People born or living in Osgodby and serving their county during WW1
Rowland Henry Ellis (Killed in Action 11 April 1918)
Rowland was the eldest son of Joseph Ellis and Emma Ellis (nee Coates) born in Leeds on 21 November 1898, and baptised on 1 February 1899 at Woodhouse, St Mark, Leeds. By 1911 the family had moved to Osgodby.
Rowland was attested on 20 November 1916 to the Training Reserves and mobilized on 5 March 1917. He gave his trade as “stencilling”. On 20 March 1918 he embarked from Folkstone and disembarked in Boulogne . On 21 March 1918 he joined and was posted to the 19th Durham Light Infantry (DLI) at Etaples and then transferred to the 1st/8th Bn of the DLI. He was killed in action in the field in France 11 April 1918. Rowland is remembered with honour at the Ploegsteert Memorial.
Henry James Coates (Killed in Action 8 August 1918
Henry was born 6 May 1889 in Osgodby, the youngest son of Henry Coates and Martha Coates (nee Hayward). He was baptised in Barlby Church. In 1916 he married Alice M Pearson and they had a son born on 7 December 1918 (sadly after the death of Henry). Henry was a Private in the Royal Tank Corp 14th Bn and was killed in action on 8 August 1918. Henry is remembered with honour at Vis-En-Artois Memorial
Ernest Britain
Ernest Britain was born on 25 December 1890 in Osgodby the second son of George Britain and Anna Jackson and was baptised on 30 December 1890 at All Saints Church, Barlby.
He enlisted at Escrick on 9 December 1915 and joined the West Yorkshire Regiment of Foot 21 July 1916. He served in France from 7 December 1916 to 20 November 1918. He was granted leave to the UK 26 January 1918 to 9 February 1918. On 4 November 1918 Ernest developed flu. On 20th November 1918 he was transferred to England with Influenza and Broncho Pneumonia. He spent 64 days in hospital between 21 November 1918 and 23 January 1918. He was demobilized on 21 February 1919 to his home in Thorganby.
On 19 December 1916 Ernest married Alice May Gosley at Thorganby Church giving his occupation as soldier and residence at Earsdon, Northumberland. In 1939 Ernest and Alice were living at Pear Tree Farm, Skipwith. Ernest Britain died in 1980.
Harry Bartram
Harry Bartram was born on 15 July 1893 in Sinderby, the fourth child of Emanuel Bartram and Elizabeth Craven. In 1911 Harry was living and working as a horseman on a farm in Sinderby, near Thirsk.
Harry attested on the 11 December 1915 and his name on the Army Reserves on 12 December 1915. At the time of Attestation in 1915, he was living in Osgodby, he was a presser at the Oil and Cake Mill, and had one son. Harry joined the Royal Garrison Artillery Unit 493 (S) Battery as a Signaller on 2 January 1918 at Ripon, and transferred later in the month to Chatham. On 6 June 1918 he transferred to Fareham. His occupation was given as “Gas Producer”. Harry was discharged on 10 March 1919 at Dover.
On 24 January 1914, Harry married Elizabeth Windress Wallace at Hemingbrough Parish Church. Sadly, Elizabeth died in 1919 aged 24. In 1920, Harry married May Thompson. In 1921, Harry and May were living in Osgodby with their young family. Harry died in 1962 and was buried on 24 April 1962 in Swinton, near Rotherham.
Harry Broadley
Harry Broadley was born 22 February 1898 and was baptised 3 May 1898 at St John The Baptist, Dodworth, Barnsley. He was the eldest child of Herbert Broadley and Amy Gertrude Walton. In 1911, the family was residing in “The Lodge” in Osgodby, Harry was at school and his father’s occupation being a gardener (domestic). On the 1918 Electoral Roll for Osgodby, Harry is listed as an Absent Voter on Military/Naval Service. Unfortunately, Army Service records have not been traced for Harry, and Medal Awards too numerous to be able to identify him.
In 1920 Harry married Annie Mcnamara. The 1921 Census lists Harry and his wife living in Osgodby with their daughter. By 1926 Harry and Annie together with their family were living in Kirkby in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire. In 1939 Harry was working as a Carpenter. Harry died in 1972 in Nottinghamshire.
James William Megson
James William Megson was born 28 July 1882 in Wortley,Leeds and was baptised at the age of 10 on 15 March 1892 at St Mathew’s Church, Armley, Leeds. He was the eldest son of Joshua Megson and Dinah Sugden, although his mother had previously been married to Joshu’a brother John William Megson who died in 1881. In 1911 James was lodging at 15 Harper Street and his occupation was given as “Presser”.
James enlisted on 14 February 1913 as a Private with the Hussars Corps.
James married Edith Emily Hullah on 5 August 1911 at St James’ Church, Selby, his address is given as 15 Harper Street and occupation as Oil Mill worker. In 1921, James and Edith were living in Osgodby. In 1939, James and Edith were living at 200 Pond Street, Barlby and James continued to be employed at the Oil and Cake Mill as a Fitter’s Labourer. James died at the age of 71 in 1954.
Walter William Gardham
Walter William Gardham was born 9 November 1884 in East Cottingwith and was baptised in Pocklington on 30 November 1884. He was the eldest child of Joseph Gardham and Jane Wilson. In 1911 Walter was living with his parents and siblings in Cliffe. When Walter married Edith Durham at Hemingbrough Church on 27 May 1915, his occupation was given as Farm Labourer living in Cliffe. The 1918 Electoral Roll for Osgodby (based on 1917 residents) indicates he was an absent Naval/Military Voter.
Service records cannot be traced, but WW1 Medals Rolls show 44193 Pte William Walter Gardham served with the Durham Light Infantry, and previously served with the 6th East Yorkshire Regiment; 10th Durham Light Infantry and 1/6th Durham Light Infantry. He was awarded the Victory Medal and British War Medal. On the 1921 census and the 1939 Register, Walter and his wife Ethel continued to live in Osgodby. His eldest daughter had married in 1936 and was also living in Osgodby. Walter William Gardham died in 1973.
Ambrose ‘Dick’ Chambers
Ambrose was born on 3 January 1886 in Wistow and baptised at All Saints, Wistow on 25 April that year. He was the youngest of 10 and had 4 brothers and 5 sisters.He appears on the 1891 census, with his family, living at West End, Wistow, his father, at this time, was a catt le dealer and farmer. By the census of 1901, the family, including Ambrose had moved to Osgodby and the 1911 census shows Ambrose was working on his father’s farm in Osgodby. On 12 March 1912, Ambrose boarded the SS Pakeha at London to sail to Sydney, Australia and in 1913 he is shown on the Australian electoral register, living in Camden, New South Wales.
On 16 February 1916 he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force, giving his trade as ‘carter’. His army papers state he was 5’ 5” tall, weighed 9 stones, had a fair complexion, was fair haired and grey eyed. He was assigned to the 53rd Battalion and shipped out to Egypt aboard the troop transport ship A40 Ceramic. Arriving at Port Said on 16 May 1916. His Battalion helped to defend the Suez Canal against forces of the Ottoman Empire, although they did not take part in any actual fighting, at this time. On his arrival in Egypt, Ambrose spent some time in the infirmary, suffering from diarrhoea.
In June 1916 the battalion was relocated to France, where they took their place in the trenches along the Western Front. Their first involvement in the fighting came at the Battle of Fromelles in July 1916, where they took part in the first stages of the Allied attack and suffered 625 casualties.
They remained at the front for the next two months, before being withdrawn for a rest, when Ambrose came back briefly to England on leave, returning to France in October 1916. The battalion rotated between manning defensive positions at the front and undertaking training and labouring duties behind the trenches. After spending a harsh winter in the trenches in the Somme Valley, Ambrose was assigned to ‘intelligence duties’ in February 1917, at about this time the 53rd Battalion took part in the brief Allied pursuit, culminating in them being committed to hold the ground won during the Second Battle of Bullecourt.. He was given leave in the UK from 25 July to 7 August 1917, following which his battalion were moved to Ypres in Belgium where they took part in the Battle of Polygon Wood in late September 1917.
In January 1918, Ambrose took a week’s leave in Paris, returning to man defensive positions around Villers-Bretonneux, the battalion held these positions even though the town fell into German hands during the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux. When the Allied Hundred Days Offensive began in August 1918, the 53rd Battalion was not initially involved and Ambrose took the opportunity to return on leave to marry Martha Townend on 1st September 1918 at Selby Abbey, proudly wearing his Australian Army uniform. Shortly after his return to the battalion, on 21 September 1918, he was promoted to Lance Corporal. On 29 September, his battalion took part in the Battle of St. Quentin Canal. Afterwards, they were withdrawn from the line and saw no further action.
Ambrose was discharged from the Australian army on 20 May 1919, in London, after 3 years and 94 days service. He returned home to live at 37 Gowthorpe, Selby with his wife. In the following 10 years, he and Martha had 3 daughters and a son. By 1939 Ambrose was a Retail Milk Dealer, living at 31 Dennison Road, Selby. He died, at the age of 65 and was buried in Selby Cemetery 7 July 1951.
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