Menu
This is the story of, yet another, brave young man barely 18 years of age who risked his life and stood with his countrymen and women in repelling the enemy who wished us harm.
It is also the story of one of many Ossett men who signed up in April 1918 for service with the fledgling Royal Air Force to which we owe so much in so many conflicts.
It is also the story of Charles Frederick Harrap; a survivor.
In writing this biography I have leaned rather heavily upon the excellent detailed research by John Coulthard and Mark Smith and I thank them both. Our thanks also to Mark Smith for sharing with us his remarkable and inspirational Collection of WWI and WWII medals and memorabilia including these medals presented to Ossett Aircraftman and survivor, Charles Frederick Harrap.
Left to Right; British & Victory Medals in recognition of service in WWI. Far right: Special Constabulary Long Service Medal .
Charles Frederick Harrap was born in Ossett on 8th September 1899 the second of four sons born between 1893 and 1899 to Ossett born Ernest Nettleton Harrap (1861-1948) and Wakefield born Annie (nee Blakey 1868 -1926). The couple married at Wakefield Holy Trinity Church on 6th September 1892 and made their home at Gawthorpe. Charles Frederick was baptised at the Church of St Mary at Gawthorpe and Chickenley Heath on 4th November 1899 when his twin brother, Walter, was also baptised. The family lived at Quarry House Gawthorpe.
In 1901, Ernest, secretary to a mungo manufacturer, his wife Annie and their four sons, all born in Ossett, lived on Glenhome Terrace, Gawthorpe. Their nearest neighbour was Ernest’s 77 years old widowed mother, Grace Harrap (1823-1901), who lived at The Breezes, Glenholme Terrace with her two spinster daughters, Tabitha and Emma, who, like their late father, were school teachers.
By 1911 Charles Frederick Harrap was eleven years of age and living with his parents and three siblings, his twin Walter (1899-1985) and elder brothers Frank (1893 – 1964)) and Arthur Blakey Harrap (1896- 1975). The family were living at Gawthorpe in the six roomed dwelling, the Breezes. Their neighbours, at the same address of The Breezes, were Charles Frederick’s spinster aunts, Tabitha and Emma Harrap. Might the dwelling known as The Breezes have been sub divided into two homes?
An existence which might, at first glance, appear idyllic was to be interrupted on 4th August 1914 when Great Britain declared war on the German Empire. The father, Ernest Nettleton Harrap, a Director and Secretary of a mungo manufactury, was the only son of five children born to his parents and yet here he was on the cusp of war with four sons all of whom were to be of an age when they would be expected to serve their country at a time of its greatest need. In August 1914 the twin sons were fifteen years old and the other brothers were aged 20 and 17 years.
It’s not certain that the siblings of Charles Frederick Harrap served in WWI but it is known that Charles Frederick signed up just after his 18th birthday on 8th September 1917.
He joined the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) on 16th October 1917 and in the following five months he served in bases at Tower Hamlets, Tregantle, Cornwall and Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. He was 5’5” tall with brown hair, blue eyes, a fair complexion and rated his character & ability as very good. Most of his time at the RNAS was at Great Yarmouth, part of a network of coastal defence bases which saw action against enemy U-boats and Zeppelins. His final day with the RNAS was 31st March 1917.
The Royal Air Force was created on 1st April 1918 and he was transferred, with the rank of Private, later replaced by the rank Aircraftman 2nd Class; the RAF muster rolls classified him as a labourer. He served at Norfolk and Dorset until 5th June 1918 when transferred to the 66 Wing unit in Otranto, Italy. Between 26th June and 27thNovember 1918 he served with 226 Squadron, bombers and fighter aircraft at Pizzone & Taranta. He was transferred to the Malta Garrison until 15th March 1919 when, aged 20 years, he was demobilised and put on RAF Reserve Class G (available for recall; disbanded & discharged 30th April 1920) .
Arial view of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) station at South Denes, Yarmouth, Norfolk.
Following his return to Ossett in 1919 it is likely that Charles Frederick Harrap resumed his work alongside his father in the mungo manufacturing business. On 26th August 1930 at Earlsheaton parish church he married Phyllis Scott, the second daughter of Alfred Scott and his wife who lived at Heath Cottage, Earlsheaton. Charles Frederick’s best man was his twin brother, Walter Harrap. Charles Frederick and Phyllis appear not to have had children.
Sometime in the 1930’s, probably between 1931 and 1936, Charles Frederick was awarded a Special Constabulary long service medal which can be awarded to Special Constables so long as they have served without pay for at least nine years and willingly and competently discharged their duty. The award says something about the man and, indeed, the family. Later, in 1939, Arthur Harrap, in addition to holding down a job in telling times, found time to act as senior warden of the Air Precautions Patrol.
At the time of his marriage in 1930 Charles Frederick was a director of Hanson and Wormald Ltd., manufacturers of Ossett who by 1927 had acquired Royds Mill, Ossett which was not far distant from the family home at Gawthorpe. In 1939 Charles Frederick and Phyllis were living at “Aysgarth” next door to “The Breezes” which was home to his brother, Arthur Blakey Harrap and his wife, Florence (nee Kershaw) and their two children. The brothers’ 78 years old father, Ernest Nettleton Harrap, lived in the adjacent dwelling also known as The Breezes. In 1939 Ernest, Arthur and Charles Frederick described themselves as Mungo & Shoddy Manufacturers.
In the early 1960’s Charles Frederick was still living at “Aysgarth”, Swithenbank Street, Gawthorpe and Royd’s Mill was in the hands of Ernest Nettleton Harrap & Sons Ltd, Mungo, Shoddy Manufacturers. Royd’s Mill was once owned by the Blakey family; Annie Blakey was the wife of Ernest Nettleton Harrap and, of course, mother to Charles Frederick and his siblings.
For service to his country in the Great War 1914-1918 Charles Frederick Harrap was awarded the British War Medal by authority of the Navy and the Victory Medal by the authority of the Air Ministry the latter indicating that he had served overseas in a theatre of war. Charles Frederick Harrap of “Aysgarth”, Swithenbank Street, Gawthorpe died on 8th April 1965 aged 65 years.
Alan Howe & Mark Smith written for Ossett Heritage. January 2022.
