Richard SHACKLETON

20 July 1917

SHACKLETON – June 7th, killed in action, aged 21 years, Richard Shackleton, Sergt., A.I.F., second and youngest son of William and Mary M. W. Shackleton, of Craven House, Pudsey, and grandson of the late George Shackleton, of Leeds, formerly of Otterburn Grove, Otterburn-in-Craven.

When the Motherland called for her sons
He came from far o’er the sea.

20 July 1917

DESCENDANT OF AN OLD CRAVEN FAMILY KILLED

Sergt. Richard Shackleton, of the Australian Imperial Force, a descendant of an old Craven family, was killed in action on the 7th of June last, aged 21 years. Sergt. Shackleton was the second and youngest son of Wm. Shackleton, of Craven House, Pudsey, and a grandson of the late George Shackleton, of Leeds, formerly of Otterburn Grove, Otterburn-in-Craven. He received his education at the ‘Hanson’ Higher Grade School at Bradford, and at the age of 17 years, in 1913, he went to Australia, to be in the care and under the tuition of his elder brother, John Shackleton, a surveyor in the Queensland State Railways. After passing the qualifying examination he became an engineering surveying cadet in the same service. He was already in the Commonwealth Militia Force when the war broke out, and after a few months’ training he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force, and was further trained for a period of two months, when, he was drafted to Egypt, where he had additional training and some active service, and there was made first a corporal and then a sergeant. On the 7th of June, 1916, he was sent with his battalion to France, and saw much service until November of the same year, when a shell wound in his left shoulder caused him to be sent to Croesnewyd Hospital at Wrexham, from which place was discharged at the latter end of last December, and was given a fortnight’s furlough, and shortly afterwards returned to France. As stated above he was killed on the 7th of June last, the anniversary of the day he first landed in France. In their sorrowing bereavement his parents and relatives have a consolation in their natural feelings of pride that when the Motherland called for her sons he responded so cheerfully to her call. The branch of the Shackleton family of which the deceased was a member, was for many generations settled at Calton-in-Craven, the first of the name there being William Shackleton, who went from Newsham in Keighley parish, between 1612 and 1618. Richard Shackleton, a son of the latter, and a direct ancestor of Sergt. Shackleton, was baptised at Kirkby Malham Church in 1618; other and elder brothers were baptised at Keighley Parish Church, but two of them settled with their father in Malhamdale. The late Rev. W. J. Gomersall, whose cremated remains were recently interred at Kirkby Malham Church was a descendant of the same family, on his mother’s side.