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Out Rawcliffe

War Memorial, Crookgate Lane, Out Rawcliffe

The War Memorial is situated in the grounds of St. Johns Church, and commemorates the fallen of WW1 and those who served.

The names on the memorial are:

George Alfred Salthouse

Private 50636.  20th Battalion King’s (Liverpool) Regiment

George was born in Out Rawcliffe in 1884, the son of Elizabeth Salthouse.

He married Jane Ellen Williamson in 1908, and they had two children, Elizabeth and George Alfred.

George was employed as an assistant art teacher, and the family lived at Town End, Out Rawcliffe.

George died on 3rd August 1917.  He was 33.

He is buried at Hooge Crater Cemetery, near Ypres in Belgium.

Thomas Stafford 

Lance Corporal 24169.  8th Battalion King’s Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment

Thomas was born in 1896 at Out Rawcliffe, the son of John and Mary Stafford.

The family lived at Ivy Farm, Out Rawcliffe.

Thomas enlisted at Lancaster on the 19th June 1916.

He died of wounds on 23rd March 1918.  He was 22.

Thomas is buried at Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux, France.

James Swarbrick

Private 50635.  4th Battalion King’s (Liverpool) Regiment

James was born in 1888 at Out Rawcliffe, the son of Richard and Mary Swarbrick.

He married his wife Mary, and they lived at Bow Hill, Out Rawcliffe.

James died of wounds on 11th August 1918. He was 30.

He is buried at Hagle Dump Cemetery, near Ypres, Belgium.

John Swarbrick

Private 63259 Machine Gun Corps.  Formerly 23742 Royal Lancashire Regiment. 

John was born in 1889 in out Rawcliffe, the son of Robert and Ellen Swarbrick.

In 1911 the family were living in Norbreck in Blackpool.

John was wounded and died of his wounds on 2nd April 1918.  He was 29.

He is buried at Wimereux Communal Cemetery near Boulogne in France .

Henry Curwen

Private 19596.  1st/6th Battalion King’s Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment

Henry (Harry) Curwen was born in 1890 in Out Rawcliffe, the son of Henry and Jane Curwen.

He was killed in action on 19th September 1918.  He was 28.

Harry is buried at Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery in Mesopotamia, now Iraq.

He is also remembered on the War Memorial at Hambleton.

James Taylor Smith

Private 241889.  2nd/5th Battalion King’s Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment

James was born in Out Rawcliffe on 3rd July 1881, the son of William and Lucy Smith.

The family lived at Whin Lane End, Out Rawcliffe.

James was killed in action on 20th April 1917.  He was 35

He is buried at Rue-David Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix, France.

Richard Bradshaw

Private 235383.  15th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers – attached to Salvage Company.

Richard was born at Out Rawcliffe in 1897, the son of John and Hannah Bradshaw.

The family lived at Lowenna Farm, Out Rawcliffe.

Richard was killed on 18th February 1918.  He was 21.

He is buried at Duhallow A.D.S. Cemetery, near Ypres, Belgium.

Albert Edward Davies

Private 49406.  2nd/5th Battalion King’s Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment

Albert was born in 1899 in Hambleton, the son of Hall and Agnes Davies.

He was killed in action on 4th October 1918.  He was 19.

Albert is buried at Proville British Cemetery, near Cambrai, France.

He is also remembered on the War Memorial at Hambleton.

James Thompson Clarke

  Private 38987.  1st Battalion King’s (Liverpool) Regiment 

James was born in Out Rawcliffe in 1894, the son of John and Hannah Thompson.

James worked as a cattleman, and in 1911 the family lived at Dunderdale’s Farm, Out Rawcliffe.

He was killed in action on 26th March 1918.  He was 24.

James is one of the many men who have no known grave.  He is remembered on the Arras Memorial in France.

George Danson

Private 19597.  6th Battalion King’s Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment

George was born on 6th July 1894 in Stalmine, the son of Robert and Mary Jane Danson.

The family lived at Moss Side, Stalmine.

George was killed on 9th April 1916.  He was 22.

He is remembered on the Basra War Memorial in Mesopotamia, now Iraq.

George is also remembered on the War Memorial at Stalmine.

John Salthouse

Private F/25195.  X Company, Forage Department. Royal Army Service Corps.

John was born at Out Rawcliffe in 1867, the son of Edward and Jennet Salthouse.

He enlisted at Southport on 28th February 1916

John died at the Cottage Hospital, Beverley on 3rd March 1917 from pneumonia while still serving.  He was 50.

He is buried in the churchyard at St. John’s church, Out Rawcliffe.

St. John’s Church, Crookgate Lane, Out Rawcliffe

The church is a Grade 2 listed building, built in 1837/38 by John Dewhurst, on land given by Mr. T. R. Wilson-ffrance. It is built of red brick with some sandstone dressings and a slate roof. It is said to be modelled on the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey.

Within the graveyard is a further war grave:

Grave of John Williamson

John Williamson

Private 808459.  50th Battalion Canadian Infantry – Alberta Regiment

John was born on 8th March 1879, the youngest son of Thomas and Alice Williamson. Thomas was a farmer, and in 1871 the family farmed 155 acres at Hales Hall, where they employed four men and one girl. Thomas had two brothers and two sisters.

By 1901 the family had moved to Whinney Heys farm at Hardhorn. Thomas died in 1908.

John enlisted in the Canadian Infantry at Calgary on 7th February 1916. His attestation papers show him as 5’2″ tall, with a dark complexion, with hazel eyes and dark brown hair. John’s unit left Canada for the Western Front on the 22nd of August 1916.

On the 14th April 1917 John was admitted to the No. 2 Canadian Hospital with gunshot wounds to his left leg and right buttock. He was discharged on the 14th of July 1917.

On 24th January 1918 he admitted to the Military Hospital at Boulogne with nephritis and broncho-pneumonia, and was subsequently shipped to the 1st Western General Military Hospital at Fazakerley on 6th February 1918.

John died in the hospital on 14th March 1918.  He was 39.

He is not named on the War Memorial.