A CANDLE will be lit at 6.30pm today, July 1, to mark the life of Askam soldier William Calvert, who was among those to die on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.
The simple ceremony, arranged by members of Askam and Ireleth History Group will be at the village war memorial.
Pte Calvert fought with the 11th Lonsdale Battalion of the Border Regiment, No. 13851, and was killed in action at the village of Authuille.
He has no known grave and is named on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing of the Somme.
His battalion was in the 97th brigade of the 32nd Divison.
Pte Calvert’s medal index card shows that he arrived in France on November 23 in 1915.
The Barrow Guardian of July 22 in 1916 noted: “Mr Thomas Calvert, 116 Crossley Street, Askam, has received official word of the death of his youngest son, Pte William Calvert, aged 32 years, who was in the Lonsdale Battalion of the Border Regiment and was killed in action in France on July 1.
“Living at Workington when the war broke out, he joined the Lonsdale Battalion in September 1914 and went to France last November.
“He was a single man and was engaged at the Moss Bay Works, Workington.”
The Barrow News of July 22 added that he was the younger son of William Thomas Calvert and the late Mrs Calvert. He was also the brother of Annie E. Calvert, of 116 Crossley Street, Askam.
It noted: “After training at Carlisle and Prees Heath, Salop, Pte Calvert went out last November to France.
“He was looking forward to getting a short leave to come home, just before he was killed.
“A fine soldier, he did his duty to his King and Country.
“Much sympathy has been expressed to his father and sister.”
Pte Calvert is named on the Askam war memorial and on the memorial plaque in St Peter’s Church, Ireleth.
The steelworker had signed up in Workington on October 12 in 1914.
He would have been in D Company of the Lonsdales and trained at Blackhall racecourse at Carlisle.
On May 8 in 1915 he would have been moved to Prees Heath Camp in Shropshire and was under canvas at Wensleydale, Yorkshire on June 22 in 1915.
From August 5 to 11 he was at Strensall for musketry practice and then at Salisbury Plain.
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