago was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field of battle; Second-Lieutenant G. Walling, who is taking a course of instruction in scouting and sniping in the Midland Counties; Sergeant C. Littlefair, who in civil life is the postman to Chapel-le-Dale; Pte. T. Bonnick, who was wounded by shrapnel in the ‘great push’; Pte. Clarke Redhead, who has experienced the rigours of a winter campaign; Pte. Harold Brown, who is training in the South of England; Sergeant and Quarter-Master J.W. Lambert; Corporal H.T. Morris; Pte. Fred Dixon; and Pte J. Wadeson. – Cadet George Brookes, of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, has been granted a commission after undergoing a special course of training in the West of England. Second-Lieutenant Brookes is the third son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Brookes, printer and stationer, who emigrated to Canada a few years ago. – Pte. Eric Capstick, who lost his right arm in the ‘great push,’ has proceeded to a convalescent home at Roehampton. – Pte. Joe Vickers, son of Mrs. Vickers, New Road, is still in Hospital at Sheffield. He was wounded in July and is not making the progress towards recovery as fast as his friends would wish.

25 May 1917

WADESON – May 19th, 1917, at Ingleton, Harriet, wife of Sergeant J.H. Wadeson, aged 52 years.

25 May 1917

Ingleton – War Items

Amongst those on leave during the week-end were Flight-Lieutenant G. Brookes, recently wounded in the leg, whilst his observer was killed; Pte. Charles Tomlinson, Sergt. Fred Newsholme, Sergeant J.H. Wadeson and Pte. J. Wadeson, all of whom have been on active service in France. Sergeant Wadeson and his son had the mournful duty of attending the funeral of Mrs. Wadeson. Fortunately Sergt. Wadeson was able to reach home before the death of his wife, but the son did not arrive until the morning of the of the funeral.

07 September 1917

INGLETON – THE LATE PRIVATE C. H. JACKSON

Particulars are now to hand of the death of Private C. H. Jackson, of Westhouse, who was killed in France on August 9th. Second-Lieut. H. Keynote has written to say that they were holding the line, and Pte. Jackson was lying down in a dugout when an enemy shell obtained a direct hit. Private Jackson was not hit in any way, but was killed instantaneously by concussion. His body was taken back to the camp behind the lines and buried.

Private John Wadeson, son of Sergeant J. H. Wadeson, has been gassed, and is now in hospital in France.

26 October 1917

WADESON – Killed in action on the Western Front, Private John Wadeson, second son of Private John Wadeson and Mrs. Wadeson, Bank End, Ingleton, aged 20 years.

26 October 1917

DEATH OF ANOTHER INGLETON SOLDIER

News was received at Ingleton on Tuesday morning that Private John Wadeson, second son of Private J. H. Wadeson, Bank End, Ingleton, has been killed in action, and the flag at the church was immediately hoisted half-mast. The sad news was conveyed in a letter from Pte. Charles Tomlinson to his mother, wherein he says that his best pal, Private John Wadeson, has been killed. He asked her to break the news as gently as possible to his relatives, and said he was going to try and get to the funeral if possible at all. He is buried at the same place as his brother, Private Cyril Tomlinson, and Second-Lieutenant Gerald Kirk. Pte. John Wadeson is 20 years of age, and before the war was employed at the Ingleton Colliery. Being a Territorial he was mobilised on the outbreak of the war and had seen considerable active service. His mother died a short time ago, and his father is on active service in France.

22 February 1918

INGLETON – IN MEMORY OF THE FALLEN

A memorial service for Ingleton men who have fallen in the war was held in St. Mary’s Church on Sunday evening. There was a large congregation, and the service was of an impressive character. The Union Jack was hoisted half-mast on the tower during the day. At the commencement of the service the organist, Mr. C. Bentham, played ‘O rest in the Lord’, and at the conclusion the Dead March in ‘Saul’, 'How bright these glorious spirits shine’, and other hymns appropriate to the occasion were sung, as was also the National Anthem. Standing on the Chancel steps, Bugler J. Robinson sounded the ‘Last Post’, and its solemn and eerie notes reverberated along the aisles.

Before commencing his address, the vicar, the Rev. D. T. Davies, read out the list of those who had fallen, as follows:–

Killed in action: Second-Lieutenant G. Kirk, Sergeant J. Metcalfe, Privates A. Noble, G. Scholey, C. Tomlinson, J. Smith, W. A. Hodgson, J. W. Wadeson, J. W. Robinson, J. Clapham, W. Smith, J. Schofield, J. Kettlewell, W. Marklew, E. Askew, P. Fletcher, G. Metcalfe, A. M. Booth, J. Woodhouse, W. Bolton, and J. [W.H.W.] Wilson.

Died in hospital: Privates W. H. Wignall and C. Newsholme.

Torpedoed: C. Grant.

Missing; Sergeant R. E. Walker, Privates A. Sherwin, W. Northey, E. Robinson, J. Saul, and W. [J.C.] Bradford.

The Vicar, speaking from the words, ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends’, said that the occasion brought them face in face with a question that was momentous to everyone, and the list which he had just read made them pause and ask the question, “Is the cause for which we are fighting of such a nature that these sacrifices are necessary?” They must remind themselves of the causes which led to the war. Our honour was pledged to protect a small country from an oppressing wrong, and we were compelled to stand by them. They were standing to protect a weak country from a fearful wrong committed by one of the strongest nations in the world – from a military point of view the strongest – a nation that was steadily prospering year after year and which had been training its manhood to satisfy its mad ambition for power. It was becoming clear, especially during the last few weeks, that the dominant note running through their proposals had been their determination that might should conquer over right, and that they would rule as masters over the whole world. When they analysed the causes they saw that the principles of justice and righteousness were struggling against oppression and wrong-doing. They had seen an attempt to impose injustice on the whole world, to impose the doctrine that might is right and mercy unknown by the will of one man, and to sweep away religion, man’s guidance, in a moment.