Samuel Garland

War Service

It was whilst living at Birkwood Road, Altofts that Samuel answered the urgent call from the Government requesting men with mining experience to join the army.
Although nine years over the normal recruiting age, Samuel, who was now 39 years old, signed the attestation form on 27 September 1915, to join the Royal Engineers at the recruiting office in Castleford. The reason for the request for miners to help the war effort would soon become apparent. Formally assigned to the 252nd Tunnelling Company Royal Engineers on 4 October 1915 with the rank of sapper, Samuel joined his unit in France on 9 November 1915. The need for experienced miners was so urgent that normal army training was minimal and just 43 days after his visit to the recruiting office in Castleford, Samuel arrived in France.
By this time the war on the western front had degenerated into a stalemate with both sides dug in to fortified trenches, sometimes only metres apart. The German, French and British were involved in excavating tunnels deep under no-man’s land between the opposing army trenches. Consequently, men with mining experience were a great asset in performing this task. The objective was to detonate tons of explosives under the enemy trenches, hence the urgent need for miners.
Samuel’s son Thomas had also enlisted – he became a driver in the Royal Horse Artillery / Royal Field Artillery.
Samuel would have had the additional anxiety worrying about the safety of his son Thomas. It must also have been a very difficult and stressful time for Jane, Samuel’s wife. She would have been worried about the safety of her husband serving in France but she also had the additional worry regarding her son Thomas serving in Mesopotamia.
In February 1916 Samuel was serving with his company in Flanders, France.
One record states “Killed in action”, however extracts gleaned from a damaged service record state:
“Died Apoplectic fit 8-2-1916”
“Total service towards engagement (Date of death) 135 days.”
Samuel now lives in the Auchonvillers Military Cemetery in the Picardie area of France.

Family Life

Samuel was born in Altofts in 1877, the son of John and Emma Garland, who had moved to Altofts from Gloucestershire with their daughter Emily. John found work at Pope and Pearson (West Riding) Colliery and the family moved into their new family home in Scott Street, Altofts. Soon after arriving in Altofts, Emma gave birth to their second child Nelly, their first child to be born in Altofts. During the next decade, there were further additions to the family, Clara in 1873 followed by Louisa in 1875, Samuel in 1877 and their youngest child John Willie in 1879.
At the age of 13 years Samuel worked at the mine. However, his older sisters, with the exception of Emily who was blind, no longer lived at home. Five years later, at the age of 18, Samuel married Jane Hampshire at Saint Mary Magdalene Church, Altofts on 17 May 1896. Jane and Samuel’s son, Thomas, was born on 15 November 1896.
Soon after their marriage, Samuel served for a brief period in the West Riding Constabulary. The couple then moved to live at Low Green, East Knottingley where their daughter Mary was born on 20 April 1899.
The duties of a policeman cannot have agreed with Samuel, he was dismissed from the police service on 6 December 1900. Soon after his dismissal Samuel, Jane and their two children, Thomas, aged 4 years and Mary aged one year old, moved back to Altofts to live at 19, George Street and Samuel returned to work at the colliery.
Sometime later the family moved to live at Hill Top, Birkwood Road, Altofts.