An appeal from Bishdotnet reader, Ken Haywood:

Bishopthorpe War Memorial from a Walter Scott postcard, c1928

Some considerable time ago, I made an appeal in Link for any information regarding the men whose names are inscribed on the Bishopthorpe War Memorial.  There are fourteen men from the First World War and ten men from the Second World War.

My intention was to carry out research into the lives of these men who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country; this with a view to producing a publication as a tribute to them.  That is still my intention, but my timescales have considerably expanded.  This has been principally due to other more recent personal commitments which I could not have foreseen when initiating the War Memorial project.

As an example of one of the stories of these local men, one airman from the Second World War died when his aircraft was shot down.  He was sitting alongside his pilot, who was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for this action.  They both now lie side by side in the same Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery.

In 1975, Mr.C.E.W.Brayley, M.B.E., published his twelfth pamphlet of “The Annals of Bishopthorpe” under the title, “Lest We Forget”.  His admirable effort detailed the short biographies of the twenty-four men on the memorial.  I hope to build on Mr. Brayley’s work using the official records of the two wars which have become much more accessible.  I have now completed most of the research into the men, and am at the point of starting to write.

Just before reaching this milestone, I reviewed the considerable amount of information I had gathered.  This review highlighted the fact that, although I do have a lot of material regarding most of the men, there are still some gaps in my collection of data.  In consequence, it occurred to me that, before I start the writing process, I should make a further appeal to the people of Bishopthorpe (and elsewhere) for information regarding these men.

I have already found a substantial amount of official information, but have spoken to relatively few people who either knew the men concerned, or knew of them.  I would be very interested in knowing more of the men, their families and of their lives in Bishopthorpe.  I list the men below:

FIRST WORLD WAR:

John Arthur BOWLBY, Lance Corporal

Stephenson BOWLBY, Private

William Edward DALE, Private

Mark Walter FUGUEL, Private

Edward Reginald GIBBS, Chaplain

Arthur HOLT, Private

George Ambrose HUDSON, Acting Sergeant

Frank JOHNSON, Private

Frank JOHNSON, Ordinary Seaman, A.B.

Richard John LUMLEY, 2nd Lieutenant

Donald Paley MACKAY, Major

George Henry SIMPSON, Sapper

Arthur Toward WATSON, Major

George WILKINSON, Major

 

SECOND WORLD WAR:

Gordon Frank ADAMS, Trooper

Geoffrey COOK, Captain

John Raymond DIXON, Second Radio Officer

George Granville HEBDEN, Ordinary Signalman

Geoffrey ILES, Private

Alan Norman LANCASTER, Flight Sergeant

Richard Edward Hastings MEDHURST, Flying Officer (Pilot)

Simon STOBART, Lieutenant

Edgar UMPLEBY, Leading Aircraftman

Edwin Eric WHITTAKER, Sergeant (Air Gunner)

I am also interested in certain other men from Bishopthorpe who served in the world wars. All died either as a direct result of war service or apparently of its later consequences.  I list them below:

FIRST WORLD WAR:

Charles Oxtoby BARKER [died 01/03/1916]

Daniel FOUNTAIN [died after 1930]

John MUGGERIDGE [died  23/11/1915]

Frank OUTRAM [died  31/07/1917]

Berkeley PAGET [died  02/12/1921]

John Arthur SMITH [died  31/07/1917]

 

SECOND WORLD WAR:

Charles William JOHNSON [died 16/11/1946]

If you have not been in touch with me before, please contact me if you have any specific knowledge or memorabilia regarding any of the men.  I would be particularly interested in seeing photographs of them.

Tel. (01904)704584 or e-mail:  Ken.Haywood@o2.co.uk

Ken Haywood:  39 Acaster Lane, Bishopthorpe, York YO23 2SA