Born: 1896
Died: 7 August 1917
Buried: Ramscappelle Road Military Cemetery
Address: 316 Dudley Hill Road, Eccleshill
Parents: Alfred & Sarah Ann, nee Jessop
Spouse:
Siblings: Harry
Occupation: Warehouse boy (1911)
Organisations/clubs:
Military
Rank: Pte
Medals/awards:
Rolls of Honour: Eccleshill, Park and St Luke’s
Children:
Regiment: West Riding
Horace Cariss
Horace Cariss was born in 1896 the
son of Alfred Cariss and his wife,
Sarah Ann, nee Jessop.
The couple had two sons, Harry
born 1893 and Horace born 1896.
In 1901 the family were living at
70 Corporation Street, Bradford
and Albert is working in a woollen
mill.
The family moved to 316 Dudley
Hill Road and in 1911 Alfred is still
working in the woollen industry as
a wooling weftman. Horace at 14
years is working as a warehouse
boy for Messrs Laycock Stuff
Merchants with whom he was still
employed when he enlisted.
When Horace first presented
himself for enlistment he was
rejected but he kept on
trying until he was
accepted on the 3rd of
February 1915 as Private
242141 in the 1/5th
Battalion of the Duke of
Wellington’s West Riding
Regiment.
The Regiment landed in
Boulogne on the 14th of
April 1915. Horace
passed through several
severe engagements and was
involved in the Third Battle of
Ypres or Passchendale.
The British offensive began on the
31st of July 1917 with encouraging
gains but terrible summer weather
soon bogged it down. By August
the offensive was failing
and had descended into
attritional fighting and
there were enormous
casualties on both sides.
Horace lost his life on the
7th August 1917 at the
age of 21 years.
The sad news was
conveyed in a letter to his
parents from Sgt H
Armstrong who wrote “It
was a great blow to us all when
your son was killed for it was felt
that the whole Company had lost a
brother.
“I always found him a good worker
and willing to do whatever I asked
him to do.”
Second Lieutenant J C Walton of
the Headquarters Staff in a letter of
condolence said “Although I had
known Pte Cariss only a short time
he was a willing and cheerful
soldier”.
Horacee is buried at Ramscappelle
Road Military Cemetery which was
made in July and August 1917.
His effects were left to his father
Alfred who received £2. 19. 5d on
the 27th November 1917 and the
War Gratuity of £6.10.0d on the
30th October 1919.
Researched and written by Jean
Britteon, to whom many thanks.
