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The website Craven's Part in the Great War (http://www.cpgw.org.uk/) provides excellent, short, biographies of the men and women of this area who died in the 1914-18 war. Sadly, there is nothing similar (yet) that sets out to commemorate those who died in the Second World War, 1939-45. Farnhill and Kildwick Local History Group have therefore attempted to put together their own commemoration. Who died ?You may think this is a question that is easily answered: surely their names are on the war memorial outside St. Andrew's church ?
The problem is that this plaque records the dead of Kildwick ecclesiastical parish, which covers an area much wider than just Farnhill and Kildwick - and besides, researching the eighteen deaths recorded here is probably beyond our capabilities. A better starting point for us is the list of combatants who received money, at the end of the war, from the Welcome Home Fund. This organisation, which has already featured in a couple of our articles, identified the war dead of the two villages on their list of beneficiaries.
This list omits W. N. Slingsby, as he did not serve in a combat role (he was a member of the Home Guard). This represents the views of the time, but is an omission that does not seem to be appropriate today. The History Group has, therefore sought out information on:
Our short pieces are respectfully and humbly dedicated to the memories of these men of Farnhill and Kildwick who fought and died for their country in a cause they understood and knew was right. |
