Heroes
During WW1 many ringers enlisted. Many of them returned home but there were some who were killed fighting for their country. Below are the casualties we are aware of.
Private Horace Worsley
Service Number: 356547
1st/10th (Liverpool Scottish) Battalion, King's Liverpool Regiment
Died: 12th June 1917 aged 29.
Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. XV. G. 11.
Son of Edwin and Margaret Ann Worsley, of 40, Hampden Street, Bolton, Lancashire.
Newspaper Entry: Bolton Journal and Guardian, 22/06/1917 and 07/12/1917
Bellringer at St. George's.
Private Horace Worsley, Bolton, St George, Lancashire. Died 12/06/1917 age 28. The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 1st/10th Bn. Service No.356547. Commemorated at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium, Grave XV G 11. Born fourth quarter of 1888 and baptised 19/12/1888 at Bolton. Son of Edwin and Margaret Ann Worsley of 40 Hampden Street, Bolton, Lancs. He worked as a commercial traveller before enlisting. Born: Bolton, Lancs. Enlisted: Liverpool. Resided: Bolton. (Ringing World June 2, 2017. Page 553)
Private Thomas Knowles
Service Number: T/448119
Army Service Corps (Canteens)
Died: 14th June 1917 aged 26.
Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, Iraq. XIX. L. 11.
Son of Isaac and Sarah Alice Knowles, of 15, Anson Street, Bolton, Lancashire. Formerly Private 23034, 11th Bn., Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. Died of Enteric Fever in hospital at Basra, Mesopotamia. Service number recorded as A/329596 on Bolton Roll of Honour.
Newspaper Entry: Bolton Journal and Guardian, 14/06/1918, 22/06/1917, 05/10/1917, 07/12/1917 and Bolton Chronicle, 05/10/1917
Bellringer at All Souls.
Private Thomas Knowles, Bolton, Lancashire. Died 14/06/1917 age 26. Army Service Corps (Canteens) Service No.T/448119. Commemorated at Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, Iraq, Grave XIX L 11. Born 1890 and baptised 16/11/1890 at Bolton. Son of Isaac and Sarah Alice Knowles of 15 Anson Street, Bolton. He worked as a piecer in a spinning mill before enlisting. Born: Bolton. Enlisted: Bolton. Resided: Bolton. (Ringing World June 2, 2017. Page 553)
Bombardier Fred Abbott
Service Number: 63025
160th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery
Killed in Action: 25th March 1918 age 23
Dantzig Alley British Cemetery, Mametz, France, VI. G I.
Bellringer at Horwich
Bombardier Fred Abbott, Horwich, Horwich Parish Ringers. Died 25/03/1918 age 23. Royal Garrison Artillery 160th Siege Bty. Service No.63025. Commemorated at Dantzig Alley British Cemetery, Mametz, France, Grave VI G I. Born 1895. One of four children, two surviving at the 1911 census. Son of Richard Abbott and Margaret Ellen Abbott of 70 Brownlow Road, Horwich, Lancs. He worked as a clerk before enlisting. He was a neighbour of another Horwich ringer, Private Richard Fearnley (72 Brownlow Road), who also fell in the Great War. Born: Horwich, Lancs. Enlisted: Horwich. Resided (1911 census): 70 Brownlow Road, Horwich. (Ringing World March 16, 2018. Page 253)
Private Richard Fearnley
Service Number: 203506
9th Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
Killed in Action: 10th April 1918, age 35
Croix-du-Bac British Cemetery, Steenwerck, Nord, France, Special Memorial. G. 9.
Bellringer at Horwich
Private Richard Fearnley, Horwich, Horwich Parish Ringers. Died 10/04/1918 age 36. The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment 9th Bn. Service No.203506. Commemorated at Croix-Du-Bac British Cemetery, Steenwerck, France, Grave Special Memorial G 9. He is known to be buried in this cemetery, but the exact location of his grave is not certain. Born 1881. One of five children. Son of Alice Fearnley and the late William Fearnley. Wife of Jane Fearnley (née Dickinson), whom he married in 1907. Father of Allan Fearnley (born 1908), William Frank Fearnley (born 1913) and Horace Fearnley (born 1916). He had served his apprenticeship as a plumber and was working as a house plumber before enlisting. Born: Horwich, Lancs. Enlisted: Horwich, Lancs. Resided (1911 census): 72 Brownlow Road, Horwich, with his parents and siblings, his wife and child, and his wife's mother and siblings. (Ringing World March 30, 2018. Page 302)
Private Edwin Leatherbarrow
Service Number: 242004
1st 5th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment
Killed in Action: 15th July 1918 aged 22.
Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France Panel 42 and 43.
Son of William and Mary Leatherbarrow of 21, Wigshaw Lane, Culcheth, Warrington.
Formerly 15720, R. Lancs Regt.
Bellringer at Culcheth.
Private Edwin Leatherbarrow, Newchurch, Culcheth, Lancashire. Died 15/07/1918 age 22. East Lancashire Regiment 1st/5th Bn. Service No.242004. Commemorated at Pozieres Memorial, France, Panel 42 and 43. Born third quarter of 1895. One of seven children, six surviving at the 1911 census. Son of William Leatherbarrow and Mary Leatherbarrow of 21 Wigshaw Lane, Culcheth, Warrington, Lancashire. At the time of the 1911 census, he was working as a drawers reacher in a cotton mill. A number of his family were ringers, including his father William and two of his brothers, Ernest and Joseph. Joseph was the conductor of all the peals found in which Edwin rang. He rang a number of peals at Newchurch, including the first by a local band on 19/11/1911; a contemporary newspaper report explains that "the performance reflects great credit on the conductor and the perseverance of all the band, as they knew nothing about bell-ringing 14 months ago". On 18/04/1927, his brother, Joseph, took part in the record peal of 17,824 changes of Oxford TB Major at Heptonstall. Born: Culcheth, Lancashire. Enlisted: Warrington, Lancashire, initially in the King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), Service No.15720. Resided (1911 census): 21 Wigshaw Lane, Newchurch, Culcheth, Lancashire. (Ringing World June 29, 1918. Page 620)
Private Arthur Calderbank
Service Number: 37841
1st Battalion, King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment
Died: 3rd September 1918, age 19
Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension, Pas de Calais, France. IV. E. 55.
Bellringer at the Church of The Saviour
Private Arthur Calderbank, Bolton, Church of The Saviour, Lancashire. Died 03/09/1918 age 19. King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) 1st Bn. Service No.37841. Commemorated at Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension, France, Grave IV E 55. Born first quarter of 1899. One of four children, three surviving at the 1911 census. Son of James Calderbank and Harriet Calderbank (née Waring) of Defence Street, Bolton, Lancashire. He was at school at the time of the 1911 census. His father rang 14 peals for the Lancashire Association, eight of them at The Saviour Church, Bolton; all of his peals were of Grandsire Triples and he rang the sixth to every one of them. Arthur is believed to have been elected to the Lancashire Association in 1916. Born: Bolton, Lancashire. Enlisted: Bolton, Lancashire. Resided (1911 census): Defence Street, Bolton, Lancashire.(Ringing World August 31, 2018. Page 835)
