Is it 1918 or 1919, or even 2010?

One question that gets asked often, either in national or local press, and also when the 'project' has been shown at 'Family History' events is 'why does that memorial say the War ended in 1918 and this one say 1919'?

In answering this question it must be stated before-hand that neither of these dates is incorrect but at the same time they are both 'right'.

Between 5:12 and 5:20 (Paris time) on the morning of Friday, 11th November, 1918, a number of signatures were signed on a piece of paper that heralded the silencing of the guns at 11:00am later that morning; thus bringing to an end the 'war to end all wars'.

Thus, the first part of the question above would seem to be true. In reality however, all the Armistice was was a 'cease-fire' to be held by all combatants. The terms of the Armistice dictated that German commanders were to remove their forces from France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Alsace-Lorraine, while at the same time impounding their U-boats and surface fleets; once back on German soil, these troops were to subsequently move from the west side of the River Rhine to allow its occupation by British and US troops, with 30km radius bridgeheads being formed on the eastern side at the cities of Mainz, Koblenz and Cologne, which would also be occupied. These and other stipulations were to be checked on a monthly basis, and signed by all parties to that effect until a more permanent treaty had been drawn up.

Following six-months of negotiations at the Paris Peace Conference by politicians and statesmen from over 30 countries, a 'war guilt' was imposed and stiff financial penalties placed upon the Central Powers, chiefly Germany. This document came to be called the 'Treaty of Versailles' and while in the eyes of the Allies would make Germany pay a heavy price for the causement of hostilities - it was seen by some as being severely harsh and concern was expressed that it may lead to further conflict, both politically and militarily.

The 'Treaty of Versailles' stipulated that the German nation would have to pay reparations to the Allies; as well as ceding territory in Africa, Europe and the Far East. Nevertheless the 'Treaty' was signed on Saturday, 28th June, 1919, a date which is seen by some as the 'official' date of the ending of the 'Great War'; in the UK a number of 'peace day' celebrations were held, with the one in Goole taking place at the Victoria Pleasure Grounds. (Coincidentally the date also marked the fifth anniversary of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, thus bringing about all the 'ingredients' for the War to take place.)

Therefore the 'second' part of the question would deem to have been answered correctly, but why the year '2010' in the title of this post?

In 1921 the total amount of the reparations placed upon Germany was assessed at 132 billion Marks (then $31.4 billion or £6.6 billion, roughly equivalent to US $442 billion or UK £284 billion in 2012); this figure was deemed excessive by some economists, especially in regard to the fact that it would take until 1988 to pay this sum off. Due to the subsequent rise of the Nazi Party, the various violations by Germany of the 'Treaty' throughout the 1930s along with the effects of the 'Second Great War' ultimately meant that the last payment from Germany, of about £95m, was not made until 4th October, 2010. Therefore it could be said that the official ramifications of the ending of the War were thus concluded on this date.

As stated at the start of this post, neither of the dates of 1918 or 1919 is incorrect and both can be claimed to signify the end of the 'Great War'.

The 'Lanky', the 'Great War' and Goole.

The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Company was the first railway that came to Goole, opening its station on Aire Street in March 1848, opening to passengers on 1st April. It was to remain in use for the next twenty-one years, at which time permission was given to use the newly opened North Eastern Railway station on Boothferry Road.

                             

Despite the loss of 'its' station the 'Lanky' continued to have a large presence in the fortune and continued growth of the town. Trains brought passengers and goods to and from West Yorkshire and further afield. Coal formed a big portion of the railways traffic, and as such two hoists capable of discharging this 'black gold' in to ships holds were built (one of which still stands today). One visible aspect of the amount of traffic that came through Goole is the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 'Goods Office' on Stanhope Street, which would have been busy with clerks, checkers, tonnage recorders, etc. all involved with the operation of making sure that the correct wagons and goods were shunted to the correct shed prior to being loaded to the right ship for shipment to other ports; the reverse operation was also carried out, except of course for the coal wagons which returned empty to the colleries.

 

In the days of the station on Aire Street a simple engine shed was built to water and coal the engine that brought in the passenger trains, and the few engines that were then working on the docks. After a few smaller sheds had been built over the years, in 1889 a new engine shed was finally in use on land to the north of the Aire and Calder canal, and immediately to the west of the docks.

 

As well as engine drivers and fireman being required to work the engines, 'cleaners' were employed to make sure the engine was fit for use on its next 'turn' of duty. Coach cleaners were also employed to wash and clean the 'Lanky' coaches, which were by this time stored in sidings to the north of the station.

 

As well as these people, those who worked aboard the 'Lanky' ships, stokers, firemen, stewards, etc., plying the waters from Goole to Boulogne, Hamburg and Amsterdam, among others, transporting goods as diverse as butter and horses, along with passengers - indeed the Company was very proud to say that it could take you from Ireland to the Continent, a journey of some 810 miles (Drogheda to Copenhagen) with only 121 miles being by train, all on one ticket.

 

As such, it was these men, among countless others from Goole who enlisted in to His Majesty's Forces throughout the years of the 'Great War'. As with any conflict there are casualties, and while families suffered the loss of a father, son, brother or husband, they were also mourned for in the wider communities in which they once lived, their names being inscribed on Church memorials, on the Cenotaph, and on various plaques that were erected by the companies that employed them. The L&YR was no different, at least two were unveiled within Goole - one of which can be seen today in Goole Museum.

 

Another Memorial which bears the names of Goole men who died, and who were formerly employed by the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Company, can be found at Manchester Victoria station. This building and its offices was at the centre of the railway's activities and as such a large tiled map of the entire 'Lanky' network dominates the north wall of the booking hall. Inscribed on this substantial bronze Memorial plaque are the names of 1,465 former employees of the 'Lanky' Compamy, included within which are the names of 56 Goole men who were formerly clerks, engine cleaners, firemen, platelayers, stewards, wagon examiners, Able-seamen and labourers.

 

The insricption above the seven panels bearing the 1,465 names reads 'This tablet is erected to perpetuate the memory of the men of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway whose names are here recorded, and who gave their lives for their King and Country in the Great War 1914 - 1919.' It is framed on either end by symbolic figures of St. George and St. Michael, and was designed by Henry Shelmerdine, F.S.I., formerly Architect to the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Company.

A Name on a List

2nd Lieutenant Henry Guy Thorp

The memorials erected in Goole are lists commemorated to those who were killed during the First World War. The method of gathering these lists involved extensive work by the Members of the Church or Organisation responsible for erecting the memorial. Typically the research involved a door to door survey of the town and a compilation of a central list. Lists of those in service or those who has been killed were also compiled in the local papers throughout the war. Therefore one would expect that the memorials erected within the town are representative of all those who were killed on active service. However a study of the local newspapers show that several Goole people who were killed during the war were not included on the Goole memorials.

An example of those not included on local memorials is Henry Guy Hanning Thorp, a Goole born 2nd Lieutenant of the 3rd Battalion of the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. Henry Guy was born in Goole in 1895 and lived in the town before attending Public School. His father, Henry Bell, was the Director of the Local Board, and prominent local architect. By 1911 Henry Bell had moved to Doncaster but was still working as a Valuer in Goole and designed the Fever Hospital on Westfield Lane in 1912. In the months leading up to the First World War Henry Guy was touring Canada but returned to Britain upon the declaration of War. Gazetted as a 2nd Lieutenant Henry Guy joined the 3rd Battalion of the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and served in France from March 1915. Lieutenant Thorp’s service was short as he was announced dead on the 13th March 1915, age 19. The local newspaper reported the death and described Lieutenant Thorp as a well-known figure around Goole.

The reasons for people not been included on the War Memorials vary. This may range to clerical error or families not wanting to register the loss of a family member. Other practical aspects include whether any next of kin survived in the town to register the deceased for the memorial. Recently revision of historical practice has also allowed those killed for cowardice clemency and the right to be included on War Memorials.

Lieutenant Thorp was included in several weekly/monthly Rolls of Honour Published in the Goole Times during 1916 and listed within the Roll of Honour published by the Goole Times for the period from the start of the War until June 1917. Despite been known as a Goole Man and listed in the Rolls of Honour Lieutenant Thorp is not included on Goole’s First World War memorials. During 1915 Lieutenant Thorp’s father is noted as living in Doncaster but after this period little information is known about the Thorp family. Therefore it is likely that nobody was available to register Henry Guy Thorp for his name to be placed on one of Goole’s Memorials.

Goole and the first shots of War at Sea

The men of Goole whose calling was the sea bore a heavy burden throughout the years of 1914-18.

Not only did they have to brave the sea’s torment as a result of nature, they also had to overcome the very real threat of facing an enemy that was more deadly, and at times unseen.

 The submarine, used by Germany in an attempt to curb British shipping movements – both militarily and mercantile, was seen by some high-ranking officers of the Royal Navy as the use of underhand tactics; but the nature and conduct of warfare was changing and the seamen of Goole and other ports were going to be in the ‘front-line’.

Its effect on Goole was to be seen first-hand on a number of occasions, but the first was time was not just a local loss but a national one. On the morning of 22nd September, 1914, His Majesty’s Ships Cressy, Hogue and Aboukir, forming 7th Cruiser Squadron were in the North Sea, steaming at about 10 knots approximately 30 miles south-west of Ijmuiden, when at about 0630 Aboukir suffered an explosion to her starboard side. The first belief was that the ship had struck a mine and her Captain, J.D. Drummond, signalled her two consorts to come alongside to assist. Only one cutter was launched before power was lost, and despite counter-flooding to reduce the twenty-five degree list, Aboukir heeled over about 25 minutes after the explosion.

Due to the initial assumption as to the cause of her loss, both remaining ships steered close to the survivors to aid their efforts in taking them aboard. The Captain of HMS Hogue, W.S. Nicholson, though, was starting to believe that a submarine was in the area and ordered a sharp look-out to be kept for periscopes. Despite this, and after starting to manoeuvre away once her boats were lowered, Hogue was struck twice in quick succession by two torpedoes to her port side, and at the exact same time a U-boat was seen to surface off her port quarter. Fire was immediately opened on the enemy vessel, but no hits were registered as she quickly submerged. After settling due to the inrush of water, which quickly flooded the quarterdeck, some ten minutes after being struck the Hogue steadily rolled over and sank.

HMS Cressy 

The Captain of the Cressy, R.W. Johnson, despite the obvious threat posed by the enemy, steamed slowly about the wreck site of the Aboukir, and was ultimately, surrounded by boats, flotsam and men of both ships. At 0717 two torpedo tracks were sighted, and even though she presented an easy target, one passed to the stern while the other struck amidships on the starboard side. Gunners fired their weapons at what was assumed to be the submarine’s conning tower, when a third torpedo struck on the port beam. The Cressy started to flood quickly, and unlike her sister ships, rolled over on to her back for a few moments before disappearing from view.

The loss of three ships totalling 36,000 tons in less than an hour was a severe blow to the Royal Navy, and senior officers were left dumbfounded that a ‘toy’ could do such deeds. Each of these armoured cruisers had a complement of about 700 officers and men; 1,397 officers and men were lost, the 60 officers and 777 ratings who survived were rescued by the Dutch merchant ships Flora and Titan, and also two trawlers.

Seamen Ernest Clark, Royal Naval Reserve, was 22 years old when he was ‘called up’ two days prior to War being declared on Monday 4th August. He joined his ship at Chatham on the following Thursday. Prior to then he was an AB/Cook aboard the ‘Lanky’ boat Spen, and his home was in Phoenix Yard, Bridge Street, where he lived with his wife, Annie; after his death she moved to her parent’s, in Bridge Street. The fate of Ernest was not readily ascertained as his name did not appear on the list of known casualties, and it was only in response to a letter from Annie that the Admiralty confirmed he was not among the survivors.

The commander of the submarine U-9, Otto Weddigen, was lauded as a hero for his actions on this day, being awarded the Iron Cross First Class. The contrast against the captains of the ships he sank couldn’t be more severe; all were criticised for their actions, both before and after the first torpedo hit HMS Aboukir, though the Admiralty recognised that Captain Johnson was placed ‘in a cruel position…in waters swarming with drowning men’. Captain Johnson was the only commander of the three ships to lose his life.

D Coy. 5th Bn King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

They say that every picture tells a story, and to a degree the one below is no different.

Goole had prior to the 'Great War' a 'company' of Territorial soldiers which formed part of D Company, 1/5th Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. This battalion landed in France, at Boulogne, on 12th April, 1915, along with 1/4th Bn K.O.Y.L.I. On 2nd February, 1918, the 1/5th and 2/5th were absolved in to one unit which became 5th Battalion K.O.Y.L.I.

Taken in early 1919 it shows the Goole 'Territorials' of D Company 5th Bn King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry marching behind members of the Queens Own Yorkshire Dragoons, during a parade to mark their return from France. The evidence for this can be seen from the 'bunting' that adorns the buildings of Boothferry Road - No.13 'Anglesey House', formerly the home of Dr. Blair (now NatWest Bank); No.15, the premises of Fred N. Huggins, Ironmonger, on the corner with Paradise Place (later Woodcock Travel); No.17, Arthur Rockett, Hosiery, and No.19 the offices of 'The Goole Times' newspaper. The building with the double chimney was the shop run by Harry Bloom.

Further evidence of when the picture was taken can be seen by looking at the faces and demeaour of the men themselves. Many of the faces betray the effects of having seen action in the trenches, the ever-lasting mud, and other horrors that formed the enduring hell that was the 'Great War'. Another feature of when the picture was taken is that, aside from one man, nobody else is wearing any medals. The man who is is Colour Quarter-Master Sergeant Sugden, and the medals he wears are the King's and Queen's Medals for service in South Africa, both of which appear to have 'bars' (denoting 'actions' at which he and his unit was present at). The officer leading the detachment of the K.O.Y.L.I. is Lieutenant L. W. Silvester (with the officers belt over his right shoulder and seen between the last two men of the right column wearing shoulder pouches of the Q.O.Y.D.).

The men of Goole who fought as part of the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and who lost their lives during the First World War form a signifiacnt number of those named on Goole Cenotaph - 121 men of the 452 named on the plaques; of this number thirty-nine served in either 1/5th, 2/5th or 5th Bn. This number is further increased when examining those who had connections to Goole who also lost their lives, but who are not named upon the Cenotaph - 16 men from a total of 99 who served within the K.O.Y.L.I.

Goole and the First World War introduction.

This is the first post of a new group that has been set up to research the impact of the First World War upon Goole, and the men who served within the Services.

There are two main 'strands' to this project -

Stephen has been researching the 'Street Shrines' and 'Roll of Honour' lists that were placed on a number of Goole streets and within a number of Churches within the town to honour those who had enlisted within the Services..

On 19th May, 1917, seven 'Rolls' were unveiled, on Axholme Street, Cross Edinburgh Street, Burlington Crescent,, Stanley Street and Cross Stanley Street, Carlisle Street, Aire Street and (the eastern end of) Boothferry Road. These were the first to be presented and dedicated to the people of Goole, by the end of that month another 12 were dedicated in Old Goole (the Memorial on George Street, Old Goole, was the first to be completed but it was three months before the dedication took place); by 1st June a further 9 had been dedicated, these being on the west side of the town.

This is Pasture Road, with the plaque on the shop of Mr. Westoby, at the junction with Red Lion Street.

To date this is the only known picture of a 'Street Shrine' within Goole, and was taken during the early 1930s. (Courtesy of Pippa Stainton.)

In October 2005 Chris started reseaching the 452 men named on Goole Cenotaph from the First World War. Over time a further 300 men who also died and had some connection to Goole have also been included within this work. To date over 70 Service Records have been located; a large number of photographs of some of these men have been passed on to him from relatives; along with a number of letters, with those written by Private Alfred Johnson (d. 11 July, 1915) being transcribed and printed within 'The Norseman' - the journal of Boothferry Family and Local History Group.

Goole Cenotaoh, c1925, is a 1/8th size replica of Sir Edward Lutyens' National Cenotaph in Whitehall, London.

Both Chris and Stephen are keen to promote the work undertaken so far, and to hear from anybody who has an interest within this period of Goole's history and its people. If you feel that you can assist with this, please get in touch.