William Henry NORTHEY

01 June 1917

INGLETON

Pte. W. Northey, son of Mr. W. Northey, Westhouse, has now been officially reported as wounded, but nothing further has been heard of his brother-in-law, Pte. James Saul, who is said to have been wounded several weeks ago.

15 June 1917

INGLETON – OFFICIALLY REPORTED MISSING

Pte. W. Northey has also now been officially reported as “wounded and missing,” but in spite of many enquiries nothing can be ascertained of the fate of his brother-in-law, Pte. James Saul, a pal of his, wrote to his parents informing them that their son had been wounded but all efforts to trace him have proved futile.

22 February 1918

INGLETON – IN MEMORY OF THE FALLEN

A memorial service for Ingleton men who have fallen in the war was held in St. Mary’s Church on Sunday evening. There was a large congregation, and the service was of an impressive character. The Union Jack was hoisted half-mast on the tower during the day. At the commencement of the service the organist, Mr. C. Bentham, played ‘O rest in the Lord’, and at the conclusion the Dead March in ‘Saul’, 'How bright these glorious spirits shine’, and other hymns appropriate to the occasion were sung, as was also the National Anthem. Standing on the Chancel steps, Bugler J. Robinson sounded the ‘Last Post’, and its solemn and eerie notes reverberated along the aisles.

Before commencing his address, the vicar, the Rev. D. T. Davies, read out the list of those who had fallen, as follows:–

Killed in action: Second-Lieutenant G. Kirk, Sergeant J. Metcalfe, Privates A. Noble, G. Scholey, C. Tomlinson, J. Smith, W. A. Hodgson, J. W. Wadeson, J. W. Robinson, J. Clapham, W. Smith, J. Schofield, J. Kettlewell, W. Marklew, E. Askew, P. Fletcher, G. Metcalfe, A. M. Booth, J. Woodhouse, W. Bolton, and J. [W.H.W.] Wilson.

Died in hospital: Privates W. H. Wignall and C. Newsholme.

Torpedoed: C. Grant.

Missing; Sergeant R. E. Walker, Privates A. Sherwin, W. Northey, E. Robinson, J. Saul, and W. [J.C.] Bradford.

The Vicar, speaking from the words, ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends’, said that the occasion brought them face in face with a question that was momentous to everyone, and the list which he had just read made them pause and ask the question, “Is the cause for which we are fighting of such a nature that these sacrifices are necessary?” They must remind themselves of the causes which led to the war. Our honour was pledged to protect a small country from an oppressing wrong, and we were compelled to stand by them. They were standing to protect a weak country from a fearful wrong committed by one of the strongest nations in the world – from a military point of view the strongest – a nation that was steadily prospering year after year and which had been training its manhood to satisfy its mad ambition for power. It was becoming clear, especially during the last few weeks, that the dominant note running through their proposals had been their determination that might should conquer over right, and that they would rule as masters over the whole world. When they analysed the causes they saw that the principles of justice and righteousness were struggling against oppression and wrong-doing. They had seen an attempt to impose injustice on the whole world, to impose the doctrine that might is right and mercy unknown by the will of one man, and to sweep away religion, man’s guidance, in a moment.

29 March 1918

INGLETON – Presumed Killed

Mr. T. Robinson, Storrs Cottages, Ingleton, has heard from the War Office that his son, Private Ed. Robinson, who has been missing since May 3rd of last year, is now presumed to have been killed. He joined the Army in March, 1916. He was 20 years of age. – Other Ingletonians reported missing after the same battle are Sergeant R. E. Walker, landlord of the Three Horse Shoes Inn; Private Alfred Sherwin, Private William Northey, Private James Saul, and Private William Bradford.

07 March 1919

ECHOES OF THE WAR – NEWS WANTED OF MISSING SOLDIER

Mrs. Northey, Clarrick Terrace, Ingleton, Yorks., will be very grateful if anyone could furnish any information concerning her husband, No 20118, Pte. William Northey, 9th Duke of Wellington’s (whose photo we reproduce) reported missing April 25th, 1917.