Malhamdale Virtual War Memorial
Let all remember these men of Malhamdale who gave their lives in the Great War 1914-1918
and the Second World War 1939-1945.
This page commemorates those people connected with the Malhamdale area who died in the two World Wars.
There is no single memorial in Malhamdale commemorating all those who died, and some names connected with the area are not inscribed on any of the existing memorials, possibly because they no longer lived within the Dale or are commemorated elsewhere. We dedicate this page to all the people connected with Malhamdale who are known to have died in the service of their Country.
“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15 v13
The Great War : 1914-18
 |
St Michael the Archangel Kirkby MalhamThe marble tablet on the tower wall as you enter the church lists six men who died from the Dale:Pte. Joseph Berry New Zealand RiflesPte. Farrand Earnshaw Yorkshire RegimentSgt. Kayley Earnshaw West Yorkshire Regiment Pte. Robert Jones John Redfearn
|
 |
| Pte. Farrand Earnshaw, son of Jane and the late William Earnshaw of Calton/Airton. Killed in action 1st July 1916, aged 26 years. | Pte. John William Redfearn, son of Jack & the late Ruth Redfearn of Kirkby Malham. Died of pneumonia, Etaples, France 13th July 1918, aged 23 years. |
“If I should die, think only this of me:
That there’s some corner of a foreign field
That is for ever England.”
The Soldier by Rupert Brooke (1887-1915)
| Airton Wesleyan Methodist Chapel (Plate now displayed in St Michael the Archangel church in Krkby Malham on north aisle wall. – edit 2023) A brass memorial tablet listing: |
|
|
 |
| St Peter’s, Coniston Cold The war memorial in the churchyard reads:In memorium To the Glory of God and in memory of the men who laid down their lives for their Country in the Great War 1914-18Lance Cpl James Thomson Pte George Henry Perrett Robert Jackman Herbert Clarke Robert BatesonAlso in the church yard is a grave inscribed:Sacred to the memory of Elizabeth the beloved wife of the Revd John Stansfeld who died at Coniston Parsonage Feb 9th 1861 aged 41 years also in proud ond loving memory of Lt Col John Raymond Evelyn Stansfeld DSO grandson of the above, and only son of John Birkbeck Stansfeld MA He served with great distinction in the 2nd Btn Gordon Highlanders through the South African War 1899 – 1901 and died gloriously on the field of battle while commanding the same Btn at Loos Sept 28th 1915 aged 36 years giving his life for his King and Country. His body lies in the military cemetery at Chocques, France |
 |
Craven’s Part in the Great War
|
| Lieut. Ronald Falshaw Morkill1st Btn West Riding Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Own) and Royal Flying Corps.Died 22 June 1915 aged 23Killed in flying accident at Shoreham. Son of John William & Hannah Shaw of Newfield Hall.(The only Commonwealth War Grave in Kirkby Malham churchyard.)
(Craven’s Part in the Great War page 53) More information can be found here – https://radleyarchives.co.uk/people/7736-ronald-falshaw-morkill
|
 |
Sgt. Kayley Earnshaw (DCM)Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment)Died 9th June 1916 aged 36.Born CaltonHusband of Ellen Earnshaw, of Chapel St., Salterforth, Colne, Lancs.
(Craven’s Part in the Great War page 133)
|
|
| Pte. Farrand Earnshaw10th Btn Yorkshire Regiment Died 1st July 1916 aged 26.Born CaltonSon of Jane Earnshaw of West Bank, Kirkby Malham (Craven’s Part in the Great War page 143)
|
 |
Pte. John William RedfearnArmy Service Corps, 3rd Field Survey Coy Royal Engineers.Died 13th July 1918 aged 23.Son of John & the late Ruth Redfearn of Main Street, Kirkby Malham.(Craven’s Part in the Great War page 357)
|
|
 |
Pte. Joseph Berry2nd Btn 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade.Died 26 Mar 1918 aged 32Son of John & Alice Berry, of Airton(Craven’s Part in the Great War page 336)
|
 |
Pte. Robert Francis Jones3rd Btn Grenadier GuardsDied 23 August 1918 aged 19Son of Elizabeth Jones of St. Luke’s Hospital, Bayswater, London. Grandson of Mr. J Winskill, Malham Tarn.(Craven’s Part in the Great War page 359)
|
 |
Sgt. George Henry Caton (MM& Bar)4th Btn King’s Own Yorkshire Light InfantryDied 27 Mar 1918 aged 22Eldest son of John William & Emily Caton, born Kirkby Malham.(Craven’s Part in the Great War page 337)
|
 |
Pte. JW CatonArmy Service CorpsDied 18 Sept 1918 aged 19Died of pneumonia at Rouen.Youngest son of John William & Emily Caton, born Kirkby Malham.
(Craven’s Part in the Great War page 362)
|
 |
Lte. Robert Seton Scott Orr201st Squadron R A FDied 8 Aug 1918 aged 21Son of Robert & Catherine Orr of Dale House, Malham.(Debt of Honour Register) |  |
Pte. Arthur William BaileyDuke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment)Died 29 July 1916 aged 20Son of William George & Anne Elizabeth Bailey, of 41, Fazakerley Rd., Liverpool. From Otterburn.(Craven’s Part in the Great War page 138)
|
|
LCpl. James Thomson10th Btn 21st Div Yorkshire Regiment (Alexandra, Princess of Wales’s Own)Died 1 July 1916 aged 20Son of Wm. Thomson, Castle Douglas, and lately of Coniston Hall, Bell Busk.(War memorial, St Peter’s Coniston Cold, Craven Herald)
|
 |
Pte. George Henry Perrett21st Btn West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Own)Died 31 January 1918 aged 26Son of Thomas Perrett, Bell Busk station master.(Craven’s Part in the Great War page 333)
|
|
Pte. Robert Jackman2nd Btn Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment)Died 18 April 1915 aged 22Born GiggleswickSon of John Ashworth and Annie Jackman.
(War memorial, St Peter’s Coniston Cold & Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-19)
|
 |
Pte. Herbert ClarkeDuke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment)Died 14 July 1916 aged 24Youngest son of Mr. Richard Clark, Kirkgate, Settle, and formerly postman at Bell Busk, Airton, Malham, &c.(War memorial, St Peter’s Coniston Cold & Craven’s Part in the Great War page 141) |
 |
Pte. Robert Bateson (MM)Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment)Died 28 Nov 1917 aged 22Born AirtonSon of Mr and Mrs J Bateson, Station Cottage, Bell Busk.
(Craven’s Part in the Great War page 312)
|
|
Cpl. Stanley RichmondCanadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment)Died 10 Nov 1917 aged 23.Born Bell BuskSon of Tom and Ada Richmond, of Mosside, Alberta.
(Craven’s Part in the Great War page 379)
|
|
Pte Charles PillingCanadian Forestry CorpsDied 14 May 1918 aged 47Born Bell BuskSon of Thomas and Mary Pilling, of 14, Firth St, Skipton.
(Debt of Honour Register)
|
|
Sgt George ButlerRoyal Horse ArtilleryDied 14 April 1917 aged 30Son of William Duckett Butler and Margaret Butler; husband of Sarah Hargreaves (formerly Butler), of 30, Preston Rd., Freckleton, Kirkham, Lancs. Born at Bordley Hall(Debt of Honour Register) |
 |
Pte William Burton”B” Coy. 18th Btn. Durham Light InfantryDied 3 May 1917 aged 29Son of Edwin and Mary Ann Burton of Nottingham, husband of Fanny Burton, of Reservoir House, Winterburn.(Debt of Honour Register)
|
|
Sidney Burton1st/3rd West Riding Bde. Royal Field ArtilleryDied 24 March 1916 aged 24Son of Ellen Callow (formerly Burton), of Winterburn and the late Percy William Burton.(Debt of Honour Register) |
 |
William RichardsonRoyal Garrison ArtilleryDied 17 Nov 1918 aged 25Son of George and Rose A Richardson, of Coniston Cold, husband of Minnie Dodsworth (formerly Richardson) of Trees Cottages, South St., Gargrave.(Debt of Honour Register)
|
|
Herbert CardusRoyal Army Service CorpsDied 9 Nov 1916 aged 19Born Airton.(Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-19) |
 |
George Henry Metcalfe9 Btn Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) Trench Mortar BatteryDied 10 March 1918 aged 39Born Bell Busk.(Craven’s Part in the Great War page 337)
|
|
Samuel HallWest Yorkshire Regiment and 19th Btn Durham Light InfantryDied 27 Oct 1917 aged 31Born Malham.(Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-19) |
|
John PeartMachine Gun CorpsDied 24 April 1917 age 25Born Malham. Son of William and Ann E Peart formerly of Middle House.(Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-19)
|
 |
Lieut. Hedley Knowles1st/6th Btn Duke of Wellington’s West Riding RegimentDied 30 May 1915 age 22.(Craven’s Part in the Great War page 51) |
 |
Edwin Clapham18th Service Btn Lancashire FusiliersDied 31 Oct 1918 age 20Born Kirkby MalhamSon of Richard and Betsy Clapham formerly of Capon Hall.
(Craven’s Part in the Great War page 366)
|
|
James Redmayne2nd Btn Australian InfantryDied 12 July 1915 age 35Born Kirkby MalhamSon of William and Isabella Redmayne formerly of Kirkby Top.
(West Yorkshire Pioneer 6 Aug 1915)
|
 |
Lieut. William Ellis Gomersall22nd Service Btn 7th Division Manchester RegimentDied 1 July 1916 aged 21Born HellifieldSon of Hubert and Jane Eliza Gomersall, of Urmston, Manchester formerly of Otterburn and Bell Busk.
(Craven’s Part in the Great War page 59) |
|
Lt Col John Raymond Evelyn Stansfeld DSO2nd Btn 7th Div Gordon HighlandersDied 28 Sep 1915 aged 35(Craven’s Part in the Great War page 76) |
| Use this link to search for additional details on the Commonwealth War Graves website. https://www.cwgc.orgYou can find details of the Regiment, Unit, Date of Death, Age, Service number, Awards, plus additional details which may include family information. You will also discover the cemetery or memorial on which they are commemorated and can print out their details in certificate form.Much additional information, including news reports are included on the Craven’s Part in the Great War website. |
 |
In St Michael’s Church, Kirkby Malham there is also a small brass plaque attached to a wooden lectern which reads:
In Memory of Captain FRANCIS EDWARD MORKILL20th Canadian Infantry Battalion. Who was killed in action on the Somme 15th September 1916 aged 26 Years. He was a cousin of JW Morkill JP of Newfield Hall, from the Canadian branch of this family.
See the Canadian Virtual War Memorial for further details, complete with his picture and obituary.
https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/618863
The Great War Roll of Honour
A carved oak Roll of Honour hangs in Kirkby Malham Church Hall and records around 60 names of those who left their hearths and homes to answer the call to defend their country during the Great War, including some who didn’t return. At the Methodist Chapel in Malham, another list hangs inside the porch. It is titled the Malham Wesleyan Roll of Honour and lists 20 men who went to the Great War, duplicating some names from the Kirkby Malham Roll. Beneath the names it says “Praise God, all the above returned safely after the Great War” The list below is compiled from both these two sources. ( * Died)
Pte. Richard H Baines Pte. Robert F Jones * Pte. William Nelson Pte. Edward Banks Pte. Edward Lawson Pte. F Nelson Pte. Charles Bell Pte. Ernest Lawson LCpl. Benjamin Hudson Pte. Joseph Berry * Pte. William Lumb Pte. Robinson Jackson Pte. John Blamire Pte. William H Lumb Pte. Ernest Redfearn Pte. Henry Bolland Pte. George Newhouse Pte. John Wm Redfearn * Pte. James Bolland Pte. Walter Newhouse Pte. Percy T Redfearn Pte. John Bolland Maj. H Gilbert Tunstall Pte. John L Richardson Pte. Norman Bolland Pte. Richard Chester Pte. Robert Richardson Pte. Thomas W Carr Pte. Morrison T R Hall Pte. Frederick Rowley Pte. Arthur Caton Pte. George Metcalfe Pte. William Scott Pte. David Coates Pte. Hugh B Morkill Pte. Cyrus Sharp Pte. John Coates Pte. Alan G Morkill Pte. George Sharp Pte. Farrand Earnshaw * Pte. Ronald F Morkill * Pte. John Sharp Pte. Robert Earnshaw Pte. Edward Taylor Pte. James Swinbank Pte. Joseph Fitchett Pte. Dudley H Illingworth Pte. Frank Stephens Pte. William Foster Sgt. Archie V Armstrong Pte. Robert Taylor Pte. William Hudson Pte. William Bell Pte. James Tyson Pte. Samuel H Jackson Sgt. Kayley Earnshaw * DCM Pte. Jack C Ward Pte. E Johnson Pte. William Sharp Pte. George Wolfenden DCM Pte. R Johnson Cpl. William Caton MM Pte. Norman Yeoman
The Second World War : 1939-45
Fortunately the losses in the Second World War seem to have been small in comparison to the earlier conflict, and except for a single inscription on the war memorial at St Peter’s, Coniston Cold. It doesn’t seem to have been thought necessary to erect any other memorial in the Dale.
| St Peter’s Coniston ColdThe only Second World War entry inscription on the memorial in the churchyard of reads:To the Glory of GodAnd in memory ofStoker
Roland Cundall Who laid down his life for his Country in the Great War 1939- 45 |
 |
| Stoker 2nd Class Roland CundallRoyal Navy, HMS Matabele Died 17 January 1942 aged 21Son of Daniel and Mary Ann Cundall; husband of Sylvia Cundall, of Coniston Cold. (Debt of Honour Register) |
|
| The Commonwealth War Graves CommissionTheir Debt of Honourlisting provides a few more Second World War casualties associated with the area: |
| Pte. Peter Kenneth Kirkham,Gordon Highlanders.Died 29th Mar 1945. Age 18.Son of Reginald and Winifred Kirkham of Airton | Surgeon Lt. John Smyth CroneRoyal Naval Volunteer ReserveHM Submarine Sterlet Died 27th April 1940. Age 24.Son of John Walker Crone and Ida May Crone; husband of Phyllis Irene Crone of Kirkby Malham |
||
| Pte. Lionel LundWest Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Own)Died 26 May 1943 aged 29Lived at Tranlands, son of William and Rebecca Lund; husband of Dorothy Lund of Garstang, Lancashire. | Lce. Bombardier, Charles Edwin Burton16 Bty., 2 H.A.A. Royal ArtilleryDied April 1941. Age 31.Son of Edwin and Elisabeth Burton of Winterburn |
Roll of Honour
The few names above are the only deaths we can find associated with the Dale during World War Two. In the January 1944 edition of the Parish Magazine, the Rev Bernard Chick published the following list of those men and women who were on active service. This listing seems to be the nearest thing we have for a Roll of Honour for this conflict.
Corrections to the Rev Chick’s list above: William Geldard should read Wilfred Geldard; Cecil Blades should read Cecil Banks
Although great care has been taken to ensure that this page is fully comprehensive by using all the available sources, there may still be omisions or errors. Please contact MLHG with any corrections or if you can provide any further information, especially pictures of the men.
Malhamdale Local History Group 