Ilkley in The First World War

CAPTAIN CHARLES SIMMS REEVE, 2nd BATTALION EAST SURREY REGIMENT KILLED IN ACTION 14th FEBRUARY 1915. 29 year old Captain Charles Simms Reeve was serving with 2nd East Surrey Regiment when he was killed leading leading an attack just after 2.30pm on 14th February 1915. Reeve was born into a wealthy family who lived in Brancaster, Norfolk. Much of his childhood was spent on the island of Guernsey and he was educated at various private schools. He joined the army in about 1906  and attended Sandhurst before joining his regiment which was stationed in India. Charles was posted to the front in early January 1915 and was killed only a few weeks after his arrival. he along with 43 other members of the regiment just south of Ypres. Only 5 bodies where recovered and Charles is commemorated on the Menin Gate. His name is on the Ilkley War Memorial because his family had lived in the town prior to the war. He is also remembered on the roll of honour in Brancaster

PRIVATE PERCIVAL CLEMENT ELLIS, HONOURABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY. DIED OF WOUNDS 6 th JANUARY 1915 AGED 22 YEARS. Percival Clement Ellis was born in Steeton in 1891, the youngest son of Arthur Ellis, the managing director of Thwaites Vulcan Iron Foundry on Thornton Road,Bradford. The Ellis family moved to Ilkley at the beginning of the 20th Century and lived first at a house called Lark Hill and then at Mount Royd, Parish Ghyll Drive. Percy was a pupil at Bradford Grammar School before studying metallurgy at Leeds University where he was a member of the Officer Training Corps. He appea rs to have been employed at his fathers firm when, following the death of his mother, the family moved to Richmond in Surrey. Percy was 22 years old when went to the headquarters of the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) in Finsbury London on the 4th of August 1914. The HAC was the oldest unit in the British Army and very choosy about whom it allowed to join. Clearly, Percy was of the 'r

PRIVATE JOSEPH RENTON, 9 th BATTALION WEST RIDING REGIMENT (ILKLEY PALS COMPANY) DIED 27 TH NOVEMBER 1914,AGED 18 YEARS. Private Joseph Renton was the first of the 'Ilkley Pals' to die. Aged 18 years he had volunteered during the recruiting meeting held at the Kings Hall on 31st August 1914. Within a few days the 'Pals' were transported to a vast camp at Bovington, near to the Dorset Coast, where they would be trained to be soldiers. Here, young Joseph injured his foot and contracted blood poisoning. He was sent to Dorchester County Hospital and died on 27th November 1914.  Joseph Renton had lived with his parents at 5 Springs Terrace and worked as a gardener. His body was was brought back to Ilkley and he is buried in the towns cemetery.  Joseph's name is remembered on Ilkley War memorial

SERGEANT 6818 EDWARD BARNES 18th (QUEEN MARY'S OWN) HUSSARS. KILLED IN ACTION 1st NOVEMBER 1914. Born in Ilkley in 1898, Edward Barnes, was one of 7 children of stationary engine driver Jasper Barnes and his wife Rachel who lived at 6 Clifton Terrace. After leaving school he had been employed in a local billiard hall as a marker but on 2 nd September 1906 enlisted into the 18 th Hussars. Edward remained in the army and at the beginning of the war in 1914 went with the rest of his regiment to fight in France as part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) The 18 th Hussars landed in France on 15 th September 1914 and were amongst the first British units to see action in the war. Now holding the rank of sergeant, Edward would have been involved in the fighting at Mons, Le Chateau and the Battle of the Marne in August and September of that year. By October the 18 th Hussars along with the rest of the BEF were defending the Belgian city of Ypres from consta