Thomas Henry SUMMERSKILL

28 July 1916

SUMMERSKILL – July 20, died from wounds received in action in France, Pte. Tom Summerskill, of the Northumberland Fusiliers, of Sutton

28 July 1916

SUTTON – Private Tom Summerskill Wounded

The parents of Pte. Tom Summerskill, of the Fighting Fifth (Northumberland Fusiliers), received a letter on Thursday evening week from their son, informing them that he had been wounded in the ‘big push.’ The letter, written from a base hospital in France, says:–“Just a line to let you know I am wounded and going on well, At present I am in a base hospital, but expect to be sent to England very shortly. My wounds though rather uncomfortable are not serious; one in each leg. I am in good hands and receiving every care and attention possible.” Pte. Summerskill joined the Northumberland Fusiliers several months ago and has been ‘Somewhere in France’ for some time. Before joining this regiment he tried several times to enlist for active service. At the time of enlistment he worked in one of the machine shops in Keighley, and lived with his parents at the Lister Hill, Sutton.

28 July 1916

SUTTON – Soldier Dies from Wounds

Mrs. Wm. Summerskill received letters on Sunday stating that her son, Private Tom Summerskill, of the Northumberland Fusiliers (Fighting Fifth), had died in the Military Hospital at Rouen from wounds received in action. The Matron of the Hospital wrote and said that Private Summerskill was a great favourite in the Hospital, and was loved because he was always a bright and cheery. She expressed her sympathy with Mrs. Summerskill in her great loss. A letter was also received from the Hospital Chaplain, who was with Pte. Summerskill when he died. He spoke very highly of him and expressed his sorrow at the loss of Private Summerskill. Private Summerskill died on the 20th July, from wounds in the left leg and right thigh.

06 October 1916

THE LATE CAPTAIN CEDRIC F. HORSFALL – MEMORIAL SERVICE

A service in memory of the late Captain Cedric F. Horsfall, son of Sir John and Lady Horsfall, Hayfield, Glusburn, who was killed in France on the 18th September, was held on Sunday morning in the Sutton Baptist Church. The large chapel was crowded, and amongst those present were Mrs. Cedric Horsfall, the Mayor of Keighley (Mr. W. A. Brigg), with his mace bearer; Sir John and Lady Horsfall, Miss Horsfall, Miss Dora Horsfall, Miss C. Horsfall, Mrs. Norman Walker, Captain and Mrs. J. Donald Horsfall, Mrs. Curry, Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Petty, Mr. Tom Spencer (Lyndhurst), Mr. Peter Smith, M.P., Mr. W. E. Foster (Keighley), Major C. P Case, Captain Ray Marriner, Mr. John Clough, Mr. F. J. Wilson, Mr. James Woodrow, and Mr. Edgar Naylor.

At the commencement of the service the organist (Mr. Joseph Petty) played ‘O rest in the Lord’, and at the conclusion of the service the Dead March in ‘Saul’ was played, the congregation standing whilst it was being played. The choir, conducted by Mr. Joseph Overend, sang the anthem ‘There is a Land’. The service was opened by the singing of ‘O God our help in ages past’.

The preacher was the pastor (Rev. F. W. Pollard) who said it was nearly a year since the memorial service for Private Joseph Bancroft was held. He was killed in the trenches on October 23rd last year. Fred Simpson and Walter Haggas had been reported missing and no further news had yet been received concerning their fate. Percy Stell and Stanley Archibald, who went through the Gallipoli campaign, were also reported missing. Tom Summersgill, a boy who used to attend the Junior Endeavour Society and the Band of Hope, was killed in July, and now the awful shadow of death again rests upon them, and again they were realising how terrible were the sacrifices the war. The glamour of war was now gone. The fateful week that brought the news of the death of Captain Horsfall would long be remembered for its records of the loss our country sustained of men of special prominence, highly gifted, and with the promise of useful and glorious careers. Raymond Asquith, Captain Henderson and the son of the Rt. Hon. Pike Pease were killed during that week, and the tragedy of those losses was emphasised when news came of the death of Captain Cedric Horsfall. He was indeed worthy to take his place with the best of those who had fallen, by virtue of his noble character and attainments, and by the rich promise of his life. There was in his character much which marked him out for future service in the neighbourhood, in the county and in the country. His education was crowned by his winning highest honours at Cambridge University. He was a true gentleman, the very perfection of kindly consideration for others. They also mourned the death of two others, Lance-Corporal Lewis Binns and Private Albert Binns, both of Glusburn. The first was killed in action on the 11th September. Albert Binns had died during the week as a result of wounds received in action. These men had fallen in defence of their country and its noble ideals, in defence of the cause of freedom and justice, honour and truth. The quarrel thrust upon them was not of their seeking. Their friend, Captain Horsfall, volunteered his services in the very early days of the war. There were many reasons why he might have declined the call home for business considerations; but a noble spirit of chivalry determined him to make the greater choice, and the appeal that came to him in the hour of his country’s need met with a noble one. They must see to it that these great sacrifices were not made in vain.

On the Hayfield family vault in the Sutton Baptist burial ground was a beautiful laurel wreath, and also a splendid array of arum lilies.