In late 2021, I uncovered the Ossett connection of yet another WW1 service casualty. It's difficult to not feel saddened by the new discovery. How many more are there who we still don't know?

He is the 414th WW1 service casualty from our town in West Yorkshire.

William Ismay Spooner Hartley was born in Ossett on May 18 1891. He was baptised at Holy Trinity Church where a few years earlier his parents William Robert Hartley (1855-1942) and Sarah Alice née Ismay Spooner (1854-1937) had their wedding banns read. Although Sarah was originally from Wakefield, West Yorkshire they were married on April 24 1888 at the bride's parish church: St Mark's, Hull.

Born in Haworth, William Robert was a resident of Ossett having arrived here from Gateshead in 1887. He was also the curate of Ossett cum Gawthorpe. Their first child, Winchcombe Henry Howard Hartley, was born in Ossett on October 20 1889.

The family lived at 'Makaria House', Ossett. In the Methodist Church St. Macarius is known for his wisdom. From ancient Greek religion and mythology, 'Macaria' or 'Makaria' is the name of two figures. The phrase was proverbial for those whose courage endangered them. Read on and you will see how prophetic this was to be ...

The family left Ossett in 1892 which offers an explanation as to why the William wasn't commemorated by the town. 1895 saw the birth of a third son; George Albany Brigg Hartley and he was baptised in May that year at Stanhope. Three years later a fourth son, John Arthur James Hartley, was also born in Stanhope but in 1902 Rev Hartley moved his family to Barmburgh when he became the vicar there.

These four sons would soon leave home and go to war; one would not return.

The oldest of the brothers, Winchcombe Henry Howard Hartley, was a bank clerk before the war. As a Gunner with the Royal Field Artillery, he was discharged from Service in June 1919 on a disability pension. His service record appears to have not survived.

The youngest son, John Arthur James Hartley was also a Gunner with the Royal Field Artillery and was also discharged with a disability. He was suffering from deafness and was released from service in February 1919. Before the war he had been assistant curate to his father and returned to his clerical duties upon his discharge.

I've found no record of service for George Albany Brigg Hartley although he is said to have served. He was a bank clerk and died in 1923 in a motorcycle accident on the Great North Road near Wetherby, aged only 27.

Donald Murray, 8th Battalion K.O.Y.L.I. gave this account in 1973 of when his battalion attacked the village of Ovillers on July 1 1916:

"On the first day, half past seven, Mr Morris pulled out his revolver, blew his whistle and said "over". And as he said it, a bullet hit him straight between the eyes, and killed him. I went over with all the other boys. The Germans, there were supposed to be no Germans at all in their front line; we'd annihilated them according to the theory, fired at these breaches in the wire. And of course they just mowed us down. It seemed to me eventually I was just one man left."

Prior to the battle the 8th Battalion KOYLI was addressed by a senior officer, who reportedly told them: "When you go over the top, you can slope arms, light up your pipes and cigarettes, and march all the way to Pozières before meeting any live Germans."

The senior officer was wrong and this is what actually happened:

"8th (Service) Battalion KOYLI, 70th Brigade: In action (with 8th Division) at the Ovillers spur (1st July) attacking from in front of Authuille Wood. Good progress quickly made by leading waves and German first line entered. Following waves came under heavy machine gun fire from both flanks, losing 50% while crossing No Man's Land. Close quarter fighting in German second and third lines. Withdrew to British front line during afternoon - all officers having become casualties.

Regimental historian Lieutenant-Colonel R.C. Bond, D.S.O. records renewed attacks led by N.C.Os. Relieved and to Long Valley during night. Very few of officers reached the German trenches. The Germans were many times seen sniping and bombing our wounded. Survivors: the medical officer and 110 other ranks, 25 officers and 659 other ranks having gone into action." (ossett.net)

On July 1st 1916 Lieutenant William Ismay Spooner Hartley was killed in action while serving with the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in France. He was 25 years old and a graduate of King's College, Oxford where he took his BA.

After his graduation he became assistant master at a prep school in Brighton and later took a post on the staff of King William's College, Douglas on the Isle of Man.

He had been in France only a few short weeks when he was killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. The casualties for the 8th Battalion on the 1st July 1916 totalled 21 officers and 518 men, including 2nd Lieutenant William I.S. Hartley who was buried at Blighty Valley Cemetery, Authuille Wood.

Blighty Valley Cemetery was begun early in July 1916, at the beginning of the Battle of the Somme, and used until the following November. At the Armistice it contained 212 graves, but was then greatly enlarged when 784 graves were brought in from the battlefields and small cemeteries to the east.

William is commemorated in King William's College Book of Remembrance (1914-1918) but he was not named on any Ossett Roll of Honour or Memorial.

In the summer of 2022, the name of William Ismay Spooner Hartley was one of 22 added at the Ossett War Memorial by our local authority.

https://www.ossett.net/WW1/William_I_S_Hartley.html 

After the war, William's father, then Rector of Barnburgh, was granted permission from the War Graves Commission to bring the wooden cross placed on his son's grave in France to his church. He placed it over the seat in the choir stall where his son had sat before joining the army.