William Miles METCALFE

11 August 1916

INGLETON

DEATH OF MR. JOHN METCALFE

Ingleton was greatly concerned when it heard of the sudden death of Mr. John Metcalfe, of Weathercote, which occurred at Ingleton on Monday, the 7th inst. He had a seizure at the Midland Station on Friday evening, probably brought on by the excessive heat. He was carried to Mrs. Slinger’s, Bank Hall, which is close to the station, but despite the best medical and nursing aids he never rallied, and died as stated. What makes his death more pathetic is the fact that on the day he died he had made arrangements to visit his elder son, who is in hospital at Greenock, suffering from severe wounds in the hip and thigh. His son joined the Leeds Pals, and was wounded in France several weeks ago.

Mr. Metcalfe took a prominent part in the public life of the district. He was a member of the Settle Rural District Council, and for some years was vice-chairman of the Board of Guardians. He was a Trustee of the Ingleton Literary Institute and a vice-president of the Ingleton Conservative Club, and a member of the Ingleton Conservative Association no one worked harder for the cause than did Mr. Metcalfe. For many years he had been a Church warden and manager of the Chapel-le-dale Endowed School, bur perhaps his genial presence will be most missed by the West Riding Sheep Dog Society in which he took the liveliest interest, and which owed a great deal of its popularity to his far-sighted policy; almost from the inauguration of the Society he had been its popular and respected Chairman of the Committee.

The deceased, who was 58 years of age, leaves a widow, two sons and two daughters to mourn his loss. His remains were buried in the quiet little churchyard at Chapel-le-dale, the family burial place, on Thursday afternoon.

[John Metcalfe was the father of Private William Miles Metcalfe.]

23 February 1917

INGLETON – War items

The following youths of 18 have been called to the Colours this week:– Fred Taylor, William Thistlethwaite, William Metcalfe, Joseph Walker and James Barker.– Pte. Chas. King, after a long leave, had returned to the Front. Lieutenant Wm. Ross, who was wounded in the right hand, has written home to his mother, having learnt the art of using his left hand. He joined the Canadians, was soon promoted to be sergeant, and gained his commission in November last.

29 June 1917

INGLETON – WAR ITEMS

Amongst those who have been home on leave during the past week are… Pte. W. Metcalfe, younger son of Mrs. J. Metcalfe, Weathercote…

28 September 1917

INGLETON – Home from the Front

During the past few days several Ingleton men have been home on leave.– Pte. R. Lambert, of the Transport Service, who has been out over two years; Pte. W. Tomlinson, High Street, Ingleton, who has been in hospital in Newcastle suffering from gas poisoning and has so far recovered to be able to spend a holiday with his wife in Ingleton; others are:– Pte. W. Metcalfe, and Pte L. Redhead, the Bottom.

19 April 1918

METCALFE – March 30th, killed in action, aged 19 years, Private William Miles, younger son of the late John Metcalfe and Mrs. Metcalfe, of Weathercote, Ingleton.

19 April 1918

INGLETON SOLDIERS

Private William Miles Metcalfe, 19 years of age, younger son of Mrs. Metcalfe, Weathercote, was killed in action on March 30th. His elder brother was seriously wounded some time ago and has been discharged from the Army. The flag was hoisted half-mast at St. Mary’s Church to his memory.

Private James Barker, grandson of Mr. John Bradshaw, Wilson Wood, Ingleton, has been wounded in the great battle now raging, and is in hospital in London.

The number of Ingleton soldiers who have been killed in action or died of wounds is 29, in addition to which two have died in hospital, one was torpedoed in the North Sea, and four have been missing for something like a year.

21 June 1918

INGLETON – Memorial Service

The third memorial service for those who have fallen in the war was held in St Mary’s Church on Sunday evening, when the building was packed. The service opened with the hymn ’O God our help in ages past,’ and was of a special character. The lessons were read by Mr. J. Harding, lay reader, and the other hymns sung were ‘How bright those glorious spirits shine’ and ‘Peace, perfect peace.’ The Vicar read out the names of those who had fallen since the last memorial service, viz., Capt. E. Walling, M.C., Flight-Lieut. R.B. Brookes, Sergeant T. Heaps, M.M., Segeant R.E. Walker, Lance-Corporal J. Fletcher, Private W. Metcalfe, Private E. Robinson, Private P. Coulson, and Private L. E. Redhead (missing). The Vicar paid all honour to the men who had made the supreme sacrifice; they had laid down their lives in order that we might live in peace, and what had we done or what were we going to do for these men who answered the call of King and Country? Were we worthy of their sacrifice? He urged them to make themselves worthy and not to mourn for them, for they had entered into their rest, but rather to reserve their sympathy for those who were left behind. The Ingleton Colliery Band played the Dead March, and Bugler Robert Howson sounded the ‘Last Post,’ an impressive service concluding with the National Anthem. A collection of £5 13s 6d. was taken towards a permanent memorial.