Lance Corporal Frank Tanfield MM was born in 1893, the son of Mr & Mrs H Tanfield of Ashberry Road, Sheffield. He served with the East Yorkshire Regiment (12176) having enlisted in September 1914. He was awarded the Military Medal. Prior to the war he played football for Kiveton.
Private George William Taylor was born in 1895 and brought up in Kiveton, but had moved to Mansfield just before the war. He served with the Northumberland Fusiliers, 20th Battalion (37382) having enlisted in March 1916. He was killed by a sniper on 5th June 1917 and as a former local his death was reported in the Worksop Guardian:
News has been received by his mother, Mrs. E. Taylor, of 33 Bishop Street, Mansfield, of the death in action in France, of her son, Pte. George W. Taylor of the Lewis Machine Gun section of the Tyneside Scottish Regt., Northumberland Fusiliers. The news is conveyed in a letter from a chum in the Northumberland Fusiliers, in which Regiment Pte. Taylor originally enlisted, who writes under date, Friday June 9th 1917 –
“Dear Mrs. Taylor – It is with the very deepest regret I have to write these few lines to inform you that your son, George W. Taylor, was killed in action on Wednesday, the 6th June. I assure you that he will be greatly missed amongst us, as he will be at home, for he was one of the best, and we were big pals. He asked me before going into action, to write and let you know if anything happened to him. My other mate got his things to send to you, but he got wounded very bad the next day, and I daresay he will send them on as soon as possible, as the stretcher-bearer told me he was going on alright. There were four of us together, mates, and two are killed and one wounded, and I reckon myself very lucky to be alright. I cannot say anything else, except how good old George stuck well to the end and that all of us miss him very much, and we send all our sympathies to you. – Yours Pte. J.F. Chetwin, 20th N.F.”
Following this came another letter from a colleague, Pte. H. Tatley, who writing on June 10th, says:- “Dear Mrs. Taylor- Having considered it my duty as a friend to your dear son George, I am taking first opportunity of writing to you to let you know that George was killed on June 6th, during our last attack on the German lines, and I wish by these few lines to offer you my deepest sympathy and regret at the great loss you have sustained. George and I have been great friends ever since we joined the Army, and although not in the same platoon, I feel his loss greatly, as we treated one another as brothers. It will be some consolation to you to know that George died with his face to the enemy whilst fighting for the King and dear Homeland, and with his loss the Country loses one of its best soldiers, and I a very dear friend. I will do my best to send you his personal belongings and letters, and when I come home on leave I will make it my duty to visit you. You will no doubt receive a letter from the Platoon Officer in a few days, and I again offer you my deepest sympathy. – Yours very sincerely, Pte. H. Tatley.”
A letter has also been received by the mother from his Platoon Sergeant, Sergt. Wm. Barron, saying that her son was under his charge in an attack on the 6th inst., and they were together from the beginning of the battle until he was hit. It was after they had gained their objective that they spotted a bunch of Germans in a communication trench, and “ he had just put his head next to my own when he was shot by a sniper, the bullet penetrating just under his left eye and coming out at the right side of his head. He died with his hand in mine, death being almost instantaneous”. From his possession the writer says he took a watch and a pocket wallet and gave them to his comrade, Pte. Reay to carry but Reay was afterwards wounded.
He is buried at Greenland Hill, and he can assure the mother that when he left the trenches he left one of the most faithful friends in battle he had ever met. He was a lad not only reliable but brave.
Pte. Taylor resided for many years at Kiveton Park, where his father carried out a carting business, until he left for Mansfield about two years ago. The deceased lad, who was 22 years of age, assisted his father before enlistment in March 1916. During his residence in Kiveton Park he was respected and esteemed and the sympathy of many residents in the village will go to his bereaved parents.
He does not appear on a memorial locally.
Driver John William Taylor (b.1894) lived at Kiveton Park Station, although on sign up he named his father as William Harrison Tayor of Headon, Retford. He enlisted on 10th February 1915 at Sheffield into the Royal Engineers (61311) and was in France by 1st June 1915. On 12th February 1918 he was transferred to 87th Field Co; and 13th Jan 1919 he was made acting Lance Corporal. He was discharged 16th July 1919.
There is a W Thompson named on the Kiveton Park Colliery memorial but we have been unable to ascertain who this is or any further details. Please get in touch if you can help.
Private John Milton Thornton lived with his parents, Thomas and Louisa, at 70 Springfield Terrace, Kiveton Park. His family were originally from Pontefract but had come to Kiveton to work on the railways, where his father was a signalman. They had previously lived at number 157 Little Rows. John was among the first to enlist in the St John's rooms, Kiveton on 2nd September 1914 initially serving first with the 20th Hussars (17820). He had been wounded in September 1916 and returned to serve at the front in May 1917, just a month before he was killed on June 28th at the age of 26, while he was serving with 12th Squadron (cavalry) of the Machine Gun Corps (47850). He is buried in the extension to the war cemetery in Templeux-Le-Guererd (B-14), and commemorated on the Kiveton Park Colliery and Wales Square memorials.
Driver Thomas Thornton born 1896 was the son of Thomas and Louisa Thornton of 70 Springfield Terrace, Kiveton served with the Royal Field Artillery.
Private Jack Tristram was the younger brother of Fred (see below) being born in 1897 at Kiveton. He served with the Sherwood Rangers, and later the Notts and Derby Regiment (service numbers 2861; 20148; 269365). He suffered from fever as reported at the time of Fred’s death.
Gunner Frederick Tristram (b.1893, Kiveton) was the son Enoch and Sarah Tristram of 16 Dawson Terrace, Kiveton and was married to Rhoda (nee Eames) and they had one child. He had served with Sheffield City Police before returning to work at Kiveton Park Colliery. He enlisted on 26th May 1915 with the Royal Field Artillery (Territorial force), service number 786591, and later served with 312th Brigade Sea Battery. He was awarded the Military Medal in April 1917 but killed shortly afterwards. His death was reported in the Worksop Guardian:
We regret to record the death in action of Gunner Frederick Tristram, R.F.A. who was killed on the 11th April in France. The news was conveyed to his wife in the following letter:
“Dear Mrs. Tristram,- I deeply regret having to tell you that your husband was killed yesterday, and you have my deepest sympathy in your loss. You will hear of his death from the War Office, but I wanted to send word and tell you what a splendid and fearless man he was, and I can but thank God that he was asleep at the time it happened in his dug-out about 3pm. Comfort yourself in knowing that he had a decent burial and a clergyman was there, who read the service over him and one of his pals who was killed beside him. He had done splendid work here and I had recommended him for the Military Medal, which will be sent to you in due course. You have my deepest sympathy – Yours sincerely, G. R. Flemming, Major commanding C,312,R.F.A.”.
Gunner F. Tristram who is the son of Mr and Mrs. Enoch Tristram, Dawson Terrace, Kiveton Park, and leaves a wife and one child to mourn his loss, was for some time a member of Sheffield City Police, but before enlistment had resumed employment at Kiveton Park Collieries.
He was a fine built soldier standing well over 6ft. A few days previous to the intimation of his death, he wrote home stating that he had been recommended for the M.M. He was 21 years of age and enlisted on May 26th 1915, going out to France just before Christmas. His brother, Pte J. Tristram, is in hospital suffering from fever contracted on active service.
Fred is remembered on the St John’s Church plaque, the Kiveton Colliery and Wales Square memorials.
Private George Chapman Trueman was born 1899 at Wales, the son of Samuel and Harriet Trueman and younger brother to Samuel (below). They lived at 6 Park Terrace, Kiveton. He enlisted aged 18 on 26th April 1918 in Barnsley into Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regment, 3rd Battalion (40512). He married Annie Stocks in 1921.
Private Samuel Trueman was born around 1889 at Wales and lived at 48 Manvers Road, Swallownest with his wife Kate (nee Lane; married October 1913) and 3 children, Josephine, Kitty and Agnes. He enlisted on 11th January 1916 into the Notts and Derbys Regiment, 11th Battalion (118309) and was killed just weeks before the end of the conflict on 29th October 1918. He is commemorated on the Kiveton Park Colliery memorial as an employee of the pit. He was the brother of George.
Lance Corporal James Forrester Turner (b.1886, Chesterfield) lived at 86 Wales Bar with his wife Emily of Brampton, Chesterfield who he had married in April 1908, and he worked at Waleswood Colliery. He enlisted on 21st September 1914 in Sheffield into the York and Lancaster Regiment, having already served 3 years with the Notts and Derbys 4th Territorial Battalion (service number 200685). He was in France between 13th April 1915 and 7th October of that year when he was made Lance Corporal. He returned to France in March 1916, received a gun shot wound to left wrist 18th April 1918 and was discharged 21st March 1919.
F Turner appears on Wales UM chapel plaque but we have been unable to confirm any further details. If you can help, please get in touch.