The events of May 1918
Without doubt the highlight of the month for many people in Shipley and district was the visit if the King and Queen to see for
themselves something of the local manufacturing industry and how it was supporting the war effort.
And May also brought the traditional Whit weekend holidays, enjoyed in great gusto despite the weather which turned unkind
towards the end.
But for most of the time, this was a period of austerity with people grappling with rationing and food shortages while economies
meant the local baths were closed for three days a week to save money and people were urged to collect scraps of wool off fences
and hedges to help local manufacturers.
With conscription now being introduced for older men, farmers were concerned about where to get enough labour. One solution
was to use schoolboys while there was a suggestion women should be conscripted to the Land Army. Some women might have
welcomed that, especially those working in munitions who were showing the first signs of gunpowder related sickness.
Although the war was still raging at the front, at home some people were already turning their attention to the post-war period and
what would be needed to ensure a satisfactory reconstruction.
Events at the front tended to reach the pages of the local paper a few weeks later and there is a marked increase in the number of
casualties, the number of men missing and those taken prisoner of war, as well as tales of heroism and the awarding of medals. We
also get a glimpse of how some families were massively affected with a number of men involved at the front.
The links here will take you to pages containing stories published exactly 100 years before. The headlines shown are only a taste of
the stories that appear on that page.
3 May 1918
- Windhill vicar writes from the Front Line
- Letters home from “Eccleshill Road”
- Serving men condemn striking miners
- American bacon to fill the gap
- Health visitor case not fully made
- Welcome for half-day switch
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- Baildon’s roll of honour over 700 men
- Party interests must not top nation’s
- Fund for education of gifted girls
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- General’s favourite KIA
- Soldier’s life saved by his helmet
- Families at war
10 May 1918
- Windhill vicar writes from the Front Line
- Letters home from “Eccleshill Road”
- Serving men condemn striking miners
- Is munitions work making girls sick
- Pupil’s encouraged to keep pigs
- Young men still volunteering
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- ‘Epidemic’ among men of the cloth
- Businessman given reconstruction role
- Military Cross for Eccleshill soldier
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- Families with many reasons to worry
- Casualty list continues to grow
- Brothers among men reported missing
17 May 1918
- Windhill vicar writes from the Front Line
- Letters home from “Eccleshill Road”
- Serving men condemn striking miners
- Time to plan for post-war changes
- Soldier granted divorce
- New Matron supported by wounded men
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- Wounded and died either side of birthday
- Pastor killed at the front
- More anxiety for Windhill woman
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- Memorial needs considerable thought
- Local heroes rewarded with medals
- Flyer hurt in air crash
24 May 1918
- Windhill vicar writes from the Front Line
- Letters home from “Eccleshill Road”
- Serving men condemn striking miners
- Fine weather enhances Whitsun fun…
- …but storms follow
- Railway has its carriages in wrong place!
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- No service relief for surviving sons
- Let the clergy concentrate on the spiritual
- Work fulfilled by royal rabbitry
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- Valley Road family at war
- How I got wound that cost me my leg
- Medal presented at close of play
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- Exploding boiler saved praying sailor’s life
- What do Chinese labourers make of war?
- Large gallery of casualties
31 May 1918
- Windhill vicar writes from the Front Line
- Letters home from “Eccleshill Road”
- Serving men condemn striking miners
- King and Queen visit Shipley to inspect the
manufacturing
- Shipley’s other royal connections
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- Schoolboys needed to bring in the harvest
- Conscription needed for the Land Army
- New Rent Act protects soldier’s wife
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- Impression left on girl by lightning
- Labour prepare for elections
- More news from the front line
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- Mother suffers her fourth loss
- Anxious times for families of missing men
- Father and daughter buried together