North Yorkshire War Memorials, - Healaugh, The Church of St. John the Baptist

The Church of St. John the Baptist, Healaugh
Photo © Copyright Ian S and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

There are two Healaughs in North Yorkshire. Healaugh in Swaledale (near Reeth) does not have a Church; the other Healaugh is to the West of York city and is near Tadcaster.

Inside the Church of St. John the Baptist in Healaugh (Tadcaster) there is a Memorial Plaque to the men of the parish who fell in the First World War. Amongst the 10 names are two Officers of the Yorkshire Regiment and 1 soldier who was originally in the 16th battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. The names on the plaque are;-

Stamp Brooksbank, Captain 2nd Yorks
Hugh G Brooksbank, Lieutenant 2nd Yorks
George Benson, L/Cpl 2nd West Yorks
Harold Blacker, L/Cpl 1/4th KOYLI
Ralph Poole, Trooper 2nd Australian LH
William I Stuttard, Trooper 18th Hussars
Charlie Smith, Private 1st Northumberland Fusiliers
Fred Smith, Private 6th KOYLI
Frank Tate, Private 22nd Labour Corps
John W Darnton, AB HMS Britannia

2nd Lieutenant Hugh Godfrey Brooksbank. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died at home 16 December 1914. Aged 21. Son of Sir Edward Clitheroe Brooksbank, 1st Bart., of Healaugh, Tadcaster, Yorks; and of Dame Katherine Graham Brooksbank. Buried in HEALAUGH CHURCHYARD, North West corner.

The following was written about Hugh Godfrey Brooksbank in M L Ferrar's "Officers of the Green Howards 1688 - 1931";-
"Born at Healaugh, Old Hall, Tadcaster, 24th November 1893. 3rd son of Sir Edward Clitheroe Brooksbank, Bart., of Healaugh, Old Hall.
2nd Lieut., 5th February 1913. Lieutenant 31st October 1914.
Went to Belgium with the 2nd Battalion in October 1914 and was severely wounded near Ypres on 1st November 1914 (twice mentioned in despatches).
Died of his wounds at 26 Park lane, London, 16th December 1914.
A senior officer wrote of him : "A braver lad never stepped the earth; he was left in command of 'B' Company when all his seniors had been shot. He commanded it like a veteran, and on two occasions he was largely responsible for the regiment being saved."
"His comrades will miss him sadly, and an older generation will recall the loss we sustained in the death of his uncle, William Stafford Brooksbank, who died of small pox at Bangalore, 18th June 1891, while Adjutant of the same battalion" (H G)"

Captain Stamp Brooksbank. 3rd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 26 September 1915. Aged 28. Son of Sir Edward Clitherow Brooksbank, 1st Bart., of Healaugh Manor, Tadcaster, Yorks.
Commemorated Panel 44 and 45, LOOS MEMORIAL.

The following biographical information is taken from Roberts Coulson's Biographies of Officers of the Yorkshire Regiment;-
"Like his younger brother (Hugh Godfrey Brooksbank) Stamp Brooksbank was also born at Healaugh Old Hall on January 16th 1887 and was educated at Eton and Trinity Hall, Cambridge, which he entered in 1905.
Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in September 1914 he joined his brother’s battalion, the 2nd Battalion, in January of 1915.
He fought at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle in March of 1915 and also at the Battle of Festubert in May.
On the eve of the Battle of Loos, Stamp Brooksbank was with “D” coy of the 2nd Battalion under Captain Richardson. The battle opened on September 25th 1915 with the battalion attacking towards Hulluch just to the north of Loos. The attack faltered under heavy fire and the battalion had to dig in just short of the village.
At 11-00 p.m on the 25th Lieutenant Brooksbank was sent out with a platoon to clear a pocket of Germans in a nearby quarry. A message got back a short time later to say that Lieutenant Brooksbank had been wounded. However, he was never seen again and his body was not recovered. There is a possibility that he was captured and died in enemy hands".

Private Frank Tate. 31399. 16th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment transf. to (13040) 22nd Coy. Labour Corps. Son of Richard and Elizabeth Tate, of Healaugh, Tadcaster, Yorks. Killed 30 September 1917. Aged 40.
Born Healaugh, Enlisted Tadcaster (Yorks).
Buried LIJSSENTHOEK MILITARY CEMETERY.
(SDGW shows Frank Tate as "Formerly 26671, W. Yorks Regt.")

The Memorial Plaque inside the Church of St. John the Baptist, Healaugh
Photo : Dave Morris

-----------------> Return to top of the page