Born: 1897, Baildon
Died: 3 September 1916, Somme
Buried:
Address: John Street, Woodbottom, Baildon (later Ravenshorpe)
Parents: William & Ellen
Spouse:
Siblings: Bertha, Edith May, Jane Elizabeth
Occupation: Learning they dying business (1911)
Organisations/clubs:
Military
Rank: Cpl
Medals/awards:
Rolls of Honour: Thiepval Memorial
Children:
Regiment: Duke of Wellington’s
Stanley Gawthorpe
The Census returns, which give
Stanley as James Stanley
Gawthorpe, show the family’s move
from Baildonn to Ravensthorpe
took place between 1901 and 1911.
Stanley was one of the thousands
killed in the battle of the Somme.
Cpl Stanley Gawthorpe, Duke of
Wellington’s Regt, of
Ravensthorpe, and formerly of
John St, Baildon Woodbottom, is
officially reported to have been
killed.
A comrade who has been badly
wounded says in regard to Cpl
Gawthorpe’s death: “We went over
to take the first line of German
trenches. Stanley and I went over.
“Stanley and the rest of the
Company went to the first line
trench whilst I and the backing
company went up the
communication trench to bomb the
2nd line.
“A Coy Battalion bombers and B
Coy were holding the front line
trench four and a half hours when
they found the rest of the Battalion
had retired.
“We were completely surrounded
so we bombed our way back to the
German front line trench and there I
saw Stanley laid at the mouth of a
German dug-out. He had severe
shrapnel wounds in the chest and
legs and I knew for certain he was
quite dead.
“I have been out since April 1915
and have been with Stanley all the
time in his platoon. I beg to offer my
deepest sympathy with you in your
loss as he was a good comrade and
did his duty well and with a will.”
The late hero’s aunt resides in
Thompson Street, Shipley.
Shipley Times & Express 3 November 1916