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Last soldier to fall has joined comrades at last

Damon Wilkinson
29/ 9/2006

THE name of the last Littleborough soldier killed in the First World War has been added to the Cenotaph - 88 years after his death.

James Worrall, a gunner with the Royal Field Artillery, was 34 years old when he died in northern France on 23 October 1918 - just 18 days before the armistice.

The married father-of-four, who lived in Todmorden Road, is buried in a military cemetery in France, but until now he was never included on any memorial in this country.

But, following a request to Rochdale Council from his grandson, his name has finally been added to the cenotaph off Church Street

Bill Peatfield, aged 59, of Brandlesholme, Bury, learnt of his granddad's fate while talking to his aunt, who was in a nursing home at Blackstone Edge.

He said: "It got to me because it was the first time I had been told about him and as far as I'm aware nobody had ever been to visit his grave.

"So my son and I went to the cemetery in France and it was beautiful. He was remembered in France but not in his home town and I thought that was wrong.

"Now his name will live forever. I have two children and seven grandchildren and now they will all know who he was. I'm just an ordinary chap and I have done nothing special and by the sounds of it he was, too, but I feel everyone who goes to fight for their country in these awful places deserves to be recognised. It is something that is very dear to me."

Peter Cryer, president of the Littleborough Historical and Archaeological Society, is writing a book about Littleborough's war dead. He believes many more men may have been omitted.

He said: "There are now 268 names on the Cenotaph but my research shows there could have been as many as 323 Littleborough men who died in the war. Some may be included on other memorials.

"Others may have been left off because their families didn't reply when the local authority wrote to ask if they would like their relative included."