William GALE

03 September 1915

THE LATE PRIVATE SPENCER

Mr. and Mrs. John Spencer, of Bolton Road, Addingham, have received the following letter from Private Tim McCarthy in respect to the death of their son, Private Frank Spencer, 2nd Battalion, Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment, who has succumbed to wounds received in action.

“Dear Mr. and Mrs. Spencer, – It is with deep regret I am writing this letter to you. I am sorry to tell you the wounds Frank received that I told mother to tell you about have proved fatal. He died on the 12th of August. I can assure you that Frank had a peaceful end, and he was respectfully laid to rest. I hope and trust that you will bear it well, for you know that he gave his life for a great and honourable cause. Frank was well liked amongst all the men. I will send you his prayer book and a few letters he had in a few days. I quite realise it is hard to bear, but it is God's will. I am quite sure he will be happy from this world's sorrow and trials.

“From your sincere friend, Tim.”

McCarthy, who was an Ilkley young man, was with Spencer when he received his wound. Eight Addingham men have now given their lives for their King and Country. Frank was a playing member of the local football team, and he is the second member of the team to play his last great game, the previous one being the late Lance-Corporal W. Emmett, who was the captain. Other members of the team who are serving are:– J. H. Brown (secretary), W. Gale (treasurer and vice-captain), W. Brown, G. Gale and F. Watts are in the Wharfedale Howitzers; J. Kettlewell, Hy. Wade and G. Strickland are with Kitchener’s Army; A. Holmes, W. Ettenfield and T. Wade are serving in the Leeds Engineers.

23 February 1917

ADDINGHAM - NEWS FROM SOLDIERS

Pte. W. Gale says:– “If the folks at home had seen the faces of the boys when I distributed the articles they would have been more than repaid for their generosity. We had a pleasant surprise on the 6th as Ellis Kettlewell walked about 4 miles to pay us a visit. I have seen J. Pass, C. England, Ganwed Sutcliffe, Autie Wynn, young Fisher, and Alf Tiffany”.

23 March 1917

ADDINGHAM – SERGEANT J. H. BROWN KILLED IN ACTION

We regret to announce the death of Sergt. John Henry Brown, eldest son of Mr. T. Brown, 42, Main Street, Addingham, killed in action in France on March 13th. The sad news was received in a letter to Mrs. W. Gale, of the Swan Hotel, from her husband, who was a friend of deceased and served with him. He wrote as follows:– “I am writing this letter with a sad heart. Just prepare yourself for some bad news. I am sorry to have to write it, but I suppose it must be done. John Henry Brown was killed this morning at 12 o’clock noon. He and the Captain were standing together. The Capt. was not hurt but poor Jack never spoke again; he was practically dead when we picked him up. Poor lad, he would never know he had been hit. We are burying him tomorrow in an English cemetery and a Chaplain will be there.”

In a later letter he says:– “We buried him and made a cross for his grave. I am waiting for the cross lettering and then I am going to fix it on the poor lad’s grave. We had quite a nice burial.”

Sergt. Brown was 27 years of age. He was a member of the Wharfedale Howitzer Volunteer Corps, and was in camp in Wales when the War broke out and was engaged in training men for the Front until he went out to France on January 7th of this year. His time expired 2 months ago, but he signed on again for the duration of the War. Deceased was very well known throughout Wharfedale by his association with the Addingham Trinity Football Club, for whom he acted as secretary and delegate to the Association meetings. He was also a member of the Addingham Brass Band. He has two bothers serving in France. He leaves a widow and one child to mourn his loss.

30 March 1917

ADDINGHAM – MORE NEWS FROM THE BOYS

Mr. Flint has received the following letters:–

Pte. W. Gale writes:– “I am writing with a sad heart as I have lost my best pal, Jack Harry Brown. Poor lad, he was stood doing his duty when one of Fritz’s got him. He never spoke; his death was practically instantaneous. We buried him yesterday and he had a good Christian funeral with the Chaplain there to read the Burial Service. Fitter C. Smith and I attended the funeral, and I was badly cut up as he was one of the best and proved himself a real good fellow here, and he was well liked by all in the battery, both officers, N.C.O.s and men, and it cast a gloom over us all when he fell. I suppose you have got a rumour going that we are all wiped out, but don’t you believe it; we are very much alive, as I think old Fritz will know by now.”

A memorial service for the late Sergt. Brown was held at the Wesleyan Church on Sunday morning where there was a large gathering. The preacher was Mr. J. E. Atack, who took for his subject ‘Bear ye one another’s burdens’ and ‘Each man shall bear his own burden’. Suitable hymns were sung and the organist, Mr. R. Steel, played ‘O rest in the Lord’ and at the close of the service the Dead March in ‘Saul’. Sergt. Brown was an old Sunday School scholar.

13 July 1917

ADDINGHAM – NEWS OF ADDINGHAM SOLDIERS

Mr. Flint has received further letters in acknowledgement of parcels sent out.

Corporal W. Gales writes:– “I must say you are the best known man in Wharfedale. When we say we come from Addingham they say ‘You’ll know C. Flint; lucky fellow! I have seen some of the parcels he sends.’ I think the people at home have done well to keep the fund going so long, and to send the lads just the things they cannot touch out here. Of course you will know we have started getting leave in our battalion. I don’t know when my turn will come, perhaps about Christmas, 1920, with a bit of luck. I don’t care so long as I can dodge Fritz’s iron foundry; it’s no use stopping to argue with them.”

11 October 1918

ADDINGHAM – STAFF-SERGEANT W. GALE KILLED

It is with deep regret that we record the death of Staff-Sergeant Willie Gale, who has been killed in action. The sad news was conveyed to his wife, who resides with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Cousins, Swan Hotel, in a letter from his officer:– “It is with sincere regret that I must write to tell you of the death in action of your husband, Staff-Sergeant Wm. Gale. Although owing to his recent promotion he had left our battery to join Brigade Headquarters we really claim him still as one of our boys. In view of this we have buried him today near one of his old battery positions on the main road near -----. As many as possible of his old comrades attended the ceremony. I offer you one great consolation – your husband’s death was instantaneous. He did not suffer. No words of mine can testify as to how well he was liked by us all, always willing and cheerful in face of every kind of hardship, and it will be difficult for us to fill his place. I convey to you the deepest sympathy of all his old officers, N.C.O.s and men. Sincerely hoping that God may comfort you in your great loss. Yours sincerely, JAS. A. BROWN, Lieut.”

Mrs. Gale received a letter by the same post from her husband, which was written the day he was killed, saying he was looking forward to being home soon. He was 31 years of age and joined up in July 1915. After being rejected three times, he underwent an operation to get into the Army. He went to France in January 1917. “Billy” as he was known on the football fields of Wharfedale, was vice captain of the Addingham Club. The sympathy of all will go out to the bereaved relatives in their sad loss. He leaves a widow and daughter. (We will give a photograph next week.)

18 October 1918

ADDINGHAM – THE LATE STAFF-SERGEANT GALE

We reproduce a photograph of Staff-Sergeant Willie Gale, who, as reported in our columns last week, has been killed in action on the Western Front, and whose wife resides with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Cousins, Swan Hotel, Addingham.