Willie HARGREAVES

13 October 1916

SUTTON-IN-CRAVEN – SOLDIER’S WEDDING

The marriage was solemnised at St. Thomas’s Church on Tuesday afternoon between Miss Doris Riley, eldest daughter of Mrs. Riley of Holmfield, Sutton-in-Craven, and Lance Corporal William Hargreaves, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Hargreaves, of Crag View, Sutton. The bride was dressed in white and also wore a veil with a wreath of orange blossoms, lent to her by her aunt, Mrs. Richard W. Riley. The bridesmaids were Miss Marion Riley (sister of the bride) and Miss Edith Hargreaves (sister of the bridegroom) and they also were dressed in white, and wore black hats. Mr. Norman Hargreaves (brother of the bridegroom) officiated as ‘best man’, and the bride was given away by her uncle, Mr. Richard William Riley. The officiating minister was the Rev. A. R. Light. After the marriage ceremony a reception and tea was held at the Sutton-in-Craven Post Office. The bridegroom has been home on eight days’ leave from the trenches, and returns today (Friday). He is in the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, and has been out in France over fifteen months. He enlisted in the early days of the war, and prior to enlistment worked for Messrs. T. and M. Bairstow, Sutton Mills.

13 October 1916

SUTTON-IN-CRAVEN

Lance-Corporal Willie Hargreaves, of Sutton, has this week been home on leave from the trenches in France. He is with the Duke of Wellington’s, and has been over a year in France. He goes back today (Friday).

06 July 1917

HARGREAVES – June 24th, killed in action on the Western Front, Lance-Corporal Willie Hargreaves, of Sutton-in-Craven.

06 July 1917

SUTTON-IN-CRAVEN – ANOTHER SOLDIER KILLED: Corporal Willie Hargreaves

On Saturday evening Mrs. Willie Hargreaves, of Holmfield, Sutton-in-Craven, received an intimation from Captain T.S. Holland, of the West Riding Regiment, informing her that her husband, Lance Corporal Willie Hargreaves, had been killed in action “Somewhere in France”. The letter, which is dated 26th May 1917, is as follows:–

“Dear Mrs. Hargreaves, – I am truly sorry to have to inform you of the death of your husband. He was killed instantaneously by a shell in the front line on the night of the 24th. He was a most efficient N.C.O. and had become very popular both with his officers, brother N.C.O.s and men, and I know I am speaking for all when I say that his loss will be most deeply regretted by all with whom he came in contact. He always carried out his duties in a most satisfactory manner, and I have lost a very valuable N.C.O., and his men have lost a true comrade, and I cannot express my sympathy as I should like to do, but I hope it will be some consolation for you to know that he died in the execution of his duty like the true soldier he was. He was buried this morning in a well-kept British Cemetery well behind the line, and the service was read over by an Army Chaplain. I hope you will excuse me from writing more, as I am unable to put into words my feelings. Hoping you will bear up bravely under this cruel loss, and assuring you of my deepest sympathy. I remain, yours very truly, (signed) T. S. HOLLAND, Captain O/C, B Company, West Riding Regiment.”

Lance Corporal Hargreaves joined the West Riding Regiment a month after the outbreak of war, and had been out in France for over two years. At the time of enlistment he was employed by Messrs. T. and M. Bairstow, Sutton Mills. He only had one leave all the time he was in France. He was home on leave at the beginning of last October, and during the time he was home he was quietly married to Miss Doris Riley, of Holmfield. Lance Corporal Hargreaves was of a quiet, unassuming disposition, and as manly a fellow as it was possible to imagine, and his loss is very keenly felt in the two villages. He was known by everyone, and loved by all with whom he came in contact. At the time of his death he was a Lewis gunner. His younger brother, Private Allan Hargreaves, is with the Royal Field Artillery in France.

Private Arnold Leach, also of Holmfield, a pal of Lance Corporal Hargreaves, arrived home on Saturday night on leave from the Front, and he stated that he and several other comrades buried him behind the lines. Private Leach says the Company had been in the trenches two days over the time when his chum was killed. Just before he was killed a big German shell came whizzing past Lance Corporal Hargreaves, who was engaged cleaning his gun, but he never moved, and went on with his work as if nothing had happened. He was cleaning his gun at the time of his death. He had written home regularly and letters were received from him during last week, and the news of his death came as a great shock to his relatives. All the time he has been out he had never once complained, and Private Leach says if his chum had not been killed he would shortly have received his second stripe.

Lance Corporal Hargreaves was an old Sunday School scholar of the Sutton Baptist Sunday School. This is the second loss his widow has sustained. Her brother, Lance Corporal Norman Riley, died of gunshot wounds in the head in December 1915. Lance Corporal Riley had his name sent in for promotion the day he was killed, and his officer at the time of his death wrote home to his parents and said that if he had lived he would probably have been mentioned in despatches for beating off a German bombing attack with his fifteen platoon bombers.