War Memorial

In common with thousands of towns and villages throughout the country, Hampsthwaite has its memorial to the dead of the two World Wars. The memorial cross (pictured above) stands at the eastern edge of the parish churchyard and records the names of sixteen local men who died during armed service in the war of 1914-1918 and a further six casualties of World War II. Those names are also recorded on the plaque mounted in the foyer of the Memorial Hall in Hollins Lane.

Each year, on Remembrance Sunday, a commemorative service is held in front of the memorial cross and service personnel from the nearby Army Foundation College are often in attendance. The service invokes, of course, the memory and deeds of all those affected by the conflicts but, particularly, those servicemen from the village and its surroundings who lost their lives. With the help of information from Margaret Power at North Yorkshire Libraries (Harrogate) this article seeks to add something to the memory of those men by recording what is known about their service and connection to the village.

Click on each of the names below to read about them.

Remembrance Sunday

On Remembrance Sunday, 2011, and on the preceding day, the parish church hosted an exhibition of the short biographies contained on this website. During the following days the display was moved to the village school and then to the village Memorial Hall. Thus, the attention of many members of the public was drawn to the information now available about the men commemorated on the War Memorial. It is to be hoped that yet more facts and photographs will emerge in the future.

On that Remembrance Sunday the customary service in the parish church included a procession to the  Memorial where, after the sounding of ”The Last Post”, the names of those inscribed on the Memorial were read aloud  with added significance. The large congregation was pleased to welcome the usual contingent of soldiers from the nearby Army Foundation College who shared in laying wreaths at the foot of the Memorial Cross.