An article in the Shipley Times &
Express on 19 October 1917,
brings home vividly how the war
could impact a tight group of family,
friends, work-mates and
neighbours.
Patriotism has been proved to be a
predominant characteristic of a
Shipley family named Patchett,
many members of the family and
also their best friends, being in the
service of the country.
Unfortunately, the satisfaction of
patriotic service which comes to the
relatives has this week been
dimmed by the news that one of the
number, Pte William Henry
Patchett of 8 Smith Street, Shipley,
has been reported wounded and
missing.
The official news was received on
Sunday morning and read: “I am
directed to inform you that
enquiries have been made and it is
now reported from the base that Pte
W H Patchett was wounded and has
been missing since August 16th.
“It is regretted that the fact that he
was missing was not reported
earlier but in the circumstances of
the fighting in the field it is not
possible for the commanding
officers always to know whether a
man known to be wounded has been
picked up by his own stretcher-
bearers.
Leaflet
“I am to express the sympathy of
the Army Council with you in your
anxiety and to enclose for your
information a leaflet showing the
steps taken by the base hospital
with a view to obtaining reliable
information regarding missing
soldiers.
“Any further information that may
be received will be communicated
to the next of kin by the officer in
charge of No 1 Infantry Record
Office, Lichfield.”
The official notification states that
“Patchett has been reported
wounded and missing since august
16th, 1917.”
Patchett was 19 years old and
before the war worked for Mr
Robert Foster, boat owner, Valley
Road, Shipley. Mr Foster has lost
his own son in the war.
Patchett was called up last January.
He was married last Christmas and
went to France in May. As a boy he
attended the Young Men’s Institute
Windhill. He was a finely-built
young man and was held in high
respect.
An eloquent letter of sympathy has
been received from Staff-Captain
Mary Booth of the Salvation Army,
who wrote:
“Dear Mrs Patchett, we have been
making enquiries about Pte Patchett
and very much regret to say that he
has been reported wounded and
missing since August 16th.
Enquiries shall be instituted but
seeing these may take some time to
conclude, I am writing to assure you
that your case is receiving attention.
“May I say how deeply we
sympathise with you in the weary
suspense of waiting for news. We
do not want to raise your hopes too
high for out of the numbers who are
missing, alas so many are never
traced.
“Should this be your case, we do
pray that you may be amongst the
number who sorrow not without
hope but who have the assurance
that there is coming a great day of
re-union when you will meet your
loved one again.”
We shall be pleased if any of our
correspondents at the Front can
assist in relieving the anxiety from
which the family are suffering and
we will gladly forward any
communication to Mrs Patchett.
Rheumatic fever
Pioneer Edward Patchett is the
father of Pte W H Patchett and a
boatman on the Leeds and
Liverpool Canal.
He went out to France two years
ago from September last and was
invalided home in March last,
suffering from rheumatic fever, and
has been discharged on a pension.
He is 45 years of age and is back
again at work. His home is at Smith
Street, Shipley.
Four brothers
Mrs Patchett, the mother of Pte W
H Patchett, has four brothers, all of
whom are serving with the colours.
Pte Alfred Wright (39), married,
lives at Mountain Street, Windhill.
He is a plasterer and before the war
was employed by Mr W Green. He
enlisted twelve months ago last
Christmas and is now in Egypt.
Gunner John William Wright (36),
whose home is in Piccadilly,
Shipley, is Mrs Patchett’s brother.
He enlisted three years ago and
before the war was a boatman on
the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. He
is now in France. A married man, he
has a family of two children.
Pte Arthur Wright (29) of 17
Raglan Street, Shipley, is another of
Mrs Patchett’s brothers who is
serving. Before the war he was
employed by Mr Tom Hodgson,
metal broker, Shipley. He enlisted
twelve months ago last Christmas
and is one of the soldiers who have
been loaned by the Government to
the farmers in Norfolk.
Pte Thomas Henry Wright (33),
another of the Wright brothers, is a
shoeing-smith in the army and is
stationed at Grantham.
Bereavement
He is married with four children
and resides at 19 Piccadilly,
Shipley. Since he enlisted, 18
months ago, his home has been
shadowed by bereavement, two of
his children being buried within five
weeks.
Mr Patchett’s
brother, Pte Isaac
Patchett, whose
home is at 6 Smith
Street, is also
serving in France.
He too was a
boatman on the
Leeds and
Liverpool Canal
and enlisted nearly three years ago.
He is married with three children.
Death has also struck his family
severely, for since he joined the
colours three of his children – two-
year-old twins and another child
four years old, died within four
months of each other.
In addition to members of the
family, their best friends are also
with the colours.
Pte Richard Cowman, 27
Piccadilly, Shipley, has been
invalided home from service in
France, suffering with rheumatism.
Pte Alfred Cockshott, Leeds Road,
Windhill, joined the army at the
same time as Mr Patchett’s son and
was killed in December last. He was
a widower and left four sons, two of
whom are serving in France, the
other two being under military age.
Pte George Cowman, 9 Piccadilly,
is a married man with one child and
enlisted at the same time as Mr
Patchett, he is the fourth of the
quartet of chums.
Pte Frank Foster
(21), son of Mr
Robert Foster, lives
in Valley Road,
Shipley and before
the war was a
boatman on the
Leeds and
Liverpool Canal.
He and Pte W H Patchett worked
together on the same boat.
Pte Willie Gibson,
whose home is at
5 Albion Street,
Shipley, was a
chum of Pte W H
Patchett. He is 21
years of age and
enlisted early in
the war. He is now
serving in France.
He also was a boatman on the Leeds
and Liverpool Canal and is married.
Albert Golds-
borugh (40),
single, is a cousin
of the Wrights and
has been in the
army nearly 21
years. He was
gymnastic trainer
to the Devons in
India.
He is a Shipley man, is now with the
Green Howards in India and is well-
known in Shipley.
William Henry Patchett
Families and friends sharing the woes of war