Richard WHARTON

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.