PRIVATE 12786 HARRY FARRAH, 2nd BATTALION WEST RIDING REGIMENT. KILLED IN ACTION, 30th AUGUST 2018, AGED 29.


PRIVATE 12786 HARRY FARRAH, 2nd BATTALION WEST RIDING REGIMENT. KILLED IN ACTION, 30th AUGUST 2018, AGED 29.

Harry Farrar had volunteered for the Ilkley Pals Company of the 9th West Riding Regiment at a packed meeting at the Kings Hall, on Station Road on the 31st August 1914, and now exactly four years later, he lay dead in France. A butcher by trade he was the son of Tetley and Ada Farrar who lived at 13 South Hawksworth Street in house overlooking what is now the central car park. The family were originally from Crossflatts near Bingley, and where Harry was born on November 22nd 1889. However, before the beginning of the war, Tetley Farrar brought his family, which included 5 children, to Ilkley and took employment as a jobbing gardener.


Along with the rest of the Ilkley Pals, Harry was sent to Dorset to commence their training in 1914 and then sent to the Western Front arriving in France on the 15th July 1915. He undoubtedly saw a considerable amount of action and is known to have been wounded three times. After his third wound instead of returning to the Ilkley Pals he was posted to the 2nd Battalion of the West Ridings. On the 30th August 1918 the battalion attacked the German lines near to the village Haucourt to the south East of Arras. Harry and his comrades went over the top at 4.50 in the morning and achieved all their objectives including the capture of many German prisoners. Despite this success and Harry was one of 36 West Riding men who were killed.


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