Second Lieutenant Walter Ambler Davies (b.1894, Preston, Lancs) was a Manager at Kiveton Park Colliery Company prior to enlisting.  He served with the 4th Loyal North Lancashires and was killed in action on 15th June 1915.  A report in the Worksop Guardian (25th June 1915) detailed the circumstances of his death:

The residents of Kiveton Park and district will sincerely sympathise with Mr and Mrs Davies (Lancaster) in the loss of their son, second Lieutenant W Davies, who was killed in action at Festubert on 15th June.  That the fallen officer is closely connected with Kiveton Park, being the managing director of the Kiveton Park Coal Company, and takes a considerable interest in the well-being of its workmen.  That Second Lieutenant Walter A Davies died a hero’s death will be easily gleaned from the following letter which was sent to his father by Private J Blackshaw, orderly to Lieutenant Davies;- “Dear Sir, it is with much regret I write these few lines to inform you of your son’s noble death; it was his wish before he died that I should write to you.  He was leading his platoon which was the first line of attack, when he got shot through the left arm.  He got up again, when a piece of shrapnel struck him in the stomach.  He asked for his mother and father and Marjorie.  I did all I could for him, but I then got my own finger shot off.  He afterwards became unconscious and died.  I cannot tell you about his burial as I was taken to the Field Ambulance.  All the men in the platoon loved him; he was such a noble fellow, he was that.  His memory will always live among his men.  The whole of the platoon would express their heartfelt sympathy with you in his loss, Yours Faithfully, J. Blackshaw.”  Second Lieutenant W.A Davies was just 21 years of age, and he joined the 4th North Lancashires at the outbreak of war.  Mr Walter Davies has another son in training for active service.

There is a T Davies named on the Wales Parish Roll of Honour but we have been unable to ascertain any further details.

Arthur Kenning Deakin (B.1898, Wales) was the son of Arthur and Annie Deakin who lived at 22 Albert Terrace. He appeared before a local tribunal in Kiveton which was reported in the Worksop Guardian of 3rd May 1918.  Here is an extract:

YOUNG MEN WITH QUEER CONSCIENCES

A sitting of the Kiveton Park Local Tribunal was held on Monday, at the Council Offices, those present being Messrs. A. Thompson(chairman), G. Emmerson, S. Bennett, R. Goacher, R. Leckenby, Mr. Dickenson, National Service representative and Mr. A. L. Lewis, clerk.

Fifteen cases were down for appeal, eleven of which were appeals on personal and domestic grounds from single grade 1 miners and two on conscientious grounds from single young miners.

Arthur Deakin, Wales-road, single, Grade 1, aged 20, employed at Kiveton Park Collieries, appealed on conscientious grounds. His appeal form stated that he, believing that a world peace could only be established on the teachings of Jesus Christ, who taught the oneness of the human family under the fatherhood of God. National or racial barriers were swept away and had only been superficially erected by those who profit by such barriers. Believing those things with all sincerity, he could not take upon himself the responsibility of taking the life of a fellow man.

In reply to a question, he said he had held those views for the past three years. The appeal was unconditionally disallowed.

As his appeal was disallowed he was instructed to enlist at Barnsley 26th June 1918 into the York and Lancaster Regiment, 3rd Battalion (61210).  Arthur gave his address as 48 Wales Road, Kiveton and employment as miner.  On enlistment he stated that the answers to the questions asked of him were true but refused to sign.  He was detained at brought before a Court Martial on 8th July 1918 for disobeying an order and sentenced to imprisonment for 6 months hard labour, then transferred to Wormwood Scrubs.  On 6th September 1918, the prison were given instructions for him to be transferred to ‘Class W’ reserves, which meant that he should undertake ‘work of national importance’ at Linlithgow under the direction of the Brace Committee.  He was released from prison on 9th September.  It is not exactly clear what he did next but a letter issues by the War Office of January 1919 states that he had broken the conditions on which he was employed by the Committee and was to be recalled to the Colours.  We don’t know whether he did this or what he did after the conflict.

There are more of Arthur's records in the photo section.  Information regarding the Military Service Act and the different classes of 'reservist' can be found on the Long Long Trail website.

Sergeant Willis Deakin MM was born around 1896 in Kiveton, the son of William James and Mary Eliza Deakin, of 18 Carrington Terrace, Kiveton.  He joined the Northumberland Fusiliers, 1st Battalion (17853) as a Private but was made Corporal in 1916 for gallantry in action and later made Sergeant. He was awarded the Military Medal which was gazetted 21st January 1919, page 1216.  We have been unable to ascertain why this was awarded.

Private Alfred Edward Dennis MM (b.1895, Kiveton) worked at Kiveton Park Colliery prior to the conflict.  He lived with his step father and mother Joseph and Sarah Wright, at 11 Dawson Terrace, although his address was recorded as 118 Springfield Terrace on leaving in 1918.  He was among the first 89 to enlist on 2nd September 1914 in St John’s rooms, Kiveton and joined the York and Lancaster Regiment, 1/5th Battalion (31924).  He was awarded the Military Medal (gaz 27th August 1918) and was presented with the medal at Ripon camp 19th Nov 1918.  He was wounded in the back and hand several times.  The following day on 20th November 1918 he married Jane Hair (registered at Worksop dist). He is named on the Church Roll of Honour.

Gunner Harold Dennis (b.1898, Kiveton) was the younger brother of Alfred and lived with Joseph and Sarah Wright (step father and mother) at 11 Dawson Terrace, Kiveton.  He also worked at Kiveton Park Colliery.  He joined the Royal Field Artillery and served in France and later Selonika.  He is named on the Church Roll of Honour.

Second Lieutenant Hubert Ronald Dennis was the son of John and Edith Dennis, born 1899 at Kiveton and lived at 105 Wales Road.  He joined the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment on 12th Oct 1918.

Ernest A Dinsdale (b. 1896, Hunslet) was living at 36 Chapel Yard, South Anston and working at Kiveton Park Colliery when he was called up for service in Spring of 1918.  Like Arthur Deakin (above) he was a conscientious objector, or ‘conchie’ as they were known, and it is very probable that the two men were friends and supported each other.  They were given consecutive service numbers so must have attended together for their enlistment.  The Worksop Guardian article of 3rd May 1918 also detailed Ernest’s appeal against military service:

E. A. Dinsdale, Anston, single Grade 1 miner, aged 22, employed at Kiveton Park Collieries, also based his appeal on conscientious grounds. His appeal form read as follows;-

“I apply for absolute exemption as a Christian, believing in the Gospel, and claiming the right to interpret them according to my own mind and conscience. I am convinced that the work of war is opposed to their teachings. As I believe in a common fatherhood, so I believe in a common world-wide brotherhood. To me, the sacredness that enshrines the life of God enshrines the life of his children. I cannot and therefore will not kill. If I believed in the efficacy of slaughter to remedy evils, I would long ago have advocated the killing of those in England who, year after year have been responsible for the sweated, the starved and the slummed. I know, however, in my heart of hearts, that slaughter being wrong, is no remedy. Therefore, I cannot engage in the work of killing, but must use all the energies I possess in an endeavour to bring the war to a successful and speedy end by negotiation.”

Dinsdale refused to answer questions. His appeal was disallowed and upon the fact being intimated to him by the Chairman, he remarked “That he expected that”.

Like Arthur he was called up and requested to report to Barnsley for enlistment into the York and Lancs Regiment.  Like Arthur he refused to sign and was put before a District Court Martial on 6th July, and sentenced to six months in prison with hard labour.  He was also sent to Wormwood Scrubs.  At the end of August he was transferred to the Reserve ‘class W’ under the Brace Committee rules which meant he would undertake ‘work of national importance’.  He was released from prison but like Arthur, he does not appear to have reported for work and the authorities came looking.  A letter from an investigating officer states that he had visited his parents’ house and ‘he had not been seen for over 3 weeks’.  We don’t know whether he was located and made to complete the remaining term but eventually the government decided not to pursue conscientious objectors further and he was finally discharged from service on 31st March 1920.

William Dodd enlisted 15th Oct 1914 into the Royal Marine Light Infantry, Chatham Division (19288).  We have not been able to locate any further details.

Lance Corporal Frank Drackett (born around 1885, Killamarsh) was the son of William and Ellen Drackett and lived at 45 Mansfield Road, High Moor, Killamarsh. He worked at Kiveton Park Colliery prior to joining the South Wales Borders, 12th Battalion (24161).  He was killed in action on 10th August 1916 and is commemorated on the Loos British Cemetary and the Colliery memorial at Kiveton.

Private James William Drackett was born around 1894 (Killamarsh) the son of George and Mary Drackett of 44 High Moor, Killamarsh.  He enlisted into KOYLI, 9th Battalion (20172) and was killed in action along with many others at the great Somme offensive on 1st July 1916.  He is commemorated on Thiepval Memorial Somme pier and face 11c 12a, and also on the Kiveton Park Colliery memorial as an employee of the pit.

Guardsman William Drackett (born c.1888, Killamarsh) was the son of John and Mary Drackett of Mansfield Road, Killamarsh.  He worked in mining before joining his father's barber business.  He enlisted into the Grenadier Guards, 3rd Battalion (service number 26631) as part of the comb out.  He had married Beatrice (Fanny) Pemberton in 1912 and they had one child who died in infancy; the couple living at 15 Kirkcroft Lane.  He died 6th September 1917 from his wounds and is commemorated at Dozingham Military Cemeraty, Poperinge, France.

Private Henry Draper (b.1881, Woodhouse) was the son of Joshua (deceased) and Harriet Draper.  He married Sophia Barlow in June 1907 and lived at 18 Nethermoor Lane, Killamarsh.  They had children Elsie Annie, May, Barbara and Lottie.  He was one of the first to enlist on 29th August 1914 at Killamarsh, joining the North Staffords, 7th Battalion (16493).  He died 29th April 1916 and is buried in Bazra War Cem, Iraq Plot V, H6.  He is commemorated on the Kiveton Park Colliery memorial as an employee of the pit.