William WARD

09 April 1915

LONG PRESTON

A Parade Service was held at the Wesleyan Chapel on Sunday afternoon when the Hellifield and Long Preston Cadets in uniform, with drum and bugle band, attended. An address was given by Corpl. J. Briggs, A.S.C., on ‘Stories from the firing line.’ He concluded by advising the Cadets to attend their drills and make themselves efficient. Lieut. Sharples read the first lesson and Lieut. W. Ward the second. A solo was sung by Mr. M. Clegg, and Mrs. Vipond was at the organ. Every seat in the chapel was occupied.

24 December 1915

LONG PRESTON – IN MEMORY OF THE BRAVE

In the Parish Church on Sunday morning the service was in memory of Geoffrey Taylor, lst 6th Duke of Wellington’s, who was killed on 4th December. The Cadets were present. Lieuts. Ward and Sharples read the lessons. The Rev. R. Shipman said the village had been singularly fortunate; it was more than a year since the boys were there in uniform (after the death of Capt. Preston) and some time since they went to the Baptist Chapel to pay tribute to the memory of Harry Evans. There was no distinction between the Private who served faithfully and the Field Marshal. Geoffrey Taylor was an orphan, though indeed he had found a home and a new mother in the parish, and the lad’s life there on earth had been immeasurably gladdened in that Long Preston home. A year ago last November he spoke a few words particularly to the boys. There would come a time of trial in all their lives, and some of the older ones who were with them a year ago had gone to respond to the call of a noble patriotism. He hoped no more of them would have to go, but their comradeship and training would teach them to do things which were sometimes irksome, cheerfully, and be a great help to them in forming character. They need not think that the men in the trenches liked it; they could not like it; but they were there to see it through and to hang on until the work was thoroughly done.

12 July 1918

FORMER LONG PRESTON HEADMASTER KILLED

One more Long Preston soldier has made the supreme sacrifice for his country. On Saturday Mrs. Ward of Devonshire Place, Long Preston, received the dread message that her husband, Lance-Corporal William Ward, of the West Yorkshires, had been killed in action on 27th June. He had been headmaster of Long Preston Schools since 1910, and joined the Army in 1916 (June). A memorial service is to be held at the Parish Church on Sunday, and it is expected that all who were scholars under Mr. Ward may be present.

19 July 1918

LONG PRESTON – The Late Corporal Ward

A service in memory of Corporal Ward, killed in France 27th June, was held in the Parish Church on Sunday morning. A big congregation attended, including ninety scholars and over a hundred cadets and officers from Keighley, Settle, Hellifield, &c., Mr. Ward, having been a Lieutenant in the Cadet Corps before joining the Army. In the course of his sermon the Rev. R. Shipman said they could think of William Ward as a soldier who had gone forth to war, and of William Ward as a schoolmaster for seven years in that village, and they could think of his widow and her two little ones, and for them there would be a feeling of great sympathy. They knew how terribly anxious she had been. They were becoming sadly familiar with those memorial services, but it was the first time on which they had to mourn for one who was a father. He died in an ambulance, and the preacher knew exactly what it meant. He arrived suffering from wounds in the head and leg. He would be sewn up in a blanket and committed to a soldier’s grave. There would be set up a little wooden cross to mark the piece of ground which would be forever his. He had been a Lieutenant of the Cadets, and he trusted he was the first officer of the Cadets who had given his life for his country. He recalled the first memorial service in November 1914, when Mr. Ward and Mr. Sharples (another cadet officer now serving his country) read the Lessons. The Cadets were bigger then and they were nearly all gone; some of them had been wounded and some of them killed. In serving their King and Country they had learnt the great sacrifice and that they were not to live for themselves alone. The Dead March was played and the ‘Last Post’ sounded. A band of twenty drums and bugles marched at the head of the Cadets as they proceeded down Church Street. Detachments of cadets from Settle, Hellifield, Crosshills, Barnoldswick and Keighley attended; numbers on parade 100. Captain B. Lord, Adjutant, commanded, and other officers present were: Lieutenants Bilton, Holmes, Smith, Hiles, and Lord.

Up to the time of joining the Army Mr. Ward held a commission as Lieutenant, and was in charge of the Long Preston Company. In order to attend this parade the Cadets from Barnoldswick had to walk to Gargrave Station, a distance of 12 miles, and return by Gisburn, which involved another walk of five miles. As the other visiting Companies could not return before 7-17, the interval was spent in marching to Hellifield, where Mr. Nicholson entertained them at the Peel.

26 July 1918

LONG PRESTON – The Late Mr. W. Ward

The, Rev. R. Shipman, vicar, writes:–- “I should, be grateful if you would give me permission to publicly rectify a mis-statement that I made at the memorial service held for the late Mr. William Ward, at Long Preston. I said that I believed that he was the first officer from the Cadets to have paid the supreme sacrifice. As a matter of fact both Captain Bennett and Lieut. Gill have so done, and both were officers in the Cadets. I much regret the error – perhaps absence from the neighbourhood may be some excuse Three officers is a record of which the Cadets must be sadly proud, and which must also be an inspiration and incentive to them as such.”