Wilfrid RISHWORTH

17 August 1917

RUSHWORTH – Killed during August by the bursting of a shell on the Western Front, Gunner Wilfred Rushworth, R.G.A., only son of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Rushworth, of Station Road, Steeton, aged 24 years.

17 August 1917

STEETON-WITH-EASTBURN – GUNNER WILFRED RUSHWORTH KILLED

We regret to learn that yesterday morning Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Rushworth, of Station Road, Steeton, received the sad news of the death in action in France of their only son, Gunner Wilfred Rushworth, R.F.A. It appears that deceased, who was twenty-four years of age, was behind the firing line when a shell burst, killing him and one of his comrades.

Gunner Rushworth enlisted in January 1915, with a number of Steeton comrades. He was formerly actively connected with St. Stephen’s Church and Sunday School, his services as a pianist being much in demand at entertainments held in connection with the Sunday School. Possessed of more than ordinary musical ability, he was also formerly organist at the Church. Prior to enlisting he was a spinning overlooker. He had served in France for something like twenty months, and was home on leave last May. Much sympathy is felt for the bereaved parents.

24 August 1917

STEETON-WITH-EASTBURN – WOUNDED AND GASSED

Two well-known Steeton soldiers and sportsmen in Pte. George Emmott, Liverpool Regt., and Gunner J. W. Wilson, R.F.A., have been respectively wounded in the leg and gassed in France. Gunner Wilson joined with the late Gunner W. Rishworth in January 1915, and both went to France the same year with the same division and were at home on leave together last May, after 20 months’ service in France. Both the above named soldiers, Emmott and Wilson, were in the pre-war days prominent players with the Steeton cricket team, and football team also during its existence. The last named is in hospital near Oldham, Lancashire.

24 August 1917

STEETON-WITH-EASTBURN – THE LATE GUNNER RISHWORTH

We are able this week to reproduce a photograph of Gunner Wilfred Rishworth, only son of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Rishworth, of Station Road, Steeton, who, as reported in last week’s ‘Craven Herald,’ was killed by a shell behind the firing line.

10 May 1918

Gunner J. W. Wilson, Steeton

Mr. and Mrs. Harry Green, Skipton Road, Steeton, on Sunday morning last had a letter from a sergeant stating that their son, Gunner John William Wilson, R.F.A., had been killed at his post, a shell bursting in the gunpit on April 29th. He was an old St. Stephen’s scholar and a former member of the local Church Lads Brigade and was actively connected with both the local cricket and football teams. Of a kindly and cheerful nature he was popular amongst his many associates. Joining up along with the late Gunner W. Rishworth in January, 1915, he is, like his much regretted comrade, “sleeping his last sleep” somewhere in France. Going to France in July 1915, the fallen soldier was gassed last autumn and was home on leave a few weeks ago and had only been back on the Western Front a month. In his 27th year he was formerly in the employ of John Dixon and Sons, and was the second son of the late Mr. Isaac Wilson and a member of an old Steeton family.