William RAWLING

10 December 1915

SILSDEN SOLDIERS' APPRECIATION – INTERESTING LETTERS

Mrs. Charles Sugden, Lady Superintendent of the Silsden St John Ambulance Nursing Division, has received a number of interesting letters from local soldiers and sailors conveying their thanks to the inhabitants of Silsden for the parcels which have recently been forwarded to them.

Letters of appreciation were also received from Private Alfred Mosley, of the 9th West Riding Regiment; Sapper E. Summerscales, 37th Division B.E.F.; Private J.W. Jolly, Lance-Corporal J. Craven, Driver W. Baldwin, 46th Battery Royal Field Artillery; Private W. Rawling, 6th West Riding Regiment; Gunner W. Spence, of the Royal Garrison Artillery; Sergt. J. Baldwin; Private Edgar Holmes, of the 6th West Riding Regiment; Private J.E. Windle, of the 37th Divisional Supply Column, R.F.A.; Private W. Long; Private Joe Bancroft; and Corpl. H. Laycock, who has written on behalf of Corpl. P. Hill, the latter being at present in hospital.

They all express their delight with the contents of the parcels, and state that they are just “the things most required.”

25 August 1916

SILSDEN – REFERENCES TO SILSDEN HEROES

Another interesting batch of letters are to hand from Silsden soldiers and sailors on active service acknowledging the receipt of more parcels. The contents of the parcels sent out included a pair of socks, a quantity of sweets, cake, Oxo tablets, cocoa tablets, tin of Swiss milk, trench body cord, tea tablets, and a card bearing the inscription ‘With the best wishes from the inhabitants of Silsden.’ Most of the socks had been knitted by the members of the Silsden Parish Church Girls’ Friendly Society, whose efforts some time ago enabled them to set aside funds for the purchase of wool. Appended are extracts from the letters which have been sent to Mrs. Charles Sugden, of Bolton Road, Silsden:–

Pte. W. Rawling writes:– “It feels grand to think that the inhabitants of Silsden do not forget us although we are so far away from home. I am sorry to hear of several young men having been killed in action, but we never know whose turn it is next. We are looking forward to seeing the good old lads again in the 9th and 10th Duke of Wellington’s. From what I can make out they are not far away from us. I am sorry to say that Sergt. Rowland Hill has been killed this last week. It was hard luck as he was growing a fine lad and looking very well the last time I saw him.”

29 November 1918

SILSDEN – The Late Private William Rawlings

We reproduce a photograph of Private William Rawlings, West Riding Regiment, nephew of Mr and Mrs. George Rawlings, 51 Aire View, Silsden, who was killed in action on October 11th. Private Rawlings was 24 years of age, and was formerly employed as a twister by Messrs. Knox, Airedale Shed, Silsden. He enlisted in September, 1914, and had been in France three and a half years.