Richard Varley HARGREAVES

‘Clitheroe Advertiser' (11 May 1917)

(Kindly supplied by Shirley Penman of Clitheroe and Dorothy Falshaw of Gisburn)

WEST BRADFORD SOLDIER’S DEATH

Official confirmation of the death of Corporal Hargreaves, The Halsteads, West Bradford, was received this morning. He was wounded yesterday week, and died on Sunday.

‘Clitheroe Advertiser' (18 May 1917)

(Kindly supplied by Shirley Penman of Clitheroe and Dorothy Falshaw of Gisburn)

INJURED BY SHELL EXPLODING ON THE ROAD

LATE CORPORAL RD. V. HARGREAVES, WEST BRADFORD

Much sympathy is felt for Mr. and Mrs. Hargreaves, of Halstead’s Farm, West Bradford, who, as briefly reported in our last issue, have lost their son, Corporal Richard Varley Hargreaves, whilst on active service in France. In his 28th year, Corporal Hargreaves enlisted in the 21st West Yorkshire Regiment, in February, 1915, and had been in France since June, 1916. Prior to joining the colours, he was a clerk in the offices of Messrs. Meadowcroft, Blackburn, a position he had held for 10 years. He was to have married at an early date, and sympathy will also be extended to his fiancée, Miss Dixon, of Leamington Villa, Blackburn.

How Corporal Hargreaves received the wounds to which he succumbed, is recorded in letters received from his captain and a chum. The former wrote:–

“I am very sorry to have to tell you that your son was wounded, last night, (May 6th) by the explosion of a shell on the road along which we were passing to our work. He was hit in both legs, unfortunately, but I do earnestly hope that his great powers of endurance and pluck will carry him through, and that everything will go well with him. He was very cheery, under the circumstances, and bore up very well indeed, asking that someone should write and let you know. I hope you will soon have good news from your son himself, and I shall be so pleased to learn of his progress from time to time. Your son had been with me ever since he joined and was one of my most trusted N.C.O.’s, and I can ill afford to be without him.

The second letter from a chum, written on May 6th, also dealt with Corporal Hargreaves’ injury. “Dick was wounded as we were going out with a working party. I was with him at the dressing station, and he was quite in good spirits. No doubt he will be writing to you as soon as he gets settled in hospital. I am so sorry this has happened, because he was such a good fellow – one of the best – very well liked by all the boys, and an excellent chum to me. We shall all miss him, and sincerely hope he won’t be long before he is well again. He was hit on the legs, but I think you will have no need to worry about him; he will be quite all right and well looked after.”

Unhappily, the writer’s optimism did not prove to be justified, for last Friday’s post brought an official intimation that Corporal Hargreaves passed away on [the 6th of May].

A memorial service was held at St. Catherine’s Church, West Bradford, on Sunday evening, conducted by the Rev. F.A.N. Parker, who made reference to the integrity and the noble characteristics of the young soldier, so well-known and so generally revered and esteemed throughout the district.