William George COLE

15 October 1915

A SKIPTON ODDFELLOW AT ALEXANDRIA

Lance-Corporal W. G. Cole, of the 8th Duke of Wellington’s, attached to the 11th Divisional Base Details, at Alexandria, gives some interesting glimpses of life in the Near East, in a letter which he writes to a Skipton friend, under date September 20th. Lance-Corporal Cole is well-known in Skipton, he having being prominently connected with Oddfellowship in the district. He writes:– “I can hardly imagine how the sum of £56 was realised at the Patriotic Concert at the Town Hall. Skipton people can rally round when they like. We heard yesterday that a big move had been made in France, but we get little news here. There seems to be a lot of Turks here in Alexandria, and as I stroll round the squares at night, I see them sitting round the tables, drinking their coffee and smoking their opium pipes. A deal of these seem to be Turkish merchants, so perhaps it would not do to publish all the news here.

“The 32nd Brigade caught it heavy in the new landing at the Dardanelles – in fact the whole of the 11th Division did. But I think no brigade lost more heavily than the 32nd, or Yorkshire Brigade. I don’t think that the 6th Yorkshires had one officer left, and the 8th West Ridings were nearly as badly hit. Frank Counter is reported missing, and so is young Brockbank and a few others. I have questioned many who have passed through here after being in hospital, but I can get nothing definite about Frank. It seems his Battalion had to retire, which puts a bad aspect on his being alive, but since then I have heard that his company commander, who was also reported missing, has been reported a prisoner. Frank may easily he with him.

“I think the forcing of the Dardanelles is only a matter of time, though up to the present it has proved a very hard nut to crack. There are a deal of Australians and New Zealanders here. They are a fine lot of fellows, and are a credit to their country. They say that Sidney is a more English town than London. That reminds me of one thing which will have to be looked into when the war is over – we don’t want large areas in our towns taken up by foreign element. Foreigners, spread about, can do little harm, but when one finds a whole district composed of them, it reminds one of a sore for which the safest cure is the knife – with which to cut it out.

“The Australians cause a little envy among our chaps, as they get higher pay than the English Tommy. They say that Australia is the finest country in the world. Lots of Australians will go back home with a good idea of irrigation, for if it were not for the irrigation canals, the country would be almost barren. I get the ‘Craven Herald’ every week, and last week I was able to hand the copy over to a chap called Metcalfe, from Skipton. We have had a Skipton chap here of the name of Cowman, but he has gone back now. I have had capital health lately, for the weather is getting cooler. I should very much like to get to the Pyramids at Cairo, but I don’t think I shall get a chance of doing so. Food is very dear here; I paid two piastres – that is 5d. – for a glass less than a pint. Spirits and wine are very cheap. The dates are ripe, and present a pleasing sight.

“The natives are very primitive in their sanitation, and Alexandria is like East meeting West. The railways are quite English, and the tramway service excellent.”

27 April 1917

COLE – April 20th 1917 died in hospital in France, Sergeant W.G. Cole, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, formerly of 13, Wellington Street, Skipton, aged 37 years.

27 April 1917

SERGT. W.G. COLE DIES IN HOSPITAL

News reached Skipton, we are sorry to say, on Tuesday morning that Sergeant W.G. Cole of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, whose wife and four children reside at 13, Wellington Street, Skipton, had died in hospital in France on Friday morning last. Formerly a guard on the Midland Railway – he was at one time on the Skipton to Grassington line – he joined Kitchener’s Army soon after the outbreak of war, and after the customary training at Grantham, he went out with his regiment to the Dardanelles, where he was promoted. Subsequently he went to France, and was transferred to the office staff of the then newly formed Machine Gun Corps, on which he had worked up to the illness which has resulted in his death.

A prominent Oddfellow, deceased was a trustee of the Earl of Thanet Lodge, Skipton, and a Past Provincial Grandmaster of the District. He was about 36 years of age.

04 May 1917

THE LATE SERGEANT COLE, SKIPTON

Sergeant W. G. Cole, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment of Skipton, whose death in hospital in France was recorded in last week’s ‘Craven Herald’, worshipped at Christ Church, Skipton, and as a tribute to his memory a number of Oddfellows connected with the Skipton and Shipley Lodges attended morning service at the church on Sunday.

At the close of his sermon the Vicar (Rev. R. Thorman) referred to Sergeant Cole as one of those who set an example of ‘Obedience with Love’.

“William G. Cole,” he said, “ to whose memory some of you have come this morning to pay a tribute of respect and affection, and whom so many of his fellow worshippers in the Church respected and loved, was one whose obedience was characterised by love of God and man.

“He had laid down his life in the cause of King and Country, like so many others who would be counted worthy of the honour and the reward of the resurrection from the dead.

“We sympathise deeply and truly with the bereaved ones, but we do not sorrow, and we bid them not sorrow, as those without hope. In Jesus Christ our Lord we have a certainty of life recovered and unending.”

The service concluded with the Dead March, played by Mr. J.L.A. Firth, the organist. A tribute to deceased’s memory was paid at a meeting of the Tree of Life Lodge, Shipley, on Saturday evening.

In a letter to Mrs. Cole, Lieutenant-Colonel J. A. Spencer says:– “Will you please accept my profound sympathy in your great loss. Your late husband, during the short time I knew him, was a man of sterling value and was most conscientious, and his death is a great loss to this Depot. His death will be and is very deeply felt by all ranks in this Depot.”