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Richard WHARTON

Main CPGW Record

Surname: WHARTON

Forename(s): Richard

Place of Birth: Gargrave, Yorkshire

Service No: 12139

Rank: Sergeant

Regiment / Corps / Service: Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment)

Battalion / Unit: 9th (Service) Battalion

Division: 17th (Northern) Division

Age: 25

Date of Death: 1918-10-12

Awards: ---

CWGC Grave / Memorial Reference: II. D. 3.

CWGC Cemetery: SELRIDGE BRITISH CEMETERY, MONTAY

CWGC Memorial: ---

Non-CWGC Burial: ---

Local War Memorial: EARBY, YORKSHIRE

Local War Memorial: GARGRAVE, YORKSHIRE

Additional Information:

Richard Wharton was the son of Michael and Elizabeth Wharton, née Heslegrave and brother of Private Percy Wharton (7070) (q.v.). Their father was born at Aberford and mother at Micklefield, Yorkshire. Richard and Percy’s sister, Mary Alice, was married to Private Robert Duxbury (235186) (q.v.).

1901 Earby, Yorkshire Census: 8, George Street - Richard Wharton, aged 8 years, born Gargrave, Yorkshire, son of Marshall [sic] and Elizabeth Wharton.

1911 Earby, Yorkshire Census: 8, George Street - Richard Wharton, aged 19 years, born Gargrave, Yorkshire, son of Michael and Elizabeth Wharton.

British Army WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards: Sgt Richard Wharton, 12139, W. Rid. R. Theatre of War first served in: (1) France. Date of entry therein: 15.7.15. Died 12.10.18.

British Army WW1 Medal and Award Rolls: Sgt Richard Wharton, 12139, 9th W. Rid. R. K. in A. 12.10.18.

Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects: Sgt Richard Wharton, 12139, 9th W. Riding. Date and Place of Death: 12.10.18. France. K. in A. To whom Authorised/Amount Authorised: Father - Michael. £ 50 19s. 2d.

UK, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923: joint card(s) exist for Richard and Percy: Sgt Richard Wharton, 12139, West Riding. Killed in action 12.10.18. Pte Percy Wharton, 242711, 5369, West Riding. Assumed to have died 3.9.16. Name(s) on card(s): Dependant: Mrs Elizabeth Wharton. Relationship: Mother. Dependant: Mr Michael Wharton. Relationship: Father. Address: 8, George Street, Earby, Nr Colne.

The CPGW book, page 370, has the photograph of Rifleman Arthur Mottershead named as Sergeant Richard Wharton.

See also:
‘Earby in the First World War’ by Stephanie Carter, published by Earby & District Local History Society (2014).
‘From Mills to Marching and Back Again – A History of Gargrave from 1900 to 1925’ by Sue Lyall and Donavon Slaven with contributions from George Ingle, Ray Jones and Martin Thompson (2019).
‘Our Finest Crop’ by Steven Marshall, published by Earby & District Local History Society (2020).

Data Source: Craven’s Part in the Great War - original CPGW book entry

View Entry in CPGW Book

Entry in West Yorkshire Pioneer Illustrated War Record:

WHARTON, Sergeant R, aged 24, West Riding Regiment, 8, George Street, [Earby], killed in action Oct. 12, 1918.

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Sergeant Richard WHARTON

Sergeant Richard WHARTON

Regiment / Corps / Service Badge: Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment)

Regiment / Corps / Service Badge: Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment)

Divisional Sign / Service Insignia: 17th (Northern) Division

Divisional Sign / Service Insignia: 17th (Northern) Division

Data from Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914 - 1919 Records

Soldiers Died Data for Soldier Records

Surname: WHARTON

Forename(s): Richard

Born: Gargrave, Yorks

Residence: Earby, Yorks

Enlisted: Skipton, Yorks

Number: 12139

Rank: Sergt

Regiment: Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)

Battalion: 9th Battalion

Decorations:

Died Date: 12/10/18

Died How: Killed in action

Theatre of War: France & Flanders

Notes:

Data from Commonwealth War Graves Commission Records

CWGC Data for Soldier Records

Surname: WHARTON

Forename(s): R

Country of Service: United Kingdom

Service Number: 12139

Rank: Serjeant

Regiment: Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)

Unit: 9th Bn.

Age:

Awards:

Died Date: 12/10/1918

Additional Information:

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Additional Photo(s) For Soldier Records

Earby (Wheatlands) Cemetery

Earby (Wheatlands) Cemetery

Family gravestone (with memorial inscription)

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Craven Herald and Wensleydale Standard Logo

01 November 1918

EARBY – A Third Bereavement

Sergeant Richard Wharton, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, killed in France on October 12th was the second son lost in the war by Mr. and Mrs. Michael Wharton, 8 George Street, Earby, who have also lost a son-in-law. Sergt. Wharton, who was 27 years of age and unmarried, enlisted immediately after the outbreak of hostilities, and had spent three years and four months on the Western Front. Three other sons and a son-in-law are still in the ranks, one of these (Sergeant Allan Wharton) being in France.

Amongst the letters of sympathy received by the bereaved family is one from Second-Lieutenant Honeyman, who writes:– “Sergeant Wharton was our company Lewis gun sergeant, and was attached to my platoon. He was a brave soldier, who never shirked his duty - far from it. He was always keen about his work and encouraged many of our young recruits to take a deep interest in Lewis gunnery. He was buried at Neville.”

Sergeant Wharton was formerly employed by Messrs. A. J. Birley Ltd., Albion Shed.

10 October 1919

WHARTON – In ever loving memory of my dear brothers, Sergeant Richard Wharton, killed in action October 12th, 1918, and Private Percy Wharton, reported missing September 3rd, 1916, afterwards presumed dead.

Some day we hope to meet them,
Some day we know not when;
To clasp their hands in a better land,
Never to part again.

Ever remembered by their loving sister Alice and nieces Freda, Elsie and Hetty, 75 Colne Road, Earby.

15 October 1920

WHARTON – In ever loving memory of my dear brothers, Sgt. Richard Wharton, killed in action, October 12th, 1918; also Private Percy Wharton, presumed killed September 3rd, 1916.

There is a link that death cannot sever,
Love and remembrance live for ever.

Ever remembered by their loving Sister and Nieces, 75 Colne Road, Earby.

14 October 1921

WHARTON – In ever loving memory of my dear brother, Sergt. Richard Wharton, killed in action, October 12th, 1918, and Private Percy Wharton, presumed killed, Sept. 3rd, 1916.

Ever remembered by their loving Sister and Nieces, 75 Colne Road, Earby.

View West Yorkshire Pioneer Articles

View West Yorkshire Pioneer Articles

West Yorkshire Pioneer Logo

20 August 1915

THE “PIONEER” IN THE TRENCHES – Three Earby Privates Write

We have received the following communication from three Earby privates, which we print with pleasure:–
9th Batt. Duke of Wellington’s, ‘A’ Company, B.E.F., France.

Dear Editor, – Having seen so many letters in your paper from the 6th Battalion West Ridings, with which we are very familiar, we thought some of our friends would like to hear from us through the ‘Pioneer’. We have been here just a month, and have already had some exciting and trying times. We have been shelled something awful this last four days. This is our tenth successive day in these trenches. The Germans are only fifty yards away from where I am writing, and we have had one or two ‘scraps’ with them. We gave them rapid fire for about half an hour last night, until our rifles were almost red-hot. They are very fond of sending whizz-bangs over, and they make an awful noise. You can hear them coming and it gives us the signal to lie flat on our stomachs. It is like waiting for your death; but we are all in the best of spirits, and doing our bit as cheerful as we can. Just as we close, the fun has commenced, so we must get to business.

Wishing your paper every success, we are, yours truly, Privates F. W. Foster, F. Yerkiss, and R. Wharton, of Earby.

01 November 1918

WHARTON – In loving memory of our dear son, Sergt. R. Wharton, killed in action Oct. 12th, 1918, aged 27.

Only a sigh, only a tear,
Only a thought of our loved boy near;
Only a vision of days long ago,
Memories only a mother can know.
How oft have we prayed for you, our boy,
That you would return, our hope, our joy;
But God willed it otherwise, you see,
In our hearts we will sing ‘Abide with me.’

– From his sorrowing Father and Mother. 8, George Street, Earby.

WHARTON – In loving memory of our dear brother, Sergt. R. Wharton, killed in action Oct. 12th.

We think we see his smiling face
As he bade his last good-bye
When he left his home and loved ones
On a foreign shore to die.
Dear brother, we miss you as the days go by,
No flowers can we put on the grave where you lie;
For the still dark waters keep in apart,
But your dear face still lives in our Heart.

– From his loving Sister and Brothers, and Brother Allan in France.

WHARTON – To loving memory of Sergt. R. Wharton, killed in action Oct. 12th, 1918.

Only a memory of bygone days
And a sigh for a face unseen;
But a constant feeling that God alone
Knoweth best what might have been.

– From his sorrowing sweetheart, Dulcie.

WHARTON – In loving memory of my dear brother Dick, killed in action Oct. 12th, 1918.

What peaceful hours we once enjoyed,
How sweet their memory still:
But they have left an aching void
This world can never fill.

– From his loving Sister Alice, and Nieces Freda, Elsie, and Hetty. Colne Road, Earby.
[Alice was the wife of Pte. Robert Duxbury, who was killed in action, 12 May 1917.]

01 November 1918

Earby Family’s Third Bereavement

Sergt. R. Wharton, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, killed in France on Oct. 12th, was the second son lost in the war by Mr. and Mrs. Michael Wharton, 8, George Street, Earby, who have also lost a son- in-law. Sergt. Wharton, who was 27 years of age and unmarried, enlisted immediately after the outbreak of hostilities, and had spent three years and four months on the Western front Three other sons and a son-in-law are still in the ranks, one of these (Sergt. Allan Wharton) being in France. Amongst the letters of sympathy received by the bereaved family is one from Sec. Lieut. Honeyman, who writes:– “Sergt. Wharton was our Company Lewis Gun Sergeant, and was attached to my platoon. He was a brave soldier, who never shirked his duty – far from it. He was most keen about his work and encouraged many of our young recruits to take a deep interest in Lewis gunnery.” He was buried at Neville [Neuvilly]. Sergt. Wharton was formerly employed by Messrs. A.J. Birley, Ltd., Albion Shed.

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