A World War One soldier who died at home from combat injuries has been officially recognised with a Commonwealth War Grave after more than a decade of dedicated research by a local historian.
Rona Houlton devoted over ten years to uncovering the story of Pte Emmanuel J Foxton after seeing his name on a Roll of Honour at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Selby. Her research revealed that Pte Foxton had been buried in an unmarked plot at St Helen’s Church in nearby Escrick. Determined to ensure he received proper recognition, Ms Houlton contacted the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) to arrange a headstone for him.
A memorial service for Pte Foxton, attended by military personnel, will take place at St Helen’s Church later today. Ms Houlton described the moment as “thrilled he was being recognised at long last”. “It’s just unbelievable, I didn’t think such a thing could be organised,” she said. “It’s just lovely, it’s brilliant he’s got his recognition and now he’s got a headstone and a memorial.”
Ms Houlton began investigating the names on the Roll of Honour in 2013, ahead of the centenary of World War One, to create a memorial display. Pte Foxton was the only serviceman from the parish whose death did not appear on the CWGC register. “I could find nothing of him,” Ms Houlton explained, but she persevered, using online databases and liaising with the York Army Museum, which provided access to regimental diaries.
Through painstaking research, she reconstructed Pte Foxton’s life. Born in Barlby, he spent part of his childhood in Leeds before moving to Hemingbrough, near Selby. In 1915, aged 18, he joined the 2/5th battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment, also known as The Prince of Wales’ Own. By 1917, he had been deployed to the Western Front in France, where the regiment endured harsh conditions and suffered “gas incidents causing multiple injuries”.
Pte Foxton was sent home after a gas attack but tragically died in 1919 at the age of 22 from tuberculosis caused by gassing. Investigations with the church in Hemingbrough suggested he might have been buried in Escrick alongside his grandparents and father. Caroline and Roger Wandless at St Helen’s Church helped search burial records and discovered he had been laid to rest in an unknown location. A ground investigation revealed a simple cross beneath the soil, identifying the spot as Pte Foxton’s final resting place. “It was absolutely fantastic; for us to play just a small part in finding where he was buried was just great,” Mrs Wandless said.
With no living relatives found, Ms Houlton forwarded her findings to the CWGC. In September, a Commonwealth War Grave headstone was installed, featuring a light-coloured stone engraved with a horse above a banner, his name, date of death, and a cross. Ms Houlton described seeing the headstone for the first time as “very moving”. “I’m not an emotional person, but I stepped into the graveyard and you can see it if you know where you’re looking – there it was, and I couldn’t help crying,” she said.
The forthcoming service at St Helen’s Church will feature military personnel from the West Yorkshire Regiment, Selby MP Keir Mather, and a bugler playing The Last Post. Reverend Jackie Doyle-Brett called it “a very special occasion” and emphasised it as “a real opportunity to honour and recognise someone who died of war wounds”. Mr Wandless noted that the event had grown from a simple service into a significant commemoration.
Ms Houlton will lay a wreath at Pte Foxton’s grave and reflected on her long campaign to achieve recognition. “I set out only to have a young man that I’ve come across with no recognition just to get him acknowledged – I don’t like an injustice,” she said. “I’m just happy – I’m absolutely thrilled that he’s got his recognition after so many years, that’s all I wanted and he’s going to get it.”
Pte Emmanuel J Foxton’s Commonwealth War Grave stands today as a lasting tribute to his sacrifice and a reminder of the dedication of those who work tirelessly to ensure that every soldier is remembered.
