William Farndale

William Farndale

The ninth member of the family of Martin and Catherine was born on 29 January 1892. His parents called him William after the child who had died two years before. As with the others, he went first to Charltons School and then to Boosbeck. He left at 14 in 1905. Soon after this, he became an apprentice butcher in Saltburn with a Mr Ormsby. He then served in a butcher's shop. Later he had a butchers shop in Charltons which he shared with his elder brother Jim. They then tok another in Commondale. They began by sharing a bullock with a man in Guisborough who had a slaughter house. Later they were selling three bullocks a week and were well remembered in their horse drawn delivery van. Alfred remembered him at their mother's funeral (14 July 1911) as William consoled him.

In 1913 Jim went to Canada and shortly afterwards William followed to become the fifth member of the family to emigrate there. He first went to join Martin at Trochu and got himself a job there as an assistant butcher. What happened next is not clear, but it seems that in about 1914 he moved to Earl Grey in Saskatchuan, presumably to continue his trade as a butcher. At some time, probably 1915, he joined the army and went to France. His enlistment date is shown as 19 April 1916 at Regina, Saskatchuan.

He was wounded in action at Vimy Ridge on 13 December 1916, while serving with the 28th Battalion. All we know is that he was hit in the arm by an explosive bullet. His medical records show:

"Loss of function, right arm ... penetrating gun shot wound at forearm with compound commimuted fracture of radius ... bullet entered inner surface of forearm, two inches below elbow, and passed directly through the arm, coming out on the other side, and splintering the radius in its passage. Severe inflammation of the arm followed, and inflammation, and sequestrum formed and was removed. Had erysipilis while in hospital, 23rd CC Station, 24th General Hospital (British) Etaples from 17 Jan to 23 April 1917, Reading War Hospital from 23 April to 12 July 1917, MC Hospital Epsom, since 12 July 1917... wounds all healed. The wound and exit wound shows the remains of a sinus from the radius not discharging now. Has wrist drop, and is wearing a dorsiflexion splint. Flexion and extension of elbow are greatly limited and pronation and supination are absolutely stopped, in a position of partial supination. Is otherwise normal. (date of report 27 July 1917)".

Alfred, his younger brother, remembers asking for leave to visit him in hospital in Exeter, but since he was under orders himself for France, he was not allowed to go. Indeed later William went on leave to Trochu and Tidkinhowe and the family remember questioning him about France and the fact that Alfred was, by then, in Ypres.

He wrote from hospital, almost certainly in 1917, to his sister Grace:

"Left hand of course

Jan 12

Dear Sister

I will try and write to you. I find I am doing fairly well but I have got a very bad arm. I was hit with an explosive bullet which made a hole through two inches wide and broke both bones. They give me very little hope of my arm being any good but I hope it will not be so bad. I had an awful hard time in France. I had four operations in two weeks. They could not get it stopped bleeding and I got so weak that I could not feed myself. But I am alright now, but not able to get up yet for two weeks or so. I may have to have another operation. Not sure yet. Going to have my arm x-rayed shortly. I want you to write a letter for me to Sister Armstrong, 23 CCS, BEF, France. Give her my address and tell her I am getting along alright. This is not a very nice hospital, but good doctors. If you send a parcel, send me a toothbrush and hairbrush. I expect I will be here three months. I tried to get into Yorkshire so you could come and see me, but this is as far as I could get. If my arm does not get better it is likely I will get sent back to Canada in the Spring, but I will never see France any more. I am awful sorry that Alf had to go. If ever he gets to France I will want to go back again.

Your affectionate brother

W.F."

We know that he returned to Earl Gray and that in the great flu epidemic of 1918 he drove patients to hospital, caught flu himself and died. The wording on his memorial situated in Earl Gray is very indistinct. It says:

"Farndale, 28th, In memory of Private William Farndale, 28th Batt UEF. Died Nov 23 1918 aged 25 years. Erected by his fellow comrades ?, Earl Grey ... 4 more lines"

Actually the age is not quite right, since in 1918 he would have been aged 27 (though perhaps "28th" refers to his Battalion). William had been engaged to a girl in Earl Grey at the time of his death. She wrote to some members of the family but there was no trace of her since. William is remembered as different from the rest of the family, but still with the same characteristics of responsibility and reliability. His early death was tragic. We have his campaign medals (British War Medal and Victory Medal) from the Great War.