FOR KING & COUNTRY
October 1914
The Church lad’s brigade has now, with the sanction of the War office completed its arrangements to raise a special Battalion of its members and ex members for the new army. Enlisting is now taking place all over the country; it is to be a battalion of the KINGS ROYAL RIFLES, of which the King is Colonel in Chief and Field Marshall Lord Greenfell is Colonel Commandant.
Although the local company has been suspended for a time, we will be glad to hear of ex-members who will be willing to join (age 18-35) we have already 20 past members now serving this country in various regiments.
The 4th Battalion York Regiments 1st Battle
The first to go to the continent were the 2nd Battalion Green Howard’s, the 4th and 5th Battalions T.A. were close behind, the 4th being recruited from North Yorkshire, around Skelton, Loftus and Guisborough Parishes, and into Teesside, south of the river. The 5th recruited from Whitby to Scarborough along to Malton and Pickering.
The 4th landed at Boulogne on the 18th April 1915, and then on to Ypres in time for the second battle of Ypres and in time for the first Germans use of gas.
The 4th Green Howards and 4th East York’s moved up to the village of Fortuin and pushed the Germans back to St. Julien. In command of the 4th Green Howard’s was Lieutenant, Colonel Bell, when the Colonel and the second in command of the East York’s were killed; Colonel Bell had taken charge and forced the Germans back.
The 4th had been in Europe for a week and had come through. The 4th Green Howard’s had around 100 killed or wounded, which included five officers, the 5th lost 60 men in five minutes.
The 50th division which the 4th was part of, has a Divisional War Memorial at St. Julien, so hard fought for.
Skelton Red Cross Hospital
The first contingent of 15 soldiers, twelve of whom are from the front, arrived at Skelton Red Cross Hospital on the 1st April 1915.
The Wharton Hall has been altered and made into a most comfortable hospital by Colonel and Mrs Wharton. The people in the district have helped, in fitting out by lending beds, bed linen etc.
Miss Private has been appointed by Colonel and Mrs Wharton, and Mrs Wharton has provided trained nurses for night duty.
Saltburn nurses in the afternoon, visiting Saturdays and Wednesdays 2.00pm – 4.00pm.
Drill Hall
The old Wesleyan Chapel situated at the bottom of Green Road, Skelton (Wharton Hall) was used as a drill hall by the 4th Battalion Green Howard’s Territorial Regiment before building a new Drill hall in 1912.
C.L.B. Battalion of the K.R.R.C.
The C.L.B. Battalion of the K.R.R.C. is now practically at full strength, and making great progress at Denham, where it is training.
Our territorials have been in action and have proved themselves to be the gallant and capable soldiers we know them to be. Apparently they were taken straight to the front line, in an emergency and though there were heavy losses, they carried out the work given to them. We are indeed proud of them, though we mourn the loss of Tom Wood, Isaac Jacquer and Tom Gill and sympathies go with those who are wounded.
July 1915
On July 9th 1915 Major Hamilton visited Skelton and addressed a public meeting in the institute with a view to forming a branch of the Volunteer Training Corps for Skelton and district. As this matter has been taken up in many parts of the North Riding it was thought that Skelton should not fall behind, seeing that for years it had always been to the for in military matters and is the headquarters of G Company 4th Yorkshire Territorial Regiment.
September 1915
At a council meeting in September 1915, the Cleveland Miners Association decided to send a Christmas parcel to every man serving with the armed forces at the front ‘not to
Exceed 8 shillings’. The workmen’s contribution to the war relief fund for October, November and December is to be devoted to this purpose. 80 parcels were sent off, each parcel containing:
1 Muffler
1 Pair Socks
1 Pair Mittens
1 Towel
2 Handkerchiefs
1 pair laces
Card of buttons
Packet of notepaper
1 packet of Cocoa
3 tubes of Pine Tablets
4 packets of Cigarettes or 1oz of Tobacco
A tin of Vaseline
And a Calico bag.
ZEPPELINS
Notice has been given to all households by the police that in case of German Airships being reported by telephone to the police as coming in our direction the church bells will be rung two or more together, making a clanging sound, also the mine hooters will give an intermittent sound e.g. Two short blasts followed by a long one means the same thing. On hearing either of these signals people are advised to go into their lower rooms of their homes. It is unwise to go into the street as a house will not protect you against a bomb, but it will protect against pieces of bomb, which are dangerous from a very considerable distance.
October 1916
Colonel Wharton was giving a take in the drill hall to a group of people on Wednesday September 13th, he said that during a Zeppelin raid there was an added damper when people were in the streets as the raider not only looked out for the lights to guise them in dropping bombs, but it was almost certain, they also let down on the end of a very long rope or wirer some sort of telephone apparatus to catch sounds by which they might know populous places, so stay indoors, show no lights and keep quiet.
March 1919
The Wharton Hall Red Cross Hospital is now closed after doing 4 years good and useful work.