Vincent ECCLESTON

02 July 1915

ANOTHER BARNOLDSWICK VICTIM – Private Vincent Eccleston Killed

The dread uncertainty of war is shown in a sad incident which has to be recorded this week. On Monday, Mr. Ben Eccleston, stationer and bookseller, of Rainhall Road, Barnoldswick, was visited by Private Bates, a local soldier, home on a four days’ furlough from the Front, who said he was charged with a verbal message to Mr. Eccleston that his half-brother, Private Vincent Eccleston, was ‘alive and kicking’ and doing well. But on Wednesday morning came a letter from Quarter-Master Waddington of the 1st East Lancashire Regiment, informing the relatives of Private Eccleston’s death from the bullet of a German sniper.

Quarter-Master Waddington says:–

27th June 1915

“Dear Sir, I am sorry to inform you that your brother, Private Vincent Eccleston, was killed this morning. He was shot through the head by a bullet from a German sniper and died half an hour afterwards. He suffered no pain, being unconscious immediately upon being hit. He was a good soldier and I am indeed sorry to lose such a fine fellow. During the last two months he had been in the machine gun section, and all his comrades feel his loss intensely. You have at least the consolation that he died doing his duty, and I trust this will lessen your great grief. I remain, Yours sincerely, C. Waddington, Quarter-Master.”

Private Eccleston was the son of Mr. William Eccleston of Westgate, Barnoldswick. He was only 22 years of age, and enlisted in the 1st East Lancashire Regiment in August last year. He got his training at various places in England and he was drafted to France on January 28th. Quite recently Private Eccleston sent a number of curios from the battlefield, and the interesting souvenirs from the scene of action are exhibited in Mr. Ben Eccleston’s shop window. The exhibits include shells and bullets of various kinds, fuses, Waterloo souvenirs and a bronze statute of Napoleon, which was cleverly made from the brass of a gun. In his last letter, which reached Barnoldswick only four days previous to his death, Private Eccleston wrote:– “Things have been pretty rough out here lately. What with shells, trench mortars and bullets, it is awful, but I think the trench mortars are the worst. They are like one of our 18 pounders, but are full of gun-cotton and are fired by a fuse. You can see them as they come through the air, and when one comes you have to make a move. We have just come out for a rest, and we needed it, as we have had no sleep for five days. We have had to keep working all the time we were in to keep up the parapet at all costs. You may just think what it was like when, in five days, we filled 24,000 sandbags, and also used what the Germans had left when the French drove them out of it. I saw an aeroplane set on fire three days ago, and am sorry to say it was one of ours.”

Much sympathy is extended by Barnoldswick people to the members of the bereaved family, who are old and well known residents. The name Eccleston has been long associated with the progress of the town.

02 July 1915

A VISIT TO BARNOLDSWICK FROM THE FRONT

Friends of Private ‘Billy’ Bates, a native of Nelson, but for some time a resident of Barnoldswick where he is well known, were pleasantly surprised to receive a visit from him on Monday during part of a four days’ furlough he has spent in England, after serving nearly eleven months at the Front. Although he has been through a number of stirring incidents of war, Pte. Bates is locally congratulated on being one of the lucky ones, for he has endured the whole of the campaign without a scratch. Everyone was glad to see him and he returned on Tuesday noon to resume his hazardous duties at the Front. Before the war Private Bates was in the Militia (East Lancashire’s) and was called up by the mobilisation order. His winter’s exploits he described as constituting the most awful experiences of his life, and he says it is a wonder that he has not been killed many times over, if the paradox may be excused. The Germans were certainly more powerful and more formidable opponents than had been represented to the British public, but Private Bates agreed that they do not posses the morale of the British troops. Their cannon and artillery were well equipped, and during the winter months the battle was at times ‘hell on earth’. With the coming of spring, however, Private Bates found himself attached to the headquarters staff at Ypres as a cavalry despatch rider, and it is to this class of work that he has this week returned. It is dangerous but honourable employment, full of incidents and perils.

Whilst at Ypres, Private Bates has met Private William Hudson, the son of P.C. Hudson of Barnoldswick, who is with the Regulars and has just returned to the Front after having been in one of the base hospitals in France. He has also met Private Vincent Eccleston, stationer of Rainhall Road, another Barnoldswick lad (who has just been reported killed). This is also in the Ypres district. Private Bates has not met many of the recruits who went out to France this spring. These men are being given their baptism of fire in another sphere of the operations – or at least the majority of them have been so placed.

30 July 1915

PRIVATE LISTER’S LAST LETTER

As briefly announced last week, Private Wm. Lister, 6th Duke of Wellington’s, was killed on July 18th. According to a letter from Private Wolfenden of Barnoldswick, who was with him in the trenches, there were three killed and two injured at the same time, Lister being shot through the head. Before joining the Army he worked at Messrs. Bailey and Roberts, Barnsey Shed, and was well known as a footballer and athlete. He was 27 years of age and leaves a widow and one boy (3½ years), who reside at 7 King Street, Barnoldswick.

In his letter dated two days before his death, Private Lister wrote in the following cheerful strain:– “We are in a very warm part of the trenches just now. You will know where we are if you look in next week’s ‘Pioneer’. I am still in the pink, but we have to skip about pretty lively at times. The Germans are very wide-awake and keep us so too. Never mind, I shall think of you at the seaside and hope you enjoy yourself. I wish this lot was over, but don’t see much chance of that yet. P.S.- All the Barlickers are all right yet. We are now where Vincent Eccleston was killed.”

06 August 1915

BARNOLDSWICK NEWS

BAPTIST CHAPEL “ROLL CALL” – IMPRESSIVE SUNDAY EVENING SERVICE

An impressive service was conducted at the Barnoldswick Baptist Church on Sunday, when special reference was made to the war, and the pastor (Rev. E. Winnard) preached on the solemn covenant, ‘Carefully to endeavour to create and maintain a higher standard of personal and family religion, putting away from us all that would incur the Divine displeasure and bring defeat and failure to our arms.’

The service was well attended, and opened with a few short introductory remarks by the pastor, as given on the Free Church Council prayer sheets. Special hymns were sung, and a number of appropriate intercessional prayers made. Then the minister (Rev. E. Winnard) enumerated the names of three members of his congregation who had fallen or had been wounded during the first twelve months of the war, the congregation standing the while. These are Private Anderson, who went down in the ‘Rohilla’, and Private Vincent Eccleston, who was recently shot in France by a sniper, and Private J.W. Smith, who is in France suffering from slight wounds and is expected to return to the firing line.

As Rev. E. Winnard read the roll call of the 38 members of the congregation who are fighting at the Front, or are in training for active service, the congregation engaged in silent prayer for their welfare. The solemnity of the service was intensified by the singing of the choir.

24 December 1915

CRAVEN’S ROLL OF HONOUR – BARNOLDSWICK

Pte. Vincent Eccleston, 1st East Lancashire Regiment, son of Mr. Wm. Eccleston, of Barnoldswick, killed by a sniper 27th June 1915. Aged 22 years.

22 June 1917

In loving memory of our dear brother, Vincent Eccleston, who was killed at Ypres, June 27th, 1915.

“Gone, but not forgotten.”

– From his loving Mother, Sister and Brother.