The Yorkshire Regiment, - War Memorials Elsewhere

War Memorials Elsewhere, -
Worsbrough Dale (Barnsley),
- St. Thomas & St. James Church

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The War Memorial Outside the Church of St. Thomas & St. James, Worsbrough Dale (Barnsley)
Photo : Wayne Bywater (<waynetyke123@aol.com>)

Outside the Church of St. Thomas & St. James in Worsbrough Dale, Barnsley, is a red granite pillar which serves as the First World war Memorial. The names of those commemorated are carved into this pillar,

112 names are commemorated as having lost their lives in the First World War.

There is also a family tomb outside the main door of the church which commemorates members of the Raley family, including 2 Officers (both brothers) who were killed in the First World War.

1 Officer who served with the Yorkshire Regiment is commemorated on this memorial, as well as on the family tomb.

We are very grateful to Wayne Bywater (<waynetyke123@aol.com>) for photographing the memorial and the tomb.

Captain William Henry George Raley. 3rd Battalion attached to 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Eldest son of Lt. Col. William Emsley Raley, of Darley Hall, Barnsley, Yorks, and the late Elizabeth Emsley Raley. Killed 15 June 1915. Aged 30.
Commemorated on Panel 12, LE TOURET MEMORIAL.
The following additional biographical information is taken from Roberts Coulson's Biographies of Officers of the Yorkshire Regiment;-
"William Raley was born in Barnsley on May 3rd 1885.
He qualified into the legal profession and was admitted to the bar in 1908 working as Managing Clerk for the family firm of Raley & Sons in Barnsley.
A pre war territorial soldier he first went to France with the Royal Fusiliers in December of 1914 but was invalided home with blood poisoning.
Captain Raley then joined the 2nd Yorkshires in May of 1915 just after the Battle of Festubert. On June 14th the battalion moved into trenches to the east of Givenchy and attacked at 6-00 a.m. the next day after the blowing of a mine under the enemy line. Captain William Henry George Raley was killed in this action on June 15th 1915 at the age of 30
The following was written in the official history of the regiment;-
“Captain Raley and most of his “B” company were hit before they got away from their parapet”."

The Raley Tomb Outside the Main Door of the Church of St. Thomas & St. james, Worsbrough Dale
Photo : Wayne Bywater (<waynetyke123@aol.com>)

The Raley Tomb Outside the Main Door of the Church of St. Thomas & St. james, Worsbrough Dale The Raley Tomb Outside the Main Door of the Church of St. Thomas & St. james, Worsbrough Dale
Photo : Wayne Bywater (<waynetyke123@aol.com>)

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF / ELIZABETH EMSLEY RALEY
THE BELOVED WIFE OF WILLIAM EMSLEY RALEY
BORN 19TH JANUARY 1861 DIED 6TH MARCH 1908
ALSO LIEUT COL. WILLIAM EMSLEY RALEY OBE, MA, JP
BORN 4TH MAY 1859 DIED 6TH MAY 1938
ALSO SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF WALTER HUGH RALEY 2ND LIEUT YORK & LANCASTER REGIMENT
YOUNGEST SON OF THE ABOVE
BORN 18TH NOVEMBER 1893 KILLED IN ACTION AT FLEURBAIX 16TH MAY 1915.
ALSO WILLIAM HENRY GEORGE RALEY, CAPTIAN 3RD ALEXANDRA PRINCESS OD WALES'S OWN (YORKSHIRE REGIMENT)
ELDEST SON OF THE ABOVE
BORN 3RD MAY 1885 KILLED IN ACTION AT GIVENCHY 3RD JUNE 1915.

The Church of St. Thomas & St. james, Worsbrough Dale The Church of St. Thomas & St. james, Worsbrough Dale
Photo : Google Earth

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