William Alan BRAYSHAY

29 October 1915

BRADLEY - SUDDEN DEATH OF A SOLDIER IN CAMP

Quite a gloom was cast over the village on Wednesday evening of last week when Mr. and Mrs. Brayshay received a telegram that their son, Private William Brayshay, aged 17, had died in hospital from tumour of the brain at Fovant Camp, Salisbury. Willie was a bright, cheerful lad respected by all. He was previously employed at Mr. H. Widdop's gas and oil engine makers, Keighley. He was trained at Bradford and Ripon, going to Salisbury Plain about seven weeks ago.

The funeral took place on Saturday, the procession from the hospital being headed by the firing party with arms reversed, then the band playing the 'Dead March' followed by the gun carriage drawn by six black horses, with the coffin on the platform over the gun draped with the Union Jack. On it were his cap, belt and bayonet. His brother and sister were next to the gun carriage, followed by Major Moore, Lieutenant Parker and about one hundred men of the deceased's Company. Private Joe Woodrup, who was in the same Company, and enlisted from Bradley at the same time as Brayshay, formed one of the six bearers.

Rev. J.G. Thornton, chaplain, wrote a beautiful letter to Mrs. Brayshay of deepest sympathy in their sad bereavement, and he hoped they would be proud to think that their son had died as a soldier having done what he could for England in this great war. The chaplain throughout has shown the greatest kindness and sympathy.

On Sunday afternoon, at St. Mary's Church, in connection with which the deceased was an ardent worker and member of the choir, a memorial service was held, conducted by Rev. J.J. Turner, vicar of Cononley. The hymns 'Abide with me', and 'Peace, perfect peace' were sung and the 'Dead March' in Saul was played. Mr. and Mrs. Brayshay and family have the deepest sympathy of the inhabitants of the village in the loss they have sustained.

20 October 1916

In ever loving memory of our dearly loved son and brother, Pte. William Alan Brayshay, who died October 20th 1915, at Fovant Camp, Salisbury, aged 17 years.

"Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee."

From the loved ones at home.

27 April 1917

ANOTHER BRADLEY SOLDIER KILLED

Mr. and Mrs. Walker Blades, of Prospect Terrace, Bradley, received the following letter last week from Lance-Corpl. J. Littlewood, of the Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment:- " It is with deepest regret and sympathy that I beg to inform you of your son's death. He was killed by shrapnel yesterday, the 14th, and was buried last night. He was a good workmate, and I sincerely regret his loss. He was buried in an English grave and had a proper funeral service."

Pte. Albert Blades, of the West Yorkshire Regiment, who was 22 years of age, was the only son of the above, and enlisted on March 28th, 1916. He went to France on Jan. 12th. The lad was of a quiet and retiring disposition, but all his letters breathed a love of home and parents, for whom the deepest sympathy is felt. He was formerly employed as shoemaker by Mrs. Walker, of Skipton.

The following letter was received by Pte. Blades's parents yesterday morning from Private Joe Harry Mawson, another Bradley lad:-

"I beg to extend to you and your family my deepest sympathy in your sad bereavement, and I most sincerely pray that God will comfort and sustain you until that day dawns when you will be re-united in the Better Land. The news came as a great shock to me this morning. I made enquiries about him and learnt that he was wounded in the back and died in hospital. I have seen the place where he is buried, and let me assure you that he has been buried respectably. At present there is nothing but a bottle with his name, number, and date of funeral, 'Pte. A. Blades. No. 4604, 14/4/17,' but in the course of a few days there will probably be a small wood cross put up to mark the place. I have been talking to his sergeant, and he told me he was a good soldier. There is only one consolation for you, that is that he has done his duty, and paid the highest sacrifice for the sake of humanity."

A memorial service was held in the Wesleyan Chapel on Sunday morning, conducted by Mr. Herbert Thornton, who said that it was their painful experience to have to record the passing away of another of their lads on the field of battle. Never surely in the history of mankind was there so much anguish and heartbreak on account of loved ones who had been prematurely cut off. Rachel's weeping for their children because they are not. Well might they cry out "How long, O Lord, how long?" When would the toll for human misunderstanding, avarice and inordinate ambition be expiated. They little thought a week ago, when paying a tribute to Sydney Mattock, that even then Albert had found a last resting place upon a foreign shore. Yet, so it was, and his death made the sixth of their lads who had laid down their lives in their country's cause, viz., Willie Brayshay, while in training on Salisbury Plain; Robert Henry Mawson, Leonard Throup, John Sydney Mattock, James Henry Peel, and lastly, they hoped, and so far as they knew, Albert Blades. Albert was of a quiet disposition; he didn't wear his heart upon his sleeve, his innermost thoughts and aspirations were rarely, if ever, expressed. He was diligent and plodding, kind-hearted and considerate, strongly attached to all at home, purposely avoiding in his letters anything calculated to give uneasiness or anxiety. Consequently, it was not known definitely whether he was killed in action or hit with shrapnel behind the line. He attested on his 21st birthday, and joined the Duke of Wellington's Regiment. He was one of their own lads, having passed through the Sunday School, and previous to enlisting was connected with Mr. Bray's Young Men's Class. He was also a frequent attender at public worship, and in your name and my own I extended to the bereaved relatives their sincere sympathy. It was some consolation to know that his death brought no remorse, that his end had not been hastened by fast and profligate living; he has died fighting your cause and mine. Death met him in the discharge of his duty. What worthier end? In the words of Mazzini, I would say "Life is a mission duty its highest aim," for unselfish actions never die. May some comfort come to all those who were bitterly mourning the loss of loved ones at this time, from the thought that their life was given up in the most momentous struggle in history, and that they sacrifice their all in order that right and freedom should triumph and the world be made a brighter and a happier place in which to live.

All through life I see a cross
Where sons of God yield up their breath,
There is no gain except by loss,
No life - except by death.

At the close of the service 'O rest in the Lord' was played by the organist, Mr. Chapman.