Introduction

I was first approached in August 2014 by Golcar Scout Group, and asked if I would try to find some information about the men listed on the St. John's Roll of Honour in time for Remembrance Day in November, to commemorate 100 years since the First World War began.

Being interested in both local and family history I agreed. Little did I realise the task I had taken on. As I began researching I realised that not everyone was listed on a memorial at all. It also became apparent that some names appeared on more than one memorial. Consequently it seemed appropriate to include the surrounding areas of Scapegoat Hill, Bolster Moor and Wellhouse, all of which had much smaller populations at that time of course.

As a result I discovered the names of 179 men from these villages who lost their lives in that war. This does not include those who returned from the war, but died a few years later as a result of their injuries. The ripple effect of this loss among family, friends and neighbours must have been felt by everyone in the community. In some cases, more than one member in a family was lost.

The more information I discovered about them and their families, the more I decided that the background to all of these men needed to be remembered and somehow recorded. The amount of information available for each person varies, but their stories deserve to be told, and for me personally, they have become more than just names on a memorial.

There may be more names which will come to light in future, and any information received will be added to the records.

Lastly I would like to thank the local businesses and organisations whose generous donations have made it possible for this book to be published, and copies to be distributed to organisations within the community.

Pauline Ellis.

2018.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Sources of information:-

Coine Valley Chronicle.

Huddersfield Examiner.

Huddersfield & District Family History Society. Huddersfield's Roil of Honour 1914-1922.

Army records.

Colne Valley Almanac.

Ships records.