Ossett WW2 Fallen — All

Just twenty trying years after the end of WWI local communities found themselves once again in turmoil and torment. On 3^rd September 1939 Great Britain once again declared war on Germany and the World War 1939-1945 commenced.  Just as it did in WWI Ossett played its part in WW2 but the loss of life was much less and remembrance  less ostentatious with only two rolls of honour for the Ossett Fallen at Holy Trinity and Ossett Grammar and  an informal list  for St. Mary’s Church  Gawthorpe  So far as is known no other list of names exists, official or unofficial, of those Ossett men and women who lost their lives in this conflict.

The end of WW2 in 1945 also means the “lifetime” restrictions of the 100 year rule and Freedom of Information legislation remain largely in place. Moreover whilst 1914-1919 press coverage was cautious this was several fold more so in 1939-1945 but even so it has been the main source of information for the purpose of identification of The Ossett Fallen.

To date (November 2021) the total of the Ossett Fallen who lost their lives in WW2 numbers 90 comprising 45 who are buried in Ossett or remembered on local rolls of honour or the informal St. Mary’s Church list.

The biographies which feature below include the names of six men (shown in red) who lost their lives in service but, whilst they had a connection with Ossett, there is no evidence that they ever lived in the town. Four of the men married an Ossett woman, one man had a father who lived in Ossett and one man had parents who appear to have moved to Ossett after his death. None of these six men have their names engraved at the Ossett War Memorial because they have not fulfilled the criteria of being born or having lived in Ossett. For commemoration as a WWI casualty, service personnel must have died between 3^rd September 1939 and 31st December 1947.

Click here to download the WW2, 2018 Ossett Heritage Roll of Honour.